The Everything Grant Writing Book

by Tremore, Judy; Smith, Nancy Burke

• ISBN13: 9781580628778
• ISBN10: 158062877X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-07-01
• Publisher: Adams Media Corp

Summary

Offers advice to grant writers on how to work within the competitive market to obtain the funds most suitable to given needs, providing coverage of such areas as writing a statement of need, developing a budget, and building partnerships. Original. $500,000 ad/promo.

Author Biography

Nancy Burke Smith, a freelance writer specializing in grant proposals for more than fifteen years, has garnered an estimated $20 million in grant funds on behalf of her clients. She served for one year as interim program director at the Frey Foundation, where she reviewed grants and made recommendations for funding to the board of trustees. Ms. Smith lives in Grand Rapids, MI. Judy Tremore has specialized in print media and business writing for more than twenty-five years, developing features, newsletters, brochures, and marketing plans. Ms. Tremore was Grand Rapids editor of Metropolitan Woman magazine and managing editor of Cadence newspaper, where she won two Michigan Press Association Enterprise awards. Ms. Tremore lives in Grand Rapids, MI.

Table of Contents

Top Ten Reasons to Learn Grant Writing	x
Introduction	xi
The World of Grant Writing	1	(8)
What Is a Grant Proposal?	2	(1)
Grant Writing versus Fundraising	2	(1)
What Kinds of Projects Get Funded?	3	(2)
Planning Is Critical	5	(4)
Finding the Money	9	(18)
Brief History of U.S. Philanthropy	10	(1)
Government Funding Sources	11	(1)
Where Do You Find RFPs?	12	(1)
Philanthropic Organizations	13	(2)
Requests for Proposals	15	(1)
Grant Source Searches	16	(9)
``Cold Calling'' versus Responding to Requests	25	(2)
Government Grants	27	(10)
Local Government Funds	28	(1)
State Government Funds	29	(1)
Pass-Through Funds	29	(2)
Federal Grants	31	(3)
Federal Register	34	(1)
Other Sources of Information	35	(2)
Foundation Grants	37	(10)
Funding from a Foundation	38	(1)
Corporate Foundations	38	(1)
Family Foundations	39	(1)
Community Foundations	40	(2)
Private Independent Foundations	42	(1)
Requesting Guidelines	43	(2)
Other Sources of Information	45	(2)
The Right Source	47	(12)
When Is a Government Grant Appropriate?	48	(1)
When Is a Foundation Grant Appropriate?	48	(1)
A Checklist of Considerations	49	(1)
Narrowing the Field of Prospects	50	(2)
Reading Guidelines	52	(3)
Reading RFPs	55	(4)
Grant-Seeker Workshops and Conferences	59	(10)
What Is a Grant-Seeker Workshop?	60	(1)
Who Holds Workshops?	61	(2)
When You Should Attend a Workshop	63	(1)
What Will You Learn?	64	(2)
Advantages and Disadvantages	66	(3)
Letters of Intent and Inquiry	69	(8)
What's the Difference?	70	(1)
When to Send a Letter of Intent	71	(1)
Components of a Strong Letter of Intent	71	(1)
Sample Letter of Intent	72	(1)
When to Use a Letter of Inquiry	73	(1)
Components of a Strong Letter of Inquiry	74	(1)
Sample Letter of Inquiry	74	(3)
Components of a Grant Proposal	77	(14)
What to Expect	78	(1)
Follow the Directions	79	(2)
Follow the Outline	81	(1)
There Is No Outline?	81	(3)
Essential Components	84	(1)
Other Questions They May Ask	85	(1)
Federal Register Instructions Example	85	(6)
Preparing to Write	91	(10)
Know Your Readers	92	(2)
Outlining	94	(1)
Brainstorming	94	(2)
Planning Responsive Programs	96	(2)
What's the Deadline?	98	(1)
A Checklist of Procedures and Tasks	99	(2)
Planning for Letters of Support	101	(10)
What Is a Letter of Support?	102	(1)
Who Should Write It and Sign It?	102	(1)
When to Start Soliciting Letters	103	(1)
Writing a Support Letter	103	(1)
Sample Support Letters	104	(5)
Knowing How Many Letters You Need	109	(2)
Writing a Statement of Need	111	(12)
Introduce the Organization	112	(1)
Selecting Appropriate Data	112	(1)
Locating Data	113	(1)
Use Data to Support Your Case	114	(1)
State Your Case	115	(1)
Use a Gap Analysis	116	(1)
Citing Resources	117	(1)
Sample Needs Statement	118	(5)
Writing Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes	123	(12)
What's the Distinction?	124	(1)
Writing Goals: What Will You Accomplish?	124	(1)
Writing Outcomes: What Will Change?	125	(1)
Writing Objectives: What Will You Do?	126	(1)
Putting It All Together	127	(2)
It's Measurable, But Is It Important?	129	(1)
Completing a Project Description	130	(1)
Sample Project Description	130	(5)
Writing Action Plans and Timelines	135	(12)
What Are Action Steps?	136	(1)
Who's Responsible?	137	(1)
How Long It Takes to Achieve Goals	138	(1)
Illustrating Goals	139	(2)
Sample Action Plans	141	(4)
Balancing Ambition with Realism	145	(2)
Designing an Evaluation Plan	147	(10)
The Language of Evaluators	148	(1)
Types of Evaluations	149	(1)
Asking the Right Questions	150	(1)
Determining Results	151	(1)
Linking Evaluation to Goals and Objectives	152	(1)
Sample Evaluation Plans	153	(4)
Developing a Budget and Budget Narrative	157	(12)
How Much Can You Request?	158	(1)
Match Requirements	159	(1)
In-Kind Support	160	(1)
Multiyear Requests	161	(1)
Taking Care of Partners	162	(1)
Planning for Sustainability	163	(1)
Writing the Budget Narrative	163	(1)
Citing Other Sources of Funding	164	(3)
Sample Budget and Narrative	167	(2)
Other Grant Proposal Sections	169	(16)
What You May Encounter and Where	170	(1)
Collaboration/Partnership	170	(2)
Review of Literature	172	(2)
Staff Qualifications	174	(1)
Management Plans	175	(1)
Competing Programs/Agencies	176	(1)
Constituency Involvement	176	(1)
Sustainability Plans	177	(3)
Status of Fundraising Efforts	180	(1)
Organizational History	180	(1)
Funding Priorities	181	(2)
Challenge Grants	183	(2)
Write It Well	185	(8)
Use Everyday Language	186	(2)
Explain Acronyms and Terms	188	(1)
Name Your Project	189	(1)
Use Strong, Active Verbs	189	(1)
First or Third Person?	190	(1)
Speak with Authority	191	(2)
Reviewing Your Work	193	(8)
Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation	194	(1)
Page Counts Count	194	(1)
Using Headings	195	(1)
What Is a Rubric?	195	(3)
Enlist the Aid of Readers	198	(1)
Using the Rubric or Evaluation Criteria	198	(3)
Filling Out Forms	201	(14)
What to Expect	202	(1)
Cover Sheets	202	(4)
Identity Numbers	206	(1)
Assurances and Certifications	206	(3)
Budget Forms	209	(4)
Fitting into the Spaces Provided	213	(1)
Getting Signatures	213	(2)
Packaging and Submitting Your Proposal	215	(10)
Writing an Abstract or Summary	216	(1)
Writing Cover Letters	217	(2)
Using Color, Photos, and Other Graphics	219	(1)
Using Dividers, Binders, or Bindery	219	(1)
Attachments and Appendices	220	(1)
Electronic Submissions	221	(1)
Making and Marking Copies	222	(1)
Shipping and Delivery Options	223	(2)
Next Steps	225	(10)
What's Next?	226	(1)
Simultaneous Submissions	226	(1)
If the Proposal Is Denied...	227	(4)
We Got the Grant---Now What?	231	(1)
Writing a Media Announcement	232	(2)
The Progress Report	234	(1)
Writing Grants as a Career	235	(15)
Who Writes Grants?	236	(1)
Basic Skills of Grant Writers	236	(4)
The Grant Writer's Market	240	(1)
Generalist or Specialist?	241	(1)
Range of Services	242	(1)
Potential Earnings	243	(2)
Getting Started	245	(5)
Appendix A Resources	250	(3)
Appendix B Glossary	253	(4)
Appendix C Sample Federal Grant Proposal	257	(21)
Appendix D Sample Foundation Grant Proposal	278	(19)
Index	297