You know that feeling of giddy anticipation you experience when you submit an absolutely-cannot-miss grant application only to receive the news later that it, well, missed? It's disheartening I know. And if you've been a grant writer for a long while like I have then you have experienced that disappointment more than once in your career. I decided to write this article particularly for those of us that have been in this field since the dark ages but I think new grant writers will find it useful as well. If you've been experiencing a “slump” as of late, I want to remind you again just what it is that grant funders are positively responding to.
If I had a bullhorn I would at this point shout “Check Yourself, O Mighty Grant Writer!” You see, I too have to check myself from time to time. I too have to remind myself that even though it would seem like that after all these years I'd always apply what I've learned to give my application a greater shot at winning, I don't. Make sure that the same isn't applying to you as well.
I'm baring my soul here. In the past when I've asked for feedback as to why my proposal wasn't funded, I found that I tend to score lower in certain sections. I've learned from these missteps and hope that you'll pay attention to these areas as well as they could be your problem areas. As I define these, I hope that you'll give yourself an honest assessment of how you're measuring up. Sometimes, it just takes a back-to-basics approach to get yourself back on track. (By the way, I'm not telling you which of these exact offenses I committed – I'll just let you guess!)
Focus Area #1 – Your General Style and Content
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Don't bow to peer pressure (your supervisor, co-workers, etc.) that are eager to chase that grant money. Is the funder's mission even compatible with your organization?
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Be careful in flexing your organization's muscles. Always be gracious to your competitors by not disparaging them in any way in your application.
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Have you gotten careless with your supporting statistics and documentation? Always be factual and cite sources. Also, keep them up to date. Statistics that served your organization well ten years ago just don't have much of an impact in 2011.
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With all the options these days such as bold-face, charts, graphs, etc. it can be tempting to present your application in such a slick layout that it reads like the latest celebrity gossip rag. Don't fall into that trap. Keep it interesting but don't go overboard with hard to interpret graphics.
Focus Area #2 – Your Problem Statement and Needs Assessment
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In presenting your case, are you using broad, national statistics just because they're easier to find online? It is so much more persuasive to use limited local data because it has greater meaning, especially to the interest of funders close to home.
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Give the grant reviewer hope. The picture you paint shouldn't be so grim that the problem appears hopeless. Also, always avoid overly emotional appeals.
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Have you thought about presenting your grant project as a model? Serving as a model only works for certain types of projects but it can significantly broaden your base of funders if it does work.
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A statement of need doesn't have to be long and involved. Provide short, concise information that captures the reader's attention.
Focus Area #3 – Your Grant's Objectives and Benefits
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Don't confuse a goal with an objective. A goal is generally abstract while an objective is much more specific. Is your objective achievable in the short term and easily measurable? With competition for grant dollars so great, well-articulated objectives are critical to a proposal's success.
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There are at least four types of objectives. Do yours fit into any of these?
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Behavioral – a human action is anticipated Example: Thirty of the fifty students will increase their test scores at least one letter grade.
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Performance – a specific time frame that a behavior will occur at an expected level Example: Thirty of the fifty students will increase their test scores at least one letter grade by the third test administered.
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Process – what is used to achieve an end result Example: We will document the processes used to help improve the student's grades noting those with the greatest success.
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Product – A tangible benefit Example: We will publish a manual documenting the successful processes used in improving test scores.
Focus Area #4 – Your Evaluation
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A strong evaluation plan indicates that you take your objectives seriously and that you want to know if your program is indeed successful.
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Evaluation most often includes expected program outcomes and measures used to assess them. Does your chosen process of measurement accurately measure the outcome?
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Are you clearly describing the manner in which evaluation information will be collected and how the data will be analyzed?
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Present your plan for how the evaluation and its results will be reported and which audiences will be receiving those results. Be open to the funder's suggestion of differing audiences and the manner in which it's shared.
Focus Area #5 – BONUS! Are You Really Communicating With the Funder?
My advice here is simple: don't let the funder just hear from you come application time. With all the means of communication now available to us, I'm not suggesting that you have to take a program officer out for a steak dinner to let them know that you value the good they're bringing to the community. I'm simply suggesting that you be a gracious funding partner. Always follow up grant awards with personal thank you letters, ask if you may keep them in the loop with short emails about client victories and, of course, if you may include them in your newsletter distribution. In short, get to know them as people and not as the folks who hold the keys to your grant kingdom. They just want to be treated with respect and don't want to only be thought of once a year.
Veteran grant writers, I hope I've somehow lit a particular fire that was just what you needed to hear. Now, get back to the basics, regain your confidence and start churning out those winning grant applications like I know you can!
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written by oakley sunglasses, April 18, 2011
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written by Coach Outlet, April 18, 2011
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written by Amy Eisenstein, February 05, 2011
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written by Pamela Grow, February 04, 2011
Focus area 5 is of utmost importance. Even when your application has been denied, take the time to follow up with the funder: to find out if there is anything you could have done differently, if you're eligible to reapply and if they're aware of any other potential funding sources. Gail's right - grantseeking IS about relationship-building.
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written by Gail Perry , February 02, 2011
Also, I think - like you suggested in #5 - that you should never rely on the grant proposal to do the selling for you. It's so important to sell it in person too. Like I tell all my friends "Grantseeking is a body contact sport!)
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written by Gayle L. Gifford, ACFRE, February 01, 2011
I'd add one more mistake: not addressing the "why" of your approach i.e. what is your theory of change and what evidence do you have that it will make a difference? Funders want to know that your strategy has something behind it more than you just think it's a good idea (unless you are a experimenting with an approach, but even then, you must have some experiences or research that tells you this is a good idea).
If your readers are interested, they might want to read the story of how one organization overcame multiple rejections in How we got the grant http://bit.ly/aUP0kd
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written by Bunnie Riedel, February 01, 2011
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