STRATEGIES

1

• STRATEGIES
• FOR
• BETTER
• GRANTWRITING

Dara M. Lum, J.D. Lauren J. Bierbaum, Ph.D.
2
Characteristics of a Successful Grant Proposal

• Respond to funders interest and program
  priorities
• Provide a clear and convincing rationale
• Offer a defined and compelling plan of action
• Present a credible statement of anticipated
  results
• Demonstrate expertise
• Make a reasonable request for resources to do the
  job

Getting the Grant A Guide to Securing Additional
Funds For After School Education and Safety
Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
3
Elements of a Successful Grant Proposal

• Cover letter
• Abstract or program summary
• Introduction
• Problem or need statement
• Plan of action
• Program budget and budget narrative
• Organizational qualifications (or resumes)
• Leadership and staffing information
• Performance measurement or evaluation plan
• Sustainability plan
• Conclusion
• Addenda

Remember these are general elements of a grant
proposal. Always follow the funders specific
format!
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Cover letter

• A concise overview of the amount of funding
  requested and purpose of the grant
• Printed on organizations letterhead
• Signed by executive director

Getting the Grant A Guide to Securing Additional
Funds For After School Education and Safety
Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
5
SAMPLE COVER LETTER Dear Funder NOLA
Afterschool respectfully submits its proposal to
the Z Foundation Youth Program for 25,000 to
support its leadership program for young people
ages 15-18. NOLA Afterschool is an innovative
program working individually with youth in high
school to develop employment, literacy and
leadership skills. We offer a variety of
programs that serve community members of every
age and background. This particular proposal
seeks funding for one of our most important
programs our Youth ACHIEVE program. This program
is the cornerstone of our organization and our
strategy to foster self confidence and success
among low-income children and teenagers. We look
forward to exploring future partnership
possibilities with you. Thank you for considering
our request. Please call ______, our Development
Director, if you need additional
information. Sincerely, Executive Director
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Abstract or Program Summary

• Explain to the funder the purpose of your grant
  request
• Demonstrate your organizational capacity
• Establish how your project fits with the funders
  mission and goals
• Indicate the amount requested
• Usually no more than one page, and often shorter

Getting the Grant A Guide to Securing Additional
Funds For After School Education and Safety
Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
7
SAMPLE PROGRAM SUMMARY With over five years
experience serving low-income high school-age
youth, NOLA Afterschool seeks to expand its Youth
ACHIEVE leadership program. Over the next year,
the leadership program will involve 50 seniors
from T High School to develop and implement a
service learning project in the MidCity
neighborhood. A service learning project is an
opportunity for youth and adult mentors to solve
real life problems that directly affect the
neighborhoods, schools and communities they live
and learn in. Example of service-learning
projects include growing an urban garden,
cleaning and revitalizing a park, or creating a
reading program for younger children. Youth who
participate in the service-learning project will
gain self-esteem, feel more responsible for their
community, and be more enthusiastic about
learning. The program will be evaluated through
pre- and post-youth surveys, attendance in the
program and at school, and graduation rates. The
total cost of the project is 35,000.
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Introduction

• Brief statement that presents background
  information (history, mission/vision, and goals)
  and a clear rationale for your proposed project.
• Demonstrate your expertise and understanding
• Demonstrate your familiarity with research and
  the best practices in the field
• Establish your credibility!
• Leads directly into statement of need

Getting the Grant A Guide to Securing Additional
Funds For After School Education and Safety
Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
9
Statement of Need

• What is the problem, what are its causes, and
  what are some potential approaches or solutions
  to the problem?
• Who in your community is affected by the problem
  that your program will address?
• What other programs or initiatives are aimed at
  this program and why is your program needed?
• What are your projects goals and desired
  outcomes?

Getting the Grant A Guide to Securing Additional
Funds For After School Education and Safety
Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
10
SAMPLE PORTION OF A STATEMENT OF NEED There is
a strong need for a teen Youth Program in New
Orleans. Currently, there is little
infrastructure in New Orleans to support safe
places for youth ages 13 18 to be during the
out-of-school hours. New Orleans young people
have experienced tremendous upheaval and
transition during the two years since Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita. As the city rebuilds, youth
afterschool programs are critical to address the
current lack of opportunities for older youth.
Currently, only a handful of providers in New
Orleans work directly with this age group,
offering youth an inadequate amount of structured
activities outside of school. The Youth Program
is a new opportunity to engage youth across the
city. Many youth living in New Orleans must
thrive in a challenging environment. Orleans
Parish, that comprises New Orleans, is one of the
poorest regions in Louisiana. Prior to Katrina
and the subsequent displacement of thousands of
children and youth, 37 of children under 18 were
living in families with incomes less than the
federal poverty threshold. The educational
landscape has significantly changed post-Katrina.
Currently, there are 32,887 public school
students enrolled in Orleans Parish, with 83
eligible for free and reduced lunch. Ninety-five
percent of public school students are minority,
primarily African-American. Many students
attending school have inadequate books and
supplies, unaddressed mental health needs,
special education needs and attend schools in
buildings damaged and in disrepair.
Unfortunately, there are currently no statistics
to accurately predict the number of out-of-school
children and youth currently living in the city.
In addition to a critical lack of youth programs
and services, there are also barriers to youth
employment and access to public transportation.
Almost three years after Katrina, only 19 of
buses are operating and less than 50 of the
original routes are covered by public
transportation. Many youth lack the necessary
knowledge and skills, particularly reading, math,
and computer skills, to obtain viable employment.
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Where to find local data?

• Greater New Orleans Community Data Center and The
  New Orleans Index Summary of Findings
  http//www.gnocdc.org/
• LA Department of Education Data and Reports
• http//www.doe.state.la.us/LDE/pair/1
  419.html
• Agenda for Children http//www.agendaforchildren.o
  rg/home.htm
• The Times Picayune
• US DOJ Bureau of Justice Statistics
  http//www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
• And dont forget
• The Afterschool Partnership www.gnoafterschool.
  org
• 2008 Fall Afterschool Provider Survey
• Monthly e-newsletters with national research
• Contact Dara with a specific research question
• New research web page (in progress) - what do
  you need?

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Local information

• Statistics provide information on who is living
  in our community and what challenges our
  communities are facing
• 321,466 total population in Orleans Parish (Times
  Picayune, July 2008)
• 32,877 students enrolled in public schools (NOLA
  Index, 2008)
• 83 eligible for free and reduced lunch (NOLA
  Index, 2008)
• In 2005, 46.7 homicide victims in New Orleans
  were under the age of 24 (US DOJ BJS)
• In 2000, Louisianas teen pregnancy rate was 62
  teenage births per 1,000 girls between ages 15
  and 19 (2000 US Census)
• Target population of children not be served
• 25 of children and youth are on their own after
  school according to national data
• Survey the schools, neighborhoods, and
  communities you serve

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Post-Katrina data unknowns

• Okay to state the unknowns of post-Katrina data.
• For example, we will not know how many children
  0-18 years old are living in Orleans Parish
  until the 2010 Census data is collected.
• Using 2000 U.S. Census Data is unreliable. But
  can we estimate same percentages?
• 321,466 (July 2008)
• 2000 U.S. Census data population percentages by
  age
• Under 5 years 8.4
• 6-11 years 9.2
• 12-17 years 9.1
• Total is 26.7. But we know that the
  demographics changed, and this estimate is not
  statistically reliable.
• We do know of enrolled school-age children.

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2008 Survey general landscape of afterschool in
New Orleans

• A few key data points we hope to find out from
  the 2008 survey
• Current number of afterschool and youth programs
  in Greater New Orleans
• Locations (sites) of afterschool and youth
  programs
• Number of youth being served (and thus an
  estimate of the number of youth who may need to
  be served)

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Create a Plan of Action

• Align funders priorities with program design,
  implementation, outcomes and evaluations

Getting the Grant A Guide to Securing Additional
Funds For After School Education and Safety
Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
16
Program Priorities - focus of the grant
Getting the Grant A Guide to Securing Additional
Funds For After School Education and Safety
Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
17
National research youth development

• An analysis of 73 afterschool studies concluded
  that afterschool programs using evidence-based
  approaches were consistently successful in
  producing multiple benefits for youth, including
  improvements in children's personal, social and
  academic skills, as well as their self-esteem.
  (The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and
  Emotional Learning, 2007)
• Researchers at Johns Hopkins University conclude
  that two-thirds of the achievement gap between
  lower- and higher-income youth can be explained
  by unequal access to summer learning
  opportunities. The summer learning gap begins in
  elementary school, accumulates over the years
  and, once students get to high school, results in
  unequal placements in college preparatory tracks
  and increases the chance that children from low
  socio-economic families will drop out. (American
  Sociological Review, Vol. 72, April 2007)

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National research juvenile justice

• More than 14 million school age children (25
  percent) are on their own after school, including
  40,000 kindergarteners. Only 6.5 million K-12
  children (11 percent) participate in afterschool
  activities. (Afterschool Alliance, 2004)
• The hours between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m are the peak
  hours for juvenile crime, victimization, and
  experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes
  and sex. (Fight Crime Invest in Kids, 2002)
• Children in LAs BEST afterschool program attend
  school more often and report higher aspirations
  for finishing school and going to college. LAs
  BEST participants are 20 percent less likely to
  drop out and are 30 percent less likely to
  participate in criminal activities. Researchers
  estimate that every dollar invested in the LAs
  BEST program saves the city 2.50 in
  crime-related costs. (UCLA National Center for
  Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student
  Testing, June 2000, December 2005 and September
  2007)
• Nine in 10 Americans want all children and teens
  to have some type of organized activity or safe
  place to go after school. (Afterschool Alliance
  Lake, Snell, Perry Assoc. 2004)
• Teens who do not participate in afterschool
  programs are nearly 3 times more likely to skip
  classes than teens who do participate. They are
  also 3 times more likely to use marijuana or
  other drugs, and are more likely to drink, smoke
  or engage in sexual activity. (YMCA of the USA,
  March 2001)

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National research education and academic success

• Students in programs supported by The
  After-School Corporation improved their math
  scores and regular school day attendance compared
  to non-participants. High school participants
  passed more Regents exams and earned more high
  school credits than non-participants. (Policy
  Studies Associates, July 2004)
• Participants in Citizen Schools afterschool
  programs are much more likely to go on to
  high-quality high schools compared to
  non-participants (65 percent vs. 26 percent).
  Those who attend often are also more likely to be
  promoted to tenth grade on time (92 percent vs.
  81 percent). Earning promotion to tenth grade on
  time is a key predictor of high school
  graduation. (Policy Studies Associates, December
  2006)
• Annual performance report data from 21st CCLC
  grantees across the country demonstrate that
  students attending 21st CCLC programs improve
  their reading (43) and math grades (42).
  Students who attend 21st CCLC programs more
  regularly are more likely to improve their grades
  and their performance on state assessments.
  (Learning Point Associates, November 2007)
• The Promising Afterschool Programs Study, a
  study of about 3,000 low-income,
  ethnically-diverse elementary and middle school
  students, found that those who regularly attended
  high-quality programs over two years demonstrated
  gains of up to 20 percentiles and 12 percentiles
  in standardized math test scores respectively,
  compared to their peers who were routinely
  unsupervised during the afterschool hours.
  (Policy Studies Associates, Inc., 2007)

Be cautious when stating outcomes related to
standardized tests
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National research 21st Century skills

• There remains a profound gap between the
  knowledge and skills most students learn in
  school and the knowledge and skills demanded for
  the 21st Century. Students need to learn
  academic content through real-world examples,
  applications and experiences both inside and
  outside of school. (Partnership for 21st Century
  Skills, 2003)
• The use of technology in afterschool programs can
  facilitate skill building that may lead to higher
  academic achievement, while being engaged in
  projects that seem very different from their
  school day activities. (California Community
  Technology Policy Group, 2002)
• Other research suggests that applications focused
  on multimedia projects, which are often highly
  attractive to teens, can lead to success in
  high-order thinking, problem solving, and
  synthesizing different points of view. (American
  Youth Policy Forum, 2005)

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National research expanded learning time

• Expanded learning time is a school reform
  strategy that lengthens the traditional school
  day or year by providing tutorial, enrichment and
  youth development oriented afterschool programs.
  (The Collaborative for Building After-school
  Systems, 2008)
• Public school initiatives in other urban areas
  across the nation effectively build afterschool
  systems as a critical component to learning
  because research has repeatedly shown that
  students who participate in after-school programs
  improve their grades and school attendance, and
  are more likely to graduate. (Afterschool
  Alliance, 2008 Harvard Family Research Program,
  2004)
• Keeping schools open longer to meet the needs of
  students makes sense, but schools alone cannot
  provide young people with the comprehensive
  learning opportunities necessary to support their
  success. (Afterschool Alliance, 2007)
• Changing the outcomes for New Orleans students
  requires a redesign of the learning day to
  provide each child with multiple ways of learning
  throughout their community. (C.S. Mott
  Foundation, 2007)

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National research afterschool strengthens
communities

• Strategic partnerships with schools, community
  centers, other community- and faith-based
  organizations leverages limited resources to
  serve more children and youth
• In the report What We Know Works (2003), the Pew
  Partnership for Civic Change compiled current
  research on the most effective strategies to
  promote and ensure healthy families and children,
  thriving neighborhoods, living-wage jobs and
  viable economies. Afterschool programs are number
  three on the partnership's Top Ten List For
  Community Success
• "Create quality and affordable after-school
  care. Children who participate in quality
  after-school programs are much less likely to use
  drugs and alcohol, to have sex, or to be involved
  in criminal activity than their peers who go home
  to empty houses in neighborhoods that are not
  safe. Participation in after-school programs is
  linked to improved school attendance and academic
  performance. (Afterschool Alliance, 2008)
• Community schools are recognized worldwide as an
  innovative educational reform that produces
  powerful results.The primary goal of our
  community school strategy is twofold to provide
  children with the supports they need to succeed
  in school and become happy and productive adults
  and to promote change throughout the educational
  system. (The Childrens Aid Society, 2007)

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Using the national research to frame outcomes and
goals

• Not a comprehensive list, but some of the
  outcomes measured in afterschool
• Commitment and interest in school
• Increased attendance
• Self-esteem
• Social skills
• Decision-making
• Health, obesity, physical activity
• Positive behavior
• Positive relationships with adults
• Preventing crime
• Safe places for children and youth

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Additional program design considerations

• How your program supports and engages parents and
  caregivers
• The community partners who will assist and
  support your program
• Your staff and professional development
• Impact on youth over time
• Using evaluations to create data for
  grant-writing

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What is program evaluation?
Program Evaluation is a process for gathering
feedback about what your program offers, how you
do the things you do, and for whom as well as
what kind of impacts your program has on your
clients, their families, and our communities.
2 Types of Evaluation Processes
Measures of Effort help you to understand what
your program does, to develop a sense of it looks
to outsiders, and to capture the things you do
beyond your main efforts. (sometimes called
Process Evaluation)
Measures of Effect help you document and track
changes in your participants knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and behaviors. (sometimes called
Outcome Evaluation)
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Program Evaluation sounds daunting, but. Youre
probably already doing a number of things that
would be considered program evaluation by
funders.

• Case management records of clients visits,
  notes on topics discussed, issues worked on
• Records of behavioral or safety violations
• Attendance information
• Communications newsletters, calls to parents
  or classroom teachers, feedback generated
• Partnerships with schools, nonprofits, social
  service agencies

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Program Evaluation sounds daunting, but. Youre
probably already doing a number of things that
would be considered program evaluation by
funders.

• Staff trainings and certifications AYD,
  CPR/First Aid
• Technical Assistance provided to you, or that
  you have provided to other organizations,
  trainings, strategy sessions
• Current grant management Money attracts money!
  Preparations for site visits that create
  longer-lasting changes, non-proprietary reporting
• Community service projects

28
Program Evaluation sounds daunting, but. Youre
probably already doing a number of things that
would be considered program evaluation by
funders.

• School-generated data report cards,
  attendance, detentions and suspensions, etc.
• Test scores
• Internal surveys, focus groups, interviews you
  use to help improve programming or understand
  needs
• Behavioral observations
• Anything your kids produce showcases, art
  work, homework, plays, stories, journals

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Dont be afraid of evaluation! Collecting data
will help you make your program stronger, and
it will help funders better understand your
strengths!
But, dont make promises you cant keep! Your
program goals and mission should drive your
evaluation, NOT the other way around! Use
evaluation to capture what you DO, not what you
DONT. Use evaluation to provide feedback that
YOU can use to strengthen your program. Use
evaluation to track short-term and long-term
successes of your program, your youth, and our
communities at large.
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Program Goals to Outcomes

• Academic and other learning goals
• Improved literacy and communication skills, math
  skills
• Increased knowledge in science, social studies,
  visual and performing arts
• Increased awareness of real-life uses of academic
  skills
• Social and emotional goals
• Improved social skills, leadership and
  responsibility, reduced at-risk behavior, and
  emotional well-being
• Health and Safety goals
• Improved nutrition, health practices, physical
  development and personal safety
• Community engagement goal
• Improved community awareness and engagement

Moving Towards Success Framework for
After-school Programs C.S. Mott Foundation, May
2005
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Example Goal Improved Literacy

• Program elements include qualified staff,
  diverse activities to foster skill development,
  books and materials that teach and stimulate
  interest, opportunities to use and practice
  skills, and exposure to literacy rich
  environments (library visits, etc)
• Short term outcomes
• Read and write more
• Enjoy reading, talking about what they have read,
  and telling stories.
• Increase use of computers to communicate and
  learn more information
• Parents understand what children learning in
  school
• Long term outcomes
• Improved academic performance in subjects use
  reading comprehension and writing
• Increased language arts skills including
  speaking, listening, reading comprehension and
  writing
• Use of strategies such as rereading, questioning,
  and predicting to understand
• Use of reading, writing, listening and speaking
  in all aspects of daily life

What are realistic ways to measure short term and
long term outcomes?
Moving Towards Success Framework for
After-school Programs C.S. Mott Foundation, May
2005
32
Common grant-writing mistakes to avoid

• Failing to provide a convincing rationale
• Being overly ambitious
• Leaving ideas undefined
• Providing too much or not enough detail
• Failing to demonstrate community support
• Not following directions
• Using jargon and acronyms

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Bibliography Mott Foundation, Moving Toward
Success Framework for Afterschool Programs
http//www.publicengagement.com/Framework/images/f
ramework_61505.pdf Harvard Family Research
Project, Out-of-School Time Evaluation Snapshot
http//www.hfrp.org/out-of-school-time/publication
s-resources/measurement-tools-for-evaluating-out-o
f-school-time-programs-an-evaluation-resource The
Finance Project, Getting the Grant A Guide to
Securing Additional Funds for After School
Education and Safety Programs http//www.financep
roject.org/index.cfm?page25 The Finance Project,
Sustainability Planning Workbook
http//www.financeproject.org/special/engage/workb
ook.cfm
34

• National Institute on Out-of-School Time, Making
  the Case 2008 Fact Sheet
• http//www.niost.org/pdf/Final2008FactSheet.pdf
• Afterschool Alliance, Issue Briefs
• http//www.afterschoolalliance.org/researchIssueBr
  iefs.cfm