The Grant Writer: Coach, Collaborator, Project Development Specialist

"Proposal writing represents the last phase of thoughtful project development. The process generally includes a team of people and starts with an idea that will enhance current operations or address a specific financial need required to augment the operating budget. Either starting point for an idea must link seamlessly to an organization’s mission and strategic long-range planning objectives. To effectively launch the project, the grant writer must be fully versed in these fundamental aspects of the organization.

The grant writer can be a staff member on the development team, an external consultant, or the person who will manage and direct the project. No matter who takes on this task, a unique combination of qualities and skills is needed to be successful. " by Noël Appel

One of the biggest challenges that I face as a grant writer, especially as a grant writing consultant, is finding my best role within an organization. Do I lead the project, do I just write and deliver the final product? Then the question becomes, do I coach the team I am working with? Do I consider myself as part of this team or am I an external resource? What is within my scope?

A while back I read an incredibly insightful paper written by Noël Appel. She clearly addresses the many hats that a grant writer is given and describes how to wear each one best. I will work in the coming days to post the entire paper.

About the Author

Noël Appel: Director, Foundation Relations, Fairfield University has more than 25 years of writing experience. She develops projects and proposals to private foundations and manages Fairfield’s Trustees Advisory Council. She has served as the Director of the Westchester/Putnam School-to-Careers Partnerships for the Southern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational Services. She has a BA from Fairfield University, in English and studied abroad at the University of London. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the American Association of Grant Professionals, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and CASE (Council for the Advancement of Secondary Education) and the Westchester and Connecticut Chapters of the American Society of Training and Development.

Ms. Appel's expert voice speaks well to the positon that I often find myself in as a grant writer.

Grant Writer’s Role as Project Development Specialist
"Once the project team has been expanded to include the appropriate internal and external partners, it is time to move beyond the conceptual phase of the project and into the articulation of the actual project. This process includes defining the project goal, anticipated outcomes, budget, and implementation timeline. At this stage, the grant writer works with the project team to articulate a clear and concise project goal with a series of anticipated outcomes. The achievement of the project outcomes is delineated through action items listed in the project timeline, tying seamlessly to implementation costs.

The use of various basic tools can be very helpful during this phase of the project design process. The grant writer can create a budget and project timeline templates for use with each project team. The project timeline provides information about the implementation activities, responsible staff, and timing for each action item. This form can be used as a handout in a planning meeting and helps to focus all of the participants on the scope of what is being proposed. Additionally, a budget template can be used in the same manner to help the project team consider staffing, materials, travel, marketing, equipment, and other costs associated with a project’s implementation. The resource package for this phase of the process can include a budget summary page that provides an explanation of the kinds of line items often included in a project budget. Use of sample budgets and project timelines from previously funded projects can effectively illustrate what these documents should contain.

As a project development specialist, the grant writer should make recommendations related to the appropriate use of external staffing resources. Designing an assessment framework for a project should be considered as an integral part of the project design process."