Grants, Grants, Grants “Be Careful What You Wish For”

1. Grants, Grants, Grants“Be Careful What You Wish For” Presented by Health Services Administration Program Director: Mary Derby

2. Why Am I Here?

3. Why Are You Here? • Write grants for your own organization • Grant consultant • Administrator supervising grants recruitment and administration • What else?

4. Goals • Basic understanding of the grant planning process • How to match ideas to funding sources • How to prepare for grant “Time Drainers” • Remember to WRITE • Practical Pointers • Do’s and Don’ts

5. The Proper Grant Mind Set • There is no such thing as “free” money • Need=Idea=Funding Source • Money ≠ “we should get some” ≠ so let’s come up with an idea… www.boston.com/.../2007/08/new_england_fou.html

6. Tool Kit • Solid and well-thought out idea • Proper funding source • Engaged Stakeholders • Excellent writing, communication and organizational skills • Relationship with Program Officer • Time to plan, organize, write, review and submit

7. Pre-Grant Process • Idea/Topic/Timing • Stakeholders with proper authority to approve • How much? • From who? • Right team and collaborators

8. “Showstoppers” • You cannot get grant money to replace budgeted funds already spent or approved for spending • Ineligibility • Looming deadline • Inadequate infrastructure • Team not qualified for proposed work

9. Need • Why do you/your organization/your community need the funding? • Who/what will it serve? • What problem/challenge will it address? • Why can’t you pay for it? • Why are YOU/YOUR ORGANIZATION/YOUR COMMUNITY worthy?

10. Interview • Stakeholders • Project Director • CFO or person in charge of the budget • Previous grant recipients at organization • See sample interview handout

11. Timeline & Assignments

12. Grant “Time Drainers” • Letters of Support • Required Forms • Review time if multiple stakeholders with approval authority • Resumes/CVs in proper format if required • Written material from other team members

13. Stakeholders • Know them all • Understand each stakeholders’ role and authority • Include if needed but should be able to show clear relevancy of each stakeholder • If include a stakeholder, be sure time and budget allowances are appropriate

14. Research

15. WRITE! • Start with… • Required sections (bolded) • Bullet points of ideas • Review criteria used by grant reviewer • BUT WRITE—Daily!

16. Tell A Story

17. Focus

18. Building a Grant • Requests for Proposal have lengthy, detailed instructions for required categories for the grant application: • Abstract • Background and significance • Problem Statement • Goals & Objectives • Workplan • Measurable Outcomes and Evaluation

19. Abstract • Write this last if possible but you may need to structure a draft of the abstract to distribute to stakeholders early in the process • Usually limited words • Succinct and engaging/compelling • May sometimes be helpful if written by someone other than the primary grant writer

20. Background and Significance • Must research to complete this section • Must be up-to-date so should be “freshened” with each application • Lots of information available and research is important but can also be addictive! You may want to limit the amount of time you research.

21. Problem Statement • Is an inquiry-based curriculum using a culturally congruent web based videogame more effective than the standard science and health curriculum for the development of science concepts relating to the digestive system structure and function and the role of metabolism?

22. Goals and Objectives

23. Work plan

24. Evaluation

25. The Team • Required in summary form but also documented as a resume or a Curriculum Vitae • Many times have required formats for resumes and CVs • Must notify team in advance to provide you with this information

26. Resources • Describe organization • Resources relevant to completing the project • team • Physical plant • Technology • Clerical support • Other things like marketing may be relevant but depends on the RFP

27. Budget • Any in-kind contributions? • Does the RFP require matching funds? • What is your indirect cost rate? • How much detail do they want? • 1 year? • 2 year?

28. Write to Replicate • Many RFPs are similar and require similar categories of information • Write these categories so that they can easily be replicated for numerous applications • Examples of easily replicated categories: • Company resources and description • Team description • Background and significance

29. Constructive Criticism • Have a reviewer or reviewers willing to look through the application and provide constructive criticism • Give them the material far enough in advance to incorporate their suggestions • Don’t ask unless you intend to take their review seriously or it will be the last time they do YOU a favor!

30. Practical Pointers Knoxville Hardknoxville

31. WRITE! • Get in the habit of writing everyday—even if it is just bullet points of ideas or concepts beneath a couple of the mandatory headers • Grant writers WRITE…so don’t put it off. • Procrastination is the grant writers biggest enemy

32. Deadlines • ARE SERIOUS • Granting agencies do not move deadlines or allow special treatment because of emergencies or catastrophic events • If electronic submission, don’t wait until the last minute in case of technical trouble • If mailing a hard copy, be sure it is postmarked as required

33. Letters of Support • Write them yourself • Email them to important stakeholders • Ask them to review, edit as they see fit, sign, fax or email back and put a hard copy in the mail • If extensive edits are expected, ask for a personal contact so it doesn’t delay the process

34. WRITE!

35. Idea Match to RFP • It is crucial that your idea and your need match the RFP you are applying to or the best written grant will not be funded • See handout for a variety of granting agencies and foundations

36. Stimulus and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

38. Program Officer=BFF • Contact the Program Officer or Topic Author prior to preparing the application to recruit affirmation of the concept prior to submission • Once submitted, contact for status updates • Contact more frequently if the review deadline has been missed

39. WRITE!

40. Do’s • TRY • Give yourself enough time for entire process • Create realistic timeline with assignments • Control research time • WRITE daily • Be assertive • If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. • Have a Plan B (if possible) for written material required from other team members • Apply each grant to more than one funding source

41. Don’ts • Find money then “get an idea” • Use grant funding to pay grant writer • Get paralyzed • “Not try” (I know—a double negative!!) • Blame others if you are responsible for grant writing and coordination • Only apply once • Ignore the issues of “hot topics” and timing

42. Grant Submission • Pay attention to deadline details • Electronic? • Mail Hard Copy? • Postmark required? • Keep your own copy as submitted Don’t wait until last minute!

43. Grant Review • Know the projected dates • Contact Program Officer if dates are not met as promised • Be persistent • Once you receive the review, don’t be emotional. Use the opportunity to improve your grant writing skills.

44. What Next? • If not funded, take the review and use it to edit a more competitive application. • Resubmit if recommended by the agency/foundation • Try to recycle the application and submit to another appropriate funding source • If funded, get prepared to manage the grant!!

45. QUESTIONS! • Mary.derby@usd.edu