# Presentation: 264471

## Welcome to OCD’s Community Development Training Conference

## Effective Grant Proposal Writing for Foundations

**Presented by:**
**S. J. Sethi, Ph.D.**
**Director, National Center of Excellence**
**The University of Texas-Pan American**
**Edinburg, Texas**

## Overview

** ****Pre Planning**
** ****Identifying & Accessing ****	****	****Funding Resources**
** ****Writing a Proposal**

## Pre-Planning

** ****Determine the interest of your agency ****	****program areas**
** ****Identify staff roles & responsibilities ****	****for proposal development**
** ****Monitor and review funding sources**
** ****Plan meetings**
** ****Coordinate & Communicate**

## Identifying & Accessing Funding Sources

** ****Funding Sources can be divided into:**
**Federal**
**State**
**Foundation**

## Federal Funding

** ****Federal Programs are established by law**
** ****Funded by money appropriated from ****	****	****Congress as part of the federal ****	****budget**
** ****Administered by a federal agency**
** ****Availability of money publicized in the ****	****Federal Register, also in The Catalog of ****	****Federal Domestic Assistance **

## Federal Agency’s Responsibilities include:

** ****Announcing the availability of funds**
** ****Describing  the program**
** ****Screening & selecting applicants**
** ****Awarding funds**
** ****Working with grantees to insure ****	****compliance with program ****	****	****requirements**

## Federal Programs are Good Sources of:

** ****Large dollar projects**
** ****For a long duration of time (3-5 yrs.)**

## Challenges-Before Writing the Proposal

** ****Great deal of work & preparation**
** ****Can be complex applications ****	****	****requiring lots of forms & other ****	****	****information**
** ****Competition for funds is fierce**

## Challenges-After Receiving the Funds

** ****Considerable amount of ****	****	****	****administrative detail & reporting is ****	****required**
** ****Federal money comes with strings ****	****attached (reporting, financial audits, ****	****& evaluations)**
**! BE PREPARED !**

## State Funding

** ****Established by State law**
** ****Funded from money appropriated by State ****	****legislature as part of State budget**
** ****Each program is administered by a State ****	****agency**
**  ****Availability is publicized in State Register**
** ****Each State agency is responsible for the ****	****“life cycle” of it’s program in the same ****	****manner as federal agencies**

## Advantages of State Funding

** ****Eligibility is usually limited to the State**
** ****Competition is less fierce**
** ****Application process is simpler than that for ****	****federal programs**
** ****Easier to solve problems as assistance is ****	****through regional offices**

## Foundation Funding

**	****Private Foundations**
** ****	****Corporate Foundations**

## Foundation Funding

** ****Information can be found in foundation directories at your local public library**
** ****Some directories are:**
** ****Foundation 1,000**
** ****Foundation Center Search (Database)**
** ****Guide to U.S. Foundations**
** ****Directory of Corporate Giving**

## Foundation Funding in Comparison to Govt. Funding

** ****Significantly more research to match ****	****	****funding needs with giving interests and ****	****geographic giving preferences**
** ****Foundations fund a broader range of ****	****	****projects**
** ****Timetables for submission vary making ****	****them a more flexible source of funding**
** ****Fewer reporting requirements**

## Foundation Funding in Comparison to Govt. Funding

** ****Dollar amount may be large but is ****	****	****generally less than federal or state grants**
** ****Less likely to renew grants**

## Writing the Proposal

**Writing the Proposal**

## Basic Facts about Proposal Writing

** ****Proposals should be neat, orderly, and easy ****	****to read**
** ****Final copies should be reviewed for ****	****	****typographical & formatting errors**
** ****Unless otherwise specified - **
**all margins should be 1” **
**text should be 12 pt. Typeface**
**printed in black on white stock **
**double spaced**

## Basic Facts about Proposal Writing

** ****Sign original in blue to distinguish from ****	****	****duplicate copies**
** ****Don’t send more copies than requested**
** ****Focus on content rather than packaging**
** ****Follow instructions for packaging**
** ****binder clips**
** ****staples**
** ****rubber-band**

## Basic Facts about Proposal Writing

** ****Make sure single words or paragraphs do            ****	****not dangle on top or bottom of page**
** ****Number the pages**
** ****Add headers & footers, as specified**
** ****Language of proposal should be**
**clear**
**simple**
**define terms if necessary**

## Basic Facts about Proposal Writing 

** ****Be enthusiastic about your ****	****   ****	****	****	****	****	****	****project **
** ****Market your project**
** ****Write with conviction**

## Basic Facts about Proposal Writing

_**Basic Facts about Proposal Writing**_
** ****Length of proposal**

## Basic Facts about Proposal Writing

** ****Have others review and comment**
** ****Keep unsupported assumptions to a ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****minimum**
** ****Always site sources from where data is ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****obtained**

## Proposal Writing Formats

** ****	****Application Format: pre-****	****	****	****	****printed application form to ****	****	****	****be filled out**
** ****	****A proposal of your own ****	****	****	****	****	****design**

## Entities - Both Government and Foundations are very specific about format

## In absence of a specified format, a good format is:

** ****Cover or transmittal letter**
** ****Summary/Abstract**
** ****Proposal Narrative**
** ****Introduction**
** ****Problem or Needs Statement**
** ****Program Goals and Objectives**
** ****Methodology or Approach**
** ****Evaluation**
** ****Project Budget, including Other Funding Sources**
** ****Future Funding; and**
** ****Appropriate Attachments**

## Cover or Transmittal Letter- Do's

** ****	****Brief statement of purpose of ****	****proposed project**
** ****Information about total cost**
** ****Name of person acting as ****	****	****	****	****liaison between agency and ****	****	****	****funding organization**

## Cover or Transmittal Letter- Don'ts

** ****	****Do not make it too lengthy**
** ****Do not tell them that they ****	****	****	****	*****should *****fund the proposal**
** ****Do not address *****‘To whom it ******	******	******	******may concern’*****.  Research and ****	****	****address it to the right person.**

## Proposal Summary or Abstract

** ****Should be written after the entire ****	****	****	****	****proposal**
** ****It is one of the most important parts ****	****	****of the proposal**
** ****Make it clear, concise, include ****	****	****	****	****	****	****major points from all other ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****sections**
** ****Summary should pique the interest ****	****	****of the reviewer**

## Summary Should Include

** ****Brief description of applicant**
** ****Reason for the request**
** ****Goals, objectives, and results to be ****	****	****met**
** ****Activities to be conducted to ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****accomplish objectives**
** ****Project duration**
** ****Total cost**
** ****Summation of products (if any)**

## Remember

**Summary may be the only page read by the decision maker**

## Proposal Narrative

** ****Introduction**
** ****Problem or needs statement**
** ****Program goals and objectives **
** ****Methodology or Approach**
** ****Evaluation**
** ****Project budget, including other ****	****	****	****	****	****funding sources**
** ****Future funding**

## Proposal Introduction

** ****Describe who you are & why your ****	****	****	****	****	****agency is qualified**
** ****Include information on your****	****agency’s ****	****	****mission, philosophy, purpose & goals**
** ****Explain why your agency would be a ****	****	****	****good investment and partner**
** ****Establish primary applicant and other ****	****	****organizations involved**
** ****Describe agency’s clients & programs**

## Proposal Introduction

** ****Include past & current ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****accomplishments**
** ****Demonstrate credibility in the area**
** ****Make it interesting to read and jargon ****	****	****free**
** ****Make sure it flows logically into the ****	****	****	****	****problem statement**

## Problem Statement

**Paint a picture in this section as to why your problem is more significant than someone else who may be competing for the same funds.**

## Problem Statement should be:

** ****Of realistic proportions **
** ****Supported by statistical evidence**
** ****Developed with the input of stake ****	****	****	****	****	****	****holders and clients**
** ****Supported by statements from ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****authorities**
** ****Interesting to read and devoid of ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****jargon**

## Program Goals

** ****Are client focused **
** ****Are not limitless**
** ****Are listed in priority order**
** ****Are broad, issue-oriented statements ****	****	****	****that are clear and understandable**

## Should ...

_**Should**__** ...**_
** ****Demonstrate progress toward the goal**
** ****State what the agency intends to ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****accomplish**
** ****Be realistic and obtainable**
** ****Describe an outcome in terms of ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****specific targets and time frames**

## Program Objective Statements

**Explain what will be accomplished during a project, but not how it will be accomplished; objectives are not methods.**

## Statements often begin with ...

_**Statements often begin with**__** ...**_
** ****To reduce**
** ****To increase**
** ****To decrease**

## Program Objectives

_**should be ...**_
** ****Measurable**
** ****State and increase or decrease by ****	****	****	****	****	****	****specific amount using numbers, ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****periods of time and percentages etc.**

## Methodology

** ****Describe all activities to be carried out **
** ****Present sequence of activities**
** ****Show target dates**
** ****Show how partners will be involved**
** ****Show a visual timeline**

## Methodology Tells

** ****Who**
** ****What**
** ****When**
** ****Where, and**
** ****Why**

## Project Evaluation

** ****Present a plan to determine the degree ****	****to which objectives are met**
** ****Mention who will do the evaluation ****	****	****	****	****and why**
** ****State criteria for success**
** ****Explain evaluation instruments**
** ****Explain how evaluation will be used to ****	****	****improve program **

## Project Budget

** ****Should be clearly delineated**
** ****Should include careful estimation of ****	****	****	****	****cost of living, etc.**
** ****Should include all personnel and non-****	****	****	****personnel costs**
** ****Should not include any miscellaneous ****	****	****	****category**
** ****Should include contributions of ****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****	****volunteer time**
** ****Should include all items paid by other ****	****	****sources**

## Future Funding

** ****Describe future funding sources**
** ****Give examples of how it has been done ****	****	****in the past****	**
** ****Fund raising programs**
** ****Charge for services**
** ****Include letters of commitment**

## Appropriate Attachments

** ****Letters of Support**
** ****Resumes of persons working on the project**
** ****Map of service area**
** ****Detailed data**
** ****Results of preliminary survey****	**

## Write to Win!!!

**This presentation is available on the Web at:**
- _[http://coserve1.panam.edu/nce/](http://coserve1.panam.edu/nce/)__    Look under Resources_