Show Me the Money Week 4

1. Show Me the Money Week 4 • Review Additional Grant Proposal Elements • Budgets-Review • Staff Vitae/Resumes • Support Letters • Grant Writing Tips, Formatting/Style Elements • Finding Funding Sources • Federal Register, www.Grants.gov, Fed Office websites • Foundation search resources and strategies • Testing the Waters with Potential Funders: • Prospecti/Pre-Proposals • Questions For Session 5 Panel; Last Assignment

2. Budget Itemization • Use Excel Spreadsheets w/ automatic tabulation formulas • Personnel: Estimate the number of days, hours or percentage of time each key staff member will contribute • Fringe Benefits is separate—usually a percentage of salary • Travel • local (# days x # mi/day x $__/mi) • Conference (# hotel nts, meal days, transp., conf fee) • Equipment—usually over a set cost • Supplies • Contractual (consultants; subcontracts, evaluator) • Other (e.g., phone, postage, internet access, meeting rms) • Indirect Cost or Administration

3. Budget Itemization Formats • One vs. multiple years • Request vs. total cost (request plus local contributions)

4. Budget Narrative • Justifies all expenditures • If your budget spreadsheet does not “show your work” (i.e., give detail as to how costs derived): • Briefly explain (1-3 sentence) each item following the budget table • Reference board approved salary/rate, prevailing wage, local/state/private sector-determined rate; estimates obtained, etc • Note the local match and percentage of overall program cost

5. Additional Proposal Information • Reference List • All narrative citations should be referenced in full and attached if allowed by funder • Resumes/Vitae • Education, employment history, awards, publications, presentations, • Support Letters • State project name, specific commitments to success, email/fax/hard copy 1 wk in advance • Give partners “key points” or sample letters

6. Grant Writing Tips • Expect 3-4 drafts to get to final version • Use short, firm, active sentences • Get to the point--Limit length if possible • Eliminate redundancy: • a period of three months • at the present time • Ideally, it would be best to • Don’t overstate the obvious • Use abbreviations wisely • Spell out acronyms at least once before using • This is not TXT SPK - OMG!!

7. Grant Writing Tips: Positive Energy Emphasize the Positive; Increase Reader Enjoyment • Avoid negative words: • Never fail to return library books on time. • Always return library books on time. • State information positively: • Students will not advance to the next level until they can pass the end-of-course test. • Upon passing the end-of-course test, students will advance to the next level.

8. AV Conveys Energy: We will improve reading comprehension You receive these benefits The partners will implement the program Students will find the job of their dreams We will hire 10 qualified __ PV Saps Energy: Reading comprehension will be improved Benefits will be received The program will be implemented by partners A job of their dreams will be obtained 10 qualified ___ will be hired Active vs. Passive Voice

9. Weak Verbs Make an adjustment Make a decision Conduct an investigation Take into consideration Are working Is planning Strong Verbs Adjust Decide Investigate Consider Works Plans Passive (weak) vs. Active (strong) Verbs

10. Convert These Passive Sentences into Active Ones • All programs are clinically supervised by a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). • This new vision was adopted unanimously by the Board of Directors in October 2007. • Substance abuse among teens has always been recognized as a problem area that leads to other destructive behaviors including violence, contracting STD’s, and HIV/AIDS. • From this information, changes to the curriculum could be made by the organization. • 20 teachers will be involved in the 5-day workshop.

11. Grant Writing Tips: Varied Sentence Structures 4 Standard English Sentence Constructions: • Simple Sentence(Students plan an investigation) • Compound Sentence(We will hire staff, and train them on job coaching strategies) • Complex Sentence(Upon program completion, we will assess teacher satisfaction) • Compound-Complex Sentence(Because of the program, students will find the job of their dreams and earn a living wage)

12. Serif vs. Sans Serif- Serif is easier to read Avoid Script Fontslike Palace Script MT AVOID ALL CAPS Double/1.5 line spacing is easier to read A hard to read proposal = a lower score Space-Saving Tips Choose Font size: 11 pt text - 10 pt charts Font Width Times New Roman Vs. alternatives One space after period 8 pt between paragraphs Single Space Headings Formatting Tips

13. Federal Register: www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/advanced.html Open page Click Yr, “Notices” Enter Date Range or Search Topics: E.g., “physical education” AND (boolean operator) Open results link Finding Federal Funding Sources

14. Things To Check For CFDA: 84._____ Transmittal Deadline Eligible Applicants Award $$ Range, #, Length Absolute Priorities Competitive Preferences Online/Paper submission How to get App package Reading Federal Announcements

15. Grants.gov Website:http//www.grants.gov Link to grant opps Search feature Subscription list Resource list Registration DUNS Registration CCR Registration Online Application Finding Federal Funding Sources

16. www.ed.gov/index.jhtml Top Rt search panel Lower Rt grants links About ED gives list & links to offices (e.g., Ofc Safe/Drug Free Schools) www.ed.gov/GrantApps/ Lists open competitions www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html Forecasts upcoming grants Education Department Websites

17. Links To Selected Federal Departments • Dept. of Agriculture • www.usda.gov • Labor • http://www.doleta.gov/ • Justice • www.usdoj.go/10grants/index.html • Health & Human Services • www.hhs.gov • Substance Abuse & MH Services Admin. • www.samhsa.gov • National Science Foundation • www.nsf.gov

18. Tips For Securing Federal Grants • Carefully read Fed Register & App Package • Partner with orgs/individuals w/strong research background, subject expertise or successful grant management experience • Obtain copies of successful grant apps: • Previous winners • Freedom of Info Act request • Obtain Review Criteria in advance • Headings Match Review Criteria

19. Foundation Centerwww.foundationcenter.org CD version free at many libraries Online version sliding scale: $195/yr-$1,295 Free Online Searches Corporate Foundation Private Foundations New RFPs by subject Foundation Finding Sources

20. 80,000 foundations Info on: Foundations per county Address/web link Giving priorities Grant breakdown by state/type/amount 990 Tax returns and trustee listing Multiple search options Metasoft Corp. Foundation Searchhttp://www.foundationsearch.com/

21. Other Grant Finding Sources • The Grantsmanship Center • www.tgci.com • Iowa Grants Enterprise Management Systems (GEMS) • http://www.iagems.gov/ • Iowa Community Foundations • http://www.iowacommunityfoundations.org/ • SchoolGrants • http://www.schoolgrants.org/grant_opps.htm

22. Local and Area Grant Sources • The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation • www.gcrcf.org/index.cfm • Johnson County Community Foundation • www.communityfoundationofjohnsoncounty.org • Benton County Community Foundations • www.bentoncountyiowa.com/bcfoundation/ • Alliant Energy Foundation • www.alliantenergy.com/docs/groups/public/documents/pub/p014350.hcsp • Lowe’s Foundation • http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=frameSet&url=apps.bridgetree.com/funding/default.asp

23. Tips for Approaching Foundations • Sow before you reap: • Introduce agency/program via newsletters/in-person • Invite site visit • Search for connections—Board or Staff • Learn what they’ve Funded • Contact Previous Grant Recipients • Discuss preliminary project idea w/Foundation Staff • Obtain feedback on proposal as being developed

24. One to two-page document Section Headings: Project-Benefit Description Problem/Need Proposed Solution Project Benefits Projected Costs Contact Information Bulleted points Informational Interview Testing The Waters:Pre-Proposals/Prospecti

25. In Prep For May 13 Class Session Develop Questions for our Panel of: • Agency-Affiliated Grant Writers, • Independent Grant Consultants & • Foundation Grant Officers

26. Next Assignment • Develop Application for Specific Funder • Cover sheet describing: • the funding source and reasons for selecting that funder for your proposal • Copy of Grant/App Guidelines or web address for • Proposal Narrative and all required materials • Email to John and Class Members by May 5 • John will give feedback by May 13