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This training is brought to you by the Central Valley Coalition for Human Services (CVCHS); a group of private nonprofit, governmental and educational organizations, who have come together to provide more effective and efficient human services in the Central Valley.

Become a member today at: www.CentralValleyCHS.org

CVCHS PARTNERS:

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GRANT PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT:

Overview

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GRANT PROJECT (TYPES) CATEGORIES:

Typically for programs, capacity building, technical assistance

Also for key services, capital improvement, community outreach, demonstration projects, etc.

Generally to deliver something new or improved that is necessary or essential to remediate an existing stakeholder gap

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Grant Program RFP Guidelines – Analysis and Study of 

Program’s Goals and Objectives Examine Eligibility and Criteria

Project Proposal – • Does your project meet the criteria of the grant

program?

• How can you design or enhance your project to fully meet the criteria outlined in the grant program?

 

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Program Requirements and Schedule

Local Match Requirements – examine your options

Review Grant Application Components and Forms

Review and study what information is specifically needed for the forms, detail information carefully and clearly.

This information may need to be researched or developed.

 

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Grant Program Manager (PM):If you have any questions or need clarification, do not hesitate. Call with questions to the grant official, let them get to know you and let them help you! More information helps you build grants success and prevents errors.

1. Call for Questions – Seek Assistance/Advisement from Program Officers and staff

2. Attend Workshops – Regional workshops, webinars- participation important door – access

3. Request Sample Grant DocumentsBuild Key Relations and the recognition as a good applicant – reputation, credibility

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Grant Projects Awarded - Historical• Previous Awards – Can learn a lot from this review

Funding Levels – minimum and maximum• How much $$ is available for the entire grant

program cycle – can estimate the number of grants that may be awarded

• More projects awarded generally increases your potential to acquire funding

• What is the maximum or minimum funding awarded per project? Get to know the typical funding levels (amounts) awarded and ranges of funding

Important to scale your proposal closely within this common “funding range”

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GRANT PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT:

Components

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Grant Project Planning and Design – alignment and consistency to grant programs – start to develop the following

• Develop Competitiveness – to meet all criteria• Local Match• Project Deliverables• Collaborations• Partners• Need and Justification• Leverage Grant Funds• Grant Supporting Documents• Exhibits

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GRANT (PROPOSAL PACKAGE) DEVELOPMENT

Grants are not just applications; they are proposal “packages” – usually few inches to several inches in thickness!

General Grant Format Construction – completing components of the grant and modifying with improvements continuously especially in the proposal writing

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Clarity and Specificity – in the written presentation, exhibits – aids the reviewers understanding and approvals

If grant reviewers cannot “connect” to your proposal’s merits, it ranks poor

Any confusion or lack of understanding in the proposal details & descriptions typically prevents funding approvals

Each grant component must all tie together and support one another

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General Grant Project Components

• Title Cover or Cover Letter• Introduction or Abstract• Statement of Need• Project Description and Narrative• Outcomes and Project Impacts• Application Forms• Budget• Schedule• Exhibits or Supporting Documents

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Grant Project Title Cover:

• Title should be meaningful and relevant to the program

• Cover should provide recognition of applicant identity and partners – logos, names

 Cover Letter:

Usually one page introduction includes your organization, mission, key project objectives, relevance to the grant program, and significant outcomes for positive change

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Executive Components:

Umbrella statement of your case and summaryof the entire proposal. Introduction (statement of the problem).

Proposal Abstract or Introduction Summary

Usually a paragraph in length 

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Executive Components:

Statement of Need or Problem and includes the supporting information of why this project is necessary and should participate in the funding program

Clearly state the problem and severe limitation issues that need assistance

Describe how substantial the problem is and state the direct impacts.

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Justify the need and significance of your proposal - threats, safety, jeopardy, tragedy, risk

Demonstrate and identify problems, who are affected and how people are impacted

Describe the community you are going to target, be very specific

Address how the project fulfills your organization’s overall mission

Detail clearly to help the reviewer “connect” with your target community, your mission, and your project’s “effective” deliverables

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Project Description and Narrative:

Describes how the project will be implemented and evaluated.

Scope of Work – nuts and bolts of deliverables, active work to be completed by the grant

Purpose of project or goals, and introduces significance of the project outcomes

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Project Description and Narrative:

Carefully read through the Program Guidelines

Follow the directions carefully step by step

Answer the questions that are asked, limit jargon

Detail the writing concisely and specifically

Reviewers generally do not know your purpose or mission

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Specify Significant Outcomes and Project Impacts:

Key project results that eliminate or reduce the target problems, deliver substantial improvements, and provides lasting benefit to stakeholders (beneficiaries)

What are your measurable goals? How are you going to measure or evaluate success?

Grantors need to be able to identify the need and also the impacts (substantially) 

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Long term and short term benefits – identify and detail them all:

Sustainability from the project - ongoing benefits derived from the project and/or the ability to continue the project’s benefits.

Funders want to see their financial investment to be able to “last”

Education or encouragement component – for public, community, participants, stakeholders is a plus 

PROGRAM EVALUATION:First Identify Goals and Objectives:

Goal(s) – What is the broad long-term mission of the program? Most broad; similar to a vision statement; will not necessarily be accomplished during the scope of the program; explains program/projects purpose.

Ex: “The goal of the Read to Succeed! Project is to enable at risk students and students with learning and reading disabilities to improve their reading skills to the point where they can succeed in school and develop the reading skills that will prepare them for high school and post secondary education.” Sponsored By:

Objectives: Specific and measurable

Two Basic types:

Process Objectives / Process Measurements: Describe, in measurable terms, the things you and your participants will do to reach the goal(s) and objectives of the program. NOT statements of impact or program value.

Ex: “The Read to Succeed! Program will serve 100 participants under the age of 12 in the first year of programming.”

Outcome Objectives / Outcome Measurements: Describe, in measurable terms, how the impact of your program will effect the need stated elsewhere in your proposal. Outcome measurements tell us if the process objectives you accomplished actually improve peoples’ lives. They are measurements of what happens to participants as a result of your services.

Ex: (Stated Need: students poor in reading =high risk) “Objective 1 is that that 95% of program students will double their reading speed and increase their reading skills by one to two grade levels by the end of the school year.”

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How to evaluate objectives:

Process:

-Almost always be quantitative measures; e.g. How many people attended, how many programs/trainings/activities did they participate in, etc.

-Useful measurement tools include attendance lists, tracking procedures (such as number of tests completed), demographic information, etc.

Outcomes:

- Must establish a baseline to show change over time.

-Qualitative and quantitative; program satisfaction, measuring changes in level of knowledge, changes in behavior,

-Useful measurement tools include surveys, pre & post tests & interviews or focus groups.

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• “ Access to the general curriculum will be improved by providing student participants with the use of assistive reading technology to scan and read their textbooks and other classroom materials.” Process or outcome?

• “A minimum of 90% of program participants will increase their knowledge on healthy cooking practices, and be able to identify a minimum of 5 commonly used unhealthy ingredients to avoid.” Process or outcome?

• “A minimum of 85% of program participants will be able to independently balance their checkbook and identify 6 money-saving practices by the end of the program.” Process or outcome? Sponsored

By:

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GRANT PROPOSAL :

Budget and Cost Elements

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Budget: Financial description of the project plus specific explanatory notes

Competitive Project Budget:Modify project to fit a competitive cost range. Funders usually do not want to see too low or too high project cost. Must look at the funders program funding history and ranges of funded projects

Costs:Itemize and research carefully, detail costs in estimate Detail and itemize with description of relevance to qualify

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Research and confirm all cost estimates for appropriateness

“Cost-effectiveness” of your project – critical:

For every grant dollar spent, funders want to see maximized or the most beneficial outcomes resulting from that investment

Therefore, demonstrate and maximize results. Funders need to see substantial benefit and results for the money invested in your program or project

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Local Match Requirements:

How much local match is required by the program?

• 10%-20% common • 100% funding rare• 50%/50% - dollar for dollar match

Soft (in-kind) or hard (dollars) match options available?

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Leverage Grant Funds - Whenever Possible: Leverage with independent funds, resources, expertise, volunteers, related projects (ongoing or completed which provide a mutual benefit to the target population)

Can help your project get funded easier. If grantor can provide less money to your project, it provides the agency the ability to fund more projects and cover more target populations to assist.

Can you “leverage” or add more local funding?Will any project partners contribute funding for additional leveraging for the grant? How much funds are available for the project? 10% vs. 30% or 40% - It can matter in the awarding of funds.

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GRANT PROPOSAL :

Elements Affecting Writing Content

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Consultations – Advisory information from participants, experts, partners, stakeholders

Interviews - Quote statements by and name key people – residents, businesses, families

Case Samples – Can use effectively, summarize and make the point (real) to demonstrate need – human factor

Collaboration – Continuous, actively together, demonstrate collaboration in your writing!

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Document: Write significant dates, meetings, plans, notes - supports the ability and competency of your team for successful delivery – demonstrate preparations and readiness

People involved:Partners, expertise or specialist, people in need or target group

Staffing: Will the project require NEW people to come into your organization to fulfill this need?

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What are the credentials / degrees / certifications of the staff who will work on this project?

Need to be able to demonstrate a capable and credible team and partners in order to achieve the “entrustment of public funds”

History of grants success, record of completion, strong and sustainable partnerships – detail and carefully describe these important elements to highlight your credibility

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Grant Program Schedule and Due Dates:• Plan out each section deadline carefully• Some items may be required from other people to complete, this requires time or work to process

Grant Project Schedule - timeline outlined by months or year

Provide a clear schedule, separate the phases out, provide distinct start dates and finish dates often these are estimated

Consistent to the provisions of the grant program & show “timely completion” funders want to see

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Organization Information: History and governing structure of your organization; its primary functions, activities, constituents, and services

Credibility – Important to build and sustain trust in your organization to complete successfully and responsibly

 Conclusion: Summary of the proposal‘s main points, relevance, and ability to make a profound difference through the proposed grant

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Critical Exhibits and Supporting Attachments – provide the evidence!

• Studies or reports

• Photographs

• Articles or newsletters, media sources

• Letters - several, specialized and meaningful from the independent perspective impacted

• Governing body resolutions, proclamations and commitments

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Exhibits – essential aids and helps the reviewer to fully understand your project merits and often helps to tie all the other grant components together – graphics, pictures, tables

Pictures – people and many people impacted, conditions that are severe, unstable, unsafe – visual connection to us. Connecting faces, people, individuals, risk, tragedy into action.

Documents – Adopted Master Plans, Strategic Plans, Agreements, Resolutions, Published, Educational Materials

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Data – records, statistics, studies and identify source – more recent the better, independent source or internal source as long as credible

Articles – media sources, articles that tell the story of need

Support - Seek Multiple Sources – recommendations and their view of benefits “personalized”

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Letters – No generic, must be individualized, personalized – prepare drafts to send to key people and request with gratitude “please modify this draft to make it a voice of your own organization”. Letters speak to people and are derived from the people speaking directly to the funder.

Approvals – board, council, authority in a resolution or signed official document –

demonstrates commitment to the funder and program participation and requirement for completion

demonstrates solidarity, unify support of authority leadership and team as one

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Organized and reviewer friendly grant proposal package – Formatting Important!

• Title Cover• Cover Letter• Table of Contents or Contents List• Forms• Application• Budget Sheet• Exhibits and supporting documents• Resolutions• Letters of Support

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QUALITY

Proposal/application packages – completeness, adequacy, and relevance.

Granting agency officials will remember YOU as an applicant and grantee (for either good or bad).

Quality helps to ensure positive ongoing future funding.

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Partnerships - Identify and Cultivate - institutions, districts, government, business, other service providers or community organizations

Network – always, opportunities emerge every day – learn new opportunities for resources, support, participants, benefits, and more funding opportunity areas as you identify mutual benefits

Community Benefit –Identify all who may benefit directly or indirectly, demonstrate all groups impacted – tie all strings of society together

Stakeholders –Identify, describe, detail groups, names and individuals – want the grant reviewer to connect to our people and to us 

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Collaborations:

“Collaboration is about doing more together than any of us can do alone”

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• Building the capacity to get things done on the ground or in communities.

• Seeking meaningful, two-way dialogue aimed at learning and sharing information.

• Leveraging differences--different strengths, different knowledge, and different power--on behalf of the group, rather than dwelling on those differences.

• Allowing equal participation even when there are differences in power, authority, and responsibility.

• Focusing on finding common ground, mutual benefits, and to contribute to an overall beneficial outcome for success