Tips for Grant Proposal Success

1. Tips for Grant Proposal Success Carolyn S. Langan, ACSW, LCSW

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3. Why write a proposal • Tell your story • Why your project • Gain support for your project • Financial • Partners

4. Signs of success • Provides creative or proven response to need • Strong data to support the need • Strong data to support your experience/success • History of fiscal responsibility • Collaboration • Sustainability plan

5. Top 10 - most Common errors • Does not show need (98%) • Proposal doesn’t match RFP guidelines (63%) • Does not have logical order (50%) • Uses too many, unrelated, or old statistics • Relies too much only on client stories • Poor evaluation plan – weak objectives, no impact outcomes • Uses abstract or language (78%) • Uses flowery, overblown language (62%) • Budget doesn’t match narrative • Unexplained line items

6. RFP components • Executive Summary • Needs • Goals & Objectives • Program Methodology • Evaluation • Budget • Budget Narrative • Appendices

7. Executive Summary • PAINT A PICTURE • Purpose of request • Proposed project • Needs statement • Goals/objectives to be accomplished • Activities & methodology to be implemented • Total cost of project • Amount request

8. Needs Statement/Section • Be specific • Why do this project – issue to be addressed • Why in your community context • Why this target population • Use charts/graphs

9. Outcomes, Goals, objectives • Outcome: Change/impact on those served • Goals: What is to be achieved • Objectives: Performance outputs • PROGRAM LOGIC • Connect resources to activities to outcomes

10. qualifications -why your agency • Organizational history and mission • Agency program strengths • Evidence of accomplishments • Organizational capacity • Qualifications of key staff

11. Program description & Methodology • Program model with activity descriptions • Evidence-based • Best or emerging best practice • Chronological sequence of activities • Target population • Characteristics – age range, gender, ethnicity, culture, educational level, income level, statistics specific to your program • Numbers served • Changes in the population related to your program request

12. Evaluation • Plan for evaluation and Plan for modifications • Internal and/or External • Criteria • Data • Instruments • Analysis

13. Budget • Budget • Expenses specific to project • Expenses relate to activities • Revenue from other sources • Indirect resources • Budget narrative • Specific to line items • Clear and concise

14. Appendices(have on file) • Tax exempt certificate • List of board of directors • Audit/financial statement • Agency annual budget • Resumes or bio of key staff • Support letters • Organizational chart • Strategic plan • Bylaws

15. When you’re writing • Power words – action words • Use of headings – keep focused and logical • Consistent formattingthroughout document • Short paragraphs • No unexplained acronyms • Cautious use of field specific terminology

16. Case statement • Introduction of agency and community • Data to substantiate your statements • Analyze why certain data is asked for • Add data appropriate to your case

17. Case statement sample 1 • XYZ is a nonprofit agency serving 600 youth (ages 6-15) throughout the town of Metropolis in after-school group activities for education and social development. • The population of our city ranks highest in the state in incidence of school suspensions. The suspension rate contributes to the low academic success measured by standardized test scores. • XYZ proposes to begin a program for raising academic success using The ABC Kids curriculum.

18. Case statement sample 2 • Incidence of domestic violence has increased by 7% on a national level (National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence). The Metropolis police department statistics indicate a 10% increase in each of the last 2 years. • We propose a collaborative project between the Safe Shelter victim services (lead and fiscal agent), the County Prosecutor’s Office, and the County Sheriff’s department to provide a community awareness campaign. This campaign will be based on the work done in Tennessee which resulted in increased prosecutions from domestic assault and a 8% decrease in new victims of domestic violence within 2 years of implementing this comprehensive, collaborative approach.

19. Plan for success • Plan ahead – allow time for multiple drafts and review by others • Consider your audience • Meet deadlines • Follow instructions • Answer the questions

20. In case of success • Celebrate • Educate • Implement • Report

21. In case of rejection • Don’t take it personally • Ask for (and listen to) feedback • Review & revised your proposal • Learn about re-application opportunity --- same or different funder

22. Prospect search • Sources • On-line databases • Foundation directories – available free at your community library • Ask IYI • Assess • Project match to funder priorities • Ratio of application and reporting requirements to resources available

23. Carolyn langan clangan@iyi.org 317-396-2716