Nine Keys to Writing a Winning Grant Proposal

1. T3 International Conference Power Session March 9, 2014 ~ Las Vegas, NV Nine Keys to Writing aWinning Grant Proposal Clara Tolbert, ctolbert@ti.com Louise Chapman rosebayone@aol.com Doris Teague doristeague540@gmail.com

2. Power Session Objectives • Review Nine Keys to Writing a Winning Grant Proposal • Incorporate the use of a logic model to visualize and understand how to achieve intended program goals • Review and discuss sections of a proposal • Explore funding sources

3. Nine Keys to Writing a Winning Grant Proposal • Vision/Need • Goals/Objectives • Current Research & Use of Data • Project Design • Management Plan • Budget Evaluation Sustainability Well Written and Designed

4. Estimated Time Required to Write Proposal

5. 1. Statement of Need • Who is affected by the problem? • What factors contribute to the existence of the problem? • What can be done to ameliorate the problem based on known factors? • What your institution is currently doing to address the problem and what remains to be done?

6. 1. Statement of Need • Who is affected by the problem? • What factors contribute to the existence of the problem? • What can be done to ameliorate the problem based on known factors? • What your institution is currently doing to address the problem and what remains to be done?

7. Align need with the particular grant opportunity and funder’s vision • Use data to support and illustrate your needs statement • Identify the factors contributing to the problem • Discuss methods for solving these causal factors • Assess how other groups are addressing the problem • Why your organization merits the award

8. Statement of Need • Discuss needs in context of past, present, and future efforts of your institution • Double-check to be sure your data is: • Reliable • Accurate • Current • Specific • Compelling

9. A good grant will: • Succinctly describe how it is specifically addressing what may be a national, state, city or institutional problem. • Enable the reader to learn more about the issues. • Present the facts and evidence that support the need for the project and establish that your institution understands the problems and can reasonably address them.

10. 2. Goals and Objectives GOALS OBJECTIVES • A goal may be defined as a general, overarching statement involving a desired long-term outcome. • An objective is generally defined in specific, measurable terms; and is related to the goal.

11. Goals and Objectives With competition for dollars so great, well articulated objectives are increasingly critical Four Types of Objectives • Behavioral – A human action is anticipated • Performance – A specific timeframe within which a behavior will occur, at an expected proficiency level, is expected • Process – The manner in which something occurs is an end in itself • Product – A tangible item results

12. Goals and Objectives Objectives answer these questions: • (Who) – Identify the target group involved • (What) – Describe the product to be produced or the effect to be achieved, or define the service or program to be implemented • (When) – State the timeframe for completion • (Under What Conditions) – Outline the means by which the objective will be achieved • (How Measured) – Explain means of assessing achievement

13. Goals and Objectives Well-written objectives: • Align with focus, needs, goals, scoring rubric, and guidelines used to evaluate the proposal • Use active verbs and parallel structure • Are reasonable and appropriate • Can be achieved in a limited amount of time • Can be measured • Are specific, detailing the amount of frequency • Are emphasized visually within the text

16. 3. Current Research / Use of Data Incorporate research into your proposal in three main ways: • To frame the need you are addressing in your proposed project • To support your intervention’s quality • To measure your intervention’s effectiveness

17. Demonstrating Need 3. Current Research / Use of Data • Use of achievement data • Use of demographic data • Gather the most accurate information available • Verify that you are analyzing the data correctly • Avoid statistics that do not support your claim 

18. 3. Current Research / Use of Data Supporting Quality • Gather information on past effectiveness of similar interventions • Summarize your record of successful implementations • Cite research and honors • Obtain data from districts • Include published studies

19. 4. Project Design and Use of Logic Model • Theoretic considerations or a conceptual base • Use of current research knowledge • Explanations of how activities contribute to success • Personnel deployment plan to achieve objectives

20. Project Design and Use of Logic Model • Management plan to organize and operate project in an efficient and effective manner • Plan to guide formative and summative process and evaluation • Clear picture for disseminating project results

21. Project Design and Use of Logic Model • How – What will occur from beginning to end? Methods should match objectives. • Logical sequence to relevant method • Match magnitude • Appear do-able

22. Project Design and Use of Logic Model • When– Shows the order and timing for various tasks. Includes a time table or time line. 3. Why– Defend your chosen methods • Examples of other projects that work • Expert research and testimony

23. What does a Logic Model look like? Evaluation Inputs Feedback Loop ---------------- ------------------------- Long-term Outcomes Outputs Short-term Outcomes Intermediate Outcomes Activities Contextual Conditions

24. Resources/Inputs – human, community, and organizational considerations • Project Activities – interventions designed to bring about defined changes • Outputs– direct products of project activities • Outcomes – specific changes in participants knowledge, skills, and other elements which occur as a result of your project • Impact – basic changes that occur as a result of the project

25. Activities or Services Outputs Outcomes Impact Resources or Inputs IF you have accomplished your activities, THEN you will have delivered the services as planned IF you have achieved the outcomes, THEN these basic changes will occur Resources available to run your program & particular needs to be addressed IF you have access to them, THEN you can accomplish your activities Logic Model The Logic Model: A Series of “If-Then” Statements IF you have delivered the services as planned, THEN there will be benefitsto your school/ district

26. 5. Management Plan • Define your management plan • Identify key personnel - Include volunteers, consultants, and paid staff • Outline qualifications and responsibilities • Align with district structure and operational procedures

27. 6. Evaluation • Measure progress toward achievement of objectives • Improve program implementation • Provide accountability information to stakeholders • Increase community / institutional support • Inform policy decisions

28. Evaluation Formative Process Summative Process • Concentrates on program improvement • Accomplishment of the goals, needs, objectives • Raised standards • Can use data from all other measurements • Takes place at end of cycle Provides information throughout the project Integral part of actual implementation Surveys, observations, portfolios, journals, discussions, recordings Designed to improve not proveperformance

29. References to goals, objectives, and activities that may be dropped or retained and why • How staffing and management will change • Integration into standard operations 7. Sustainability

30. Lists of current and prospective funders • Contribute to future self-sufficiency • Expand services that might be revenue generating • Make institution attractive to other funding sources in the future Sustainability

31. If funds are used to: • Train staff to provide turn-around training • Produce instructional materials • Test new strategies and services • Train staff to do jobs differently Sustainability

32. Then ….. • Continue to use skills beyond funding period • Use new materials within regular program • Model new strategies at a visitation site • Continue process without the need for additional funding

33. 8. Budget • Salaries • Employee benefits • Travel • Equipment (Capital outlay) • Materials and Supplies • Consultants • Subcontractors • Other funding sources • In-kind contributions • Administrative costs (Indirect costs)

34. Budget • Make sure budget is consistent with proposed activities • Identify the percentage of time each individual will spend on project and prorate costs • Include inflation and salary increases in multi-year budgets

35. Budget • Keep costs reasonable for the market • Keep a record of how you calculate the projected figures • Triple check all figures

36. Budget Budget Narrative Restrictions • Not always required by funders • Footnotes to explain major costs and unusual items • Variations in multiyear budgets • Activities the grant will not fund • Fundable expenditures • Individual grantees are commonly excluded

37. 9. Well Written and Designed Clear Concise Cogent Compelling Correct

38. The Grant Development Process

39. Well Written and Designed Grant Writing Mistakes • Writing is not succinct or intelligible • Estimated costs are inaccurate, incorrect, or inflated • Contains typographical and grammatical errors • Budget does not match the narrative • Objectives are vague and open to interpretation

40. Well Written and Designed Grant Writing Mistakes • Proposal was hastily assembled • Proposal failed to examine current research and reform efforts • Proposal is filled with jargon and acronyms • Writers ignored instructions • Proposal does not match the priorities of the funding source

41. Funding Resources Available fromTexas Instruments

42. education.ti.com/grants • US Funding Opportunities • Funds available in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia • Guide to Winning Small Grants from Community Sources • Grant Writing Guide for Large Scale Grants • Grant Writing Resources – Links to websites and books with advice

43. Toshiba America Foundation accepts Grade 6–12 applications for $5,000 or less on a rolling basis and requests for more than $5,000 on 2/01 and 8/01. www.toshiba.com/taf/ • The Wells Fargo Foundation supports programs that promote academic achievement for low and moderate-income students and/or eliminate the achievement gap in public education through curriculum-based or school-sponsored programs www.wellsfargo.com/donations Examples of Funding Opportunities

44. NEA Foundation Sponsored Grants Learning & Leadership Grants www.nfie.org Examples of Grant Funding Resources

45. Grants offered to groups to fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. All professional development must improve practice, curriculum, and student achievement. Decisions regarding the content of the professional growth activities must be based upon an assessment of student work undertaken with colleagues, and must be integrated into the institutional planning process. Grant funds may be used for fees, travel expenses, books, or other materials that enable applicants to learn subject matter, instructional approaches, and skills.

46. Recipients are expected to exercise professional leadership by sharing their new learning with their colleagues. Amount: The grant amount is $5,000 Applications may be submitted at any time. Applications are reviewed three times per year, every year. Application Date: RECEIVED by Feb 1   NOTIFICATION by Apr 15 RECEIVED by June 1   NOTIFICATION by Sept 15 RECEIVED by Oct 15   NOTIFICATION by Jan 15

47. Major Steps in the Grant Writing Process • Identify a problem • Conduct a needs assessment • Establish outcomes • Conduct research • Write a concept paper • Identify partners • Get organization approval • Identify funding sources • Carefully read the RFP • Research the grantor • Align project to RFP • Attend technical meetings • Write the proposal • Get letters of commitment • Internal reviews of proposal • Final approval of organization Submit your proposal

48. T Questions….

50. THANK YOU !!!Clara Tolbertctolbert@ti.comLouise Chapman rosebayone@aol.comDoris Teague doristeague540@gmail.com