1 / 19

Grant Writing for GIS Development: Tips and Strategies for Success

This presentation by Mark Duewell from University of Missouri covers essential steps, components, and strategies for successful grant writing in GIS development. Learn how to secure funding, build relationships, and avoid common pitfalls in grant proposals.

preston-kline
Download Presentation

Grant Writing for GIS Development: Tips and Strategies for Success

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Grant Writing for GIS Development or How to Squeeze Blood From a Rock… presented by:Mark DuewellUniversity of Missouri Columbia

  2. GIS Development? • Getting started – get your feet wet… • Creating additional capacity • Develop advanced systems

  3. Needs Assessment… • Problem or Issue to be solved with GIS • Stakeholders, Partners and Champions • Goals and Objectives • GIS Application/s to be built • Staff – GIS or otherwise • Budget – hardware, software, training, maintenance • Timeline • Management support

  4. Typical Components of a Proposal • Executive Summary • Statement of Problem / Need • Project Description • Budget • Budget Narrative – IMPORTANT! • Organization Information • Conclusion • Cover letter • Cover and title page • Table of Contents • Appendix

  5. Locating Funds • Actively research - Know where to look for grant offerings. • Build relationships with others with like missions. • Establish grant file for correspondence. • Professional correspondence, magazines, mailing. • Ask other agencies and orgs – State GIS Committee, clearinghouse, COGs, RPCs • Internet - email notifications – • Conferences (MAGIC, NSGIC, URISA), workshops.

  6. Grant Sources –“Show me the money…” • Federal • State • Foundations • Corporate • Others? IMPORTANT - Download or secure a copy of the grant instructions!

  7. Proposal Follow-Up • Contact potential sponsor. • Be prepared to answer questions and provide additional information. • Personalize follow-up. • What to do when unsuccessful.

  8. Sponsor follow-ups • Within limits of professionalism – take advantage of personal contacts. • Understand that collaboration is paramount to many of the sponsors – explore the possibility of working with a potential competitor. • Avoid the pitfalls of arguing, anger, arrogance, frustration and criticizing others supporting similarprojects.

  9. Tips for Successful Grant Writing • Your budget should be concise and specific. • Demonstrate a clear and justifiable plan. • Collaboration is the name of the game – find enthusiastic partners - get letters of support. • Follow-up with sponsor.

  10. Tips for Getting More Grants - cont 5.Generate management support and commitment. • Research your project. • Don’t provide more information than sponsor requires. • Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

  11. Rejected! Why? • Unsubstantiated claims • Poor or no response to sponsor’s questions • Unenthusiastic • Negative attitude • And… Yes… a poorly written grant proposal

  12. Rejected! Why? • Unsubstantiated claims • Poor or no response to sponsor’s questions • Unenthusiastic • Negative attitude • And… Yes… a poorly written grant proposal

  13. Rejected! - cont… • Other problems to avoid: • don’t ask rhetorical questions • skip high tech lingo – write as you would speak • match scope of work to the budget • don’t assume that the reviewers know anything about your entity or about your problems • don’t use jargon, clichés, or redundancies

  14. Potential grant funding sources… • Federal grant email “notifier” – http://fedgrants.gov/ApplicantRegistration.html • Grants “How To” – http://www.federalfundingsources.com/ • General GIS grants – http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-index-by-type/federal-grants.html http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-index-by-type/city-grants.html

  15. Potential grant funding sources… http://www.esri.com/grants/index.html http://www.fema.gov http://www.fgdc.gov/funding/funding.html http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/index.html http://www.nationalmap.usgs.gov

  16. Summary… • Grant writing is a process. • Beneficial to involve other partners. • Know your project before trying to obtain funding. • Match the project to the mission or purpose of the sponsor.

  17. Summary - cont… • Don’t give the sponsor a reason to throw your proposal out. • Be clear, honest, and concise in the proposal. • Develop relationship with the funding source. • Ask if you are unsure of something. • Don’t give up! Practice makes perfect!

  18. Credit for assistance…. • Tim Haithcoat (UMC) • Sonny Sanders (ESRI) • Shirley Frederiksen, (Coordinator -Golden Hills RC&D, Iowa) • Warren Johnson, (Coordinator - Limestone Bluffs RC&D, Iowa) • Brad Cutler, (GIS Project Specialist - Golden Hills RC&D)

  19. Thank you… • Questions? • Contact Information Mark Duewell MSDIS Program Manager duewellm@missouri.edu (573) 882-6734

More Related