Grant Writing and Budget Preparation

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Grant Writing and Budget Preparation

• Faculty Development Workshop
• Presented by James Denney

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Workshop at a Glance

• Understanding the Request for Proposals
• Develop a Writing Style
• Budget Preparation

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Before you begin Helpful Hints

• Print of the entire RFP or Solicitation
• Get a Highlighter and Post It Notes
• Find a quite place and some time

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Understanding the Request for Proposals

• Title
• Announcement Type
• New
• Continuation
• Re-Issue of Earlier Announcement
• RFP , CFDA

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Understanding the Request for Proposals Cont.

• Key Dates
• Release Dates
• Letter of Intent Receipt Date
• Application Due Date

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Understanding the Request for Proposals Cont.

• Eligibility
• MUW is a State owned Non-Profit Public
  Institution of Higher Education/Learning with 501
  C3 status
• Limit on of proposals per organization
• PI Limit
• Previous Awards
• Cost Share

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Understanding the Request for Proposals Cont.

• Synopsis
• Program Officers
• Award Information
• Budget Information
• Review Criteria

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Understanding the Request for Proposals Cont.

• Submission Process
• On-line
• Mail
• Guidelines for Writing the Proposal
• Oftentimes Hidden Away
• May be in another document
• Follow, Follow, Follow the Directions

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Develop a Writing Style

• Write Simple
• Be Forceful
• Be Concise
• Be Positive

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Writing Simple

• How do we write simple?
• Write the way you speak
• Stay within you discipline
• Dont use complex words
• Dont use long sentences or paragraphs
• Paragraphs ¼ page or less
• One point per paragraph
• Remember the evaluator

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Writing Simple Cont.

• Until such time as
• On account of
• In the event that
• Mandatory requirement
• In the final analysis

• Until
• Because
• If
• Requirement
• Finally

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Writing Simple Cont.

• In close proximity
• Give consideration to
• Need to be established
• With the exception of
• In short supply

• Near
• Consider
• Needed
• Except
• Scarce

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Be Forceful

• What is writing forcefully?
• Writing without complex paragraphs, unfamiliar
  words or complex sentences
• How do we write forcefully?
• Use concrete nouns for the subject
• Use action verbs, write in present tense
• Place subject at beginning of sentence
• Follow the subject with the verb
• Delete all unnecessary words

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Be Concise

• How do we become concise in our writing?
• Delete all unnecessary word
• Edit

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Be Positive

• Think positive
• Avoid using negative words

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Building Your Budget

• Do I write the proposal first or develop the
  budget first?
• How much do I ask for?
• Different Parts of the Budget

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Building Your Budget Cont.

• Do I develop my budget first or do I write the
  proposal first?
• Your Preference
• Budget First
• Allows you to stay within the limits of the
  budget
• Proposal First
• Allow you not to be restricted to the limits of
  the budget

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How much do I ask for?

• May be restricted to request
• Only what you need
• Must reflect the proposal

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Building Your Budget Cont.

• Parts of the Budget
• Salaries Fringes
• Travel
• Contractual
• Commodities
• Equipment
• Cost Share

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Salaries Fringes

• Salaries
• Use your base salary
• 9 month faculty v/s 12 month faculty
• Build in Raises 3-4 per year
• Students are either paid stipends or hourly
• Fringes
• Employees 22.61 4,332 Health Insurance
• Students 7.65

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Travel

• Travel
• Check RFP for Mandatory Meetings
• Travel Agencies and Map Quest
• MUW Mileage Rate 0.55 for POV, 0.58 for MUW
  Vehicle
• Inflate Numbers

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Contractual

• Contractual
• Meals
• Rental Space
• Consultants
• Sub-Contracts

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Commodities

• Commodities
• Office Supplies
• Lab Supplies
• Anything that is not equipment

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Equipment

• Equipment
• Check RFP for allowance
• Consult MUW Purchasing Manual
• http//www.muw.edu/resmgmt/
• Get solid quotes
• 0 - 5,000 No Quotes
• 5,000 - 25,000 Two Quotes
• 25,000 Competitive Bids

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Cost Share

• Cost Share
• In-Kind Contribution
• Cash Contribution
• Types of In-Kind
• Volunteers
• Donation of Space
• Types of Cash Contributions
• Salary
• Purchase of Equipment

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QUESTIONS