 |
 |
|||||||||||
| Grant Development Office | ||||||||||||
|
Home
Normandale Community College Website |
TIP of the MONTH:
Writing a grant is like writing a business plan The United States Small Business Administration says the importance of a comprehensive, thoughtful business plan cannot be overemphasized. It precisely defines a business, identifies its goals, and serves as a firm's resume. Because it provides specific and organized information about a company and how it will repay borrowed money, a good business plan is a crucial part of any loan application. Although funders are not looking for an ability to repay when awarding grant money, they do want to support a successful project. Too many grant applicants focus on identifying the need for funding, forgetting that the funder is also looking for evidence of the ability to handle resources properly and make good decisions. Keep a business plan model in mind as you develop your project and the grant application, and you will convince funders of your ability to handle their money responsibly. First, answer some core questions adapted from a business plan:
December 2004: Understanding Matching Funds When a funding source asks for matching funds, it means that the grant is not intended to bear all the costs of the project. Most government grants require matching financial participation by the applicant. In some cases, the granting agency specifies a minimum match. In others, the funding source encourages a match but does not state a certain percentage. Proposals that include a significant match may be more likely to be funded in a competitive grant process. Match is not the same as "institutional support." The distinction is that “match” is required to be met and reported, while institutional support may not have to be met and/or reported. Remember, though, that both match and institutional support are expended college resources and must be approved by Administration. Matching funds:
The grant application will indicate the types of match that are acceptable for a particular program. The match dollars must be used to meet the objectives of the proposed project and may come from either the college or a third party, but usually not from other grants. There are two types of match: Cash Contributions or a "hard match": A cash outlay can come from the general fund, a special allocation, or a third party in the private sector. A hard match could be a portion of the Project Director's salary paid by Normandale or a cash contribution from a local industry to purchase special equipment. In-kind Contributions or "soft match": Non-cash contributions can be provided by the college or a third party. The goods and services must directly benefit the project or program. Examples include the donation of special equipment, volunteer time, and or supplies for the program. A few examples of matching contributions:
January 2005: Angling for Grants Grantseeking is a bit like fishing. To be successful, first you need to know the lake, learn the habits of the fish you are pursuing, and use the proper tools and bait to make your hook attractive. In the end, though, a lot is left up to luck and timing. Careful research can help you target promising funders and tailor your proposal to their interests and guidelines. Like fish, however, funders can be choosy. A proposal idea that they found attractive and fundable one year may not even get a read through in the next grant round. Sometimes the waters are over-fished. Most funders receive many more requests than they have money to award. For instance, two recent submissions from Normandale (one to a local foundation and one to MnSCU) were not approved. Both proposals matched the funding interests and followed application guidelines. The local foundation’s response informed us that with only $11,000 to distribute, it was not able to fund all 24 grant requests totaling nearly $40,000. MnSCU’s competitive e-curriculum grant distributed $850,000 to 9 successful proposals. Normandale was in the group of 44 unsuccessful applicants whose proposals totaled over 5 million dollars, far more than MnSCU had available to give. There is no way to predict which proposals will be funded. Normandale’s grant process attempts to maximize our chances by using research databases, involving project teams in the writing process, and adhering to funder guidelines. In calendar year 2004, Normandale submitted 18 grant applications totaling $2.8 million. Twelve of those applications were funded fully or in part for $2.2 million. (The three TRIO grants, with a combined budget of more than $800,000, were not included in these totals because these multi-year grants were applied for in previous years.) We were successful in 66 percent of our applications and received 78 percent of the funds requested. The grant/fish comparison stops here. We don’t practice catch-and-release. February 2005: Telling the story Sometimes, while carefully crafting objectives and activities, a grant applicant can forget to create a story. Reviewers need numbers and tables to understand a project, but they also want to visualize the recipient and be reassured that the money they distribute is in good hands. It's important to find a logical spot in the narrative to drop our natural Minnesota reticence and tell the reviewer who we are and what we've done. It's a good thing to proclaim, "We're worthy!" All proposals should include a brief description of Normandale. Never assume that the reviewers have heard of the college, Bloomington, MnSCU, or even Minnesota. At minimum, include something like this: Normandale Community College, founded in 1968 and part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, is located in Bloomington and serves the southwestern portion of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. If space allows, include more descriptive information in a story format. Saying "In a typical class of 40 students, 23 will be women and five will be students of color," is a reader-friendly way of translating statistics. For visual appeal, use a pie or bar chart instead of the usual table. Normandale's successful proposal for the EdTrAc project included a "What we're doing" section that described our partnership with Mankato and previous project funding from a Phi Theta Kappa/National Science Foundation grant. The concluding paragraph took the reviewer from where-we've-been to where-we-want to-be: The PTK/NSF project was one of the driving forces for the development of this [EdTrAc] proposal. It allowed us the time to build support for the proposal and pilot some initial components. We are now ready to build a more comprehensive program for future teachers to address the needs described earlier. When developing a grant proposal, allow at least half a page for a little chit-chat about Normandale and your department. Take the time to review accomplishments and identify connections to the new project. Show the funding agency how your department fits into the organization and how previous experience and success will provide a strong foundation for the new endeavor. For a government grant, keep the tone businesslike. For a community foundation, include an anecdote or personal story. For either, the "getting to know you" information will hold the reader's interest. After all, they're not going to fund it if they don't read it.
March 2005: Minding your A B Cs Grant writing, like most other professions, has its own set of acronyms -- little shorthand arrangements of consonants and vowels. Using acronyms saves space, an important consideration when you are limited to five double-spaced pages. An acronym is a pronounceable word formed from some of the letters (often the initials) of a phrase. An example is the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) for health benefit provisions. An initialism consists of the first letter or letters of words in a phrase, in syllables or in components of a word or a combination of letters and syllables, and is pronounced by spelling out the letters one by one rather than as a solid word. Examples are IRS for Internal Revenue Service or ESP for extrasensory perception. When we use the word acronym, we usually mean both acronyms and initialisms. Use acronyms wisely. For one thing, not all acronyms mean the same thing to all people. ADA, for example, can mean Americans with Disabilities Act, American Dental Association, or American Diabetes Association. DNR may mean Department of Natural Resources to you, but someone in the medical profession may read it as Do Not Resuscitate. CD? Do you mean compact disc, capitol development, or certificate of deposit? Always provide the full wording of an acronym when using it for the first time. Never assume the grant reviewer will know what it means, especially when submitting to an out-of-state funder. The Chicago Manual of Style notes that usually you spell out the words first followed by the acronym in parentheses, and then use the acronym for later references. In a large document, it's helpful to repeat the full name in later chapters. Sometimes it makes sense to use the acronym first and put the full name in parentheses, if the acronym is very familiar to the audience. Common acronyms used in grant guidelines and documents: CBO - community-based organization
The First Rule of Proposal Writing: Absolute Adherence to
Guidelines. In 2003, Oregon's On-Track, Inc. complained when the Department of Health and Human Services rejected a $600,000 grant application for a drug and alcohol counseling program. The reviewer noted their application did not conform to instructions for format requiring "conventional border margins of one inch." They learned the hard way that guidelines in an RFP are not advice; they are rules. RFP is an acronym for Request for Proposals.* RFPs are formal documents that define the requirements of the funding agency, explain how the applicant should respond, describe how the proposals will be reviewed, and provide contact information. Most RFPs include a proposal structure or table of contents. This structure is identical to the checklist that reviewers will use when reading and scoring your proposal. Make their job easier and improve your chances for funding by adhering to the guidelines provided.
Remember: Adhering to the proposal guidelines demonstrates to the funding agency that you are capable of sticking to the project work plan and the budget. * Actually, it's an initialism -- see March 2005 Tips. Letters of Support and Commitment When a grant solicitation asks for letters of support or commitment, it is because the funding agency considers collaboration with other partners to be essential for success.
Tips: Read the guidelines carefully. If they specify that attachments aren’t accepted, omit the letters. Obtain the letters early in the application writing process. You will be able to quote passages in the body of the proposal and refer the reviewer to the complete letter. Solicit letters from partner representatives as high in the organization as possible, as well as from staff who will be directly involved in the project. Ask the partner to address the letter to the college or to Dr. Katherine Hiyane-Brown, President. It will emphasize to a reviewer that the college is committed to the success of the project. Request that letters be printed on business letterhead. However, if the grant application is to a local funding agency and funding will benefit children or families, consider the impact that hand-written letters from the community could have. Keep those to a minimum of two or three. Include as attachments any partnership agreements that pre-date the RFP announcement, if guidelines and page limits will allow them. Long-standing, formal agreements are an excellent way to show a bona-fide partnership. Enclose the original letters with hard-copy applications. Scan letters and attach them as .pdf files for electronic submissions. Always follow up with a phone call or e-mail to thank the partner for providing a letter. If the application is successful, send a letter signed by the project director or president to inform them of the funding and thanking them for contributing to the proposal’s success. Always send suggested wording to the person who is writing the letter on behalf of the partnership. It will be easier for them to cut, paste, add, and edit than to compose an original letter. This is especially helpful during tight deadlines. Sample text: First paragraph: State the purpose of the letter I am writing to support continued funding of Normandale Community College’s Math-Science Educational Training Center. Second paragraph: Describe the organization providing the letter, with special attention to how Normandale and the organization share a mission. If appropriate, explain how partners have shaped the proposed project or give specific examples of how the college and the partners have collaborated in the past. The Generic School District recognizes that areas of math and science education are of critical importance to the future of our students. Your goals of enhancing science and mathematics competence of teachers and students are our goals, as well. Our district comprises nine elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. We have a long history of partnering with Normandale, and our efforts have included the TRIO Educational Talent Search and School-to-Work programs. Third paragraph: Describe the relationship and specific support or commitment. Show how partners will share the leadership role or describe ways in which partners will share information and network. For a Letter of Commitment, provide estimations of the number of hours donated by the partner or the value of equipment loaned or donated. The District is poised to offer support in the areas of professional development, practicum experiences, and student teacher placement. I am pleased to offer my services as a member of the Advisory Committee. Fourth paragraph. Speak to the funder and close the letter. I encourage the National Science Foundation to continue the funding for the EdTrAc initiative. We are excited about working with Normandale Community College to find new ways to meet school, community, and student needs through this project. Warnings Never re-use a letter produced for a different application. Never waste your time by enclosing generic “feel-good” or “to whom it may concern” letters. Never mass produce a letter for multiple partners to sign. It’s a tip-off to reviewers that you may have created collaborations of convenience for the purpose of the application.
|
|||||||||||
| Page updated on 07/17/2006 |
A member of the
Minnesota State Colleges
and Universities system,
|
|||||||||||
