Grantwriting Strategies and Resources for Consortia

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Grantwriting is a process that requires planning, research, and relationship building. The ultimate goal of this process is to create a partnership between an organization with the capacity to carry out activities and programs and an organization that can provide the dollars to support those activities. Neighborhood Networks Consortia seeking grants must be willing to invest time and effort into developing relationships with a network of funders, so they can rely on them for support in the long term.

Preparing for Grantwriting

Below are important steps to take in preparation for grantwriting. You are likely to find preliminary grantwriting steps to be the most time consuming, yet the most vital aspect of the process. If done well, your preparatory work will simplify the writing stage.

Assess goals and needs. The grant seeking process begins with an assessment of your consortium or center's needs and goals. Neighborhood Networks Consortia that have completed the strategic planning process may simply refer to their strategic plans to assess their current needs and goals. The strategic plan outlines an organization's short- and long-term goals and objectives, and serves as a guide for pursuing funding opportunities that align with an organization's mission. Once an organization has articulated its objectives and the specific needs relevant to accomplishing those objectives, it will be better prepared for grant seeking.

Define the project. The project or program you design should directly address the needs and objectives identified by your organization. Your project design should include information about the following:   The purpose of the project.   The scope of work.   Broad project goals.   Specific objectives that define how you will focus the work to accomplish those goals.   Beneficiaries of the project.   Expected project outcomes in measurable terms.   A timeline that includes the planning phase, the period of searching for funds, proposal writing, and the intended project start date. Periodically, update the timeline as you learn more about submission deadlines, award timetables, etc.

Research and identify potential funders. It is most useful for Neighborhood Networks Consortia and centers to focus on potential funders whose funding priorities and guidelines match their own mission and goals. Those grants that do not align closely will be more difficult to obtain, and if obtained, may be less beneficial for the consortium or center. Visit the Web site of each potential funder and review the lists of grants awarded in the recent past. Pay close attention to the size, geographic location, and focus areas of past grantees, as well as the typical grant size. This information will help you determine which potential funders typically fund organizations similar to your consortium.

Follow these guidelines when researching funders:

	Utilize foundation centers, computerized databases, station development offices, publications, and public libraries as resources to assist your funding search.
	Determine if funding levels of the grants you select are appropriate for your project. Note whether there is a funding floor or ceiling.
	Find out whether the funder has other grant sources for which your project is eligible.
	Do not limit your funding search to one source.

Create a grant schedule. While some foundations accept grant proposals on a continual basis, many only accept them at certain times of the year. Neighborhood Networks Consortia and centers should create a grant schedule in order to anticipate requests for proposals (RFPs) ahead of time. This will allow consortia/centers enough time to contact the funder, submit a letter of inquiry, and develop and submit a proposal prior to the deadline.

Get to know the funders. Once you have identified a potential funder as a good match for your consortium, contact the funder directly to begin developing a relationship with the organization. Allowing the funder to become familiar with your organization early in the grant application process (or even before applications are being accepted) can increase your chances of being awarded a grant. You can submit a letter of inquiry to introduce your organization to the funder and to solicit feedback about whether your program does, in fact, match the funder's priorities and guidelines.

The following are helpful steps to take when communicating with funders:

	Identify a project officer who will address your questions.
	Use potential funders as resources of information and, in some cases, technical assistance. Some funders offer technical assistance, others do not. Ask for technical assistance, including a review of proposal drafts.
	Inquire about how proposals are reviewed and how decisions are made.
	Inquire about budgetary requirements and preferences, like matching funds.
	Remember, the contacts you make may prove invaluable, even if not for now.

Acquire proposal guidelines. It is crucial to follow all instructions included in the grant applications. Funders often receive more proposals than they can really consider. Therefore, those that do not follow the guidelines precisely are discarded during the first round of elimination. You will find that many funders require the same standard information about your organization, such as staff résumés , statistical program data, and financial information. If you keep this information updated and available, you won't have to compile it for each individual proposal. This will allow for more time and energy to be spent on the portions of the proposal that are specific to the program you are proposing.

Consortia and centers should request guidelines for each grant application they intend to complete. Guidelines usually specify the following:

	Submission deadlines.
	Eligibility requirements.
	Proposal format, i.e., award levels, forms, margins, spacing, evaluation process and restrictions on the number criteria of pages, etc.
	Budget requirements.
	Funding goals and priorities.
	Award levels.
	Proposal review timetable.
	Evaluation process and criteria.
	Whom to contact.
	Other submission requirements.

Know the submission deadline. Neighborhood Networks Consortia and centers must pay close attention to proposal deadlines to ensure that proposals are submitted on time. Plan to submit your proposal on or, preferably, before the deadline, but be realistic about whether you have time to prepare a competitive proposal that meets the deadline. Consortia/centers should know funders' policies on late submissions, exceptions, and mail delays. Also, find out how the funder will notify you about the receipt and status of your proposal and factor this information into your timeline.

Update your timeline. Your timeline needs to be updated once you have completed the preparation phase of proposal development. The updated timeline should reflect what you have learned about the funder's submission deadlines and review timetables. Remember to factor into your schedule time to write multiple drafts, gather relevant and permissible materials, and prepare an impartial critique of your proposal for clarity, substance, and form.

Consider working with other organizations. As you assess your organization's ability to successfully apply for grants, consider the option of partnering with a similar organization to strengthen your proposal. This is one of the benefits of consortium membership - when you apply for grants in cooperation with other centers, you can show funders greater numbers in terms of how many clients you serve and your overall impact on the community. The relationship between partnering organizations should be formalized in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or a similar document that specifies each party's responsibilities. It is also beneficial to review successful grant proposals written by other organizations for programs or projects similar to yours. In addition, you may want to acquire several letters of recommendation from partner organizations that can attest to your ability to administer grants and programs.

Writing the Proposal

The steps you take in preparation for writing the actual proposal will make the writing process easier. Structure, attention to specifications, concise persuasive writing, and a reasonable budget are the critical elements of the writing stage. There are many ways to organize proposals. Read the guidelines for specifications about required information and how it should be arranged. Standard proposal components are the narrative, budget, appendix of support material, and authorized signature. Sometimes proposal applications require abstracts or summaries, an explanation of budget items, and certifications.

Narrative

Include the following information in the narrative section of your proposal:

	Statement of need -- Purpose, goals, measurable objectives, and a compelling, logical reason why the proposal should be supported. Background provides perspective and is often a welcome component.
	Approach -- Method and process of accomplishing goals and objectives, description of intended scope of work with expected outcomes, outline of activities, description of personnel functions with names of key staff and consultants, if possible.
	Method of evaluation -- Some funders require very technical measurements of results. Inquire about expectations.
	Project timeline -- Paints a picture of project flow that includes start and end dates, schedule of activities, and projected outcomes. Should be detailed enough to include staff selection and start dates.
	Credentials -- Information about the applicant that certifies ability to successfully undertake the proposed effort. Typically includes institutional or individual track record and résumés. Identify required personnel both by function and, if possible, by name.

Narratives typically must satisfy the following questions:

	What do we want?
	What concern will be addressed and why?
	Who will benefit and how?
	What specific objectives can be accomplished and how?
	How will results be measured?
	How does this funding request relate to the funder's purpose, objectives, and priorities?
	Who are we and how do we qualify to meet this need?

There are many ways to represent the same idea. However, the narrative should tailor the description of the idea to the interest of a particular funder. Use this section of the proposal to align the project with the purpose, and goals of the funding source. This is a critical aspect of any proposal narrative because it determines how compelling reviewers will perceive your proposal to be.

Budget

Budgets are cost projections. They are also a window into how projects will be implemented and managed. Well-planned budgets reflect carefully thought out projects. Funders use these factors to assess budgets:

	Can the job be accomplished with this budget?
	Are costs reasonable for the market - or too high or low?
	Is the budget consistent with proposed activities?
	Is there sufficient budget detail and explanation?

Many funders provide mandatory budget forms that must be submitted with the proposal. Don't forget to list in-kind and matching revenue, where appropriate. It is also important to include personnel compensation in the budget. Finally, be flexible about your budget in case the funder chooses to negotiate costs.

Supporting materials

Supporting materials are often arranged in an appendix. These materials may endorse the project and the applicant, provide certifications, add information about project personnel, exhibit tables, and charts, etc. Be prepared to invest the time to collect resources, document capability, update a résumé, collect letters, and include reference reports or whatever is needed. But first, find out if supporting materials are desired or even allowed before including them, because policies about the inclusion of supporting materials differ widely among funders. Whether to allow them usually depends upon how materials contribute to a proposal's evaluation. Restrictions are often based on excess volume, the element of bias, and relevance.

Specifications

Proposals must be written and formatted according to specifications from the funder. Be sure to include only the number of pages allowed and follow font, spacing, and other formatting specifications. Edit proposals carefully to ensure that they follow guidelines and are free of typographical errors. Proposals must also be neat, complete, and on time. They should be submitted with the requested number of copies and original authorized signatures.

Follow-Up

Contact the funding source about the status, evaluation, and outcome of your proposal. It is important to request feedback about a proposal's strengths and weaknesses so that you can use it to improve on future proposals. Keep your proposal records organized and updated so that you can easily reference old proposals. Reference information is especially useful if you choose to approach another funder with the same project idea. Be sure to obtain feedback on all unsuccessful proposals to better understand deficiencies in program concept, design, and projected implementation strategy.

Online Grantwriting Resources

The following Web sites offer information about grantwriting for nonprofit organizations:

	Foundation Center This Web site provides numerous resources for grant seekers, including an online foundation directory, information about grantwriting workshops, and links to common grant applications.
	Philanthropy News Digest RFP Bulletin The Foundation Center compiles this list of current RFPs from funders across the country. Grant seekers can also sign up to receive a weekly grants bulletin via e-mail.
	The Resource Center Provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service, this service lists current grants that may be of interest to programs of service.
	Public vs. Private Funding Sources: This page compares the advantages and disadvantages of seeking support from public and private funding sources.