Grant Savvy Books

The Only Grant-Writing Book You'll Ever Need
by Ellen Karsh and Arlen Sue Fox

I recently started reading "The Only Grant-Writing Book You'll Ever Need" and I have found it to be a great resource. Many of the themes are familiar to an experienced grant writer, but I appreciate the bits of humor, honesty and candid feedback from grant experts in the field.

It is well-written and easy to read for a someone who is new to grant writing and provides questions for review at the end of each major section. For me, this format served as a nice way to be reminded of important points that can often be overlooked. It will be a useful book to have in my library.

Since this Monday was a holiday, the 'Grant Savvy Book of the Week' is making its appearance on Wednesday. However, remember to check back every Monday for another book related to philanthropy, grant writing and/or fundraising.

~Cheers!

Creating a Proposal Budget: Part 1

Direct vs. Indirect Expenses
When creating a project budget you will need to determine your costs to support the entire program. This includes staff, supplies, building and transportation costs. It can seem scary or overwhelming to create a budget that supports an entire program, but if you break it down into your line items and approach it like you would a personal budget, you will save yourself some sweat and tears.

Usually, your costs will fall into two different categories, direct and indirect expenses.

Direct Expenses are costs that come from the purchasing of goods or services to support or start your program.

• Personnel costs (sometimes called personnel services)
  
• Supplies (office supplies, paper, pencils, rubber bands, printing, etc.)
  
• Travel (air travel, bus, car, train, room & board accommodations)
  
• Equipment (office furniture, cameras, printers, radios, shelves, scanners, etc)

Indirect Expenses are costs that are required to run your organization regardless of the program you want to create or support. It is best to work with your finance department to determine these costs because they can often be tricky to understand and interpret. In the simplest terms, they are usually the administrative and/or overhead costs and can be calculated in one of two ways:

• As a percentage of total direct costs (in my experience, this is most common)
  
• As a percentage of total personnel costs

Understanding direct vs. indirect costs is important not only because some funders don’t fund indirect expenses. Your budget reflects the financial viability of your program and you must be able to accurately display all costs associated with the life of the project. Yes, ALL costs. Don’t ever attempt to hide any of the costs you will need for your program, no matter how small.

Keep checking Grant Savvy throughout the week for posts about budget narratives, what a proposal budget should look like and figuring out how much money you really need to ask for.

~Cheers!

For Grant Writers Only

A new networking site has been created for grant writers!

The For Grant Writers Only social networking site is the community complement to the soon-to-be-launched For Grant Writers Only website, a place for new and developing grant writers to learn from more experienced professionals. The community is hosted by Melanie R. Negrin, owner and managing director for Merocune Marketing and Public Relations.

Check out this awesome site and tell your grant writing friends! Kudos to Melanie for keeping us all connected!


~Cheers!

Local Foundations versus National Foundations: What Makes Sense?

I recently blogged about how community impact is dependent on the financial health of an organization. In turn, your organization's ability to win grant funding is dependent on the impact you have in your community, region or across the nation.

Take a look at where you are applying for funding and where grant funding is actually coming from. Is it mostly from a local foundation? A regional foundation? A national foundation? Likely, the answer is that you have a combination, with the greatest success coming from local funders.

The bulk of funding given by family and private foundations usually stays in the community where the foundation is located—even if the foundation supports “national” projects or has open guidelines for geographic limitations.

Sure, national foundations open the door for more money and exposure, but also for competition among worthy organizations. Most funders like to support projects in the communities where they have a vested interest, financially or otherwise.

Don't forget this is business, not just the "goodness in their hearts" driving the decision making.

Who should I send my proposal to?
Do your research by looking at the annual reports and 990s of the foundations that you think will support your needs. Where does the bulk of their funding go? How often have they funded projects in your community during the past 3-5 years? Did they fund similar organizations elsewhere in the country?

If your project only helps your local community: apply with a local funder.

If your project spans across a region or will make a national impact: apply with a national funder.

If your program is replicable outside of the local community: apply to local and national funder.

If your program can be a model in the region or in similar areas across the country: apply to local and national funder.

If you plan to share your program results through research initiatives, presentation or at national conferences: apply to both.

Remember: unless you have a one-of-a-kind project that reaches the entire nation, applying for funding in Oregon when you are based in Florida, is not a sure thing. Be realistic and find a solid local funder to support local projects and a sustainable national funder to support those on the regional or national level.

~Cheers

More Grant Writing Books

After posting the recent section on grant writing books, I reviewed some old notes and discovered a few additional suggestions that are worth sharing with the Savvy crowd.

Storytelling for Grantseekers: The Guide to Creative Nonprofit Fundraising by Cheryl Clarke.

Winning Grants Step by Step 3rd Edition by Mim Carlson

Demystifying Grant Seeking by Larissa Golden Brown

These books are recommended readings by The Fund Raising School.

The Grant Savvy world was created to share knowledge, resources and inspiration. Starting today, a new “grant writing book” will be recommended every Monday for Savvy readers.

Enjoy!

~Cheers!

Top Ten Reasons Grants are Declined

"The organization does not meet our priorities."
Research thoroughly before applying.

"The organization is not located in our geographic area of funding."
Get the guidelines before applying, or at least check GrantSeeker.com or your grants guide.

"The proposal does not follow our prescribed format."
Read the application information very carefully and follow it exactly.

"The proposal is poorly written and difficult to understand."
Have friends and experienced people critique the grant before you submit it.

"The proposed budget/grant request is not within our funding range."
Look at average size of grants of the funder.

"We don't know these people. Are they credible?"
Set up an interview before submitting the proposal and have board members and other funded organizations help you establish a relationship and give you credibility.

"The proposal doesn't seem urgent. I'm not sure it'll have an impact."
Study the priorities and have a skilled writer do this section to make it "grab" the funder. Your aim is to sound urgent, but not in crisis.

"The objectives and plan of action of the project greatly exceed the budget and timelines for implementation."
Be realistic about the programs and budgets. Only promise what can realistically be delivered for the amount requested.

"We've allocated all the money for this grant cycle."
Don't take this personally. It is a fact of life. Try the next grant cycle. Next time, submit at least a month before the deadline to give ample opportunity for questions and a site visit.

"There is not enough evidence that the program will become self-sufficient and sustain itself after the grant is completed."
Add a section to the proposal on your plans for self-sufficiency and develop a long-term strategy.

Adapted from California Grants Guide, Grant Guides Plus, 2000.

~Cheers!

The Role of the Grant Writer

The role of the grant writer is different for every consultant and organization, but some fundamentals should remain intact to provide a solid foundation for success.

Below is the link for the entire article: "The Grant Writer: Coach, Collaborator, Project Development Specialist". The original post provided only an overview of the best pieces. Enjoy!

The Grant Writer: Coach, Collaborator, Project Development Specialist

~Cheers!

Grant Writing Books

Professional development and continuing education are keys to being a strong and sustainable grant writer. Below are a few of my favorite books that I return to often to jumpstart my brain and energy. The content is mostly basic, informative and adaptable.

Webster's New World Grant Writing Handbook by Sara Deming Wason

Achieving Excellence in Fund Raising by Hank A. Rosso & Associates and Eugene Tempel, Editor

Perfect Phrases for Writing Grant Proposals by Dr. Beverly Browning

How to Write Fundraising Materials That Raise More Money by Tom Ahern

~Cheers!

Community Impact of Transparency

What is the relationship between a financially healthy organization and the community impact on people?

Personally, financial stability can open doors and support our ability to achieve goals such as buying a home, going on vacation, or sending children to college.

The same holds true for a community-based organization. What is your organization's health and how does this translate to your abilty to serve the community and receive funding requests?

The better your financial health, the more stable you become and the stronger impact you can have on the people you serve.

Measuring your health and impact is necessary for many reasons, but it can have significant bearing on your ability to demonstrate your needs in a proposal. Do you have diverse funding sources? What do you operating reserves look like? Do you encourage financial literacy among your staff or is the accounting department the only one who understands it? Do you use realistic assumptions to support your budget?

Equally important is your ability to share who you are. Do you post your information online? Do you send your annual report to donors and grant makers? Do you post your IRS determination letter and 990s on your website?

Bottom line is that a healthy connection between governance, planning, programs, evaluation and finance is really what financial leadership means. Transparency for donors, funders, volunteers, board memers and those you serve is crucial.

Grant makers want to see that you can pass the written, verbal and financial exam before they will fund your program. Evaluation measurements and logic models are parts of the proposal process that reflect this idea. It's nothing new.

Your organization's health creates not only stability, but flexibility to move with the changes in the economy. Funders want the strongest players on their team and need to know you have a plan to share with the people who support you.

Refer to places such as GuideStar to learn more about becoming financially healthy as an organization.

Clarifying Nonprofit Transparency (great new blog!)
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

~Cheers!

26 Phrases to Avoid in Grant Writing

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Business Writing: A Guide to Clear, Concise and Effective Writing.

Among other things, writing an award-winning proposal takes great writing. However, your “great writing” should also be easily understood by your readers.

Common business phrases may not be the best choice. Remember Orwell’s 5 Rules: #2 Never use a long word where a short one will do.

• Instead of: At this point in time
Use: Now
• Come to the conclusion
Conclude
• Despite the fact that
Although
• Exhibits a tendency to
Tends
• I am of the opinion
I think
• In the amount of
For
• It is indicative of
Indicates
• It is incumbent on me
I must
• Make a decision to
Decide
• On the grounds that
Since
• Perform an analysis of
Analyze
• Pertaining to
About
• Prior to that time
Before
• Provide information about
Inform
• Reached an agreement
Agreed
• Subsequent to
After
• Take under advisement
Consider
• The committee made an agreement
We decided
• The question as to whether
Whether
• The summarize the above
In summary
• Under no circumstances
Never
• We deem it advisable
We suggest
• With a view to
To
• We regard to
About
• With this in mind
Therefore
• You will find attached
Here is

~Cheers!

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Near the end of last week there was a great deal of chatter about the transparency of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In an editorial, The Lancet medical journal accuses the Foundation of making too many gifts in “rich nations” and not focusing on their mission to help those with life-threatening health needs.

Transparency is crucial in nonprofit management, fundraising and especially grantmaking. Below is one of many articles written on this recent news. Grant writers need to be “in the know” about this type of information whether you have been awarded funding from the Gates Foundation or not.

Pudget Sound Business Journal: Medical journal scolds Gates Foundation

It is these displays of public attention that ultimately lead to changes in the way the nonprofit world functions and how grantmakers and grantees remain accountable to each other.

Get Savvy: Read the article and the comments for a snapshot of how others in our field are reacting. Then, “Google” your way to finding more articles, blogs and responses to this event. The discussions are enlightening and emotional.

It is also worth checking out the information on the Gates Foundation website and Press Room.

~Cheers!

Grant Savvy Quote: Make it Personal

"We raise money the old fashioned way by building meaningful and thoughtful relationships with our contributors. In this constantly changing, high-tech world we live in today, we are trying to relate on a one-on-one basis as much as possible, including personal calls, handwritten notes and tailored donor relations events."

-Leslie W. Brown, CFRE, executive director; Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (AFP Newswire July 18 2005)

~Cheers!

Writing a Successful Grant Proposal

The Minnesota Council on Foundations is a community of grantmakers within Minnesota. On their website, Minnesota Council on Foundations, you will find a host of incredible grant writing tips, information, forms and links to resources in Minnesota.

While some of the information is specific to the region, most of it can be adapted to your state, city or community.

Below is a link to an article by Barbara Davis. "She is a nonprofit management consultant and has taught extensively on grantwriting and other topics of interest to nonprofit organizations."

The information in her article builds on the tips from the last several posts.

Writing a Sucessful Grant Proposal

Check out this great site!

~Cheers!

Being Grant Savvy: Dos and Don'ts

Impressions go a long way when seeking funding.

Relationships and making the right impression can hold as much weight as the viability and sustainability of your project. You want funders to get to know you better. You want them to read your entire proposal. You want them to like you and see a good match.

Just like you apply for college or a job, your proposal is the project's application to reality. Make your first impression count!

DO
• Take the time to plan.
• Find the right funder and research their guidelines and giving.
• Contact the foundation personally.
• Remember you need to show how you are a good fit for the funder’s mission and goals.
• Follow guidelines exactly!
• Answer all of the questions thoroughly.
• Make sure you answer the who, what, when, where, why and how.
• Provide updated and timely information; data from two years ago isn’t current.
• Check for typos, grammatical errors, punctuation and spelling before sending.
• Have a plan for future funding and program development.
• Make sure your attachments are in order.
• Send your request on time; early if possible.
• Send a thank you letter.
• Seek feedback.
• Celebrate your hard work!

DON'T
• Skip any part of the process or skim over the details.
• Expect funders to be compelled by your “urgent” need for funding; everyone can say that!
• Overwhelm the funder with an emotional appeal.
• Send the same proposal to 10 funders.
• Send more attachments than necessary or as required.
• Use more words than you need…get to the point.
• Forget a well-written cover letter from your organization’s leadership.
• Confuse the funder about your proposal's purpose.
• Ask for more money than you really need.
• Forget to make a copy for your files!!
• Don’t take it personally if you are denied.
• Forget to plan and schedule for progress reports.
• Forget to celebrate your hard work!

~Cheers!

Best Careers 2009: Fundraising

In December 2008, U.S. News and World Report released their Top 30, Best Careers in 2009 list. Check out the article and read the comments by those in our field. I agree that the article does very little justice to the actual hard work of fundraising. It's not all the glitz and glamour they suggest, but we know that the rewards are priceless.

http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/careers/2008/12/11/best-careers-2009-fundraiser.html

~Cheers!

Proposal Development

If you have a strong team when developing a new project or redefining a current one it will help strengthen the success of your endeavor. The grant writer may or may not be part of your organization, but should be part of the team as early as possible. This will aid the brainstorming process and provide expert guidance during the development stage. The grant writer can also move things along by providing a concept paper to keep the team on track.

One of the most helpful ways to look at your proposal or project is to break it down into three manageable stages of development.

1. Ideation
2. Development
3. Writing and Submission

Ideation
Before setting your keys in motion, you need to identify the need for your project and the viability of getting support.

• What is the need? Who will benefit?
• What are your goals for the project? Short-term? Long-term?
• Can the organization support this project?
• Does your project have "mission-fit"; does it fit your organizaton's mission?
• Can you achieve the fundraising goals to support this project in the future?
• Is leadership involved? Can you staff this project?
• Is there a similar program elsewhere in your community?

Development
Once you have established that you want to move forward with your project, it is time to develop the framework that will make it winner.

• What is the cost for this project? Create a projected budget.
• Create a list of prospects who fund your type of project.
• Review current donors to see if there is potential for support.
• Who will manage or lead the project?
• What additonal staffing is required?
• Define the project/program goals, costs, evaluation tools, and measures for success.

Writing and Submission
Now that the idea has a few good legs to stand on, the actual writing can begin. Assuming you have found a funder who you want to submit your proposal to, the following should occur:

• Read and re-read the funders guidelines and follow them!
• Gather required attachments: IRS Determination Letter, Annual Report, Letters of Support, etc.
• Craft a well-written and persuasive cover letter.
• Plan time for drafts and reviews among your team and leadership.
• Coordinate signatures from required staff (i.e. Executive Director)
• Follow-up with funder to make sure they received the proposal. (This is a changing practice, as some foundations do not want to hear from you until they make their decision. In this case, leverage your relationship with the program officer or other leadership to inquire about your request. Email is also becoming a more widely accepted form of follow-up.)
• Document your actions and keep a full copy of the proposal for your organization.

~Cheers!