Grant Writing

1. Grant Writing Dr. Linda Mason Coordinator for Grant Writing And External Funding Assistance Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education lmason@osrhe.edu 405-225-9486 www.okhighered.org/grant-opps/

2. The idea… • “Imagining something may be the first step in making it happen, but it takes the real time and real efforts of real people to learn things, to make things, turn thoughts into deeds or visions into inventions.” • Fred “Mister” Rogers in The World According to Mister Rogers: Important things to Remember

3. What are your ideas? Money is no object!!

4. In grants… • You are writing to persuade people who have money to spend their money on your idea • You must sell your idea to the people who have the money • Know what they want, what they expect, what they want • How can your project make the funder’s agenda look good?

5. Writing (holds people back)… • If you can think, you can write • Whatever you can imagine, you can create • If you can’t write it, it hasn’t been thought out well yet • Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style” • Websites available on writing, on writing grants in particular

6. System level projects • Link your project to a work plan • Your idea must make sense within our agency’s or system’s priorities • Don’t go for money simply because it’s there…there are repercussions! • Item on work plan about percentage for Communications support • Staff support

7. Leveraging our assets • Existing programs or services – where are the gaps? • Do your research – look around you • Look at us from the outside, see what others are doing • What do we need to do that we’re not doing? • Example: Services to adult learners

8. Consider the entire institution’s role • When you receive a grant, many will be involved – purchasing, human resources, fiscal, system research, as well as the unit under which you operate your program • Indirect costs are designed to cover the majority of these; however….. • If you are unsure --- ask! If you are sure – ask!

9. The Big Picture:Federal Discretionary Grant ProgramsFoundations Corporate Grants What is out there? How do we find it? How do we compete for funding?

10. Federal Agencies (26) • U.S. Department of Education (ed.gov) • National Science Foundation (nsf.gov) • U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov) • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (os.dhhs.gov) • National Institutes of Health (nih.gov) • U.S. Department of Agriculture (usda.gov) • U.S. Department of Energy (energy.gov)

11. General tips for federal programs • Read the authorizing legislation to understand congressional intent for any program (thomas.loc.gov) • Read any regulations established by negotiated rulemaking (Federal register, or…) • Find out what the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) program goals are for any program you apply to – align your goals with their program goals • Use their own language back at them in your proposal (but don’t be obvious about it)

12. Important websites • Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education - www.okhighered.org/grant-opps/ • Training Videos - http://www.onenet.net/ops/streaming/brown_bag/brown_bag_index.html • The Art of Grantsmanship - http://www.hfsp.org/how/ArtofGrants.htm • The EPA Grant Writing Tutorial - http://www.epa.gov/seahome/grants/src/msieopen.htm • The Foundation Center - http://fdncenter.org/ • Writing Winning Proposals, the US Department of Energy - http://www.leeric.lsu.edu/sample.pdf • Association of Fundraising Professionals - http://www.afpnet.org/

13. Helpful books • Joseph Barbato and Danielle S. Furlich, Writing for a Good Cause: The Complete Guide to Crafting Proposals and Other Persuasive Pieces for Nonprofits,Simon and Shuster, 2000. • David Bauer,The “How To” Grants Manual: Successful Grantseeking Techniques for Obtaining Public and Private Grants, 3rd, Oryx Press, Phoenix, AR, 1995. • Alexis Carter Black,Getting Grants: The Complete Manual of Proposal Development and Administration, Self-Counsel Press, Bellingham, WA, 2006. • Bev Browning,Grant Writing for Dummies, 2nd., Wiley Publishing, Hoboken, NJ, 2005. • Mim Carlson,Winning Grants Step by Step, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, 1995. • Arlen Sue Fox and Ellen Karsh,The Only Grant-Writing Book You’ll Ever Need,Publishers Group West, 2006. • Kenneth Henson, Grant Writing in Higher Education: A Step-by-Step Guide,Prentice Hall, 2003.

14. Background and SignificanceorNeed Statement Your first impression on funders

15. Data, data, data • In your initial background (or “need” section, you MUST make your initial case to funders • In today’s environment, this means a compelling case for funding backed by good data • Use our website; use your campus research and information office; use national sources (National Center for Education Statistics; Postsecondary Education Opportunity, etc.)

16. Data, data, data 1 - 2 - 3 • 1 – Use statistical data from national or state resource • 2 – Use an expert’s statement • 3 – Use an anecdote

17. What makes Oklahoma Unique in a Funder’s Eyes • Some examples • Native American population both in K-12 and in higher education • Rural, underserved • Strong higher education system governance with relationship to private colleges • Historical data system with student unit record level data going back to the 70’s • Very strong preparation system • Brain Gain; EDGE; OneNet

18. Significance • Why your idea is worth funding above all others • Why your project can inform others in the nation • Is there a successful project like yours somewhere else? • Do you have preliminary results? • Is your project replicable? • Look into the future – what would it mean for the people of this state if your project succeeds

19. Proposed Project Plan • What is your broad goal? (one sentence)

20. Proposed Project Plan • What are your objectives? • measurable

21. Proposed Project Plan • What results do you expect? • benchmarks

22. Proposed Project Plan • Who will do what?

23. Proposed Project Plan • Use charts to make the plan clear

24. Evaluation and Sustainability • Evaluation should tie directly to your measurable goal(s) and objectives • You should be able to measure every one – formatively and summatively • Align your program’s goals with the funder’s goals and measure accordingly • e.g. GEAR UP

25. Formative Evaluation • How will you check on your progress during the project? • How will you know to make changes for improvement?

26. Summative Evaluation • How will you report the final results? • To whom will you disseminate the information? • What is the impact? • How did you measure from the inside? How did you measure from the outside? • What recommendations do you have for the next step?

27. Sustainability • Your final persuasive section – not all funders require this, but the majority do • You have to make some reasonable promise to the funders that this agency will be able to sustain the activities after the end of the project period • Sometimes easy, sometimes hard… • Flexibility – your institution takes it on, your institution takes it on gradually, another agency supports it in the future

28. Dissemination PlanHow will you share the results? • State and national conferences • Publications, i.e. journal articles, newsletters • Web Sites • Pod casts, Wikipedia, Blogs, Webinars • Interactive Television; Videoconferences (OneNet) • Commercial Television Ads or Public Service Announcements • News Releases, Newspaper Ads • Community Organization Meetings • School Classes • Speakers’ Bureau

29. Need help? Call or contact Dr. Linda Mason lmason@osrhe.edu 405-225-9486 Website: http://www.okhighered.org/grant-opps