Avoiding the 21 Biggest Grantwriting Traps

1. Avoiding the 21 Biggest Grantwriting Traps An ounce of mistake prevention is worth a pound of apology.

2. About Us Rochelle Fritsch Jan Wilberg Owner, Wilberg Community Planning (jwilberg.com) Co-facilitator of Planners and Grantwriters Roundtable Expertise in federal grants Long-time trainer in grantwriting, collaboration and evaluation • Development Director at IMPACT (impactinc.org) • Co-facilitator of Planners and Grantwriters Roundtable • Expertise in foundation/local government grants • Contributor to Metroparent • Frequent guest commentator on WTMJ

3. Messaging TRAPS #1 Starting off MIRED IN THE MUCKRF #2 Letting others SET YOUR STAGERF Don’t play into stereotypes Don’t pitch pity and hopelessness Take a strengths-based approach Progress can be made • Speak plainly – ditch the jargon • Focus on WHAT not HOW “Making sure no one goes hungry” • Be authentic

4. Messaging TRAPS #3 Telling the WRONG STORY the WRONG WAYRF • Know the impact of current events on your message • Tell more than one story • Explore varied mediums for messaging • Find what works best for you

5. Relationship TRAPS #4 Ignoring COLLABORATIVE POTENTIALJW • Collaborate with friends and competitors • Slice and dice opportunities: • Supply chain • Expertise/strengths • Cultural competence • Evaluate in terms of funding advantage (#1) and friendships (#2)

6. Relationship TRAPS #5 Under/over-estimating the COMPETITIONRF • Honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses • Do the same for your competitors • Ask yourself: • Duplicating services? • Reducing community impact? • Frustrating funders? • Missing opportunities?

7. Relationship TRAPS #6 Getting tied in knots by MANAGEMENTJW • Ongoing grants education for higher-ups • Train management in the supremacy of the RFP • Use briefing paper/logic model to educate • Have the ear of leadership

8. Relationship TRAPS #7 Talking too much to listenRF • One mouth two ears rule • Network outside the nonprofit sector • Avoid being a walking commercial • Listen more than you talk • Learn what motivates people • Where is their heart?

9. Relationship TRAPS #8 Not having any (relationships, that is)JW • Secure a safety net • Cultivate relationships with experts • Participate in training, networking • Seek quality peer review • Promote the good work of others

10. Grantwriting TRAPS #9 Partnering with leakers or tyrantsJW • Partner to your organization’s advantage • Know benefit of your partnership to your partner • Partnership must: • Result in more points • Be workable based on prior history • Increase the power of the proposal • Benefit people, not such organizations

11. Grantwriting TRAPS #10 Not attending to grantwriting basicsJW • Adhere absolutely to RFP requirements • Have a high quality ‘deal’ • Invest in a solid logic model • Achieve MAXIMUM points in each section • Focus on facts • Create real, impactful outcomes • Remember your roots: what people need

12. Grantwriting TRAPS #11 Wimping outJW • If YOU are writing a grant proposal, YOU need to be the expert on what the grant requires. • Take responsibility • Resist hijackers by having a strong team • Keep the RFP the focus • Keep your feelings out of the project

13. Grantwriting TRAPS #12 Letting your team run amokJW • Be the leader • Delegate wisely • Include program people • Use team members as hunter/gatherers, not writers • Keep team focused on what is best for proposal • Cheerlead/reinforce/demand/smile

14. Grantwriting TRAPS #13 Not watching the clockJW • Budget more time than you need • Stick with a published schedule of drafts, meetings, and reviews • Assume nothing about others’ promises • Include time for major review/revision • Get technical issues out of the way first, e.g. online submission requirements

15. Follow-Up TRAPS # 14 Skipping the celebrationRW #15 Celebrating too longJW Pay attention to start-up A ‘short’ year will mean poor outcomes Find ways to accelerate implementation without hurting quality Don’t relax until project is really running well • Thanks and compliments • Share proposal • Keep people informed of the process • Make announcement a BIG DEAL • Share the credit

16. Follow-Up TRAPS #16 Letting a bad program languishJW • Conduct a process evaluation • Establish a practice of regular check-ins with program implementers • Encourage discussion of improvements • Use participant and other data to guide changes • Keep funders informed

17. Follow-Up TRAPS # 17 Avoiding outcome evaluationJW • Conduct a sound program evaluation • Insure evaluator has ‘distance’ • Measure the right things the right way • Evaluate your evaluation • Publish results • Encourage open discussion • Use results to focus on what’s next

18. Follow-Up TRAPS #18 Taking a one and done approachRF • Successful grant seekers specialize in repeat requests • The ask and thank you are relationship starters • Keep donors updated on progress • Include board and staff • Changes in service delivery • Use mediums they use • Light touch via social sites • Direct engagement via site visits

19. Continuity TRAPS #19 Throwing the recipe awayJW #20 Staying dumbJW Assess your own grantwriting shortcomings Determine where the team is weak Participate in training opportunities or create own Read successful proposals • Constructively deconstruct the proposal process • Self-review • Reconvene project team • Obtain reviewer comments • Decide where to spend time in the gym • Focus always on next time

20. Professional TRAP #21 Not understanding your powerJW/RF • Are you a scribe or a writer? • Are you the secretary or the leader? • Are you the organizer or the organized? • Are you the expert or the amateur? • Are you the visionary or the reactor? • Are you the loser or the winner?