Tips for Writing and Planning for Grants

STRATEGICchoices
Research and Consultation
Kenneth Dym, M.S.W.

Planning

1. Developing a plan for raising money through grants is akin to strategic planning. You need to understand your mission, be aware of your funding sources, and plan for the future.

2. Be aware of your needs and be realistic as to what foundations will provide. Some, especially community foundations, provide on-going support for programs. Many do not, and most “smallish” foundations give in the $5,000 to $25,000 range – or less. Make sure the effort to procure foundation grants is worth the result.

3. Understand the foundation’s mission – their scope of service. Research what the foundation’s areas of interest are. If available, look up the type of organizations and projects the foundation has supported for the last several years.

4. Conduct a needs assessment – even if informal. How do you know the proposed services are needed? What gaps will the proposed services fill?

5. If appropriate, collaborate with other local agencies. Funders like networks. They want to see partnerships not solo efforts.

6. Funders:

• Like new approaches. How will your program – the one they are being asked to support – be different?
• Want to know if the program works. Is there support – research, data, literature -- backing up the program? Has the project been tested and evaluated elsewhere?
• Are concerned with sustainability. How will you continue to fund this program?

Writing

1. Read the RFP (Request for Proposal)

2. Read it again ….and again and again.

3. Organize a team. The team should have sufficient number of people to perform the following functions:

• Writing the drafts
• Coordinating all the material
• Editing
• Evaluation
• Data collection
• Fiscal
• Collecting letters of support
• Proofreading
• Administrative support

4. Develop a plan for completing the proposal. Make sure that every component that is required is included, e.g. face sheet, budget, budget justification, narrative, appendices, and attachments. The plan should specify:

• Who is doing what;
• When is it due;
• Who is collecting and holding on to all the material;
• Who is putting the proposal together;
• Who is doing the proof reading?

5. Outline what you want to say for each question

6. One person should keep the “master” copy of the proposal (or a section of the proposal). All edits and corrections should be made on this copy.

7. Label your versions carefully. Do not mix up one draft with another.

8. Follow the rules precisely as laid out in the RFP.

• Keep to page limits.
• Present the material in the exact order the RFP asks for.
• Answer every question – even if some seem repetitious.
• Use the font size they specify and keep to the margins.
• Use the formats (for charts) they provide.

9. Make the presentation attractive. Put spaces between items so it is more readable. Clearly label paragraphs and sections. Imagine yourself reading all these proposals and what would you like to look at. Sacrifice a few lines per page so the reader does not feel bombarded by words.

10. Be consistent in your writing style. Do not use many acronyms and always state what they relate to. For example, merely because on page 5 you said what CRGT stands for, do not expect the reader when he/she gets to page 48 to remember.

11. Make sure you send the proposal to the correct address.
Make sure it gets there by the correct date.

12. Obtain letters of commitment (and not just letters of support). A letter of commitment states what the other agency will actually do in support of the health center.

13. Be consistent throughout the proposal with what you are saying. Make sure the budget accurately reflects what is said in the narrative and visa versa.

14. Always use updated material.

15. Make sure goals and objectives are clear and realistic. Remember, goals are large general statements; objectives are always measurable. The goals and objectives should be consistent with the proposed activities.

16. Focus on how the program will improve the lives of the clients served by the agency. To the extent possible, minimize administrative costs. If you can include in-kind contributions.

17. Determine how you will measure success. How will you evaluate your program? Make sure the evaluation plan is consistent with the goals, objectives, and activities of the program. Be realistic in what the evaluation can accomplish.

18. Include clients and community leaders in the decision making/proposal writing processes.

Produced by:
STRATEGICchoices
P.O. Box 820 Greenfield MA 01302
(tel) 413 773 3029 kdym@direcway.com 413 773 5080 (fax)

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(800) 414-FFTA (3382)