A detailed presentation compiled by our VISTA Leader Jim Hurley that tackles the essentials of grant writing including designing a project, identifying key parts of a grant and finding sources of funding.

1. ILCC Grant Writing
Basics Webinar

2. Webinar Goals
I. Idea behind grant
writing
II. Designing the Project
III. Essential components
IV. Identifying funding
sources

3. Why do grantors
fund projects?

5. What are grantors looking for?
O Legal status
 501(c)3 –tax-exempt nonprofit
 509(a)1 - typically schools and museums that
receive substantial support from a government
unity or the general public
O Mission that matters
 A clear purpose that supports grantor’s priorities
O Good track record
 Were you awarded in the past? How did it go?
O Leadership
 Develop a cohesive and diverse team that is supported by the
community
O Perks
 Incentives or recognition for successful work
O Plan

6. Writing Styles
Write on a ninth or tenth grade reading level
Use laymen’s terms – do not try to impress the reader!
Avoid using acronyms, jargon, slang, and contractions
To set the tone, try to use terms to portray an
image
For example: To write a problem statement use depressing,
negative terms (worst, lowest, bottom) or for a solution
statement use positive terms (best, top, enhance)
Use capacity-building type words to show that you are
taking action to address the problem(s)
(assess, provide, build, serve, develop, integrate, prepare,
report, support, coordinate)
Research Associates: The Grant Experts

7. Designing the Project
A) Define the Problem – fund your solution to a problem
Broad Problem: the attention grabber
Ex: number of youth incarcerated
Real Problem: “the problem is caused by…”
Ex: racial inequalities in our justice system
funnel poor minority children into prison instead
of productive adulthood
B) Needs Assessment
O Identify the target population – Why here?
Ex: 18-25 year old minority males in Illinois
O Evidence of the problem in the community
Compare gender, race, age, incarceration rate, etc. (surveys, statistics,
interviews, past research, input from target population, etc.)
Grantseeker's Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Finding
Funding

8. Developing Convincing
Problem Statements
I. The problem is:
II. The problem is caused by:
III. The following statistics document the severity
of our problem:
IV. Long term and without intervention:
V. How we will approach the problem:
Research Associates: The Grant Experts

9. Problem Statement Tips
O Focus your efforts towards one well-
defined problem
O Write for a person who knows
nothing about your community or
topic
O Relate to your target population
O Remember that you will be providing
a solution
O Something that can be:
a) Implemented
b) Copied
c) Measured

10. Request for Proposal (RFP)
Read the guidelines carefully, then read them again.
On average, 60% of proposals received by funders are eliminated or first review
because he/she did not follow directions!
Definition of a legal application
Are you eligible?
Rules and format
margins, font, spacing, evaluation process and
restrictions, number of pages
Length of the project
Submission deadlines, time table
Size of the budget
Is it worth your time?
Use the terms in the RFP
Mission/Goal, Need/Problem
Contact information
Grantseeker's Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Finding
Funding

11. Define Mission, Goals, and Objectives
A) Mission
O Large item, broad, far-reaching solution
O Ex: “To improve teaching practices”
B) Goals
O Realistic, attainable, measureable
O Clarify what you want to accomplish
C) Objectives
O Substeps needed to accomplish your goals
O Define minimum measures of success
Grantseeker's Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Finding
Funding

12. Example #1
Goal: To improve
production quality Questions
Objective 1: Recruit O Do the objectives relate to the
advanced production goal?
talent
O Is it clear what the applicant
intends to do?
Objective 2: Train mid-
level producers
O Is there anything else that you
think the applicant should
Objective 3: Upgrade include?
production equipment

13. Example #2
Goal: Student Achievement: To assist Illinois high
school students in maximizing their academic
potential by meeting the Illinois State Academic
Standards
O Objective 1: To increase the # of students taking the SAT and
ACT college entrance exams in CPHS by at least 5% per
school year of the grant program
O Objective 2: To increase SAT and ACT scores of students in
CPHS by at least 5% per school year for the second and third
years of the grant program
O Objective 3: To increase the percentage of students passing the
Illinois Exit Exam in CPHS by at least 5% per school year for
the second and third years of the grant programs
Research Associates: The Grant Experts

14. Program Narrative
O What will you do with your money?
- Goals
- Program overview
O How are you going to do your project?
- Include an advisory committee and collaboration plan
- Specific role of your supporting cast
O Describe the target population
Whom are we targeting for this program – and why?
How will we engage them in our program?
O How will results be measured?
- Activities: a) relate to the problem and b) can be measured
- Cite with literature and support
O Conclusion: Why is it important?
- How the project meets and exceeds the requirements outlined in the RFP?
- What you intend to accomplish with your project
Grantseeker's Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Finding
Funding

15. Evaluation
Goals Evidence
At least 90% of District teachers will receive training on Evidence of training including dated agendas and
technology into the curriculum to improve student rosters
learning by 10/11
District students will demonstrate an average District scores in spring 2011 to spring 2012
improvement of at least 10% in academic performance
in math as measured by state standards when coming
spring 2011 to spring 2012 scores
O Show them that you know what you want to learn!
O Even if a plan is not required, you should explain how you intend to judge whether or not your project
was successful
O Continuous improvement plan: could the project move towards self-sufficiency?
O Plan your project so that each activity is documented; the records can be used to evaluate the project
O Include multiple but achievable ways to assess success using qualitative and quantitative evaluation
measures.

16. Dissemination
O Let them know that you are
making a difference
O Project replication
O Perks:
- do you have a plan to recognize
your funder?
- plan to generate more
resources?
O Publications
O Use new and existing
networks
Share your project broadly!
Research Associates: The Grant Experts
Grantseeker's Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Finding
Funding

17. Budge
t

18. Budget Categories
O Direct Costs: Monies you are asking for in the grant proposal.
Ex: personnel, contractual, equipment, materials, supplies, travel
O Indirect Costs: Local costs (usually administrative) associated with
operating a program. Ex: electricity, room upkeep or the time it
takes to maintain records.
O In-Kind Contributions: Non-cash contributions. Services, goods,
and cash donated to the grant program by you and/or your partners
Ex: Is your office space or meeting space donated? Figure out the
going rate of square footage divide rate = Match Money
O Space rental :482 sq ft. x $8/sq ft.=$3,863.00
Do you have volunteers? Tally how much they would earn
doing the same job paid.
Stahley Cummings

19. Program Summary
O Begins with the overall purpose and goal of
the program
O No more than one page
O Briefly describes the need that the
program with address
Include any particularly compelling statistics
O Outline the proposed program strategies
O Briefly addresses project oversight, including evaluation plans
Include evaluation with each goal or objective
O Ends with anticipated benefit or outcome
Leave the reader with a good feeling
Research Associates: The Grant Experts
Grantseeker's Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Finding
Funding

20. Researching private funding
sources
Corporations Foundation
Location: Local (sometimes O Location: National, regional,
national, regional, or state) state, or large in scope
(depends on size and type)
Interest: Assisting employees, O Interest: Well-being of
promoting their products, training communities, testing new
the future workforce, public strategies, disseminating
awareness information
O Where to find them: The
Where to find them: Chamber of Foundation Center (available
Commerce, Ward’s Business online and at your local library),
Directory, State Business internet searches
Directory
Grantseeker's Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Finding
Funding
Research Associates: The Grant Experts

21. Government Grant Sources
O Local government
o City and county governments
o Small and allocated annually
o Contact your local city or county planning departments
O State Government
o Simple to moderately complex to apply
o Typically distribute smaller awards for one-year funding
o Use an internet search engine and type in your state’s
name or a specific state agency. Also search state
directories of funding sources.
O Federal Government
o Are the most complex, competitive and lengthy type of proposal
o Offer larger awards and fund for multiple years
o Listed in www.grants.gov or CFDA (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)

22. Other Sources
State
1) The Grantsmanship Center
http://www.tgci.com/funding/state.asp?statename=Illinois&statefile=illinois&s
tatecode=IL&stateurl=http://illinois.gov/
2) Illinois State Board of Education
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/
Federal
1) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service
http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/
2) Department of Education
http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
3) Resource Associates
http://www.grantwriters.net/latest-grants.php#

23. Finishing Touches
O Required Forms
If requested, provide them at the front
O Table of Contents
Include a Table of Contents, even
if the RFP does not require one
O Appendix
Additional details information that would be useful for the
reviewer (resumes, job descriptions, reference page)
O Letters of Support
Clearly specify the support that the agency will provide the
program

24. Resources
New, Cheryl C., and James A. Quick.
Grantseeker’s Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide
to Finding Funding. Canada: John Wiley & Sons
Inc., 1998.
Certified Grant Specialist. Research Associates,
2005.
Stahley-Cummings, Melissa. (2011, August 16).
Grant Writing Workshop [Powerpoint].
AmeriCorps VISTA. Wyoming.