Grant Writing Tips

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Grant Writing Tips

• September 2006
• Division of Nursing
• Technical Assistance Workshops
• September 6-7, 2006 (Washington, DC)
• September 19-20, 2006 (San Diego, CA)
• Young Song, M.S., M.P.H., R.D.
• Jacqueline Rodrigue M.S.W
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Health Resources and Services Administration
• Bureau of Health Professions

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HRSA Grant Opportunities

• Grants.gov
• A central storehouse for information on more than
  1,000 grant programs
• http//grants.gov
• FY 2007 HRSA Preview
• Provides a comprehensive review of HRSAs Fiscal
  Year 2007 competitive grant programs
• http//www.hrsa.gov/grants
• Division of Nursing Website
• Program abstracts of funded projects
• http//bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/

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Basic Tips

• Study the program eligibility requirements
• Gather required information from various sources
• Carefully follow all the instructions in the
  application guidance. Observe the type size,
  margins, and page limitations strictly.

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Basic Tips (cont.)

• Talk to the federal program officer who will
  manage the grant for advice on technical issues
  and to the grants management specialist for
  advice on budget/administrative issues
• Seek feedback from a neutral third party to
  review your application for content, continuity,
  clarity and reasoning
• Give the neutral third party a copy of the
  application guidance and program review criteria
  to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your
  application

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Basic Tips (cont.)

• Take time to review successful grant proposals.
  This is an excellent learning tool.
• Check to make sure signatures are included in the
  application where required
• Note An applicant may request a copy of a
  funded grant from
• HRSAs FOIA Requester Service Center
  at
• http//www.hrsa.gov/foia/default.htm

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Basic Tips (cont.)

• Be brief, concise, and clear
• Make sure all acronyms are spelled out when used
  initially
• Propose realistic goals and objectives
• Write, edit, and proof like a pro

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Basic Tips (cont.)

• Effectively address each review criteria in a
  clear and concise manner, leaving nothing to the
  reviewers imagination
• Identify potential partners and generate support.
  Include appropriate letters of support
• Strive to make a strong first impression on the
  reviewers by using the project abstract to
  effectively capture the intent of the entire
  application

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application

• The SF 424 RR Face Page is a critical page of
  the application
• Print the SF 424 RR Face Page of the application
  from Grants.gov, sign it and mail it. The Face
  Page must be received by HRSA within 5 business
  days from the date of submission

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Present a credible applicant or organization
• Who are you?
• What are your qualifications?
• What are your organizations goals, philosophy,
  and track record?
• What specific goals will your project accomplish?
• Who are the beneficiaries of your project and how
  will they benefit?
• How will you measure your results?
• How will your project impact the nursing
  workforce, health care setting, or targeted
  population?
• Why do you need Federal funding?

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Provide accurate and honest information,
  including a candid account of the problem and
  realistic plans to address the problem.
• Use data to support the need
• Census data
• Historical data
• Geographical data
• Statistical data
• Studies/Research

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)
Provide SMART Objectives
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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Create a timeline
• Outline each activity
• Identify staff responsible for each activity
• Specify a time frame for completing each activity
• Means of evaluation (include summative and
  formative evaluation plans)

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Do these objectives meet the criteria for SMART
  Objectives
• Objective 1 Develop an MSN concentration within
  the Public Health Nursing Program in
  Emergency Preparedness/Mass Casualty to
  prepare nursing students for response to a
  terrorist event, natural disaster or pandemic
  flu.

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Objective 2 Develop and implement two on-line
  courses in Emergency Preparedness/Mass
  Casualty to improve the competencies of
  advanced
• practice clinical nurses.
• Objective 3 Provide students with cross-cultural
  knowledge, skills, and attributes needed as it
  pertains to delivery of care during a
  terrorist event, natural disaster or pandemic
  flu.

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• THE ANSWER IS NO

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Examples of SMART Objectives
• Objective 1 By the end of year three (3), at
  least 20 of the 25 nursing students will
  demonstrate core competencies in
  emergency preparedness/
• mass casualty.

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Examples of Methodology

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Objective 1 Recruit and enroll 80 new nurse
• students (20 new students in year 1,
• 25 new students in year 2, and 35 new
• students in year 3) with an emphasis
• on the recruitment of racial and ethnic
• minority students and students from rural and
  underserved areas (at least 5 new students
• per year from racial and ethnic minority
  backgrounds).

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Objective 2 Provide clinical learning
  experiences for (40) 80 of enrollees serving
  rural populations for
• 50 of their clinical experiences in year 3.
• Objective 3 Integrate clinical preventive
  services didactic
• and health assessment didactic courses for
• 100 (50) of enrollees in year 2.

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)
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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Objective 1 Provide financial support for 50-55
  students
• designed to increase racial and ethnic
  minority students and students from rural and
  underserved areas during the 1st year of the
  project.
• Objective 2 Increase the number of students from
  
• educationally and/or economically
  disadvantaged backgrounds graduating by 10
• (5) each project year.

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)
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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Become familiar with Government-wide circular
  requirements http//www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/grants
  /index.html
• Plan a realistic and well-justified budget
  consistent with the program narrative.
  Rememberthe budget can make or break your
  chances for funding.
• Develop a budget that includes other funding
  sources (i.e., cash and in-kind support).
• Include clear and realistic plans for
  sustainability.

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Showcase the knowledge, skills, and experience of
  your key personnel
• Be sure to include a description of the diversity
  of staff/faculty
• Document all pilot projects to show your
  organizations success in the targeted area

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Be careful in the use of appendices. Do not use
  the appendices for information that is required
  in the body of the application.
• Be sure to cross- reference all tables and
  attachments in the appendices.
• Note Make sure tables and attachments are
  include prior to
• submitting your application.

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Tips for Writing a Strong Application (cont.)

• Remember that peer reviewers will use only the
  information contained in the application to
  assess your application.
• Remember you need to convince the peer reviewers
  that you have the resources, staff, facilities
  and equipment to carry out this project.
• Do not assume that peer reviewers are familiar
  with your organization.

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References

• General Services Administration. Catalog of
  Federal Domestic Assistance. Developing and
  Writing Grant Proposal. http//12.46.245.173/pls/
  portal30/CATALOG.GRANT_PROPOSAL_DYN.show
• Grant Proposal.com
• http//www.grantproposal.com/about_inner.html
• a site devoted to providing free resources for
  both advanced and inexperienced non-profit staff
  in grant writing.
• NIH Grant Writing General Information and
  Resources
• http//www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/grants/default.htm
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• http//www.cpb.org/grants/grantwriting.html
• a publication with the basic elements of grant
  proposal writing.

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• Get your application in on time!!
• HRSA strictly enforces due dates!!

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Division of Nursing

• Internet address
• http//www.bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing