Getting Grants

This is not another how-to-write-a-grant-proposal book. Unlike those books, Getting Grants argues that no matter what type of organization, there is a direct relationship between the organization’s internal proposal development process and how successful the organization is at securing grant funding. Getting Grants deals with every step of the process of obtaining grants and includes a download kit with forms and checklists in MS Word format. This book is intended for a US audience and material applies to grant applications in the US.
INTRODUCTION xv 1 THEY JUST DON’T GET IT, DO THEY? ASSESSING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO PURSUE GRANT FUNDS 1 1. SOME QUESTIONS AND DEFINITIONS 3 1.1 What Is a Grant? 3 1.2 What Is Fundraising? 3 1.3 What Is Resource Development? 4 1.4 What Is Proposal Development? 4 1.5 What Is Grants Administration? 5 1.6 What Is a Sponsored Program? 5 1.7 What Is Research Administration? 5 2. DETERMINING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY 5 2.1 Completing the Questionnaire 8 2.2 Assessing the Data Collected 9 2 WHAT IS A GRANT AND WHERE CAN WE GET ONE? LEARNING THE BASICS OF GRANTSMANSHIP 11 1. WHERE DO YOU GO TO LEARN ABOUT GRANT PROGRAMS? 12 1.1 Federal Government Grants 12 1.1a Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) 12 iii CONTENTS 1.1b Federal Register 14 1.1c Federal agency websites 20 1.1d Grants.gov 20 1.2 Foundation Grants 20 1.2a Foundation directories 21 1.2b Internet resources 21 1.2c The Foundation Center 21 1.2d The Chronicle of Philanthropy 22 1.2e Other sources 22 2. RESEARCHING YOUR FUNDING SOURCE 23 2.1 Federal Government Grants 23 2.2 Foundation Grants 23 2.2a Funding guidelines 23 2.2b Annual reports 24 2.2c Information returns (IRS Form 990) 24 2.3 Contacting the Funding Source 25 2.4 Compiling Your Research 25 3. DECIDING TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING 25 3.1 Funder Restrictions and Organizational Ability 28 3.2 Evaluating the Advisability of a Grant Proposal 29 3 IF YOU’RE IN THE GRANTS OFFICE, WHY AREN’T YOU WRITING THE GRANT? PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT AND GRANTS MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES 33 1. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE GRANTS OFFICE? 33 2. ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT AT YOUR ORGANIZATION 37 2.1 Establishing a Proposal Development Process at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) 38 2.2 Grants Management Procedures 41 3. GRANTS DEVELOPMENT IN A SMALL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION 41 4. GRANTS DEVELOPMENT AT FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS 42 iv Getting grants Contents v 5. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE GRANT WRITER? 44 6. WHEN GRANTS OFFICE PERSONNEL BECOME PROJECT DIRECTORS 45 4 YOU EXPECT ME TO WRITE IT? WRITING THE GRANT PROPOSAL 55 1. LETTER OF INQUIRY/INTENT 56 2. ABSTRACT/EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 58 3. ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION 59 4. NEEDS STATEMENT 60 4.1 Clearly Identify the Need 60 4.2 Focus on Need of Target Population 60 4.3 Use Statistics 61 5. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 63 5.1 Solution 65 5.2 Review of the Literature/Best Practices 65 5.3 Goals/Objectives/Activities/Outcomes 66 5.4 Program/Project Personnel 70 5.5 Timeline/Schedule of Activities 70 6. EVALUATION PLAN 71 6.1 Internal versus External 71 6.2 Quantitative versus Qualitative 74 6.3 Formative versus Summative 75 6.4 Data Collection/Evaluation Tools 76 6.5 Some Final Tips 76 7. OTHER COMMON GRANT PROPOSAL SECTIONS 77 7.1 Cover Letter/Cover Page/Table of Contents 77 7.2 Letters of Support/Attachments/Appendixes 79 7.3 Management Plan/Plan of Operation 85 7.4 Dissemination Plan 86 7.5 Certifications/Assurances/Nondiscrimination Policies/Equitable Access/ Statement of Diversity/Other Forms 87 7.6 Authorizing Statutes/Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)/Invitational Priority 88 5 JUSTIFY THOSE FUNDS! THE GRANT PROPOSAL BUDGET 91 1. GRANT BUDGET 91 1.1 Itemize 92 1.2 Obtain Actual Costs 92 1.2a Personnel — salaries/fringe benefits 93 1.2b Travel 93 1.2c Communications 96 1.2d Equipment 96 1.2e Supplies 97 1.2f Contractual 97 1.2g Construction 97 1.2h Other 97 1.2i Training stipends/participant support 97 1.2j Direct costs 97 1.2k Indirect costs 98 2. MATCHING BUDGET 98 2.1 Cash Match 98 2.2 In-kind Match 98 2.3 Calculating the Match 98 3. BUDGET JUSTIFICATION/NARRATIVE 100 4. OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET (OMB) CIRCULARS 101 5. OTHER BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS 103 5.1 Indirect Costs 103 5.1a What is an indirect cost rate and who can get one? 103 5.1b Negotiating the indirect cost rate 104 5.1c Using the indirect cost rate 107 5.2 Leveraging Funding 108 5.3 Sustainability Plan 108 vi Getting grants Contents vii 6 YOU’RE IN THE HOMESTRETCH! THE SUBMISSION AND REVIEW PROCESSES 111 1. THE SUBMISSION PROCESS 111 1.1 Applicant or Lead Organizations/Partnerships/Fiscal Sponsorships 111 1.1a Applying on your own 111 1.1b Applying in partnership 112 1.1c Applying with a fiscal sponsor 113 1.2 Following Funder Guidelines 114 1.3 Electronic Proposal Submission 114 1.3a FastLane 115 1.3b Grants.gov 115 1.4 Meeting Proposal Deadlines 116 1.4a Determining the deadline 116 1.4b Meeting the deadline 117 1.4c Delivering the proposal 117 2. THE REVIEW PROCESS 118 2.1 Federal Government Grants 119 2.1a Selection criteria (point value of proposal sections) 119 2.1b The peer review process 119 2.2 State and Local Government and Foundation Grants 120 2.3 The Politics of Grants 121 7 SO … WHAT NOW? AFTER FUNDING DECISIONS ARE MADE 123 1. FUNDED PROPOSALS — GRANT ADMINISTRATION AND REPORTING 123 2. REJECTED PROPOSALS — WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW AND DO NOW 124 8 NOW LET ME TELL YOU WHAT NOT TO DO! EXAMPLES OF A GRANTS SYSTEM OUT OF CONTROL 131 1. “OH, THEY WON’T MIND IF I …” Ignoring the Rules of the Funder 131 2. “OH, IT’S OKAY. JUST LET THE JANITOR SIGN IT.” And Other Attempts to Circumvent the Internal Grants Process 133 3. “YOU’RE MY PARTNER IN THIS; YOU JUST DON’T KNOW IT YET.” Building Healthy Relationships with Grant Partners 135 4. “THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA … LET’S APPLY!” Making Promises You Can’t or Don’t Keep 136 5. “WHEN IS THAT DEADLINE? OH, GREAT, WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.” The 11th-Hour Grant Proposal 137 6. “LET’S JUST APPLY FOR ALL OF THEM AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.” Ignoring Strategy When Submitting Grant Proposals 139 7. “DO THEY REALLY NEED THAT INFORMATION?” Failing to Fulfill Your Obligations 140 8. “THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION.” Letting an Outside Organization Talk You into Submitting a Grant Proposal 141 9 THE REAL SKINNY ON FREE GOVERNMENT GRANTS! 147 CHECKLISTS 1 Basic Administrative Issues 126 2 Project Implementation 127 3 Ongoing Program Administration and Reporting Responsibilities 128 4 Grant Closeout 129 FIGURE 1 Process for Proposal Completion 49 SAMPLES 1 CFDA Program Notice 16 2 Letter Requesting Grant Information 26 3 Grants Office Job Descriptions 35 4 Grants Management Procedures 47 5 Timeline for XYZ Grant Application 52 6 Grant Writer Job Description 53 7 Letter of Inquiry 57 8 Program Timeline 72 9 Cover Letter 78 viii Getting grants Contents ix 10 Cover Page — Federal Government Form (SF-424) 80 11 Letter of Support 84 12 Preliminary List of Budget Items 93 13 Federal Budget Form (SF-424A) 94 14 Personnel Costs for Proposal Budget 96 15 Budget and Justification for Grant Proposal 102 16 Selection Criteria 120 TABLE 1 CFDA — Types of Assistance 13 WORKSHEETS 1 Organizational Capacity Questionnaire 6 2 Funder Data Sheet 27 3 Grant Proposal Efficacy Assessment 30 4 Grant Registration and Approval Form 50 5 Establishing Activities 69