Beginning Before You Begin

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Beginning Before You Begin

• Secrets to Increased Funding by Building
  Relationships with Program Officers BEFORE the
  Proposal is Written

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Some people believe that

• if you just write just a great proposal, that is
  THE key to getting funding.
• program officers are trained professionals in
  the art of grant giving.
• program officers are objective in their decision
  making.

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That is the

• to think

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What is a Program Officer Thinking?

• Grant Makers on Their Role

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Why should you build a relationship with a
program officer first?

• The sooner you establish a relationship with the
  program officer, the better your chances for
  obtaining funding.
• You will find out immediately if your proposal is
  right for their organization.

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Why continued

• If it isnt, you have saved yourself a tremendous
  amount of proposal writing time.
• If it is, you can often receive up-to-date,
  insider information on the application process.
• Proposal submission is not a one-shot deal.
  Sometimes three or four submissions to the same
  foundation are needed.

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Why continued

• You have taken the first step in developing a
  long-term relationship with the program office
  and the funding agency.
• If the program officer likes your project, he or
  she may champion its funding.
• The program office will be more willing to answer
  questions during the proposal process.

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Jump Through
A Few Hoops
First We Must
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Before you contact the program manager

• Remember that although they want to have
  communication with you, they are busy people.
  Dont waste their time.
• Do your homework, read their website, look at all
  guidelines, previous projects funded, everything
  in print before you call them. Do not ask them
  thing that are available otherwise.

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Before you contact the program manager continued

• If there are still questions that have not been
  answered, write them down.
• Make sure you have a clear idea of the proposal
  written down so that you can articulate it
  succinctly.

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The initial contact.

• You should begin with an email first, asking to
  set a time to speak with them. Always suggest a
  few dates and times.
• In this email you should also outline the
  questions you would like to discuss so that they
  are better able to prepare themselves.

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Here are some suggestions as to other
information you want to share

• Why you have contacted them in particular about
  your project. What was it in there request for
  proposal or website that suggested they would be
  interested?
• Explain the bottom-line objective of your project
  (not too much detail) and why you feel it fits
  within their guidelines and funding interests.

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Other information you want to share continued

• Ask if your idea is one in which the funder might
  be interested.
• If the answer is no, thank them for their help
  because they just saved you a lot of time.
• If they say yes, then you have the opportunity to
  ask a few questions.

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Some questions you might want to ask or verify
if it is stated in their materials and website

• What specific program area should you address
  your project? (Health, Social Services, the Art
  they all have different program areas).
• What kind of funding are they most interested in
  (i.e., program expenses, operations expenses,
  scholarships, assistantships, endowment, etc.)
  and what type of funding might apply to your
  project?

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Some questions you might want to ask continued

• What is their funding range for such grants?
• Who makes the funding decision (i.e., is it a
  board of directors, a group of scientists,
  volunteer evaluators)? This will dictate how the
  proposal is written so that it appeals to that
  particular audience.
• Should a pre-proposal or letter of intent be sent
  first? (This is being required by more funders).

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Some questions you might want to ask continued

• What is the grant deadline?
• Does the funder support indirect costs (costs
  incurred by the university office space,
  supplies, phone, etc.). Some will and some wont,
  but if they do it can be included in the
  proposal. Government grants usually have a
  pre-negotiated rate with the university.

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After the initial contact

• Try to get a telephone conference scheduled (if
  it is a team project do a conference call).
• Follow up with a WRITTEN thank you note.

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After the initial contact continued

• Invite the program officer to your college or
  university.
• Bring the program officers to your college or
  university. (NSF Day)

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After the initial contact continued

• Send the faculty member to the program officer.
• Invite the program officer to see your programs
  or research.
• Interview with Paul Tarini - Ruckus Nation Grand
  Prize Event

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Final tips

• Every time you talk to them, thanks them.
• If you get funded, thank them.
• If you get rejected for the grant, thank them.

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Contact Info

• Marc Hardy
• Manager of Proposal Development
• Butler Institute for Research and Scholarship
• Butler University
• 4600 Sunset Ave.
• Indianapolis, IN, 46208
• http//www.butler.edu/BIRS
• mhardy_at_butler.edu
• [phone]