Preparing Successful Funding Proposals January 2005

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Preparing Successful Funding Proposals January
2005

• Megan K. Riebe
• Director of Development, WSU Extension
• Director, Washington State 4-H Foundation

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What is a Proposal?

• A written document requesting funding
• A portrait of you and your organization
• A description of the problem or need
• A contract
• A proposal is a
• program representation and a plan

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Measure Twice, Cut OnceOtherwise Known as
Pre-Planning

• In baiting a mousetrap with cheese, always leave
  room for the mouse.
• -- Saki

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Know Thy Self (Attribution Inscription on the
Oracle of Apollo at Delphi, Greece, 6th century
B.C.)

• What are the mission and strategic goals of your
  organization?
• What is special or unique about your
  organization?
• Who is your community/constituency and what are
  its characteristics?
• How does your organization serve this community?

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Know Thy SelfGrasp the subject, the words will
follow. --Cato the Elder (234 BC - 149 BC)

• Why is it important that your organization serve
  the community in the way it does?
• Why should your organization be supported?
• Who should support your organization?

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Know Thy Project

• Lack of money is no obstacle. Lack of an idea is
  an obstacle.
• -- Ken Hakuta

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Know Thy Project

• Can you write a two- or three- sentence summary
  of the project?
• What is the problem you are trying to solve?
• What is your general strategy for solving the
  problem?
• Why do you need this funding to solve this
  problem?
• Why is your organization the best one to do this
  work?

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Know Thy Project

• How will this project further the mission and
  strategic goals of your organization?
• How will this project make a difference to the
  community you serve?
• If you actually get the money, do you have the
  people, time, resources and motivation to carry
  out this project?

Money often costs too much. -- Ralph Waldo
Emerson
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Writing Exercise 1

• Briefly answer the previous set of questions for
  your organization or project.
• 15-20 minutes

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Show Me the Money!!

• The use of money is all the advantage there is
  in having it.
  
• -- Benjamin Franklin

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Types of Funding Sources

• Public
• Governments local to federal
• Private
• Corporations
• Private Foundations
• Individuals
• Community Groups/Service Clubs

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The World of Philanthropic Giving

• We are a giving nation 2003 240 BILLION
• Individuals
• Corporations
• Private Foundations
• Bequests
• QUIZ Guess the percentages

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TOTAL GIVING, 1962-2002
( in Billions)
Source AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy/Giving USA
2003
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GIVING BY FOUNDATIONS, 1962-2002

• The Foundation Center estimated 26.90 billion
  for grantmaking in 2002 by independent,
  community, and operating foundations. This is a
  drop of 1.2 percent (-2.7 percent adjusted for
  inflation).
• Despite the fact that 2002 was the third straight
  year of overall decline in stock pricesand
  hence of the value of endowments held by many
  foundationsfoundation giving showed very little
  change from the 27.22 billion granted in 2001.
• The Foundation Center summarized four trends
  important to foundation grantmaking in 2002
• 1) Giving by newly active foundations brought
  additional resources to the field.
• 2) A continuing high level of new gifts and
  bequests from donors to existing foundations
  reduced losses to foundation endowments despite
  stock market performance.
• 3) Payment of commitments made after the
  September 11, 2001, attacks boosted overall
  foundation payments.
• 4) Many foundations made an effort to maintain
  stable levels of givingor at least to limit
  reductionsin the face of government funding
  cutbacks.

Source AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy/Giving USA
2003
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GIVING BY FOUNDATIONS, 1962-2002
( in Billions)
Source AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy/Giving USA
2003
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THE NUMBER OF 501(c)(3) ORGANIZATIONS, 1993-2002
Source AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy/Giving USA
2003
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The World of Private Foundations

• Private (Family/Independent)
• Community
• Corporate

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Research
No student knows his subject the most he knows
is where and how to find out the things he does
not know. -- Woodrow Wilson
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Private Foundation Information Sources

• Electronic Resources
• Internet
• Publications Cooperating Collections
• Periodicals
• Networking
• Grantors Guidelines

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• MID-COLUMBIA LIBRARY Reference Department1620
  South Union StreetKennewick, WA 99336(509)
  783-7878
• KING COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM Redmond Regional
  LibraryNonprofit Philanthropy Resource
  Center15990 NE 85thRedmond, WA 98052(425)
  885-1861
• SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY The Fundraising Resource
  Center1000 4th AveSeattle, WA 98104(206)
  386-4636
• SPOKANE PUBLIC LIBRARY Funding Information
  Center906 W. Main Ave.Spokane, WA 99201(509)
  444-5300
• TACOMA LIBRARY University of Washington1900
  Commerce St.Tacoma, WA 98403-3100(253) 692-4440
  
• WENATCHEE VALLEY COLLEGE John A. Brown
  LibraryFunding Information Center1300 Fifth
  StreetWenatchee, WA 98807(509) 664-2520

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What to Research

• Commitment to Your Funding Needs
• Geographic Limitations
• Fields of Interest
• Types of Support
• Size of Awards
• Funding History
• Special Population Groups Funded
• Matching or Cost Sharing Requirements
• Application Deadlines and Procedures
• Rules of Engagement

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The Initial Approach

• Personal Visit
• Phone Call
• Letter of Inquiry
• Project Summary
• Full Proposal

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Writing (and rewriting.and rewriting.and
rewriting..)

• Your manuscript is both good and original, but
  the part that is good is not original, and the
  part that is original is not good.
• -- Samuel Johnson

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Follow the Guidelines!

• Traffic signals in New York are just rough
  guidelines.
• -- David Letterman (1947 - )

If you dont fit their Guidelines, dont send
them a proposal!!
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Components of a Proposal Prior to the Narrative

• Letter of Transmittal
• Accompanies the proposal document
• Written in first person
• Addressed to a person with title
• Single spaced, business letter style
• Ideally limited to one page
• Not a summary hands document from one person to
  another

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Components of a Proposal Prior to the Narrative

• Cover Sheet
• Data page
• Title of project
• Contact information
• Dates of project activity
• Total project cost
• Amount requested
• Signatures(s)

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Components of a Proposal Prior to the Narrative

• Title Page
• Recommend always having one
• Four things on it
• Name or title of project
• Organization it is being submitted to
• Submitted by
• Date of submission

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Components of a Proposal Prior to the Narrative

• Table of Contents
• Necessary if proposal is over 2-3 pages
• Follow guidelines/requirements
• List of figures
• List of tables/graphs
• Attachments

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Components of a Proposal Prior to the Narrative

• Summary or Abstract
• Begins the narrative section
• Project dictates if it is needed
• Keep it short and concise ½ page
• Summarize entire focus, dont restate every point
• Include amount requested
• Gain the readers attention!

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Components of a Proposal Narrative Section

• Introduction
• Introduce organization
• History and background
• Mission, vision and philosophy
• Population group served
• Geographic area served
• Overview of programs
• Focus of the project

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Components of a Proposal Narrative Section

• Need or Problem Statement
• Definition of the condition or situation you want
  to change
• Relate needs to people
• Make this very clear
• Prove the need exists - support with
  facts/statistics
• Leave no doubt in the readers mind that a real
  problem exists
• Motivate the reader to read further
• If the reader leaves this section without
  understanding the need fully and clearly, you are
  in trouble!

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Components of a Proposal Narrative Section

• Need or Problem Statement
• Writing Assignment Prepare a need statement
  suitable for becoming the basis for a funding
  request for your organization.
• 20 minutes writing, 10 minutes discussion

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Components of a Proposal Narrative Section

• Objectives
• What we will do to meet the need or solve the
  problem
• Measurable within the life of the project
• Four Types
• Product
• Program
• Performance
• Behavioral

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Components of a Proposal Narrative Section

• Methods or Procedures
• How we will accomplish our objectives
• Tip Restate the need/problem in
• each section to create flow

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Components of a Proposal Narrative Section

• Impact Statement
• Rationale
• Sustainability/Future Funding how will you
  continue this work after the grant funds are gone?

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Components of a Proposal Narrative Section OR
Attachment

• Organizational Structure
• Staffing Plan
• Project Timeline Milestones
• PERT, GANTT
• Facilities Description

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Components of a Proposal Narrative Section OR
Attachment

• Evaluation
• Formative - forward
• Summative looking back
• Impact - beyond
• Anticedent peripheral, i.e. model programs

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Components of a Proposal Narrative Section OR
Attachment

• Budget
• Clear and easy to read
• Provide justification
• Project dictates presentation

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Attachments or Appendices

• Information you want reviewers to access, but
  will not distract them while reading the
  narrative
• Dont include anything you do not reference in
  the narrative
• Include only information that reinforces the
  basic arguments contained in the narrative

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Commonly Required Attachments

• IRS 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) Letter
• Listing of Board Members
• Audited Financial Statements
• Operating Budget
• Project Budget
• Listing of Other Funding Sources for the Project
• Letters of Support
• Documentation of Partnerships

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Writing Tips

• Writing Exercise Editing Proposal Content
• You become a good writer just as you become a
  good joiner by planing down your sentences.  
• -- Anatole France

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Out the door!!

• No more prizes for predicting rain.
• Prizes only for building arks.
• -- Anonymous

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Proposal Submission

• A professional is a person who can do his best
  at a time when he doesn't
• particularly feel like it.
• --Alistair Cooke

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Follow-up with the granting agency

• One ungrateful man does an injury to all who
  stand in need of aid.    -- Publilius Syrus

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Evaluation of the process

• Insanity is doing the same thing over and over
  again, but expecting different results.
• -- Rita Mae Brown

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Now what do I do??

• I have never been lost but I was bewildered once
  for three days.
• -- Daniel Boone
• Submit the same proposal idea to other agencies.
• Develop new proposal ideas for this same agency.

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Final Pearls of Wisdom

• Do not cast your pearls before swine.
• -- Matthew 76
• People give to people Its all about
  relationships
• Proposal development is a process
• Make a fit between the problem and proposal
• Be aware of differences of opinion in
  professional fields
• Demonstrate competency and success
• Be creative and positive!

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Evaluations, Please!!