This a workshop I gave this year to EFL teachers in Tajikistan.

1. ERCILIA DELANCER
ETM CONFERENCE
DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN
JANUARY 4, 2012
quisqueyana54@gmail.com

2. • Types of grants available
• Choosing a grant
•Research needed to obtain a grant
•Understanding what is being asked
• Writing the grant itself
•Submitting the grant
•SUCCESS!

3. ―A grant is a monetary award of
financial assistance given to a
recipient to carry out some
work for a charitable public
purpose or for the public good‖

4. Grantsmanship is both a
science and an art. It is hard
work, but gets easier with
practice, good planning and
organization.

5. 10 billion given •Helps improve
annually corporation’s image
Detailed out of what •Based on corporation’s
interests the company interests
Often given out •Smaller pool to choose
depending on from
geographical location

6.  The first step in going for a grant is
to determine who has funds
available.
 The second step is to make sure that
your grant proposal matches the
needs of your organization to the
requirements of the funding source.

7.  Government Organizations
 Education Organizations
 Nonprofit Organizations
 For-profit organizations (other than
small business)
 Small Businesses
 Individuals

8.  Yourproposal must be a
solution, not a plea.
Consider your proposal
to be lemonade.
 You idea is the powder
 The foundations’
support is the water

9. Believe in what
you are
proposing!!

10.  What kind of organization are you submitting
to?
 What are their funding interests?
 What have they funded in the past?
 Who will be reading your proposal?
 Who will be making the
funding decision?

11.  Do you have an idea, vision, or
dream of something you would like
to accomplish?
 Need funding?
 Try Writing a Grant Proposal
 Many granting agencies do not
receive many quality proposals

12. Identify a problem
that is manageable
and solvable.
Don’t try to eliminate
illiteracy in the
Tajikistan.
Pilot test a project in
your district.

13.  Find funders who share your
ideas.
 They have already funded
similar projects.
 They have already funded
your type of organization.
 They share your vision.

14. Be methodical
Address the needs and provide
solutions
Write well
Address your audience
Plan your time

15.  To persuade effectively, your
argument must appeal to your
audience’s beliefs and interests.
 The proposal is not the means to
change their beliefs.
 You will not be successful unless you
match your project to their interests.

16.  Jargon –
 usually bad, but sometimes
necessary.
 Complaints
 Dull prose
 Who will benefit from this
project?

17.  An abstract or executive summary
 The statement of need or problem
 The project description
 An evaluation plan
 A budget
Smith, Nancy B., and E G. Works. The Complete Book of Grant
Writing. Naperville: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2006. N. pag. Print.

18.  To demonstrate effective strategies of
turning your project ideas into potential
grant proposals
 To gain a general understanding of the basics
of grant writing
 To become familiar of each component of the
grant writing application and process

19. You should… You should not…
 Follow directions  Make assumptions
 Know your  Exceed the
audience maximum number
 Be concise of
 Be optimistic
pages, graphs, cha
rts, or budget.
 Have passion
 Be late
 Know what you are
seeking and
purpose

20.  Think of your ideal, completed project
 Who will it impact?
 How will you ensure potential funding
agencies that you will complete the project
by the grant deadline?
 If your project is funded, will you have the
resources to execute the project in a timely
fashion?
 Why should your project receive funding over
other applicants?

21.  Cover Letter
 Proposal Summary
 Introduction
 Problem Statement or Needs Assessment
 Program Objectives
 Methodology
 Evaluation
 Proposal Budget

22.  Avoid mission mismatch
 Discover the style of writing and the
formality of the language used in the
instructions for applying - mirror this style in
your proposal.
 Always follow the exact specifications in the
grant applications, Requests for Proposals
(RFPs) and guidelines

23.  Get to know the funding agency
 Who have they funded in the past?
 What areas/regions do they support?
 What is the typical grant size?
 Look at past winners
 Type of project funded
 Proposal/writing style

24. • Outputs and Outcomes
• SMART Objectives
 Specific—don’t be vague
 Measurable—able to be tracked
 Attainable—are your sights too
high?
 Realistic—are you really
affecting the outcome?
 Timely—defined by a period of
time

25.  Usually a maximum of one page
 A concise snapshot or summary of the entire
grant proposal
 Establishes the foundation for the application
 Should peak readers’ interest to want to
know more about your project idea
 Some readers may not read the entire
proposal if the summary is poorly written.

26.  Establish credibility with your readers
 Who are you?
 Why should we fund your project?
 Describe any prior experiences and
qualifications working with grants.
 Describe your school in terms of size, student
demographics, special needs, goals, mission,
philosophy, etc.

27.  Be realistic – you are not trying to save the
world!
 Conduct research, collect statistical
data, and be able to articulate the real
issues
 What are some best practices?
 Who is your target population?
 What is your anticipated change to your
target population?
 What is so unique about your approach to
making the proposed change?

28.  Directlyrelated to the problem statement or
needs assessments
 Increase, decrease, reduce, improve…
 Measurable (numbers) criteria that will guide
you through each step of the implementation
 Who will be doing what?
 When will it happen?

29.  Directly related to the program objectives
 What steps will be taken in order to
accomplish the program objectives?
 Justify to readers your capabilities of
implementing the proposed project
 Include best practices and current research
 How will participants be selected?
 How will staff be recruited and trained?
 Time charts

30.  Collect data throughout the life of the grant
 Results Evaluation
 Were you able to effectively implement your
program and accomplish each objective?
 Process Evaluation
 Were you able to execute the program as
outlined in your proposal?
 Did you have to implement other measures and
objectives during the life of the grant in order to
meet the objectives?

31.  Be sure to set aside enough time to submit
your grant proposal
 Arrange time in advance for signatures
 Do you have to submit several photocopies
along with the original grant proposal?

32.  Wait patiently and be optimistic
 Continue to search for other potential
funding agencies
 Recycle your proposed idea
 It is not the end of the world nor is it the
game of baseball!
 Learn from prior pitfalls and mistakes
 Continue to hone your grant writing skills

33. 10 MINUTE BREAK!

34. • Find your voice
 Be clear, brief, supply the information requested
 Extraneous information uses space that you need
 Watch for emotional language, marketing
messages, sound bites
 Use expository writing
 Appropriate use of client stories
• Make your words work
 Chose powerful, active words
 Use active voice
• Write for your reader
 Recognize and avoid jargon
 Look for assumptions

35.  Grant writing is similar to writing a lesson
plan
 Don’t get overwhelmed by the process
 Take it one step at a time
 Have someone assist you with writing
 Give yourself plenty of time

36.  What is the problem that exists in the
community?
 How will your proposal address this need?
 How will your students benefit if your
proposal is funded?
 Describe the target population:
age, number of students, socio-economic
background, etc.

37.  What methods will you use to meet your
objectives?
 Include activities students will conduct
 Make sure that methods are realistic, age
appropriate, measurable, and directly related to
the grant proposal
 Some foundations may request a sample lesson
plan to be included in this section
 Keep your writing positive, remember to allow
your passion to come through…you are selling
your idea to the reader

38.  Break down major events including trainings,
purchases, pre/post tests, activities that
includes the amount of time each event will
take.
 Demonstrate that you have carefully thought
out all aspects of your proposal

39.  Record items and their estimated cost obtained
from vendors
 Group items into major categories
 Write a justification for all large ticket items
 Review the grant foundations restrictions on
expenses to ensure that you are within their
budget
 Make sure all purchases in your budget can be
funded according to the grant (i.e. are there
restrictions on the type of materials they will
fund?)

40.  Accuracy is the key – double check
 Do not exceed the maximum grant amount
 Research each item included in the budget
 Follow the application format

41. When creating a budget, DO YOUR RESEARCH
Every penny must be accounted for
List all items you wish to use with the grant. Be sure
to include descriptions, amount of each item, price
and final costs
Include ALL expenses that will be used

42.  What qualitative and quantitative data will
you submit to demonstrate that your
proposal’s objectives have been met?
 Consider items such as pre and post
tests, journals, portfolios, and attitude
surveys

43.  Did you clearly articulate the need and target population?
 Are your goals realistic?
 Is your objective measurable?
 Is all of your requested equipment integral to the proposal?
 Did you double check the grant directions and include all
required components?
 Were you concise and to the point?
 Did you write in third person narrative?
 Did you spell out acronyms?
 Did you check for spelling/grammatical errors?
 Did someone proofread your grant? Does your vision come clearly
across to someone outside of the science classroom?
 Did you submit your idea to more than one funding organization?

44.  Start with a good idea
 Locate a source funding
similar ideas
 Design, craft and develop your
idea into a well-written
statement.

45.  Include
 sources of additional funding, in-kind
contributions as well as list a detailed
breakdown of personnel and administrative
expenses.
 all supplementary materials, the exact number
of copies the organization requests, and follow
the requested format.
 Manygrant foundations request an
explanation of how the project will be
funding in the future.

46.  Benefits of collaboration
 Other organizations lend their credibility, resources,
experience, and expertise to the project.
 Collaborations can also make matching fund
requirements easier to attain. (Remember ―in kind‖
contributions)
 More "bang for the buck" - expands the numbers being
served, project scope
 Increases the funding opportunities available.
 Potential partners: other schools/school
districts, institutes of higher learning, public
libraries/museums, local fund source (Money
gets money!)

47. This is the first thing the grant people will
read!
It should:
•Grab their attention
•Talk about what the grant is about

48. There are many
different parts to
writing the grant, but
you always want to
keep your grant
reader’s attention

49.  Tie your grant to student outcomes and your
technology plan.
 Convey your passion and enthusiasm.
 Avoid educational/technology jargon and
acronyms.
 Keep sentences short and concise. Write
complete sentences. Check spelling and
grammar.
 Use active verbs and sentence constructions.
 Use everyday words.
 Write with authority and conviction.

50. 5. List in the proposal if you have received money from the
foundation in the past
6. Get a second look at your proposal before it is submitted
7. Even if you’re turned down try again next time
8. Always thank the grant maker

51. According to RMA, here are some effective tips to help:
1. Follow the guidelines from the grant maker
2. Do some homework on what the grant maker is looking for
3. Make a call, if needed to talk with someone at the
foundation for more information needed or to get an inside
look at what the grant maker is looking for.
4. Keep track of deadlines

52. 1. Organize your presentation so that it is clear and easy to
understand.
2. Be concise and to the point. Avoid broad generalizations.
3. Be specific. State exactly how much you want, and why.
4. Keep use of professional jargon, buzzwords, and
acronyms to a minimum.
5. Don’t assume that the reader knows about your
organization. Explain everything. Give examples.
6. Be impassioned, reasonable, and creative.
7. Show the reviewers what return will result from the
funding they provide.

53. When writing your grant, be sure to include how your
educational establishment aligns with their goals.
~How are you similar?
Be sure to tell who your organization is but don’t give
them your life story
Be brief but to the point!

54. •Describes the target populations to be served
•Defines the community problem to be
addressed
•Is related to the purposes and goals of your
organization
•Does not make any unsupported assumptions
•Describes the situation in terms that are both
factual and of human interest

55. This is the section where you should talk
about:
•Who is involved
•Timeline
•Specifics
•Details
•Goals and Objectives

56. Companies want to know if the grant money
they gave you was put to good use and if the
program was successful
How will you measure and evaluate the success
of the program?

57. Be sure to check over the writing mechanics of your
grant before handing it in. Check for:
~Spelling ~Typos
~Grammar ~Spacing
Have another person, not involved with the
grant, read it over.
A fresh mind always is unbiased.

58. Follow up in a few weeks
Keep your eyes open for more information.
Many funders may ask for more
information so be sure to be aware when
asked for additional paperwork or statistics

59. This is a great place for two things:
1. Make a final appeal for your grant
2. Give follow up activities for the future (if
appropriate)

60. This can also be the time, if appropriate, to
outline some follow-up activities as to what
your school will do next after the grant
Show the grant givers that you have a vision
for your school

61. What
proposal ideas
do you have?

62. If the funding organization
denies your request, be sure to
find out why.
Knowing that will help you be
successful when writing your
next grant proposal.

65. Fritz, J. Tips for writing the evaluation [Online Forum Comment]. Retrieved from
http://nonprofit.about.com/od/foundationfundinggrants
Geever, J. (2007). Proposal writing. Retrieved from
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/shortcourse
Grant statistics. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.governmentgrants.com/grants-statistics
How to write a project description [Online Forum Comment]. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/how_2132654
Jones , D. (2010, June 23). Tips for writing effective grants [Online Forum
Comment]. Retrieved from http://richardmale.com/?p=431

66. Lips, D. (2006, November 9). The facts of federal education funding.
Retrieved from http://www.heritage.org/research/education-
notebook/the-facts-on-
federal-education-spending
Pandey, K. (2010, April 26). Grant writing examples. Retrieved from
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/grant-writing-examples.html
School grant writing. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.fundraiserhelp.com/school-grant-writing.htm
Strait, M. (2011, February 14). Facts about government grants. Retrieved
from http://www.ehow.com/info_7935488_government-grants.html
The need statement. (2000, September). Retrieved from
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=4803

67. Wahtera, R. (2008, March 12). #45 catchy name [Online Forum Comment].
Retrieved from http://grant-writing-
resources.blogspot.com/2008/03/45
What is a grant?. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.federalgrants.com/what-is-a-grant.html