Create A Winning Grant Team

When your own team is confused about the grant process, the final product will show it and the funder will notice. Gather a team of the right people and your proposal will be on the right track for success.

Depending on the type of proposal (private foundation, government contract, research study, etc.), you will have different players on your team. Sometimes the grant writer won't be the project lead, but will still be the project manager. In the case of government contracts or research studies, the grant writer won't have the expertise to be the leader. However, as a grant writer, you will still manage the process. You may also be managing several proposals simultaneously and it is good to be able to use the strengths of the experts around you.    

Who Should Be on Your Grant Team

• Proposal writer: the person who actually pulls together all of the required documents, writes the narrative and creates attachments for the submission. The Sensei of grant writing! 
• A finance expert: this can be your CFO, financial associate or accountant. It should be someone who knows about the finances of your organization and the program or project at hand. This should not be the person who only enters numbers into a database. 
• Program or project expert: this should be the person who knows the program/project needs.  
• Organization leader: this should be someone who has the authority to sign letters, decides how to allocate expenses and who adds leadership to your proposal.

Project Management Tips for Grant Writers

• Trust your teammates to do what they do best. 
• Remember that consensus does not come easily. Keep the lines of communication open and be willing to share ideas.
• Start with a draft that people can respond to rather than asking them to create it from the very beginning. Creativity flows much faster this way.
• Be the process leader. Guide people about the next steps and what needs to be accomplished.
• Ask critical questions early. Don’t wait until the last phase of creation to get answers about your budget expenses or outcomes.

Grant writing is not a one-person job. Use the expertise and insight from others in your organization to build a proposal that effectively describes what you want to do and how you are going to do it. If you take the time to involve all the players from the beginning, you will set yourself up for success when you receive the grant award and during the reporting process. When people appreciate what it takes to secure grant funding, they are more willing to help you see it through. Go Team!

~Cheers!

“That’s Your Secret Weapon!”: Going 007 to Get Ahead in Grant Writing

This is the beginning of a new year with new goals and challenges. What will make you stand out against your peers?

Recently, I have been creating a lot of personal goals related to achieving a healthy lifestyle. I bike, I do yoga, a eat an obnoxiously healthy diet and find time to de-stress, but I know I can always do more to feel my best. Last week, I was having a conversation with my practitioner and telling him about how much achieving a healthy lifestyle has focused my creativity and work. I feel sharper and less adapt to having a meltdown on my most stressful days. Without hesitation he said, “That’s your secret weapon. Being healthy and feeling centered".

I started thinking about what a secret weapon looks like to a grant writer. I thought I about dagger shoes, homing beacons, bowler hats, steel brief cases and microchip implants...nothing translated all that well to grant writing. However, it finally hit me, while James Bond may have the market covered when it comes to fancy gadgetry, we grant writers have secret weapons of our own. Secret weapons don't have to shoot lasers to be effective. They just need to work for you.

Let’s be honest, grant writing is competitive. Anyone who says otherwise has never written a grant, lost sleep over designing the perfect program evaluation or waited months to receive a reply (or rejection). Having the advantage that will make your work stand out is key to getting the award you are seeking. What will allow you to achieve your best result?

In previous posts, I’ve shared that the educated grant seeker has the advantage. Being educated is a secret weapon when others may be hastily creating proposals and throwing them out the door. Know the process, double check every submission and know what funders want to see. Leave the guessing to those who aren’t as serious about grant proposals. 

Another secret weapon is having a tickler file. Organization is unbelievably important to the success of any grant writer. Taking the time to organize your work by day, week and month helps you see the present and the future at the same time. When last minute projects come up, or a time-sensitive request lands on your desk, you’ll know how to weave them into your workload without missing any other submissions. 

Knowledge is fundamentally important when it comes to creating proposals that effectively and emotionally share your needs. Learn everything you can about your subject matter. Be the expert and teach others. If you work with environmental causes, know what other organizations are doing. How can you learn from them and create collaborative partnerships? What worked for them? What were their mistakes? If arts education is your field, pay attention to how other organizations are creatively engaging communities in artistic endeavors. How can you learn from their outcomes? How can you make your programs better?

I believe that everyone’s secret weapon is unique to their talents and work. Finding a secret weapon that focuses your grant writing efforts and keeps you headed in the right direction will buoy your spirits when you receive one too many rejection letters and it will help you soar past your goals when the checks start rolling in! In today’s grant market, going above and beyond will help you find the grant funding you need. So, start collecting your own bowler hats and laser keychains...you never know when they'll come in handy, but they always do!

"Learn everything you can, anytime you can--there will always be a time when you are grateful you did." 

~Sarah Caldwell

~Cheers!

Grant Writing Success: Create a Boilerplate

Writing a great boilerplate for your organization can do amazing things for your grant writing efforts. Pulling together common information about your organization or program means that you'll have a solid start to your next grant application--whether you get two months or two days to create a finished product. Another plus in creating boilerplate information is that it can be shared with other members of your orgnization. It's always a working document, but should be created so that little needs to be changed when you apply it to a finished product.

Here are some key pieces to include in your boilerplate:

1. Organization Background
2. Mission & Vision
3. Organization's Current Programs and/or Actitivites (What do you do?)
4. Audience (Who do you serve, how many, how well?)
5. Overview of board members, staff, volunteers

If you don't already have boilerplate information, reach out to your marketing or public relations team for help with content. Once you have a nice boilerplate created, you'll wonder what you ever did without one!

~Cheers!

Grant Writing & the 2010 Census

Census data can aid grantwriters in all phases of the proposal process. Knowing how to find data, how to gather information and and how to assimilate it into your planning is key to being effective.

If you can define how many people are underserved or how many people live below the poverty line in your community, you can make a case for developing a program to support their needs.

If you can define the diversity in your neighborhood and incorporate it into your narrative, you can point to the need to build resources that support culture, ethnicity and language needs.

Census data is also valuable when reporting or doing program evaluation. How does you program stack up to the demographics in your community? Did you serve the population that needed to be served? Did you miss an opportunity that you can build into future activities?

Bottom line: the census defines who we are as a nation. Every year, the federal government distributes more than $400 billion to state, local and tribal governments based on census data. Accurate census data help determine congressional representation, grant funding and guide local decision-makers on where to build new roads, hospitals, housing, schools and more.

The 2010 Census form has 10 simple questions. Please complete and mail back your form. Encourage your family, friends, neighbors and organizations to do the same. For more information, visit the 2010 Census.

Using Stories in Grants to Demonstrate Needs

One of the most compelling ways to share your organization’s success or need for funding is to put a face to your program. Collecting stories, quotes and photos throughout the year will make the proposal process much easier. When your grant writer has creative tools at their disposal, the more powerful your proposal can become.

• Do you currently collect photos of program participants (with consent)?

• Do you have system for tracking feedback or comments (an important part of the evaluation process)?

• Do you save press-clippings that are relevant to your program needs or success?

• Do you get updates from program managers on a regular basis?

Incorporating a participant experience throughout your proposal can draw the readers into your story and help them relate to your needs. Effective storytelling is one important layer in establishing relevance to what you do. Consider a few techniques to make this work:

• Use a main character who can be present during the entire proposal. An example being a small child who enters a hospital via an emergency department for care, but cannot pay for services. Throughout the proposal, you will highlight the needs of this child/family and how they relate to the program(s) you are trying to fund. Their journey will be representative of your larger population. Personalizing their journey adds a dynamic outside of statistics and raw data.

• Incorporate quotes, testimonials, and anecdotes from program participants and managers. What does the doctor in the emergency department have to say about the importance of helping a child who cannot pay for services? What does the child’s family have to say? What does this mean for them?

Proactively think about finding opportunities to bring a human element to your proposal. It makes it easier to read and much more enjoyable to write. Remember, the majority of grant reviewers aren’t an expert on your program and you need to relate in terms they can understand. People relate to people.

One final point: don’t make up stories and/or quotes in order to sell your program. Not only is this just plain wrong, it’s unethical. Don’t do it. Work with program managers, program participants, and your communications department to gather materials throughout the year that will help you. I guarantee it will make your proposal stronger and more meaningful.

What’s a great way to get started? Dust off a declined proposal that you want to make better and incorporate a bit of storytelling. Then share the proposal internally (staff, volunteers, board members) and see what kind of response you get. You’ll see what I mean…

Proposal Rejection: "We Wish You Luck...

A letter from a funder with the words: "We regret to inform you..." OR "We had many worthy requests, but did not have the funds to help everyone..." OR "We wish you luck in your future fundraising endeavors...", can feel like a knife in the heart. There is no worse feeling for a grant writer than working long hours with program managers to write a compelling case with solid measureables and then have it rejected in a five-line letter. Ouch.

It hurts and it's a rough scratch across your ego, but it doesn't spell complete disaster when you have a rejection letter fall on your desk. Well, it shouldn't spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R, if you have a plan for action. If the funder does have likeminded interests, don't give up and don't let them forget about you.

1. Have an upbeat, grateful and well-written thank you letter ready for your rejections. There is nothing more gracious than for a denied grant seeker to say "thank you".

2. Put the funder on your calendar for the following year.

3. If you have a relationship with the funder, ask for the chance to further discuss your denial whether via phone or email. Program officers WANT to find good organizations to partner with, but don't always have the time to learn about them in a meaningful way.

4. Share your feedback with your own program managers and leadership. A quick update through email or in a staff meeting can be appropriate. Don't let program managers feel like their hard work on the grant (on top of their "real" job) wasn't worth it---keep them motivated to try again!

5. Invite your funder for a site visit. This can be informal through an event or a regular tour that you already offer. However, rolling out a little red carpet for a private visit might be a better fit for funders who need one-on-one time. Know what makes your funder happy!

The bottom line is that there is no need to tuck your tail between your legs if you have a good funding fit. We are working in a challenging and ever-changing landscape of grantmaking. Being creative with your stewardship shouldn't be overlooked.

Try incorporating this type of action plan into your 2010 grant process and see what results you get! If you keep up with your relationship-building when times are tough, you'll be better prepared when the economy turns around!

~Cheers!

Be SMART for 2010 Grant Success!

Near the end of last year I shared ways to get organized for 2010 and start the year off on the right foot. I think it's a good time to share my go-to mental organizer. When I get overwhelmed (some months this happens a lot), I try to stay SMART!

When I'm writing several proposals at once or taking on a variety of topics within a short time frame, my brain can short-circuit. If I stay SMART, I've noticed that my proposal are sharper, cleaner and require less editing. Here is how it works!

Specific means that you can pinpoint and describe exactly what you are trying to achieve. Be clear, concise and crisp. If you can't explain it, your funder won't understand it.

Measureable means that your objectives can be measured to show your impact in the community or with your intended audience.

Attainable means that what you want to achieve can realistically happen. If you shoot for the moon, make sure you can make it there. It should be a goal that is reasonable to assume you can achieve.

Realistic means that you can afford to make it to the moon. All of the factors that make something realistic to achieve should be considered (i.e. cost, personnel, facilities, etc.).

Time-Specific means that you will make it to the moon when you say you will. You should always talk about the time frame for your proposed project. If you aren't planning for timely implementation then your funder won't be interested.

Sometimes I use the SMART process before I write because it helps me create a solid outline. Other times, when I am writing in a flurry, I use it in the review process as a checklist.

For more information about the SMART process, check out Grant Proposal Makeover: Transform Your Request from No to Yes by Cheryl A. Clarke and Susan P. Fox.

How do your proposals look under a SMART lens?

~Cheers!