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Questions Shared in Advance

  • How to you identify areas for grant support in your institution, and how to convince the funder to give grant in a grant proposal
  • "How do we get funding for vulnerable Women, Children & youths to enable them stay in schools?

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Top 10 Tips of Grant Writing

16 November 2022

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Introductions

Introductions:

  • Your Name
  • Your Organization
  • How excited are you for this workshop? Use an emote!

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Agenda

  1. Welcome & Your Guides Today (Debbi)
  2. Top 10 Tips - First Five (Chitra, Ellen, Mark)
  3. Breakout Activity (Debbi)
  4. Top 10 Tips - Last Five (Chitra, Ellen, Mark)
  5. Questions & Answers (Chitra, Ellen, Mark)
  6. Next Steps (Debbi)

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Your Guides Today

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Tip 1:

Everyone is a Prospector

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Tip 1: Everyone is a Prospector

  • Everyone in your organization should be a prospector
  • Your CEO is one of your most important prospectors and you should leverage this position
  • Program staff are your ears on the ground
  • Meet funders at conferences, events, and workshops

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Tip 2:

The Big “R”: It’s all about Relationships

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Tip 2: The Big “R”: It’s all about Relationships

  • Relationship building should be a part of your proposal development stage
  • Success at winning a grant depends on knowing:
  • what the funder is looking for in the proposal
  • who is reviewing the proposal
  • if they are experts in your field
  • the funder’s agenda
  • Be cooperative and helpful to meet everyone’s goals

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Tip 3:

Find (or Be) Good Partners

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Tip 3: Find (or Be) Good Partners

  • Bringing partners on to the project adds value to a proposal
  • Shows cooperation and ability to be a team player
  • Demonstrates that your objective is to deliver the best results/impact
  • Spend time building partnerships with other organizations
  • Good communication
  • The funder is a partner, too
  • For smaller organizations, being a junior partner is an excellent path forward
  • Gives ability to grow, gain experience, develop relationships, gain references

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Tip 4:

Find your Innovative Hook

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Tip 4: Find your Innovative Hook

  • Innovative does not mean being unique.
  • Funders are looking for creativity. NGOs are looking for the silver bullet. Winning proposals is somewhere in between.
  • Show how your organization is approaching a problem in a different way.
  • Use years of experience as an organization
  • Tried and true approach
  • Show how your project is approaching a problem in a different way.
  • Sometimes innovation is using best practices in a new context

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Tip 5:

Smart Phases Can Increase Project Appeal

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Tip 5: Smart Phases Can Increase Project Appeal

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  • Possible project phases: pilot, implement the pilot, more implementation, scale
  • Creating phases reduces long-term risk
  • Phasing projects can:
  • Create sustainable pathways
  • Show continuity (extend project)
  • Show ambition and demonstrate growth opportunities
  • Set price points
  • Break project into more digestible and fundable pieces

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Breakout Activity

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SHARE: Reflect on Your Experiences

Intro

  • 30 second introduction of who you are

Discuss

  • What are some of your top tips that you have found to be successful when pursuing funding opportunities?
  • Discuss in your group and add to the document linked in the chat!

Assign

  • Assign someone to report back to group, we will select 1-2 groups to report back

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Tip 6:

Treat Proposal Development as a Project

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Tip 6: Treat Proposal Development as a Project

  • Create timeline to build accountability
  • Don’t procrastinate
  • Finalize proposal 1-2 days early for time to assemble proposal
  • Assign tasks for:
  • Content expertise
  • Finance expertise
  • Sign off by leadership
  • Check in regularly and send reminders

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Tip 7:

Make Budget $en$e

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Tip 7: Make Budget $en$e

  • Proposal budgets never truly cover all costs, but try your best
  • Prove to funder that your project can be completed in an efficient way
  • Good budgets demonstrate the organization’s commitment to the project
  • Use a standard template, if not provided, with standard categories: Personnel/Fringe, Consultants, Travel, Other Direct Costs, Indirect Costs
  • Align budget and project narrative
  • Budget reflects proposed activities
  • Budget is clear and understandable

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Tip 8:

Be a Good Storyteller

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Tip 8: Be a Good Storyteller

  • A story is an example that has a beginning, middle, and end and supports your pitch
  • Stories are a great way to show potential impact
  • Use emotion!
  • Be persuasive and use quality writing
  • Learn and practice your skills
  • Go to conferences and workshops
  • Read other proposals
  • Make your case AND tell stories in the needs statement

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Tip 9:

Build Evaluation Plan during Project Design

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Tip 9: Build Evaluation Plan during Project Design

  • Design activities with evaluation and outcomes/impact in mind
  • Example: Build baseline assessments in the first activity
  • Follow with midline (as appropriate) and endline assessments
  • Be sure to budget and allow time for:
  • Conducting evaluation
  • Analyzing data
  • Writing report
  • Sharing the learnings

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Tip 10:

Smart Reporting Can Open Pathways to Renewal

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Tip 10: Smart Reporting Can Open Pathways to Renewal

  • Reporting can be one of the steps for renewal funding
  • Reports should include a focus on the project’s impact
  • Data and evaluation results demonstrate impact and/or progress
  • Reports should be presented and organized well
  • Be detailed
  • Tell your project’s story - include photos

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Question & Answer

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Please provide us with your feedback!

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Take Home Learnings

  1. Everyone is a Prospector
  2. The Big “R”: It’s all about Relationships
  3. Find (or be) Good Partners
  4. Find your Innovative Hook
  5. Smart Phases Can Increase Project Appeal
  6. Treat Proposal Development as a Project
  7. Make Budget Sense
  8. Be a Good Storyteller
  9. Build Evaluation Plan during Project Design
  10. Smart Reporting Can Open Pathways to Renewal

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Grant Writing Learning Series

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Grant Peer Feedback SE Session

Deadlines to be aware of:

  • SIGNUP SHEET (linked in chat + available in speaker notes)
  • Session Registration: http://bit.ly/3Els8bj
  • Sample Grant Task Submission by December 15, 5pm CET
    • Task Document to Download available (linked in chat + available in speaker notes)
    • Email to Elin at systemslearning@catalyst2030.net
  • Feedback Session January 11, 4pm CET

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Helpful Resources

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AJlNt7URSi5mgvDERaQjQIwOgzfmD-l0WFwvY7A3Qys/edit?usp=sharing

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Thank you!

for being with us today

Number vectors courtesy of Vecteezy.com

Ellen Marson

ellenm@landesa.org

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Mark Ruffo

markr@landesa.org

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Chitra Hanstad

chitrah@landesa.org

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Debbi D. Brock

Debbi@catalyst2030.net

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Contact Us!

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Find out more

https://catalyst2030.net

Follow Catalyst on Social Media

@Catalyst2030

@Catalyst_2030

@Catalyst_2030

Catalyst 2030

Catalyst 2030

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Why Catalyst 2030?

The SDGs will not be achieved by 2092 (SPI)

Key Challenges

C2030 aims to connect people and create collaborations around the world to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs by 2030.

Lack of Resources

Minimal collaboration and siloed work

Disconnect between funding models and needs

Lack of voice in decision making processes

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Catalyst 2030 in numbers

197

Countries and territories served by Catalyst 2030 members

2 Billion +

Lives touched by our member organisations

1,700+

social innovators and innovators from 1200+ member organisations