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Grant Writing for Programs that Support Kids and Families�

Monica Murnan

Director of Community Supports

Center of Community Supports at Greenbush

monica.murnan@greenbush.org

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Just like fishing….�Visit to the Blackjack Table

You know you will never win them all. No matter how many grants you produce in a year, there is no way you can have a 100% success rate. Our success rate at Greenbush usually runs between 75-85% in a given year.

You will never get a straight flush unless you are in the game. You have heard the old saying, if you don’t play, you don’t win. Well, it is the same with grant writing. If you don’t jump in with both feet and your eyes wide open, you will never know if the proposal you want to submit will be successful or not.

The house holds all the cards. The agency issuing the grant calls the shots. If the RFP indicates to document specific things in the proposal, then you better do it or it will be thrown out on a technicality.

The trick is finding the grant or bet that holds the best odds. Hopefully today you will leave with some practical tips to finding grants and determining the odds of writing a successful proposal.

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Right Bait
Right Time
Right Body of Water
Right Tools
A Plate

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Why does an organization write grants?

Some people think it is a relatively easy way to receive money to continue projects.

Others think it is to “buy things” or the latest gadgets at taxpayer’s expense.

Many grassroots organizations write grants to facilitate change within the group of people they serve such as soup kitchens, battered women, even school districts for facilitating change among teachers and administrators.

Other organizations have a sincere desire to help kids or others in the community.

Additional resources are often times needed to implement new ideas or to maintain current programs at the minimum level.

Some organizations see grant writing as a way to pay for what they consider “low priority needs” which can be defined as something the organization doesn’t consider as a need requiring “immediate” attention.

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Please do….�Know the Vocabulary�

RFP: Request for Proposal aka “the rules”

Grant: Funding that doesn’t have to be paid back to the funder

Contract: An agreement to do certain work for a certain amount

Grantee: A fiscal entity that receives a grant after submitting a proposal

Why does an organization write grants?

Some people think it is a relatively easy way to receive money to continue projects.

Others think it is to “buy things” or the latest gadgets at taxpayer’s expense.

Many grassroots organizations write grants to facilitate change within the group of people they serve such as soup kitchens, battered women, even school districts for facilitating change among teachers and administrators.

Other organizations have a sincere desire to help kids or others in the community.

Additional resources are often times needed to implement new ideas or to maintain current programs at the minimum level.

Some organizations see grant writing as a way to pay for what they consider “low priority needs” which can be defined as something the organization doesn’t consider as a need requiring “immediate” attention.

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Grantor: Fiscal entity that is giving funds for a certain purpose

Abstract: A short version of the idea

Needs Assessment: A combination of numbers and words explaining why funds are needed with a clear path to your solution

Please do….�Know the Vocabulary�

Here are some tips for writing great grants.

A great grant integrates all program elements into a comprehensive document that flows from beginning to end with a common theme.

A great grant aligns to all the components as defined in the RFP.

A great grant provided high quality and continuous improvement throughout the grant funding period to ensure quality professional development and evaluation to determine effectiveness.

A great grant has partnership buy-in and shows depth of their partnership, not just a “glossed over” cursory partnership designed to fool the readers and funding agency.

A great grant is a coordination of resources, existing and new, to create a quality project.

A great grant is held to very high rigorous standards – in other words, all of the “I’s” are dotted and the “t’s” crossed.

A great grant is innovative…catches the readers attention within the first few sentences.

A great grant designs programs that are specifically targeted to meet local needs (or regional needs, statewide needs) depending on the project.

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Goals: Big picture, simple explanation of the “what” of your idea

Objectives: Smaller bites of what you are going to do with details

Deliverables: Often used in contracts, similar to objectives