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Grants and Proposal Writing

Learn about common mistakes, finding funding sources, proposal writing strategies, budgeting, and final touches for successful grant proposals. Understand key elements like executive summary, project needs, budgeting, and reviewer perspectives.

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Grants and Proposal Writing

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  1. Grants and Proposal Writing

  2. Agenda • Common mistakes • Locating funding • The proposal • The budget • Finishing touches

  3. Ten Common Mistakes

  4. Common Mistakes • Poor writing • No project planning • Inaccurate costs • Typos • Buzzwords • Budget ≠ Narrative • Last minute writing • Assuming reviewers are experts • Ignoring instructions • Idea ≠ purpose of award

  5. Locating Funding

  6. The “Lingo” • RFP: Request for Proposals • RFA: Request for Applications • CFA: Call for Applications • Letter of intent • Letter of application

  7. “Love” Connection • What types of projects is the funder interested in? • Look for buzzwords or phrases: • Program Areas • Initiatives • Scope

  8. Who are the Funders? • Government (Federal, State and Local) • Foundations • Private Foundations • Corporate Foundations • Community Foundations • Associations • Small Businesses

  9. Things to Remember • Start early • Review the RFP written guidelines • Pay attention to deadlines

  10. Before Starting to Write • Gather background information • Identify project needs • Sketch a rough draft of the budget • Determine who will write the proposal

  11. Think of Your Reviewers • Avoid excessive “wordiness” • Have someone else read the proposal

  12. Sections of the Proposal

  13. Summary Statement • Your project in a nutshell • Answer: who, what, how, how much • Also known as an executive summary

  14. Identification of Need • How do you know? • How will your project address that need?

  15. Target Population • Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov • Fedstats: http://www.fedstats.gov/

  16. Goals and Objectives: Goals Goal: broad statement of the result of change General aka “Mushy” Ideally what will happen?

  17. Goals and Objectives: Objectives

  18. Project Plan • Specific activities to achieve the objectives • Describe • What • How • How long • Project staff • Details, details

  19. Organization Information Number of Employees Mission Date Founded

  20. Evaluation • Establish baseline data first • Determine the success of project • Evaluate each goal and objective • Outreach and Evaluation Research Center (OERC) http://nnlm.gov/evaluation

  21. Continuation of Activities • Will the project continue? • What will be done with the information?

  22. The Budget

  23. Indirect Costs • Costs not readily identifiable with a particular cost objective, but necessary to the operation of the institution • Some grants do not allow or cap the level of IDC

  24. Budget – What Do You Need? • Highlight each item in the narrative that will appear in the budget • Every item that appears in the budget must be described in the narrative • Break down each item into parts; be intuitive O P

  25. Be realistic and complete • Ensure that the RFP allows for funding of the items included in your narrative • Include everything you will need • Contact funder with questions

  26. Don’t forget anything • In-kind costs • Specifications • Quotes • Hourly Rates • Salary breakdowns • Travel • Miles per gallon • Per diem

  27. Final Budget Thoughts • Ensure that your figures add up correctly • Ensure that your proposed budget does not surpass the total funding amount

  28. Putting it Together • Include a table of contents • Do not bind the proposal • Don’t forget the appendices • Charts, graphs • Surveys • Letters of Support

  29. QUESTIONS? "This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH), under cooperative agreement No. UG4LM012340 with the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health."

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