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10 Elements of Successful Grant Writing

10 Elements of Successful Grant Writing. Presented by Michael Lane. No. 1. Know Your Funder Is what you are proposing in sync with their funding priorities Establish a relationship. No. 2. Grants are business agreements Funders see themselves as investors and to be treated accordingly

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10 Elements of Successful Grant Writing

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  1. 10 Elements of Successful Grant Writing Presented by Michael Lane I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  2. No. 1 • Know Your Funder • Is what you are proposing in sync with their funding priorities • Establish a relationship I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  3. No. 2 • Grants are business agreements • Funders see themselves as investors and to be treated accordingly • Grants must clearly define the quantifiable/qualifiable deliverables of the proposal – i.e., what is the funder/investor’s return on the dollar • Grants are not creative writing – cute, clever or pedantic are sure fire losers I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  4. No. 3 • It is virtually impossible to write a worthwhile grant when you have nothing worthwhile to write about • Proposal is ill-conceived or ill-planned • Proposal is a vanity project • Proposal is outside the organization’s mission – i.e., chasing grant money • Proposal is duplicative of other organization’s services or programs • Proposal is for programming that has gone “stale” I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  5. No. 4 • Do not under estimate what your funders know about you – they know everything I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  6. No. 5 • Grant budgets are not creative accounting – the number 1 grant killer I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  7. No. 6 • Grammar and spelling – the three “Rs” are critical • One typo is one too many • Write in active tense; not passive I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  8. No. 7 • Get to your point – be bright, be brief, be gone • On average, you have less than 1 minute to impress a grant analyst the first time he or she reads your proposal. Your summary or abstract paragraph must encapsulate the fundamentals of your proposal in 3 to 4 sentences. I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  9. No. 8 • Pay attention to the instructions I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  10. No. 9 • If an e-file grant (i.e., online) do NOT wait until the last day to submit I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  11. No. 10 • Write thank you notes • If you are awarded a grant, write a thank you note. If you are declined, write a thank you note. Above all DO NOT GIVE UP! I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  12. Sealing The Deal: You and Your Funders I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  13. Funders: Dating with Intent of Marriage • Do your homework • Open a dialogue with potential funders • Network • One the relationship is established, keep funders updated and in the loop. • Funders ARE NOT ATM MACHINES I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  14. Grants Are Business Agreements • You may not think of yourself as a business, but your funders do. • Questions most likely asked about the business component of your organization I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  15. You Want to Know What? I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  16. The questions everyone hates to answer • How often does the board meet? • How important is it to have trustees with a deep understanding of your services? Describe how your trustees are involved in assessing the quality of your programs and the organization’s ability to reach service goals. I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  17. The questions everyone hates to answer • Describe your board’s level of engagement with the organization. Discuss the board’s committee structure and its level of ongoing activity. • What is your organization’s policy on board giving? I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  18. The questions everyone hates to answer • Discuss the management staff capacity of your organization: • Please list key staff by name and title, and attach their resumes to the application: I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  19. The questions everyone hates to answer • Describe any changes in key staff positions in the last year: • Describe your organization’s technological capacity and business systems, including: computer network, hardware and software; internet access, email, website; telephone system, voice mail; automated accounting, bookkeeping, financial management reports, etc.; desktop publishing: I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  20. The questions everyone hates to answer • Describe your office set up and its level of functional adequacy: • Describe the adequacy of your performing/presenting venue and your ability to manage or control it effectively for your needs I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  21. The questions everyone hates to answer • Discuss any exceptional growth or reduction in your operating budget over the past year. If there was less than 5% growth or reduction, you may answer “not applicable.” • Did you have a negative balance at the end of your last fiscal year; if so, explain how you are addressing it. I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  22. The questions everyone hates to answer • Describe how you manage cash flow; include information on cash reserves, lines of credit, board or staff loans, or use of personal credit. • Describe how your organization has dealt with anticipated financial changes over the last five years; provide specific examples I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  23. The questions everyone hates to answer • Does the organization owe any long-term debt? If so, to whom and how much? • Describe any capital projects that the organization currently has underway I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  24. The questions everyone hates to answer • If something happens to the person delivering the program, how will the organization meet its commitments? • Can the organization meet its immediate obligations? I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  25. The questions everyone hates to answer • Is the organization prepared to replace the leader in case of an emergency? • Please state if there is no vision of the organization beyond the founder: • Does the organization engage in any long-range or strategic planning? If so, please describe the process below and attach a copy of your most recent document(s). I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

  26. I’ll Grant You This Development Consulting Michael S. Lane, Owner p: 856.503.6282 e: mlane32201@aol.com I'll Grant You This - Development Consulting

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