Grant Project

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Grant Project

• Why Write?
• Getting it done!
• www.rapides.k12.la.us/lacue06

2
Why write a grant?

• Fund a solution to a problem
• New project
• Innovate and improve current practice
• Supplement existing programs

3
Before you write, consider

• Determine existing needs. Begin the proposal
  writing process by asking a set of essential
  questions to determine existing needs.
• What will kids need to improve and assist in
  learning?
• What will teachers need (training, equipment,
  supplies, etc.)?
• What will administrators need?
• What will parents and community members need?

• (Getting Started With Grant Writing, Gary
  Carnow, www.schoolastic.com, 2005)

4
When developing your solution

• Pinpoint your needs, brainstorm ways to solve the
  educational problems proposed by your needs.
  Develop your ideas and explore
• Is your idea innovative or has it been tried
  elsewhere?
• Is your idea consistent with the latest research?
  
• What local resources are available to assist you?
  
• Are there others who would be interested in
  cooperating with you to form a consortium
  (community, university, or another school
  district)?
• Are there specialists in educational fields to
  help you identify successful projects and
  leading-edge thinking in the problem area you are
  exploring?

• (Getting Started With Grant Writing, Gary
  Carnow, www.schoolastic.com, 2005)

5
Focus on student outcomes!

• Grantors dont fund stuff. They fund viable
  solutions to real educational problems!
• The items purchased are simply part of the
  resources needed to effect a solution.
• Write EVERY goal around student outcomes!
• Write EVERY evaluation measure around student
  outcomes!
• Activities and processes may involve stuff but
  should ALWAYS point to..

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Student Outcomes!
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Grant Sections

• Clearly identify each section
• Title
• Concept / Exec. Summary / Context
• Need/Problem
• Goals, Objectives, Activities
• Project Description
• Timeline/Action Plan
• Budget
• Evaluation

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Title

• Make the title short and relevant
• Use clear and non-technical language

9
Concept/Exec Summary/Context

• Introduces your project
• Creates initial interest
• Introduces your organization
• Who you are
• Participants (demographics)
• No more than a few paragraphs
• Project introduction is best written last
• Includes complete demographics, participants
  served and brief improvement statement

10
Need / Problem

• State in terms of student need
• Clear statement of problem to be overcome with
  project
• Well founded evidence of need/problem and solid
  research
• May relate need to demographics
• Factual information/research must be directly
  related to problem
• Possibly the most important section

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Goals, Objectives, and Activities

• State in terms of student outcomes
• Stuff should never be a goal
• Specific benefits and end result of project
• Directly related to need/problem statements
• 1-3 goals, 1-3 objectives, 1-3 activities, all
  connected and related to need
• Measurable items, success criteria, and
  statements of measure should be included

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Sample Goals, Objectives, Activities

• TopScoring High School Math Department Goal
  50 of students who did not test at the
  minimally proficient level on the 8th grade
  Spring LEAP test will test proficient or better
  on the Summer re-test.
• Objective 1 Develop resources to assist
  classroom teachers.
• Activity 1 Teachers will do an item analysis on
  the LEAP focusing on the types of questions
  students most frequently missed. They will create
  a resource binder activites relating to their
  findings from this test. The problems and
  activities are aimed at supplementing regular
  classroom instruction.
• Objective 2 Provide peer tutoring in math to
  identified students.
• Activity 1 Students will register to be a
  teaching assistant in a math classroom during the
  school day. Teachers will interview interested
  students for their academic levels and
  willingness to commit to the program. They will
  have the option of helping in a Math Resource,
  Boxermath, Math Tutorial, or Algebra I class.

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Project Description

• Opportunity to give details of project and
  justify expenditures
• Tasks that will be accomplished with funds
• Well constructed, with solid ties to context,
  problem/need, goals, and action plan
• Indicates that project will solve need

14
Timeline / Action Plan

• Table format
• Actions directly related to goals
• Includes actions, specific dates, and responsible
  party

15
Budget

• Budget specific and strongly tied to goals
• Line item for each expenditure
• Description, cost, relationship to
  goals/activities
• Each item justified
• Too much detail is better than too little
• Group like line items
• List any in-kind or matching funds

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Evaluation

• How will you determine success
• What will be different as a result of project
• Clear method of measure and data collection,
• Clearly indicate which goal/objectives are
  measured,
• All goals/objectives measured
• Expand on criteria and method of measure from
  Goal section

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Sample Evaluation Statement

• The success of the Junior Career Days will first
  be evaluated by the English 11 teachers (see goal
  2). All students will receive grades for their
  cover letters, resumes, and thank you letters.
  No student will get credit for any of these
  assignments though, unless they have been mailed
  to the interviewer. The students peers and the
  teacher will peer edit these pieces of writing
  before they receive a final grade from the
  teacher.

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Sample Evaluation 2

• The second form of evaluation for this unit is
  the feedback from the interviewers themselves
  (see goal 3). Each interviewer will be sent a
  packet which will include an evaluation form for
  the students performance on the interview, the
  cover letter, and the resume. When the
  interviewer is finished with their meetings for
  the day, they will be asked to report to the main
  check in room, and there they will be asked to
  fill out an evaluation form for each of the
  students that they interviewed

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Funding Source

• Identify funding source
• Make sure source matches project
• Be sure to follow guidelines exactly

20
Hints From Reviewers

• These are two quotes from people who review grant
  proposals
• "If I can't understand the title, then I don't
  fund it." Whitney Tilt, National Fish and
  Wildlife Foundation
• If you haven't told us what you want by the end
  of the third paragraph, chances are you're not
  going to get it." John West, Phillips Petroleum
  Foundation

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More Hints

• The following quotes are taken from The
  Foundation's Center's "Guide to Proposal
  Writing." What the Funders Have to Say."
• "Be thorough in your preparation and research
  before attempting to initiate contact with a
  funder."
• "Statistics are important, but can be confusing.
  Use them when they set the stage and give a
  context for the project."
• "Ideas need to stand out. If the format of the
  proposal helps accomplish that, then it is O.K.
  But fancy fonts and layout don't carry much
  weight in and of themselves."
• If it is clear, concise, to the point,
  everything should be there without having to look
  for it. There should be meat on the bones but no
  fat."

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More Hints

• Start with clarity and no fluff. I remember one
  proposal that was just bullet format. It was
  clear, succinct and to the point. For a literary
  point of view, it was dull, but programmatically,
  it was clear and precise."
• "We like to see more, rather than less,
  information is the budget. We want to see how our
  money will be used, how it will fit into the
  whole picture."
• "What makes me crazy is an organization ignoring
  our guidelines.
• "Don't try to pull the wool over our eyes. Be
  honest and straightforward."

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When looking for funding.

• Make friends with neighbors
• Look for non-profit (foundations)
• Match need with funding agencies
• Look at big-givers
• (4 Innovative Ways to Locate Money for Your
  District, Scholastic Administrator, retrieved
  2006, http//content.scholastic.com/browse/article
  .jsp?id7425

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Sources

• Hints- Retrieved from http//www.epa.gov/seahome/g
  rants/src/msieopen.htm (2005)
• www.k12grants.org
• http//www.scholastic.com/administrator/funding.ht
  m
• http//www.yscal.org/resources/assets/TipSheets.pd
  f
• http//www.education.smarttech.com/subscribe
• (Interactive Educator E-Magazine)
• Sources
• www.cdwg.com/bigdeal
• Seek local funding first - foundations,
  businesses, industry, utility companies.