Focusing on Our Promise Grant Writing Technical Assistance

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Focusing on Our PromiseGrant Writing Technical
Assistance

• Central New York Affiliate

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Welcome!

• Introductions
• Agenda
• Komen history and funding opportunities
• Community profile and RFA guidelines
• Writing a grant proposalFrom planning to
  evaluation
• Next Steps.

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Workshop Objectives

• Summarize the promise, history and organization
  of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
• Identify local funding opportunities
• Write basic components of a grant proposal.

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Komen History

• Our Story
• Born in a promise between two sisters -- Nancy
  Brinker to her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died
  from breast cancer at the age of 36 our vow to
  end breast cancer forever has become the promise
  of millions.
• Our Promise
• To save lives and end breast cancer forever by
  empowering people, ensuring quality care for all
  and Energizing science to find the cures.

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Komen Organization

• 501(c)3 public charity
• Headquarters, Dallas, TX
• Volunteer-driven, grassroots organization
• More than 100 Affiliates across the United
  States
• International Affiliates (Germany, Italy, Puerto
  Rico).

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Central New York

• The thirteenth Komen Affiliate to be organized in
  the United States, the Central New York Affiliate
  of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
  was established in 1991. Since its creation,
  the CNY Affiliate has provided over 3.9 million
  in grant funding for community breast health care
  programs.
• Komen for the Cure remains the nations largest
  private provider of funds for breast cancer
  research and community outreach programs.

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CNY Service Area
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Funding Opportunities

• Komen Affiliate Grant Programs
• Breast cancer screening, educational outreach and
  treatment projects for the medically underserved
  and those without access
• Last year, Komen Affiliates granted more than 65
  million to support these community-based
  programs.
• In 2009, the CNY Affiliate granted 404,000 to
  agencies and programs in 17 CNY counties

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Our Community

• Community ProfileThis is a snapshot of the
  community, specifically looking at breast health
  and breast cancer.  The goal of the community
  profile is to gather information for the purpose
  of identifying gaps in services that must be
  addressed to improve breast health among members
  of the community.  It also identifies the
  populations most in need of breast health
  services.  The community profile includes
  demographic information about the people in the
  community, breast cancer statistics, an
  assessment of current services for breast cancer
  screening and treatment in the service area, and
  a survey of the community's beliefs and attitudes
  about breast cancer through interviews with key
  informants.
• The community profile is the Affiliates tool for
  identifying "areas for improvement" in the breast
  health/breast cancer arena. It is used to
  identify the gaps between services that are
  currently provided and services that are needed.
  When reviewed annually, it is also used to
  evaluate the impact the local grant programs are
  having on the breast health of the community.
  This profile assists in creating the Central New
  York Affiliates long term plans.

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CNY Community Profile

• General Demographics of the CNY Service Area ?17
  Counties Population 2,434,000
• ? Overall, 73 of total population lives in 6
  counties Monroe, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, St.
  Lawrence, Jefferson
• ? Women (ages 50) comprise 16 of the total
  Population
• ? On average, 82 of the population has at
  least a high school education

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CNY Community Profile

• Ethnic Demographics of the CNY Service Area
• ? 88 White
• ? 8 African American
• ? 3 Hispanic/Latino
• ? 1 American Indian/Alaska Native or
  Hawaiian/Pacific IslanderIncome ? Average
  median household income32,366Mortality Rate
  from Breast Cancer ? 27.9/100,00 (slightly lower
  than NYS average)

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Prioritization of Gaps/Unmet Needs

• Programs will be funded in the following areas
• 1. Breast cancer education
• 2. Screening and early detection
• 3. Educational outreach to special populations
• 4. Screening, Treatment and Education for those
  with disabilities
• 5. interventions over the spectrum of breast
  health care support programs (i.e. support
  groups, transportation, childcare and other
  programs enabling women to receive necessary
  breast health care

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Statement of Unmet Needs/Prioritized Gaps

• Programs that provide culturally appropriate
  outreach and education initiatives to minority
  populations focusing on breast health care, the
  need for regular screening and the importance of
  early detection
• Funding for programs that provide breast care
  medical services to the uninsured and
  underinsured women. Komen funds are not available
  for procedures and services reimbursed by current
  state and federally funded programs
• Funding of targeted, non-duplicative outreach
  programs that focus on increasing screening rates
  from rural areas within the 17-county service
  area.
• Funding of education of the general female/male
  population about breast cancer risk, the need for
  regular screening and the importance of early
  detection

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RFA

• Applying for a Komen grant

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Guidelines Instructions

• Qualifications the following types of
  organizations are eligible for Komen funding
• U.S. nonprofit organizations
• Educational institutions
• Government agencies, including American Indian
  tribes
• US citizenship or residency not required.
• Restrictions all applicant organizations must
  be able to comply with the following
• Project is specific to breast health or breast
  cancer
• Services are provided in 17-county CNY service
  area
• Indirect costs, if applicable, should not exceed
  10 of direct costs.
• Equipment costs may not exceed 30 of the project
  and should be used exclusively on the project
• Salaries, if requested, are for personnel related
  to this project only
• Educational materials a variety of educational
  materials are available from the Komen
  Foundation, including some targeted to special
  populations. Before requesting funds to purchase
  materials from other sources or to create new
  materials, review the library of materials
  available from Komen on the Marketplace section
  of our Web site, www.komen.org. Komen materials
  should be used in the project whenever possible.
• Failure to adhere to these guidelines will result
  in delayed processing or refusal of the
  application!

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Writing a Grant From Planning to Evaluation

• Planning the Proposal
• Writing the Abstract
• Statement of Need
• Developing the Proposal
• Writing objectives
• Methods and administration
• Evaluation
• Organizational information
• Budget and Expenses.

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Planning the Proposal

• Do your homework!
• Komen is your funding organization mission,
  history, activities, etc.
• Before you begin . . .
• Consider how your project fits with the funding
  organizations philosophy and mission
• Explore opportunities for collaboration with
  others in your community.

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Writing the Abstract

• First impressions are important!
• The abstract is the reviewers first impression
  of your proposal.
• It is the umbrella statement of your case and a
  summary of your proposal
• Be brief!

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Statement of Need

• Be specific use local data when available
• 3 components
• Facts and statistics
• How your program can make a difference
• Uniqueness of your program why you?

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Developing Your Proposal Writing Objectives

• Why are objectives important?
• Objectives are
• Different from the project goal goal is broad
  and abstract objectives are specific
• Tangible, concrete, measurable and achievable
  within the grant period
• Definition of project success basis for
  evaluation and method selection.

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Developing Your Proposal Writing Objectives

• Guidelines for writing objectives
• Focus on target audience, not project
  implementation
• State what the audience will do
• Use a noun and action verbs
• Provide a specific, measurable target
• Be realistic.

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Developing Your Proposal Methods
Administration

• Methods are specific actions to achieve
  objectives.
• Answer the questions
• How? The activities that will take place during
  the project time
• When? Timeline for project activities
• Why? Defend your choice of methods why did you
  choose these activities to achieve your
  objectives?
• This section helps the reviewer visualize the
  implementation of your project.
• Answers How? When? And Why?
• Helps reviewer visualize program implementation.
• Administration
• Identifies project personnel responsible for
  implementation.
• Defines delegation of tasks who will carry out
  what tasks?

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Developing Your Proposal Program Evaluation

• Why an evaluation is needed.
• The importance of a solid project evaluation can
  be expressed in one word accountability. Both
  the funder and your organization are accountable
  for the success of your project. You are
  accountable to the funding organization to prove
  that your project was a good investment, and
  the funding organization is accountable to their
  donors to prove that the donors money is being
  managed wisely. Project evaluation provides a
  concrete product to demonstrate accountability.
• Evaluation is the comparison of an object of
  interest against a standard of acceptability
  (Green Lewis). In other words, evaluation is
  the process of comparing the implementation and
  outcomes of your project (the object of interest)
  against your objectives (the standard).

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Developing Your Proposal Program Evaluation

• Two types
• Process evaluation Identifies strengths and
  weaknesses of a program, processes of providing
  services and how outcomes are produced
• Impact evaluation Compares program results
  against the objectives
• Include both types!!

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Developing Your Proposal Designing an Evaluation

• A guide that specifies how an evaluation will be
  conducted
• Should be described in your grant proposal
• Design should be based on
• Program objectives
• Purpose of the evaluation what are you trying
  to measure
• Availability of resources
• Characteristics of your setting and program
  audience

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Developing Your Proposal Budget and Expenses

• Projects become reality because the central idea
  is sold, not because the proposal is cheap!
• Be realistic! Ask for what you need
• Justify expenses Do they follow with the
  narrative?
• Use budget forms provided

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Developing Your Proposal Organizational
Information

• This is your statement of strength
• Brief overview of the history, structure, primary
  activities, audiences and services of your
  organization
• Temptation is to put this first DONT
• Sell the reviewers on your idea, then prove your
  history of success.

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Conclusion

• This is your last chance your final appeal for
  the project.
• Here is where you underscore the importance of
  the need for funding to accomplish your
  objectives.

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Helpful Hints

• Read the RFA carefully follow ALL directions
• Be innovative, passionate, realistic, specific
• Write clearly use active rather than passive
  voice
• Avoid jargon or acronyms
• Consider headings to improve readability
• Check grammar, spelling and typos
• Ask someone else to review your proposal before
  submission.

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Grant Reviewer Presentation

• Components of a Strong Grant Proposal

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Application Checklist

• Announcement funding decisions will be made by
  early March project directors will be notified
  in writing.
• DO NOT contact the Affiliate regarding the status
  of your application before this date!
• Application components
• Cover page signature of approving institutional
  personnel, other than project director, is
  required (letter of support from approving
  personnel is acceptable) use attached form.
• Project description not to exceed 5 typewritten
  pages, font size no smaller than 10-point
  typeface.
• Financial information not to exceed 3
  typewritten pages use attached budget form.
• Bio-sketch form should be submitted for project
  director and all personnel listed in budget
  request use attached form.
• Proof of nonprofit status for applicant
  institution.
• Most recent progress or final grant report
  (current or previous grant recipients only).

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Application Check List

• Application deadline and instructions for
  submission Must be postmarked by the deadline
  and sent to the following address Komen CNY,
  5008 Brittonfield Pkwy, Suite 300, E. Syracuse,
  NY 13057
• Submitted by project director.
• Required number of copies-10
• Bound by staples, paper clips or binder clips
  only no spiral bound materials.
• NO FAX COPIES.
• Inquiries should be directed to Grants
  ChairNotification date Early March

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FAQs

• May I have an extension on the deadline?
• No. In order to ensure an equal playing field
  for all grant applicants, no grant proposal will
  be accepted after the stated deadline.
• The RFA states that the project description
  should not exceed 5 typewritten pages is that
  just a recommendation or is that all we get?
• Thats all you get. Our grant review panel is
  made up of community experts who volunteer their
  time to evaluate the grant proposals and make a
  funding recommendation to our Affiliate Board of
  Directors. To accommodate their busy schedules
  and keep an eye on the volume of proposals they
  are asked to review, we must limit the number of
  pages in each proposal.
• What happens if my proposal exceeds page limits,
  budget requirement, etc. or generally does not
  follow the RFA guidelines?
• All grant proposals received will be reviewed for
  compliance to the RFA guidelines. Any and all
  proposals that do not comply with the guidelines
  (page limits, budget restrictions, etc.) as
  stated in the RFA, will be returned to the
  applicant. Applicants will have 3 business days
  to return the corrected proposal to our office
  otherwise, the proposal will be denied.
• What happens if I forget to include one of the
  application components?
• See the previous question/answer.

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FAQs

• My current program provides screening services
  for both breast and other types of cancer. Am I
  eligible for a Komen grant?
• Yes, but Komen funding may be requested only for
  the breast cancer portions of your project. No
  funds may be requested for cervical or other
  cancer screenings if the proposal is for a
  combined cancer project.
• I work for a for-profit hospital, but my project
  provides free services to the medically
  underserved. Can I still apply for a Komen grant?
• In some cases, yes. Most for-profit hospital
  companies have an associated nonprofit
  foundation. To be eligible for Komen funding,
  your grant proposal must originate from the
  nonprofit foundation, not your for-profit
  employer.
• What is proof of nonprofit status?
• In most cases, nonprofit status can be
  demonstrated by providing a copy of your
  organizations tax determination letter from the
  Internal Revenue Service. This letter states that
  your organization is exempt from federal income
  tax. Government agencies are nonprofit by
  nature, so no tax determination letter is
  required from these organizations.

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Next Steps

• Application Deadline
• Must be postmarked by midnight of deadline date
• Overview of Review Process
• Compliance review Grantee has met all the
  requirements of the RFA
• Local peer review-The Affiliate grant review
  process is based upon the peer-review formula
  that is used by Komen for the Cure Award and
  Research Grant Program and is recognized by the
  National Cancer Institute (NCI). These are
  reviews that are independent and objective
  evaluations of a proposal by an applicants
  professional
• Review Panel made up of RN, former Komen Board
  Members and others with breast cancer knowledge
• Board Approval Process Review panel sends
  proposed slate of grantees to the Board for final
  approval
• Notification of Applicants Early March
• Contracts issued April 1 checks issued when
  contracts are returned (50 of total amount)
• Additional 50 of funds awarded after 6-month
  Progress Report is received and approved

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Other Funding Opportunities

• In addition to the STEP (Screening, Treatment,
  and Education Programs
• CRAFT Addresses the need for more funding for
  clinical research at the local level.
• Purpose increase the capacity of breast cancer
  research in CNY communities so that more women
  can participate in clinical trials

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Small Grants

• Small grants are intended to support some of the
  unexpected costs associated with a project
  (e.g. purchase of educational materials, food
  costs for a presentation, survivor recognition,
  etc.). Small Grants are NOT intended to support
  salary or services for an individual (e.g.
  mammography, ultrasound), development of
  materials, etc.

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Small Grant Criteria

• Specific to breast health/breast cancer
• Relevant to Komen for the Cures promise to save
  lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering
  people, ensuring quality care for all and
  energizing science to find the cures
• Funding request is less than 1,000
• Willingness to acknowledge support of Komen
  Affiliate
• Report financial and progress to Affiliate
• Allow participation of Affiliate representative
  where appropriate
• Not for a fund raising activity

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Conference Grants

• Conference Grants are intended to support local
  scientific or educational conferences, symposia
  and meetings, with an emphasis on those that
  enhance the interaction between the advocate,
  healthcare and scientific communities.
• Only funding requests which meet the following
  criteria will be considered for conference
  sponsorship
• Specific to breast health or to help further the
  body of knowledge related to research, diagnosis,
  treatment, education, and/or other issues related
  to breast cancer
• Funding request is less than 5,000
• Acknowledgement of support from Komen Affiliate
  in all printed materials
• Participation of Affiliate representatives where
  appropriate
• Complimentary registration for at least two (2)
  Affiliate representatives
• Display area where appropriate
• Activity report following conference that
  includes number of participants, evaluation of
  program, and impact of Affiliate sponsorship and
  participation

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Travel Grant

• The purpose of this funding opportunity is to
  provide travel assistance to grantees, health
  care professionals and advocates to attend,
  participate in and/or present at meetings,
  conferences, or symposia that would increase the
  community knowledge of breast health and breast
  cancer and facilitate the exchange of ideas and
  communication between the scientific and lay
  public.
• Only funding requests which meet the following
  criteria will be considered for a travel
  scholarship
• Conference is relevant to breast cancer as
  demonstrated by agenda, etc.
• Funding request is less than 1,000 domestic (to
  include registration, coach airfare/train/mileage,
  moderate hotel room and taxes only, meals, cab
  fare and tips)
• Applicant is able to quantify participation and
  benefit to community
• Applicant must attend majority of conference or
  apply for the continuing education credits offered