The State of Collaboration in Grant Proposal Development

1. The State of Collaboration in Grant Proposal Development Presented by: Rebecca Priest Senior Director of Emerging Technologies & Strategic Grant Development Stark State College

2. The State of Collaboration . . . • It’s a smart thing to do • It’s welcomed by many funding sources • It’s sometimes required by funding sources

3. Why is collaboration smart? • It can strengthen your proposal/project • It can make your funding source think they are getting a bigger bang for their buck • It can broaden the scope of your project • It can make your project have greater impact • It can lead to relationship growth with partner organizations

4. Example of my last point: Stark State College’s partnership with Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems (US), Inc. (RRFCS)

5. It started in 2002 with the following organizations talking with each other: SOFCo-EFS, Stark Development Board, Stark State College and Case Western Reserve University • Together we sought and received $3.35M of Ohio Third Frontier funds to build a Fuel Cell Prototyping Center on Stark State’s campus • Since 2002, that $3.35M has grown to $21M+ in fuel cell-related projects on our campus

6. The result? Stark State . . . • Developed a fuel cell option in MET • Coordinates the 5-state Great Lakes Fuel Cell Education Partnership funded by National Science Foundation • Leases FCPC to RRFCS-US, now the company’s global headquarters

7. Fuel Cell Prototyping Center

8. Expanded FCPC to enable RRFCS to expand its R&D capacity • Renovated our Advanced Technology Center to enable Contained Energy, Inc. and Lockheed Martin to conduct fuel cell research on campus • Received grant support from Ohio’s Third Frontier Program, State Legislature; OBR; NSF; and U.S. Departments of Education, Energy, Defense and SBA

9. It’s amazing what can happen when a few organizations start talking . . . and decide to collaborate.

10. Other grant partnershipswe’ve been part of… Great Lakes Fuel Cell Education Partnership • Penn State University • Lansing Community College (MI) • Kettering University (MI) • Rennselear University (NY) • Vincennes University (IN) • Business partners in multiple states

11. Expanding Capacity in Healthcare Occupations (DOL CBJTG) Partnership includes: • Holmes, Medina, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas and Wayne County WIAs • Stark Development Board • 5 area hospitals • Tech Prep Consortium • 2 Adult Career & Technical Education providers • 2 university partners

12. DOL “Green Jobs” Collaborative Proposal encompassed 16-county NE Ohio region • United Labor Agency (Cleveland) • Great Lakes Wind Network • Cuyahoga Community College • Eastern Gateway Community College • Lakeland Community College • Lorain County Community College • United Auto Workers, Region 2B • ODOD, OBR

13. Other organizations we’ve collaborated with . . . • WIA/WIB • Stark Co. Education Service Center • Stark Education Partnership • UA, KSU, Toledo, OSU • First Energy • NOCHE, MAGNET • Defense Metals Technology Center (SSC)

14. An early partnership with Diebold, Inc.

15. Some new partnerships under development • The Timken Co., Canton bearings for wind turbines • Kohler Coating, Canton corrugating packaging processes • Will-Burt Co., Orrville portable telescoping mast for military apps

16. Characteristics of a successful grant seeker: • Salesmanship • Communication skills • Ingenuity & flexibility • Research skills • Administrative skills (well organized) • Human relations skills • Good follow-through • Perseverance & dedication • Persistent

17. Stark State’s grant system • Mission of Strategic Grant Development Office is to link institutional needs with available resources • The primary responsibility for development of a proposal lies within the administrative structure of the division in which the project takes place. • The responsibility of the Strategic Grant Development Office is to assist faculty and staff in translating the idea into a plan….assist with the development of a proposal….assist with budget construction….

18. Our internal process • Develop idea • Gain support for your project idea from people who “count” • Submit Application to Develop Project with Grant Support to Strategic Grants Office signed by dean of area where project is being initiated • Receive approval of Executive Council before proceeding

19. How ideas evolve Grant proposals generally get developed by 1 of 2 ways: • To resolve a problem or because someone has an idea for doing something different or better OR • Because funding is available and an organization decides to develop a project that addresses the goals of that funding opportunity

20. Grant seeking is 6-step process • Identifying or recognizing a problem • Generating an idea to solve the problem (the solution) • Determining if the idea furthers the mission and goals of your organization • Researching potential sponsors to find a match between your idea and the sponsor’s priorities • Designing, writing and submitting a proposal that follows the sponsor’s guidelines • Implementing your solution to the problem

21. Questions to answer in clarifying needs/ideas: • What is its significance and scope? • What are others doing to solve the need? • What aspects of the problem can we realistically attempt to solve in the short and long term? • What is the target population? • Can the benefits to the target population be measured? • Is solving the need a priority within our organization -- our community?

22. Transforming ideas into a proposal • It’s never too early to start! • Get organized • Form a proposal design team • Develop a schedule • Get started!

23. Definition of “proposal” A proposal is a persuasive document that defines a problem or need, proposes solutions to that problem and requests funding or other resources to implement the solution.

24. Task Master Risk Taker Facilitator Stakeholder Devil’s Advocate Organizer Nurturer Humorist Recorder Information Nut Types of individuals to recruit for proposal design team

25. Essential design team members • Supervising administrator • Project developer/manager • Resource development officer • Collaborating departments/agencies • Budget specialist

26. Why use proposal design team? • To create a project that will be successfully implemented • To increase quality of proposal • To create ownership in project • To encourage participation • To encourage teaming and consensus building

27. What is an RFP? The most common announcement of the availability of grant funds is called a Request for Proposal (RFP) Other terms used for the same thing include: • Guidelines • SGA (DOL)

28. How To Interpret an RFP • After you have identified a promising sponsor, you need to review its goals, priorities and RFP to determine if it is a close enough match to take the time and effort to prepare and submit a proposal • Being selective in which ones you pursue will most likely give you a higher funding ratio of successfully funded projects to proposals submitted • Don’t spend all of your time responding to all RFPs that remotely resemble what you want to do. They should closely relate to your project idea.

29. Developing the proposal: what really counts • The proposal • The Concept or Idea • Connection to and with the Grant Maker

30. Cover letter Title Page Abstract Introduction Problem/Need Goals/Objectives Methodology Key Personnel Evaluation Dissemination Future of Project Budget Appendices Typical proposal sequence

31. Problem/Need Goals/Objectives Methodology Key Personnel Evaluation Budget Future of Project Introduction Title Page Summary/Abstract Appendix Cover Letter Typical sequence of development of proposal

32. Need statement • You must articulate the problem in a need statement that makes the problem and solution clear to internal and external audiences. • The statement should be a succinct, yet persuasive, description of the problem, what you propose to do to solve the problem and a statement of what you want the sponsor (funding organization) to do after reading your proposal.

33. Key Point To Remember… When drafting your need statement, remember that proposals are written and projects are developed to help people.

34. 3 elements to need statement • Description of the problem • What you and your organization plan to do to solve the problem • Statement of your “instrumental purpose,” i.e., what you want the sponsor to do after reading your proposal

35. Description of problem - 3 parts • Context of the problem • Justification for why the problem is important to solve and explains its scope • Aspect of the problem you want to solve

36. Context of Problem • Define or describe the problem so that other people can understand it, identify with it and recognize its importance • If appropriate, describe what larger societal problem or organizational problem your proposed project contributes to solving

37. Justification • Convince the readers that addressing this problem is timely, compelling and urgent. • Demonstrate why it is important to solve this problem now and justify spending time, money and energy on it. • Tell the readers how large the problem is, how wide-ranging it is and how many people are affected by it (locally and nationally).

38. Aspect of problem you want to solve • If you are choosing a large societal problem to work on, be realistic about selecting part of the problem to solve rather than the entire thing which you are most likely not prepared to do

39. 2nd element of need statement What you and your organization plan to do to solve the problem – who, what, when, where, why (the “so what” is provided through the entire need statement) While this section is brief in the need statement, it provides the basis for your project methodology that appears later on in the proposal

40. 3rd element of need statement Statement of your instrumental purpose – what you want the sponsor to do after reading the proposal What is it you want the sponsor to do after reading your proposal? Don’t forget to ask!

41. How to be compelling Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. Determine the most effective rhetorical strategies to incorporate in your proposal to persuade sponsors to award you a grant. There are 3 types: • Rational appeal • Emotional appeal • Appeal to character and credibility of organization

42. Rational appeal • It cites facts, figures and statistics to build your case • It uses deductive reasoning and inductive examples to support claims you make • Uses causal logic • Most often used in proposals to federal agencies

43. Emotional appeal • Provides readers with information that enables them to empathize or sympathize with the target audience for the proposal • Often are presented as case studies or individual profiles which arouse the readers’ emotions and stimulate their desire to help • Often used in combination with rational and credibility appeals when approaching small and mid-sized foundations

44. Character/Credibility Appeal • This appeal demonstrates the credibility and character of your organization and its ability to provide quality project leadership based on previous successful experiences • Is absolutely necessary in proposals to federal agencies and other large organizations, but also needs to be incorporated into proposals to small and mid-sized foundations

45. Problem statement/need • Use specific examples/statistics • “Sell” your program, not the organization • Discuss the benefits to be realized from your project in human terms • Relate project to what the funding agency needs to fulfill its mission • Give funding agency a reason to select your project over another one

46. More on problem statement • Make sure it is reasonable in dimension • Don’t make unsupported assumptions • Support it with research (give sources) • Describe a national need then make it local – or vice versa • Needs should relate to goals of your organization

47. Sample of why you need to verify what your problem really is Sometimes the surface problem is only a symptom of a more fundamental problem

48. Difference between project goals and objectives Goal: the result or achievement toward which effort is directed Example: To increase the college-going rate of adults in Stark County Objective: Something that one’s actions are intended to attain or accomplish Example: To increase the retention of minority students by 10%/year over three years as a result of the Minority Action Project

49. Project objectives should be . . . • Specific – concrete and discrete activities or actions • Measurable – something you can quantify • Agreed upon by your project team and organization • Realistic – something your organization could actually accomplish • Timebound – something that can be done in a specified time period, usually within a year • “Evaluable” – a word made up meaning something capable of being evaluated

50. Process objective vs measurable objective An objective is a statement of the desired outcome. • Example of process objective: To buy a mobile x-ray unit. • Example of measurable objective: To decrease by 20% the incidence of respiratory disease within Stark County by the end of 2011.