Written for both novice and experienced grantwriters, the workbook is filled with practical advice and illustrative examples, including Important information such as determining whether your program or idea is fundable Clear examples that make it easier to create a well-written letter of intent How to do the necessary research to find the right funder to approach Targeting your proposal to meet the priorities of the funder What happens to your proposal once it reaches the funder How to adapt this program- and project-specific funding approach to assist in general funding Once the workbook exercises are completed, your organization will have a fully developed grant proposal.

Mim Carlson, consults in the areas of leadership development and organizational capacity building with nonprofit organizations. She specializes in board development, board/ED partnerships, executive coaching, staff transitions, and strategic planning, and also serves as an interim executive director for groups. Mim has over twenty-five years of experience in nonprofits and each position she has held has required proposal writing to foundations, corporations, and the government. She has successfully raised millions of dollars for organizations as a staffperson or consultant. Mim is the author of two books and is currently working on her third book, The Executive Director's Survivor Guide, to be published in the near future. gt;The Alliance for Nonprofit Management is a professional association of individuals and organizations devoted to helping nonprofits fulfill their missions by improving their management and governance capacity.

Acknowledgments.

How to Use This Workbook.

Introduction: An Overview of the Grantseeking Process.

Developing the Proposal Idea.

Developing Relationships with Funders.

Writing a Compelling Need Statement.

Defining Clear Goals and Objectives.

Developing Your Methods.

Preparing the Evaluation Component.

Developing Sustainability Strategies.

Preparing the Program Budget.

Writing the Organization Background Component.

Writing the Proposal Summary.

Putting the Package Together.

Sustaining Relationships with Funders.

Special Resource Section.

A. How to Research Funders.

B. Learning More About Funders.

C. How to Evaluate a Proposal Through a FunderÆs Eyes.

D. Bibliography.

E. Helpful Web Sites for Grantseekers.

How to Use the CD-ROM.

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

Chapter One

Developing the Proposal Idea

Now that you have had an introduction to the process of preparing a proposal, it's time to take the first step. In this section of the workbook you will begin to develop your proposal idea by answering some key questions. Before actually writing a proposal, you should determine which projects in your organization are most likely to be funded through a grant. Most funders prefer to give grants for new and expanding programs or in support of special projects and new ideas rather than for the general operating expenses of an organization or the ongoing costs of established programs. Special projects may include new programs or the expansion of current programs in new directions, capacity building ideas, technology improvements, and technical assistance.

Because funders have these preferences, this workbook uses the idea of creating a new program as the basis for developing a proposal. There are funders, though, who are interested in operating and ongoing program support, so the CD that accompanies this workbook includes sample proposals to help the grantseeker in approaching sources for these funds.

Whenever possible, organizations should use a team approach to plan new projects, involving staff, clients, and volunteers. The planning team develops a project plan first and then uses it when writing the components of the proposal. Because winning a grant usually means a change will take place in the organization, it is important to involve people in the organization with the planning-not only so they can make the project design better but also so they will be more enthusiastic about implementing the change.

When preparing a proposal, many writers start with the planning sections (need statement, objectives, methods, evaluation, program sustainability, and budget), because these are the core of the proposal. Then they write the organization background section, finishing with the summary and cover letter. This workbook follows that format.

The planning sections of the proposal are often written first because they are the core of the proposal and deserve careful attention; without a clearly articulated project plan, it is very difficult to get funding. As one funder we talked to told us, "One of the key criteria we use in evaluating the merits of a proposal is there must be a clear presentation of the project plan and how it integrates into the overall organization."

Generally, organizations will spend approximately 80 percent of their time planning a project and only 20 percent of their time writing and packaging the proposal. Although it is ideal to plan in advance of writing a proposal, it is also not uncommon to fine-tune the plan as the proposal is being developed.

To get started on developing a fundable proposal idea, answer the six questions in Worksheet 1.1. After answering these questions, you and your organization should use those answers in choosing a specific idea to develop using the exercises in this book. Then follow Steps Two through Twelve to create your own well-planned proposal. Throughout these steps, this workbook provides examples and worksheets to assist you.

WORKSHEET 1.1. Proposal Idea Questionnaire.

1. What new projects is your organization planning for the next two to three years?

Project A:

Project B:

Project C:

Project D:

2. Which of these projects are compatible with your organization's current mission and purpose? (When a project falls outside your mission, considerable justification will be necessary to convince a funder to support it.) (Check the category that applies to each project.)

Project Compatible with Mission Not Compatible

A

B

C

D

3. What is unique about your organization's project?

Project Uniqueness

A

B

C

D

4. Who else is doing this project? Is there duplication of effort? Can a partnership be formed that will benefit all organizations concerned with this project?

Project Duplicate Project Possible Collaboration
(with whom) (with whom)

A

B

C

D

5. What community need does each of your organization's projects address?

Project Need Addressed

A

B

C

D

6. What members of your community-including civic leaders, political figures, the media, and your organization's clients-support each project?

Project Supporters

A

B

C

D

7. Does your organization currently have the expertise to undertake each project? If new staff are necessary, can the organization manage growth in personnel effectively? (Check the category that applies to each project.)

Project Expertise Effective Growth Management

A

B

C

D

8. Is there internal support for the project? External support? (Check the category that applies to each project.)

Project Internal Support External Support

A

B

C

D

HELPFUL HINT

To develop a project idea into a plan, you need to answer the following six questions:

1. What community need does the plan address? (Answering this question develops the need statement component of a proposal.)

2. What would an improved community situation look like? (Answering this question develops the goals and objectives component of a proposal.)

3. What can this organization do to improve the situation? (Answering this question develops the methods component of a proposal.)

4. How will it be determined that the project has succeeded? (Answering this question develops the evaluation component of a proposal.)

5. How much will the project cost? (Answering this question develops the budget component of a proposal.)

6. How will the project be funded in the future? (Answering this question develops the sustainability component of a proposal.)

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Winning Grants Step by Step by Mim Carlson
Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.