Grant Writing: DIY or outsource

1. Grant Writing: DIY or outsource? Dana Kokubun Grant Writing Services Conference of Nonprofit Communities of Hawai’i November 29, 2011

3. Do you have the expertise in house – a staff member with the appropriate program knowledge, a concise writing style and strong editorial skills? Do they have the time necessary to write grants? Tip # 1: DIY or outsource? Federal grants require project management skills, too. Typically, different members of the staff and/or consultant will provide the narratives, budgets, and supporting documents that make up a proposal. To estimate the time required to finish a proposal: About an hour for every page of a proposal, not including attachments that are already prepared.Federal grants require project management skills, too. Typically, different members of the staff and/or consultant will provide the narratives, budgets, and supporting documents that make up a proposal.

4. Can you afford to hire a grant writer? Grant writers on Oahu charge between $30 and $100 per hour You need unrestricted funds – individual gifts, earned income -- to pay for a consultant. Tip # 1: DIY or outsource? The table on the following slide shows the cost to clients for actual grant proposals I prepared.The table on the following slide shows the cost to clients for actual grant proposals I prepared.

5. *The ROI calculation doesn’t include your staff time to meet with the grant writer; as a grant writer becomes more familiar with your organization, you spend less time explaining your programs and organization, thus improving ROI. **Does not include preparation of the budget, or compiling attachments, which was done by the client. The HUD grant took 78 hours and raised only $39,000 (over $90,000 was requested), so it resulted in a low return on investment. The complexity of the proposal guidelines will add to the hours required to finish a proposal. The lowest return on investment on this list – 4:1 for an HCF grant, may still be worthwhile for organizations having some funds for a consultant.*The ROI calculation doesn’t include your staff time to meet with the grant writer; as a grant writer becomes more familiar with your organization, you spend less time explaining your programs and organization, thus improving ROI. **Does not include preparation of the budget, or compiling attachments, which was done by the client. The HUD grant took 78 hours and raised only $39,000 (over $90,000 was requested), so it resulted in a low return on investment. The complexity of the proposal guidelines will add to the hours required to finish a proposal. The lowest return on investment on this list – 4:1 for an HCF grant, may still be worthwhile for organizations having some funds for a consultant.

6. Knowledge and experience of your field? Prior experience working for non-profits? Know the difference between an output and an outcome? Ask for recent proposals Tip #2: Match your needs to the right grant writer Both field knowledge and non-profit experience were listed as important attributes for grant writers in a survey of 169 non-profits conducted in spring 2011 by the Packard Foundation. Both field knowledge and non-profit experience were listed as important attributes for grant writers in a survey of 169 non-profits conducted in spring 2011 by the Packard Foundation.

7. Besides skill in writing a concise and compelling proposal, these factors matter: Your personal relationship with the decision maker The number of other competing proposal and the geographic location of competing programs Your organization’s prior grants Tip #3: Dollars raised doesn’t tell the whole story

8. Fundraisers may put their financial interests ahead of yours. Percentage-based compensation may be regarded by regulators, your donors, and the public as “excessive compensation” for the work conducted. Percentage-based compensation may be skewed by “windfall” gifts that were not due to any effort by the fundraiser. Tip#4: Never compensate based on percentage of the grant award

9. Consultants will have a quick way to learn about your organization and its programs, staff, leadership, and finances. This reduces the time you spend bringing them up to speed and increases your return on investment. Tip#5: Write some grants yourself

10. Specify which sections will be drafted by the grant writer Include deliverable dates Leave plenty of time for editing – require a final draft at least one week before the deadline. Do the program budget early in the process, and do it yourself. Tip#6: Have a specific contract The program budget provides a framework for articulating the program. It helps you avoid overpromising program outcomes. The program budget provides a framework for articulating the program. It helps you avoid overpromising program outcomes.

11. TIP #7 Never outsource your relationship with the grantor Grant seeking is relationship based. The grant writer should never have the primary or exclusive relationship with a grantor. Cultivate foundation representatives as if they were individual donor prospects. You are the fundraiser! When a consulting grant writer leaves your service, they’ll take that grantor relationship with them. Cultivate foundation representatives as if they were individual donor prospects. You are the fundraiser! When a consulting grant writer leaves your service, they’ll take that grantor relationship with them.

12. Lead with program! Don’t “chase money” by tailoring a proposal to the requirements of an RFP without input from program your staff. You are the expert! You provide content for a proposal. The grant writer presents the information in a compelling and organized way. Tip #8 A grant writer is not (always) a program planner. Some grant writers will also help you design a new program to respond to an RFP, and/or develop evaluation plans and surveys, but not all offer this service. A consultant will need expertise and experience in your field in order to help you plan a program. For example, as I worked as an environmental education program director for years, I could develop a program plan for a conservation group, but I wouldn’t be qualified to design an early childhood education program. Some grant writers will also help you design a new program to respond to an RFP, and/or develop evaluation plans and surveys, but not all offer this service. A consultant will need expertise and experience in your field in order to help you plan a program. For example, as I worked as an environmental education program director for years, I could develop a program plan for a conservation group, but I wouldn’t be qualified to design an early childhood education program.

13. Assign one person to be the lead contact, or risk spending more time and money passing drafts among multiple people. If group review can’t be avoided, use Google docs or Dropbox so everyone sees the same document. Use Word editing and review tools like “track changes” and comment boxes instead of highlighting and inserting comments into the text. Tip #9 Avoid editing by committee

14. 1 or 2 hours are sufficient for an initial scan for prospective grantors. The new Guide to Hawaii Grant Makers lists over 200 grantors in Hawaii. Get in-depth information from the Foundation Center Directory database Tip #10 Do your own prospecting Corporate foundations are more relationship-based and will take more time.Corporate foundations are more relationship-based and will take more time.

15. QUESTIONS?

16. MAHALO! Dana Kokubun Grant Writing Services (808) 753-0840 kokubund002@hawaii.rr.com