Mastering the Basics: Essential Tips for New Grant Writers Pt.2

Sep 30, 2024 | Grants & Funding

Strategies for Developing a Compelling Grant Proposal

The key to developing a compelling grant proposal is a thorough program planning process. The key to writing a compelling grant proposal is writing compelling project plans. In this article, I’ll show you how to build a program planning process to simplify the grant application process.

Strategy 1: Understand your Participant’s Needs and Priorities

Your program will not be successful if it doesn’t meet the needs of your target population. Be sure to use data from a needs assessment that has been approved by participants with lived experience. If the needs assessment you choose doesn’t independently verify or mention that the process includes the input of participants with lived experience, you can conduct a local focus group to vet the assessment.

Using data from the needs assessment, write a profile describing the demographic, financial, environmental, cultural, and historical experiences of the participants. Be sure to use strengths-based, person-centered language when writing about your target population.

Finally, write a problem statement. Explain why your organization exists, or more specifically, why it needs to exist. What specific problem are you solving with your project? Does your organization serve young girls? There are hundreds of organizations already serving young girls. It’s ok to choose a population that is already being served; you still need to identify what makes your project or organization unique in the space.

Strategy 2: Describe Your Theory of Change

Describe your approach to solving the problem you just stated. Write a compelling story that highlights the impact of your organization’s work. Describe your service delivery approach – home-based case management, center-based programming, mobile services, etc., and your evidence base. Evidence-based means that you rely on objective data and best practices within your industry to inform your service delivery. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that you have to pay for an expensive curriculum (although you can certainly raise funds to do so), there are plenty of free resources available for evidence-based programs. The California Evidence Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare is an example of a directory of evidence-based programs. You can find yours with a simple Google search: Evidence-based programming for [insert your cause]. Explain how you will incorporate this evidence into your program strategy.

Strategy 3: Use Local Data

Use data and evidence to support your proposal and demonstrate the project’s potential impact. Using local data elevates your proposal by making it relatable to the reviewers (most likely local volunteers). If your program is the first of its kind in your area, use local data that supports the need for your specialized intervention. Data from the problem statement section can be used here as well.

Be clear and concise, use simple language, and avoid jargon. Make sure your proposal is easy to read and understand by a person not intimately familiar with your industry.

Strategy 4: Provide a Clear Budget

Start by creating a comprehensive master budget that is aligned with the priorities of your target population. This master budget should serve as the foundation for your project’s financial planning, ensuring that all expenses are accounted for, and the budget covers multiple years to account for growth. Once the master budget is established, it can be tailored to suit the specific guidelines and priorities of various funders to create individualized funder-aligned budgets for each proposal.

Begin by listing all aspects of your project, from staffing and operational costs to equipment and other essential resources. This will provide a clear and thorough representation of the project’s financial requirements. Incorporate the cost to achieve the goals and objectives of your project. Strive for a balanced budget that reflects the most critical needs and aspirations of the participants, employees, and the organization.

Once you’ve created your master budget, you can customize it to align with the unique guidelines and priorities of each prospective funder. This will demonstrate that your project is not only well-planned and cost-effective but also directly addresses the specific concerns and interests of the funder. Ensure that each funder-aligned budget highlights the relevant aspects of your project, showcases how the funding will be used and adheres to any restrictions or requirements specified by the funder.

Strategy 5: Create your Logic Model

Logic models are my jam! said no one ever! Despite their ability to frustrate the most patient of souls, they are useful (and required) when building your projects. The quick and dirty is that logic models are a snapshot of your participants’ journey represented by specific program elements. The core elements of a logic model are:

· Goals: a broad/general statement about the intended outcome(s) of your project and is based on the results of a client-informed needs assessment. Goals serve as a framework for all other components of the logic model.

· Objectives: The steps we need to take to achieve those goals. Objectives are concrete and precise action statements of intended outcomes that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-specific.

· Activities: Activities are the actions you will take to meet your objectives. What will you do with resources to meet the objectives and, ultimately, the goal(s)?

· Input/Resources: What are the resources you need to complete the activities to meet the objectives? Consider staffing needs, facility needs, insurance, licenses and permits, technology, and other equipment. A list of resources can also be used to develop a budget for the initiative.

· Outputs: Outputs are the tangible and direct results of activities. Remember that an output statement doesn’t reveal anything about quality. You will assess the quality of your outputs in your evaluation.

· Outcomes: Outcome statements express the result(s) that our initiative intends to achieve if implemented as planned. Outcomes are specific, attainable, and measurable changes that we hope will take place because of our initiative. It answers the question, “What difference did our initiative make?” We should be able to measure the desired change at an individual, group, or organizational level by measuring changes in knowledge, behavior, and/or condition.

· Indicators/ Milestones: Indicators tell us when/if changes have occurred. When we develop our objectives, we need to ask ourselves the following questions.

How will we know when we have achieved our objectives?
What indicators will we look for to measure the progress and success of our initiative?
Are data to measure our progress and/or success readily available or do we need to develop new measures, e.g., surveys, focus groups, etc….?

Strategy 6: Create a Master Program Guide

The Master Program Guide serves as a detailed roadmap for your organization’s programming. Each section represents a clear and concise picture of how the program operates and where it aligns strategically with the overall mission and vision of the agency. This document helps you identify alignment between the agency’s goals and the funder’s initiatives, ultimately increasing the likelihood of securing essential financial support. Additionally, the master program guide aids in streamlining internal communication within the organization, ensuring that all team members have a consistent understanding of the programs and their respective roles in executing them. Finally, each section of the master program guide corresponds to the information you need to respond to funding announcements, saving you time during the application process.

Grant Writing Tips and Best Practices

To summarize, here are some best practices to consider:

Tip 1: Plan Ahead

Plan ahead and allocate enough time and resources to build a comprehensive and compelling project plan.

Tip 2: Use Data and Evidence

Use data and evidence to support your project and demonstrate the project’s potential impact. Be sure to update your data regularly and use local data to make your project relatable.

Tip 3: Tailor Your Proposal

Tailor your proposal to fit the funder’s priorities and requirements, not your program. This is one strategy for avoiding mission creep. Avoid the temptation of trying to make your program fit a funding opportunity by writing your program overview in advance.

Tip 4: Create an application system.

Applying for grants is a time-consuming process that requires strict attention to detail. It helps to have a system that includes easily accessible, frequently used content, a checklist system for relevant requirements, and a review system to check the overall quality of the application. Creating a compelling proposal is the first step toward building that system.

In the next article, we will talk about how to create a universal checklist and review system that is unique to your organization.

If you want to learn more about the grant writing process and creating a system, schedule a session with me here.

Mastering the Basics: Essential Tips for New Grant Writers

Sep 30, 2024 | Grants & Funding

Basic Grant Writing Steps for New Nonprofit Organizations

You’ve started your nonprofit and created your program design and financial plan. You know that funding is critical to achieving your mission and serving your community. Grants are an important part of your financial plan and now it’s time to write your first grant. Grant writing can be a daunting task, but with the right strategies and tips, you can master the art of grant writing. In this article, I will share the essentials of grant writing for nonprofit organizations, including understanding the grant writing process, a step-by-step guide to writing grants, strategies for developing a compelling grant proposal, dos, and don’ts of grant writing, best practices for nonprofit grant writing, and grant writing services for nonprofit organizations.

Understanding the Grant Writing Process

The first step in writing winning proposals is understanding the grant writing process. Grant writing is a competitive process where nonprofit organizations submit proposals to funders seeking financial support for a specific project or program. Funders can be government agencies, foundations, corporations, or individuals.

The grant writing process involves several steps, including creating your grant management plan, researching potential funders, analyzing the grant guidelines and making sure they align with your project or program goals, writing a compelling proposal, and submitting the proposal by the deadline. It’s important to note that the grant writing process can take several months, so it’s essential to plan ahead and allocate enough time and resources to complete the grant.

How to Write Grants – Step-by-Step Guide

Now that you understand the grant writing process let’s dive into how to write grants. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you write a winning grant proposal:

Step 1: Create your Grant Management System

The first step in grant writing is to create a grants management system to help you organize project narratives, supporting documents, and financial documents in a reliably accessible location. Your system should also include a tracking system to keep up with deadlines and capture results. Taking the time to do this first will save some time in a time-consuming process.

You can find plenty of fee-based grant management systems that do all this for you, however, a simple Google Drive folder for document storage and a spreadsheet-type tracking system is fine to get started. Your supporting documentation folder should contain a copy of your IRS designation letter, state certificate, board resolution authorizing you to act on behalf of the organization or letter approving the grant application, key staff bios and resumes, board member list, and project narratives for all of your programs.

Your financial documentation folder should contain a copy of your most recent profit and loss report, balance sheet and board approved budget, and a project budget for each of your programs.

You are already using these documents to run your organization, take the time to set them aside in a reliably accessible location like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or Dropbox, and remember to update them so you don’t attach outdated information to a project proposal. It will save you LOADS of time!

Step 2: Identify a Funding Opportunity

Now that you’ve set up your system, it’s time to search for a funding opportunity that aligns with your organization’s mission and goals. Start with the advocacy group for your cause, i.e. The American Heart Association if you are a heart health for women nonprofit. Next, go to your local library. Most local libraries have free, limited access to Candid Foundation search. Another good place to search for initial funding is your local service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.) and big box department store community donations page.

Yes, I deliberately left out Grants.gov. However, if you insist, here is what you will do:

You’re going to search for the federal department that oversees the programs and services that directly or indirectly align with your projects’ goals and objectives. For example, if your organization provides services to families with medically complex children, you’ll most likely find aligned funding opportunities in the Administration for Children and Families. When you get to their page you’re going to look up the most recent grant recipients in your state or nearest to your state. You’re going to look for an agency near you that is already providing the service and strike up a conversation. Hopefully that conversation leads to a partnership that includes you providing services as a component of their program.

Why would I leave out grants.gov, you ask? Because those grants are massive. They require time, capacity, and funding that most starting nonprofits will not have. Writing one of these grants is the equivalent of jumping into the deep end of the pool when you only learned to backstroke last week. Also, a finely tuned partnership gives you experience with leveraging funding; bonus points in the eyes of most funders, and the opportunity to increase the overall amount of funding in the area for your mutual causes!

If you want this organization to last, you’re going to build smarter, not harder.

Step 3: Analyze Grant Opportunities and Guidelines

Once you’ve identified a funding opportunity, analyze the grant guidelines carefully. Here is where part 2 of your grants management system enters the picture: your grant analysis system. Since we are focusing on smaller grant applications, the system doesn’t have to be any more complex than another spreadsheet. Here is a simple tracker you can use to get started. I modified a version of that spreadsheet to include analysis that measures factors I look for when deciding to apply for a grant. Sign up for our newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy.

Step 4: Write a Compelling Proposal

Write a compelling proposal that clearly aligns with the funder’s priorities and requirements. Clearly define the project’s goals, objectives, outcomes, and metrics and articulate your organization’s mission, the project’s goals, and how it aligns with the funder’s priorities. Use data and evidence to support your proposal and demonstrate the project’s potential impact. This can be the most time-intensive part of the process, however, we’ve alleviated some of this by having our project plan and supporting documents nearby and easily accessible.

Step 5: Submit the Proposal

Once you’ve completed the proposal, review it carefully for accuracy, grammar, and spelling errors. Submit the proposal by the deadline, following the funder’s submission guidelines. Have a trusted person review your application or hire a grant specialist to review it before you submit your application.

In the next article, we’ll discuss strategies for developing a compelling proposal. Hint: it starts with having a compelling project plan.

Remember, you don’t have to do this alone. Contact me if you want to talk more about grant writing strategies.