Directions Leading you to Grant Success

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Directions Leading you to Grant Success

• Jennifer Hemmerich, MPA
• Cogent, LLC
• Grants Consultant, CEO

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Agenda

• Where to seize the Opportunity
• Internet Sources
• Cogent
• Programs
• Currently Available
• Agencies to Watch
• Non-traditional options
• Advice
• Things to Consider
• General Tips
• Situations to Avoid

• Cogent, LLC
• Every thing a grant should be
• Intro to Grants
• Funding Sources
• The Typical Grant
• Proposal Writing
• Need
• Program Design
• Identifying Outcomes
• Budget

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About COGENT, LLCThe Definition

• Cogent (adjective)
• Telling, weighty powerfully persuasive
• "a cogent argument"
• "a telling presentation"
• "a weighty argument"
• Also meaning potent, powerful having the power to
  influence or convince
• "a cogent analysis of the problem"
• "potent arguments"

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About COGENT, LLCWhat We Do

• Connecting Industry, Communities, and Resources
• Grant research and analysis
• Grant writing
• Grant editing
• Grant publications
• Grant education and seminars
• Bridging the Gap Between the Public and Private
  Sectors
• www.cogentgrants.com

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Grant Funding Sources

• Federal
• State
• Corporate Foundation
• Other Programs Sources

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Intro to GrantsFunding Sources Federal

• 400 billion nationally
• Tend to be large and restricted
• May go to states or directly to local
  municipalities and CBOs
• May be distributed based on competitive or
  formula basis
• May be subject to SPOC oversight
• (www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html)

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Intro to GrantsFunding Sources State

• May grant state funds or re-grant federal funds
• Typically funneled through a particular agency
• Forms differ by agency
• States differ in distribution
• Coordinates many Homeland Security-related Funds

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Types of Funding Competitive

• Six weeks from date of announcement to apply
• Request for proposals (RFP, NOFA, etc.) specifies
  application requirements
• Review scoring against established criteria
• You must apply to be funded
• Not everyone who applies
  will be funded

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Types of Funding Formula

• Usually an annual deadline
• Requires forms to obtain funds
• No competitive scoring, but you may have to meet
  certain criteria
• Based on this criteria - funds are typically
  totaled (a formula)

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Intro to GrantsFunding Sources Foundation

• 24.5 billion nationally
• National foundations
• systemic reform
• Local foundations
• local impact

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Intro to GrantsFunding Sources Earmarks

• Little competition
• Assigned by/for Congress
• Associated with specific legislation
• Broad latitude in spending
• Primarily to nonprofits municipalities
• A 28 billion reality

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The Typical GrantThe Statute

• Assigns the grant to a department
• Defines program purpose and eligibility
• Authorizes funding
• Find bill info at www.congress.gov
• or
• http//thomas.loc.gov

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The Typical GrantFederal Register Posting

• Official announcement of the grant competition
• Provides deadline and contact information
• Posting will also occur on the relevant
  Departments website
• http//www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html

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The Typical GrantProgram Guidance

• Complete description of the program
• Describes submission requirements
• Usually includes forms and specific directions
  for the application packet
• May include scoring guidelines

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The Typical Grant The Review

• Usually 3-5 per proposal
• Made up of experts, practitioners, agency staff,
  or other appointees
• May receive limited training
• Extreme scorers are often statistically moderated

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The Typical Grant Final Funding Decisions

• Proposals are ranked by score from highest to
  lowest
• May or may not be strictly peer reviewed
• May be more or less objective
• Political considerations (geographic,
  urban/rural) figure in at the end

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Proposal Writing

• Common Grant Elements
• Need (Why?)
• Program/Project Design (How?)
• Output/Outcome (What?)
• Budget (How much?)
• Reporting (When?)

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Proposal Writing Submission Pieces

• Proposals consist of
• Standard Forms
• Table of Contents
• Abstract/Project Summary
• Project Narrative
• Budget
• Budget Narrative
• Letters of Support

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Abstract

• When to write it FIRST or LAST?
• Less than one page
• Summarize key narrative points
• Who, what, where, when, how, and WHY
• Not usually scored, but often posted

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Proposal Writing Need

• Statistical Facts that support project
• Needs Assessments (Surveys)
• Expert Testimony
• Mandates / Obstacles
• Give a clear sense of urgency

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Proposal Writing Program/ Project Design -
Narrative

• Organization Background
• Summary
• Methods
• Evaluation
• Project Sustainability

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Proposal Writing Identifying Outcomes

• Express in quantifiable terms
• Add timeframe this event will occur
• Avoid stating in terms of methods, activities, or
  processes
• Goals/Objectives that are realistic and
  achievable
• Example 90 increase in knowledge of the coastal
  make-up, in the next 12 months with the use of
  this software.

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Proposal Writing Identifying Outcomes

• Input
• Activity
• Output
• Outcomes
• Immediate
• Intermediate
• Long-term

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Outcome Terminology

• Improved
• Reduced
• Increased
• Changed
• Modified
• Altered
• Benefits After the Grant has Finished

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Examples of Outcome Process
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Proposal Writing Budget

• Matching Requirements (if any)
• In-kind Contribution
• Estimated Expenses
• Staff
• Supplies / Equipment
• Travel
• Utilities
• Indirect / Administrative Costs

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Grant Angles GIS

• Conservation
• Transportation
• Emergency Response Mapping
• Economic Development Planning
• Research Proof of Concept

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Local IntelligenceGIS Grants(current)

• Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FEMA)
• Deadline April 7th!
• Homeland Security Preparedness Technical
  Assistance Program (DHS)
• Deadline April 9th!
• Preservation Access Reference Materials Grants
  (NEH)
• Deadline July 17th!

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Local IntelligenceGIS Grants(agencies)

• National Science Foundation
• www.nsf.gov
• National Oceanic Atmospheric Admin.
• www.ago.noaa.gov
• Dept of Transportation
• www.its.dot.gov/index.htm

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Grants that could allow GIS

• Assistance to Firefighters
• DUE Friday, April 7th!
• Fire Prevention Safety
• (Anticipated Sept. 2006)
• Mapping Emergency Routes
• www.firgransupport.com

• Emergency Response Crisis Management
• Anticipated deadline of 6/20/2006
• Schools MUST partner with local law enforcement,
  local government, public safety, mental health,
  public health.
• Awards are 100,000-500,000
• Approximately 30 Million available in 2006
• www.ed.gov/programs/dvpemergencyresponse/index.htm
  l

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Internet Links for Sourcing

• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
  www.cfda.gov
• Federal Register
• www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html
• Federal Electronic Grants Clearinghouse
  www.grants.gov
• Federal and state program staff www.firstgov.gov
• Foundation grant databases
• Foundation Center www.fdncenter.org

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CA State Resources

• State Homeland Security
• www.calguard.ca.gov/cajs-hs/index.htm
• Economic Development
• www.commerce.ca.gov
• Community Development
• State Council on Developmental Disabilities
• www.scdd.ca.gov/programs_projects
• Office of Traffic Safety
• www.ots.ca.gov/grants/default.asp

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Foundation Center Access(cooperating collections)

• CD ROM
• CD Internet Access
• Foundation Center www.fdncenter.org

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Things to Consider

• Build relationship with the funder
• Collaboration
• Matching Requirements
• Reporting Requirements
• Timeframe of Project
• Planning Ahead after the grant

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Commonly Overlooked Organizations

• Schools
• Universities
• Libraries
• Housing Authorities
• Hospitals
• Community Development Groups

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Tips to More Grants

• Learn as much as possible about each program to
  which you intend to apply.
• Involve others in your project, but be judicious
  have a purpose for their involvement.
• Customize each proposal to the requirements of
  the funder and follow the directions.
• Get reviewers comments for non-winning proposals
  and use their feedback in future proposals
  (www.fcc.gov/foia).

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Tips to More Grants

• Be specific in your budget most funders have
  generous allowances for budget length.
• Dont include materials other than
  those specifically
  requested by the funder.
• Have an outsider edit your
  proposal before you
  submit it.

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Tips Advice

• AVOID
• Jargon or Unexplained Acronyms
• Superfluous letters of support, charts, articles
• Inconsistent budget and narrative
• Un-measurable objectives
• Projecting too broad an impact

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Next Steps!

• Please dont hesitate to contact me with
  questions or to receive a faxed or emailed copy
  of the presentation. Thanks for attending!
• Interested in grants information specific to
  your individual needs? Contact our offices for
  more information.

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Need Assistance? Contact Us

• COGENT, LLC
• Jennifer L. Hemmerich, MPA
• Grants Consultant, CEO
• jhemmerich_at_cogentgrants.com
• Office 585.413-0344
• Mobile [phone]
• Rosalie J. Mangino-Crandall
• Grants Consultant, COO
• rmangino_at_cogentgrants.com
• Mobile [phone]

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• www.cogentgrants.com
• Thank You!