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Basic Steps for Writing a Grant

Learn the essential steps for writing a grant proposal, including determining objectives, budgeting, finding funding sources, and completing the application.

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Basic Steps for Writing a Grant

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  1. Basic Steps forWriting a Grant

  2. 1. Determine what your general objectives will be. • What do you hope to accomplish? • This should be in terms of what your students will be able to do

  3. 2. Determine generally what you will need to accomplish this • Labor • Equipment • Services

  4. 3. Put together a general budget • At this stage, a ball park figure is good

  5. 4. Locate a funding source that • Is interested in your objectives • Will fund the amount you need.

  6. 5. Write to the funding source requesting additional information and application forms. • You may want to contact more than one to see what is available • To compare requirements

  7. 6. Complete the application or use the format below (descriptions follow) as a guide: • Cover Sheet • Abstract/Introduction • Description of organization (abbreviated if you are not in a school) • Statement of Problem • Objectives • Proposed Solution • Rationale • Staff (you and ???) • Evaluation • Budget This is modified from later descriptions to reflect your requirements.

  8. Focus of Grant When putting your grant together, there should be two main focuses for getting the grant funded: • (1) What benefit will this have for the community at large, and • (2) Is the project originaland creative, just a need (i. e. our school needs computers) existing is not enough.

  9. General guidelines • Use standard 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper with an easy to read type or font. Margins should be between 1 and 1.5 inches throughout. It should be single spaced (double space between paragraphs).

  10. General guidelines • Carefully align items on a page including paragraphs, lists, charts, etc. Each section should follow the preceding section, do not waste paper by starting each new section at the top of a page unless noted (Cover Sheet and Abstract).

  11. What is in a Grant Not all grant proposal forms include all of the following categories or specify what the reader will be looking for. An example is the significance of the project. This should be stressed in both the “Abstract/Introduction” and “Objectives” part of the proposal no matter whose form you use.

  12. What is in a Grant References to cited material should be held to a minimum and only those which are essential should be included. If cited, it should also be included in a References section.

  13. I. Cover Sheet • This should be the first (unnumbered) page containing only the following information clearly identified and itemized: • A. Name of the funding source • B. Project title • C. Project director’s name, academic rank, and school or division • D. Mailing address • E. Office phone number • F. Home phone number (only if requested)

  14. I. Cover Sheet • G. Name and address of institution under whose auspices the work will be performed • H. Project duration: anticipated start-up date and final date of project • I. Total project (dollar) request • J. Project director’s signature • K. Name, title, and signature of person authorized to sign for the institution • L. Name, title, and address of person to whom checks should be sent

  15. II. Abstract Begin this page with the project title as the centered heading. There should be an abstract of one-three paragraphs (no more than half a page). This is the hook for the grant reader. Be brief but give a clear overview of project and its intended outcomes. Follow with total dollar amount requested and project duration dates (may be listed in itemized form on the left of page). These should be the only thing on this page.

  16. III. Applicant Organization A description of your school, etc. should include: statement of purpose; brief historic reference; specific strengths; administrative structure pertinent to the proposed project; experience in the administration of externally funded projects; grant and contract income (if appropriate); geographic location (with particular care given to describing how the location will be an asset to the proposed project); if project location is an issue critical to the success of the project, and relationship existing (if any) between this organization, its surrounding community and/or other organizations. Limit your description to a single page if possible.

  17. IV. Table of contents Include one if the narrative portion of your proposal is greater than five pages. Limit table to a single page if possible. Included should be all major headings. Line up headings on left and page numbers on right side of page.

  18. V. Introduction This should be Page 1 (number appearing in center of footer). This should be a brief summary of the problem, proposed method of solution, and anticipated outcomes. This section should be limited to one half page.

  19. VI. Statement of the problem Define the problem to be solved. You must prove that a problem does exist. This is your chance to motivate the reader to see if a rational solution is proposed. Include documentation only if it helps build a case.

  20. VII. Objectives • This section should itemize the anticipated outcomes of the study. This should not be what the project director intends to do or the areas to be researched. “As a result of this project, the following objectives will have been attained...” List (numbered, double spaced) specific anticipated results. No more than one half page. • The student/client will

  21. VIII. Proposed Solution (method or procedure) This will probably be the longest section. It should be a specific description of the methods to be implemented. A step-by-step (in chronological order) procedure should be outlined. A project time table should be presented. If graphs, charts, diagrams, maps, etc. will aid the grant reader, they should be of good quality. After reading this section, there should be no doubt about the problem and proposed solution in the reader’s mind. The reader must be convinced that there is a problem, that this is the solution, that the budget will accomplish it, and that the project director are the best for accomplishing this.

  22. IX. Rationale An argument must be developed that says that this is a logical solution to the problem and that it deserves to be funded. Anticipate the questions that a reader might ask. This is your last chance to convince the reader that this is the BEST solution and that this is the right facility and that you are the best person for the project, but be succinct.

  23. X. References Include any citations that may have been used in the preceding narrative. Any acceptable style may be used. A numbered list is recommended

  24. XI. Staff All senior project staff (especially the director/principle investigator) should be identified. Information about accomplishments as they relate to the project should be included. Resumes should be limited to approximately one six- or eight-line paragraph unless vitae forms are provide. The director’s resume may be slightly longer. Anything longer should be in an appendix.

  25. XII. Facilities Describe the facilities with emphasis on the advantages that exist over other locations. Where equipment resources are available that the project may require, point out their accessibility. Relate these to specific project needs.

  26. XIII. Evaluation Post project reports demonstrating project objectives being met will be required. Proposed evaluation techniques including any special testing instruments and the conditions in which the evaluations will take place should be described. Quantitative data rather than qualitative data should be emphasized. Because this section is written before the project is begun, it is usually the weakest. A well defined evaluation procedure could impress a reader. This data may also be used to fund the project if a continuation of the grant becomes necessary.

  27. XIV. Budget (Double space between major divisions; single space between items within a division) The budget should be clear and concise. Divide the budget into large categories (equipment, salaries, etc.) with subcategories (computers, typing, etc.) identified where necessary. Round off to the nearest dollar value. An “other” category can be included for items that do not fit.

  28. FINAL REVIEW • Is the project original and creative? • Has it addressed the importance of the venture to the community? • Is there a clear summary of what is to be accomplished? • Have you defended why this project is needed?

  29. FINAL REVIEW • Have you described the people (their competence) that will be involved? • Do you have a realistic financing (sound budget) scheme? • Has it addressed the appropriateness of the project to the funding sources policy and program focus?

  30. Places to find funding sources: • Organizations in your own backyard • Charleston County Library--there is a table dedicated to grants and funding near the Reference desk. • College of Charleston Library (or any college library)

  31. Places to find funding sources: • World Wide Web • Google or other search engines • C of C Office of Research and Grants Administration • SPIN • Grants.gov • Grants Select

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