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, , , " ,:' 'c: 'D'i D _ : Y '0 U 'K' NOW. ? .'. . . - ~ ,. - - Crafting Your Next Grant Proposal rant providers, be they govern- mental entities or private founda- tions,' usually require a formal written proposal :from anyone interested in receiving funds for their project or program. For many, the idea of writing a grant proposal seems daunting. The fol- lowing concepts might alleviate some of the uncertainty and stimulate your grant proposal development. Clarify goals. Before beginning to write, clarify what you want to accom- plish and ensure the grant meets those requirements. Doing your homework on the need and the suitability of a grant in achieving those needs can help .you to organize your ideas in preparation for your proposal. Consider questions such as: What do I want to accomplish? Are there specific cost or budget issues? Does this grant provide the needed support? The ultimate goal is to ensure that you know what you want so you can convincingly communicate it to the grantmaker through your proposal. Explain importance of project or program. Another aspect of developing your grant proposal is to be able to articulate why your project or program is important to your city. Often referred to as creating a "needs/problem state- ment," it might include a description of the nature of the problem, the city's funding requirements, and the anticipated outcome. In this step, it is important to not confuse needs with wants. For example, a city might apply for a grant because it wants a second fire truck. However, the need for a fire truck might be due to the increased development resulting in more fire calls, which the city cannot address without additional equipment. Write clearly and sucdnctly. Clear and succinct language is a key compo- nent of defining the need and problem. Wordy language can distract from a grantmaker's ability to understand the FEBRUARY 2004 By Mi~e Ehlert proposal. A common mistake is assuming ,a grantmaker is familiar with what you are proposing, which can result in vague content. One way to counter vague content is to avoid jargon or technical . language unfamiliar to the lay reader,. while, at the same time, supporting your plans with factual narrative and data directly related to the problem described in your proposal. Outline impacts and audiences. Grant proposals might also require you to document the methods you plan to use to meet your city's needs. This usually means not just stating your main objec- tive or goal and the steps required to achieve them. The proposal could also include an explanation of the impact of your project or program, and those who the project or program will benefit. It might be difficult to outline your entire program because of the variables involved. But the more specific infor- mation you provide, the more credible and convincing your proposal appears. Establish~ evaluation criteria. Depend- ingon the type of grant you are seeking, it might be necessary to set up evaluation criteria. Grantmaking organizations are in the business of providing funds, and they, like the grant recipient, want positive results. Therefore, many private foundations and federal agencies require that grant recipients measure the results of receiving a grant to show the grant's' effectiveness. Some organizations have specific ways they want information measured and reported, so it is advisable to follow any instructions the grantrnaker may provide for evaluations. Create a detailed budget. Organizing a detailed budget, generally a requirement for grants, can be difficult since there can be a vast array of costs associated with any program or project. Depend- ing on your grant, it might be necessary to consider expenses such as personnel, associated'direct and indirect costs, and even administrative or overhead MINNESOTA CITIES expenses. BudgetS tend to be quite brief, one to two pages in length, and should coincide closely with your pro- posal narrative. , COmlnon budgeting mistakes include requesting dollars for which organizations do not provide funding, and having figures that don't correspond with the total amount requested. Therefore, it is vital that you make sure that the amount you are applying for will actually cover the expenses in your budget and to double-check your math. Not only can grantmakers have rules about not fund- ing certain expenses, some require matching grants or partnering organiza- tions before providing funding. Be sure you fully understand the required finan- cial necessities so that you don't ask for something the organization cannot provide. Review application requirements. Finally, be sure to double-check your proposal's content against the grant . requirements imposed by the granting organization. Page limits, letters of sup- port, copy requirements--grantmakers can have veryspecific rules and com- pliance could make the difference in receiving funding. It can also be ben- eficial to ask a third party who isn't involved in the proposal to read your. grant material for clarity and under- standing. Additional information. More infor- mationabout developing grant proposals can be found from the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (www. cfda.gov/); the Foundation Center' (www. fdncenter.org/); and the Minnesota Council on Foundations (www.mcf.org/). .. II Mike Ehlert is research assistant with the League oj Minnesota Cities. Phone: (651) 281-1225. E-mail: mehlert@lmnc.org. I I I: 1 3