Tips for Successful Grant Writing

1. Tips for Successful Grant Writing B.D. Hayes, DSW, MPH, MSW

2. Learning Objectives • To provide a model for developing your proposal ideas • To review winning grant writing tips • To identify strategies for mutually beneficial partnering/collaborations • To increase extramural funding for a variety of projects

3. A successful grant proposal is one that is well-prepared, thoughtfully planned and concisely packaged …………….………….CFDA

4. Write first Funding Second

5. The Three Essential Laws of Successful Grant Writing • Do your homework • Follow instructions • Use Common Sense

6. General Tips and Comments • Take sufficient time to prepare a good abstract, LOI, or a concept paper • Avoid the use of jargon and acronyms • Always include a budget and budget justification • Be careful when/where you cut and paste: assure uniformity of font size and type • ALWAYS use a reader and get editorial assistance

7. Traits of a Successful Grant Getter • Research skills • Salesmanship skills • Communication skills • Ingenuity skills • Administrative skills • Human relations • Persistence, dedication, patience • Ability to work hard • Political awareness and action • Integrity

8. SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS • Direct, concise, compelling, convincing, capable and resourceful • Addresses a significant/important problem • Explicit goals, measurable objectives • Comprehensive but succinct background review • Methodology fits problem • Appropriate funding mechanism

9. Unsuccessful Applications • Lack of knowledge about relevant literature • Questionable reasoning in research design • Lack of demonstrated experience in selected methodology (lacks detail) • Format issues • Over-ambitious • Failure to follow directions • Lack of new or original ideas • Diffuse, superficial, or unfocused research • Lacks clearly stated hypothesis and rationale • Lack of an overall research goal; uncertainty about future directions

10. Developing Your Idea(s) • Needs Assessment • Evidence of problem • Local, county, state, national • Capability Assessment • Organizational • People • Past and present history • Resources (funds, expertise, etc.)

11. Grant Writing Process • Begins with a good idea • Review the components of a successful grant • Apply the model • Evaluate and discuss the plan • Literature review • Analysis of current research/activity in the field • Develop team

12. The Task You Face • Clearly Identify the Need • Make sure the needs are those of the target population • Define the Solution • Use a Problem/Needs approach • Carefully Design the Project • How a problem is defined often determines an approach to develop a solution

13. Basic Components • The Proposal Summary • Introduction • Problem Statement (or Needs Assessment) • Project Objectives • Project Methods or Design • Project Evaluation • Project Budget • Future Funding

14. General Tips and Comments

15. General Tips and Comments • Take sufficient time to prepare a good abstract, LOI, or a concept paper • Avoid the use of jargon and acronyms • Always include s budget and budget justification • Be careful when/where you cut and paste: assure uniformity of font size and type • ALWAYS use a reader and get editorial assistance

17. References • Writing Grant Proposals That Win. Edited by Deborah Ward. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2006. • Jeremy T Miner and Lynn E. Miner. Models of Proposal Planning & Writing. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2005. • John W. Cresswell. Research Design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1994. • Lawrence F. Locke, Waneen Wyrick Spirduso and Stephen J. Silverman. Proposals that Work: A guide for Planning Dissertations and Grant Proposals (4th Ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2000. • Arlene Fink. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From Paper to Internet. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998. • Liane Reif-Lehrer. Grant Application Writers Handbook (4th Ed.) Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2005. • Surf the Internet: Proposal Writing (Be Careful!)