Writing A Grant—From Start To Finish

1. Writing A Grant—From Start To Finish Workshop 3: Preparing Your Grant Proposal Educational Resource Development & LCC Foundation April 3, 2018

2. Last week we discussed • Elements of a successful grant proposal • Identifying an appropriate grant project idea • Developing your project idea • Writing a case for support Preparing your grant proposal

3. This week we’ll explore • Moving from case for supportto grant proposal • Steps to prepare a competitive grant proposal • Planning tools—logic model and timeline • Narrative, evaluation, visuals, budget • Time to work on your grant proposal idea or case for support Preparing your grant proposal

4. Personal reflection What has been your experience generating a project idea and/or beginning to draft a project plan or case for support? What’s been going well, what could be going better? What have you learned? What next steps might you take? Preparing your grant proposal

5. Moving from case for support to grant proposal It’s all in the details! • Identify potential funder(s) • Identify and establish grant team • Project lead • Work team • Project partners: internal/external • Identify grant writing lead • Contract with outside consultants, if appropriate • Grant writer • Project evaluator Preparing your grant proposal

6. Identifying project partners • Does the partner have a fundamental impact on your area’s/the college’s performance? (correct answer: yes) • Can you clearly identify what you want from the partner? (correct answer: yes) • Is the relationship dynamic—that is, do you want it to grow? (correct answer: yes) • Can you exist without or easily replace the partner? (correct answer: no) • Has the partner already been identified through another organizational relationship? (correct answer: no) Preparing your grant proposal

7. Preparing a work team and timeline Note: Project partners and a work team members are not necessarily the same thing, though there will be overlap • Work team members • Work team leader(s) • Major milestones and dates • Who will do what • Additional comments • Proposal ready for internal review one week before due date • Proposal submitted at least one day before due date Preparing Your Grant Proposal

8. Developing a Logic Model Logic models are a systematic, visual way to present and share relationships among the program resources you have, the activities you plan, and the changes or results you hope to achieve Preparing your grant proposal

9. Logic Model Resources Simple Logic Model Overview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFaJo6FF_yA Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Guide https://www.wkkf.org/resource-directory/resource/2006/02/wk-kellogg-foundation-logic-model-development-guide Preparing your grant proposal

10. Planning the project narrative • Follow the narrative requirements detailed in the request for proposals (RFP) • Identify research needed • Identify internal/external information sources • Note who on the work team will gather what types of information • If writing internally, note who will prepare each section of the draft, and who will put everything together Preparing your grant proposal

11. Grant narrative sequence • Put information in the same order as the RFP (request for proposals) • Include all information requested in the RFP instructions • Do not include information not requested in the RFP instructions • In Federal grants, check: All sets of instructions and requirements throughout the instructions--they can differ Reviewers’ criteria--can differ from instructions Requirements for forms or information not included in the instructions Preparing your grant proposal

12. Good story telling • Craft your narrative for the reader (formal; informal)— make it relevant • Use settings, characters, antagonists, and resolutions to pull the reader in • Include pertinent, engaging support (individual or community stories, similar successful programs, data, research, etc.) Preparing your grant proposal

13. For all funders Use the 7 C’s of Effective Communication • Complete—Conveys all the facts the reader needs • Concise—Uses the fewest possible words • Considerate—Steps into the shoes of others • Clear—Emphasizes one specific message or goal • Concrete—Documents with facts and figures • Courteous—Respects the reader and their priorities • Correct—Reads precisely and accurately, with no wrong words, grammatical errors, or typos Preparing your grant proposal

14. Project delivery plan Funder will want to see a coherent and realistic project delivery plan • Project Timeline • Create Gantt Chart in Excel • Project Management Tool • Use Microsoft Project or similar program Preparing your grant proposal

15. Simple Gantt Chart in Excel Preparing your grant proposal

16. Project evaluation Include evaluation in your planning whether or not it is required. Project evaluation can: • Determine overall effectiveness in meeting goals and objectives • Determine quality of activities • Identify strengths and weaknesses in implementation and effectiveness • Lead to changes for improvement Preparing your grant proposal

17. 3 times to discuss evaluation • Construct the evaluation plan while writing the grant narrative/budget • Finalize implementation strategy after the grant has been submitted • Implement when the grant has been awarded Preparing your grant proposal

18. Online project evaluation resources W. K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook https://www.wkkf.org/resource-directory/resource/2010/wk- kellogg-foundation-evaluation-handbook Imagine Canada Project Evaluation Guide for Nonprofit Organizations http://www.imaginecanada.ca/sites/default/files/www/en/library/nln/evaluation_workshop_0308.pdf Preparing your grant proposal

19. Visual impact Graphics provide clarification, simplification and emphasis on key proposal elements. They reinforce the text, and vice versa. • Charts, graphs, tables, maps, photos • Headers and subheaders • Color and font • Use judiciously for impact • Be mindful of page limits Preparing your Grant Proposal

20. Budget and budget narrative • The budget is the application’s meat and bones • Delineates who will deliver the project, what’s needed to deliver it, what it will cost • Shows organizational buy-in through in-kind support • Shows you will have enough funding to deliver the project Preparing Your Grant Proposal

21. Calculating costs • Personnel (existing and projected, estimated hours or percentage) • Fringe benefits (existing and projected) • Consultants (not grant writers!) • Travel (approved rate) • Equipment (per item; document) • Supplies (per item; document) • Tuition (per student) • Other costs Preparing Your Grant Proposal

22. Calculating income • Requested grant funds • Other anticipated or received grant funds • Donations (cash or in-kind) • Course Fees • Tuition • Refreshments and merchandise sales • Advertisement sales • Organization matching funds Preparing Your Grant Proposal

23. LCC Grants Finance For government or non 501(c)(3) grants, contact ERD to schedule a Grants Finance meeting Grants Finance will help plan the project budget Anita Lycos, ext. 9807 Barb Farr, ext. 1737 For 501(c)(3) grants, contact the LCC Foundation Preparing Your Grant Proposal

24. Narrative, numbers, and visuals must be consistent Do not include information in one area that is not included in another Check that numbers and wording match throughout Preparing your grant proposal

25. Use a grant application checklist • The application may provide one • Federal grants can be inconsistent—check for requirements not included on the checklist • You may need to construct one • Make sure checklists contain everything needed in the application • Get multiple reviews, especially from people outside of your planning group • LCC’s grant approval process can catch errors Preparing Your Grant Proposal

26. Top 10 reasons a grant is declined • Does not meet funder’s priorities • Does not serve funder’s geographic area • Incorrect application format • Difficult to understand • Outside of funder’s grant award range • Unknown credibility of applicant • Project lacks urgency or impact • Narrative, budget, and timeline are not consistent • No more money available this grant cycle • No evidence the project will become self-sufficient Preparing Your Grant Proposal

27. To consider for next week • Assess next steps for your Project Idea or Case Statement • Consider who might serve • as a project partner • on the work team Preparing Your Grant Proposal

28. Contact ERD and the LCC Foundation ERD Jeanne Donado, Grant Development Coordinator ext. 1307 Vivian Keeney, Grant System Coordinator ext. 1581 LCC Foundation Dan McKean, Executive Director, ext. 1987 Retta Parsons, Scholarship and Operations Coordinator, ext. 1989 Preparing Your Grant Proposal