Stephanie Moran
Director, Community Partnership Center at Anderson University
Ann Wilson
Co-Founder and Executive Director, The Levinson Center
Role at Anderson University
•
•
•
•
Service engagement and service learning
Networking
Grant Support
Student Resource for 21st Century Scholars
Grant funding backstory
• Executive positions at 3 nonprofits, all of which regularly
received grants
• Executive position at a corporation that grant funded
• Currently, grant funds and mentors start-up companies that
impact local or global social or environmental issues
•
•
•
•
How many of you have participated in writing a grant?
Was it difficult?
What were the challenges associated with the grant?
How much time did you spend researching, planning,
collaborating, and writing the grant?
• What type of assessment did you do?
• What type of reporting did you do?
You may take advantage of grant opportunities in
two ways:
• Reactively: As a response to a Request for Proposals
(RFP)
• Proactively: By searching for matches between foundation
guidelines and your nonprofit organization’s mission.
• Capital: funds for construction, acquisition, or renovation of
buildings
• Programmatic: Funds to support staffing, equipment, and other
items that are necessary to launch a special project
• Operational: Funds to support ongoing operations, such as
utilities, ongoing staffing costs, etc.
Let’s
Venture Capitalists
as a new
Funding Resource…
• Projects must fulfill a genuine and pressing need
• Projects that don’t address a real and pressing community, state, or
national issue are not fundable. They might be creative. They might
demonstrate strong possibilities for collaboration with potential partners.
They appear to address the priorities of a funder. But they will fall short
unless the need is documented with supporting data.
• Programs must have potential for sustainability
• You must be able to support the program after grant funding runs out. If
grant funds support a specific project, the project must demonstrate
measurable objectives. Even specific projects must fit into the goals and
objectives of sustainable programming.
• Provides a creative response to a problem or need.
• Demonstrates potential for sustaining the project and its
outcomes after the grant period ends.
• Includes most of the following:
Strong data to support the project
A project manager with organizational accountability
A history of fiscal responsibility
A response to a clearly identified need or a solution to a stated problem
Collaboration with others in community
Engagement with community in identifying the need/solution
A plan for sustaining the project or outcomes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Executive Summary
Need Statement
Goals
Objectives
Timeline
Evaluation and assessment
Budget narrative
Budget
Organizational information
Attachments –copy of tax status, Board of Directors, letters of support, annual report
• What programs you would seek funding support for if not focused on
the specific restrictions of a RFP/RFA?
• Responding only to open RFPs/RFAs means your organization is
missing out on support from all of the funders that do not release
formal RFPs/RFAs.
• Proactive Grant Proposals allow you to:
• Focus on the ideal layout of your project/program
• Create a true budget
• Keep the project/program directly in line with the strategic plan or
mission/vision of your organization
• Develop unexpected, and long term, relationships with new funders
Writing the proposal first as a “boiler plate” and then looking for
funders that have a mission/values similar to that of your
organization and the program being proposed tends to do two
things:
• Lead to a higher success percentage for proposals that are submitted.
• Make the implementation of funded programs more seamless for program
staff as it is so well aligned with the strategic plan, mission, etc. of the
organization.
Do continue responding to RFP/RFA’s, and consider being more
proactive in your grant seeking as a way to cast your net wider in
your search for support.
Your proactive grant proposal is written. Now
what?
• Seek the partners you want/need for your program.
• Ask them for what you want and give them clear
deadlines.
Research grant funders with relatable missions. Think
creatively.
• Build a relationship with them. Introduce yourself.
• Think beyond the money.
• Don’t rely on only one funder.
• Make sure your math is correct!
• Find creative ways to cover operating expenses.
• Generally, don’t request more than 30% of the
project budget per funder.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Comprehensive, Integrated Approach
Strategically Prioritized – Not just a wish list
Well Thought Out Presentation – does the proposal make sense?
Reflects a Natural Progression from Planning to Implementation
Describes the Impact in a Comprehensive Manner
Project Shows Broad Participation
Need
(…Stay tuned; there’s more  …)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Demonstration of Capacity and Ability to Succeed at Project
Strong Local Commitment To, and Investment In, The Project
A Strategic Plan and A Strategic Approach
Sustainability of Proposal
Is the Amount of the Request Reasonable?
Is this a Duplication of Service?
Accountability
(And if that’s not enough to consider  …)
• Know your project and what you are proposing.
• Keep excellent documentation throughout the process
• Be prepared to demonstrate that you are able to manage all
aspects of the project.
• Build strong relationships within the applicant organization, the
community, and with the funder(s).
• Do your homework – ask for help when you need it.
• Identify unusual circumstances in your community that justify the
need.
• Keep asking yourself: Why should we get funded?
• Although there is a lot of forgiveness in terms of writing
styles, remember:
• Punctuation, spelling, and typos matter (your proposal represents you)
• Say what you mean and keep it concise. No excess wordiness, please!
• If it’s not in the application, it cannot be considered
• In a nutshell, funders want to know:
•
•
•
•
Will this project make a difference?
How big a difference and for whom?
Can this organization actually make this happen?
How much do they want and how will they use it?
FINAL
THOUGHTS
• Maintaining a current relationship is as important as developing
a new one. Everyone wants to be a part of a winning team.
Share the spotlight, and then celebrate the accomplishments,
with all stakeholders, including the funders.
• And remember, the grant funder asks themselves not only what
YOU get out of this, but also what THEY get out of it. It’s their
money and their reputation on the line.
• Don’t waste their time with rambling, half-baked asks.
• Let the respect you have for your organization, the project, and
the funder be reflected in the thoroughness of your planning
and conciseness of your presentation.
And most importantly…
If they don’t know what you need,
they can’t help you.
And they want to help you.
MAKE THE ASK.