9 Factors to Consider When Writing a Grant
Grant writers will increase their success rates and have an easier time writing proposals if you understand these top 9 factors when writing grants: Funding Resources, Grant Search, Project Design and Development, Grant Applications, Compelling Case Writing, Management post-award, ethics, professionalism/social capital, and relationship building. This article describes these 9 factors.
Factor 1 – Funder Resources
There are two main sources of funding: private and public. Private sources include foundations, corporations, and individual donors. Public sources include federal, state or local government agencies.
Understanding the main trends in public and private financing will help you access the best resources for you and your projects. For example, private donors like partnerships, focus on emerging issues and community needs (such as disasters), private foundations give more than corporations, and prefer one-time grants. Public grantors emphasize post-award management and sustainability, often require online applications, provide technical assistance workshops, and are becoming more conservative.
Factor 2 – Grant Search
An important factor in the success of your grant is your ability to assess and develop an agency’s grant-seeking capacity. This starts with having the appropriate documents on hand that most funders will require. Create a folder on your computer that has the IRS determination letter, employer identification number (EIN), Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, and National Information Management System (NIMS) record ), sustainability statements, board of directors roster, staff flowchart and job descriptions, most recent financial statements and audits, strategic plans, annual reports and newspaper clippings, certificate of incorporation, bylaws, board minutes, 990 forms, Grants.Gov registration, and mission and vision statements.
Factor 3 – Project design and development
Each grant you write can be viewed as a separate, stand-alone project or program. Building a design and development team can save you time and make your life as a grant writer much easier. Your team should consist of a team leader, lead writer, reviewers, budget developer, researcher, needs assessment coordinator, evaluator, administrative support, and squirrels.
The most successful teams meet regularly, develop a strategic plan and timeline for development, communicate frequently, set results-based goals and shared objectives, have a steering committee, build a sense of trust, appreciate and reward effort, and align team effort with agency goals.
Factor 4 – Grant Applications
To create the best possible grant application, successful grant writers know the key elements of standard grant RFPs: agency presentation, problem or need statement, methods and activities, timeline, evaluation, sustainability plan afterward. that the financing is exhausted, dissemination of the results of the project, budget, narrative budget, annexes and annexes.
Factor 5 – Write compelling cases
The difference between success and failure is your ability to write a persuasive argument for why you or your agency should receive the funding. It is a given that you follow the instructions and guidelines provided by the funder, use standard English (such as action verbs and active voice, not passive), and be clear and concise.
Factor 6 – Post-award management
When you receive public grants, there is a right and wrong way to spend your money. Do it the wrong way and you could be in trouble. This means that you must take into account that all recipients of government funds that are higher education institutions, hospitals, or other nonprofit organizations, regardless of the type of agency, must follow the provisions of the Office of Management and Budget ( OMB, for its acronym in English). Circular A-110.
Factor 7 – Ethics
One of the places nonprofits can get into trouble is having a “conflict of interest.” It is important to identify even the appearance of a conflict of interest when a relationship with a donor, prospect, volunteer or employee could personally benefit you or others.
Factor 8 – Professionalism and Social Capital
There are many ways to build social capital in your community. Social capital refers to networks and cooperative efforts that result in mutual benefit; it represents the units of exchange as we interact with each other and share resources and talents. For example, special interest groups such as sororities, Elks Clubs, Rotary Clubs, and churches can provide resources that can be leveraged with grant funds and engage a community to address pressing issues.
Factor 9 – Building Relationships
One way to show a mutually beneficial relationship between you and a funder is to create an Outreach Plan. Sponsors love it when you include how you plan to distribute and share the results of your program, such as magazine articles, conference presentations, press releases, in-service workshops, blog posts, and training manuals to promote project replication.