Proposal Writing to Foundations Sue Racanelli

1
Proposal Writing to FoundationsSue Racanelli
2
Confronting Myths

• Lots of Grants out There!! No need to Fundraise.
• No Need to Read Guidelines. I have a Good Program
  - Theyll Fund Me.
• Create a Template Proposal. If I send out 50
  proposals, Ill get 10 Funded!
• Bill Gates and Oprah give out Lots of Money. Must
  send them a Proposal!

3
Serious Business

• Proposals are Competitive Nobody Receives any
  Special Treatment.
• Submit your Proposal Six to Nine Months before
  you Need the Money.

4
Proposal Elements

• Exec. Summary/Cover Letter/ Title Page
• Statement of Need
• Program Description Activities, Target
  Population, Goals/Objectives, Methods, Timeline,
  Staffing, Evaluation
• Budget, Sustainability
• Your Organization History, Mission, Board,
  Staff, Volunteers, Programs, Achievements

5

• Steps
• To Success

6
Step OneResearch

• Do the Groundwork
• and Make Sure You
• Meet the Funders Criteria.

7
Getting Started

• Know Your Program Purpose, Mission, Scope,
  Goals, Objectives, Method, Evaluation
• Checklist What Documents do You Need?
• Funder Priorities Is the Funder Committed to
  the Needs you Address? Does Your Program Match
  Their Goals and Objectives?
• What will the Money Be Used For - support
  Operating, Program, In-kind, Equipment
• AND ABOVE ALL.Why Should they Fund You???

8
Phone Call

• Introduce Yourself
• Time to Talk?
• Will you Consider my Project
• Verify Address, Contact, Deadline

9
Step TwoExclusivity

• Write your Proposal Exclusively
• for the Foundation you are
• Approaching.

10
Funders Want to Know

• What do You Want to Do?
• Why is It Important?
• How do You Intend to Do It?
• Why are You Most Qualified for This?
• How Much will it Cost?
• How will You Know it is Effective?
• Does Your Program Fit Our Priorities?

11
Before You Write

• Get and Read the Guidelines.
• Make Sure You Qualify.
• Check Deadlines and Create your own Internal
  Deadline.
• Think of Target Audience.
• Build Coalitions if Necessary.

12
Step ThreeNeed

• Speak to the Funder.
• Focus on their Needs.
• Dont Under or Over-state
• the Problem.

13
Defining Need

• What is the Issue to be Resolved? The Problem?
  The Need?
• This Need must Guide the Tone and Direction of
  your Proposal.
• You must provide a Compelling Reason for the
  Funder to Care about Your Cause.

14
Statement of Need

• Clearly Describe Problem the WHY?
• Give a Sense of Urgency.
• Quote Expert Opinions and Testimonials.
• How will the Problem Addressed in your Program
  help the Funder meet their Goals and Objectives?

15
Step FourStatistics

• Give Accurate Statistics
• Cite All Sources and Dates.

16
Effective Use of Stats

• Use Statistics and Facts to Support your Claims.
• Funders must be able to Verify Statements You
  Make with Documentation.
• Support Facts with Footnotes.
• No Generalities.

17
Step FiveProgram

• Present Succinct
• Description of
• the Program.

18
What is the Funder Buying?

• Summarize Key Points of Operation Program
  Description, Numbers Served, Delivery of Service.
• Provide Overview of How You will Solve Problem in
  the Needs Section and How this Benefits the
  Target Population.

19
Your Target Population

• Who are They?
• What Contact do You have with Them?
• Do you Have their Support?
• Are They Involved in the Program?
• Are there Other Agencies Involved with your
  Clientele and with your Organization?
• What Makes You Different?

20
Step SixAspirations

• Goals are Where You
• Want to Be.
• Objectives are Steps
• Needed to Get There.

21
Goals

• Broad, Lofty Statements of What You Hope to
  Accomplish.
• Creates Setting for What You are Proposing.
• Focus on How Situation will be Changed as a
  Result of a Successful Project.

22
Example

• Our After-school Program will Help Children Read
  Better

23
Objectives

• Specific Actions Taken to Meet a Goal.
• Measures how Program Participants will be
  Different as a Result.
• States what Program will Attain.
• Realistic Basis for Program Activities.
• Trackable - Short- or Long-Term.

24
Other Considerations

• Give Funder Clear Picture of Activities your
  Group will Perform to Accomplish each Objective
  and the Rationale behind it.
• Explain your Plan for Change.
• How are you Going to Do it? Who is Going to Do
  it? Staff, Volunteers, Other Agencies?
• Timeline for Completion of each Task.

25
Staffing Collaboration

• Program Staff (Paid and Volunteer).
• Describe Partnerships/Collaborations.
• Reinforce Programs place in Spectrum of Local
  Services.

26
Step SevenEvaluation

• Satisfaction Surveys are
• not Enough!
• Measure Long-Term
• Changes in Behavior.

27
The Question

• If you Get the Money, will It Make a Difference?
• Are you Doing the Right Program Activities to
  Bring about Outcomes that are Needed by Your
  Clients?

28
Collecting Data

• Put Thought and Effort into Evaluation.
• What Information will You Collect? How will you
  Use it to Improve Your Program?
• How will You Measure Success or Failure?
• What Lessons did You Learn?

29
Step EightFinances

• Provide All the Financial
• Information Requested

30
Budget Credibility

• Closely Scrutinized by Funders. Prepare Budget
  with Accounting Staff
• Two types Organization and Program
• Should Be Complete And Realistic.
• Limit to One page

31
The Numbers

• Your Best Guess of Anticipated Income and
  Expenses. List Time Period (Dates)
• Itemize Income (Fee for Service, In-kind,
  Volunteer) and Expenses.
• Show Status of Fund-raising (In-hand, Pledged,
  Sought)
• Put Commas, Total your Columns, Check the Math!
• Use Narrative to Explain Unusual Items

32
Sustainability

• How will this Program Continue to be Funded in
  the Future?
• What will You be Doing to Secure additional
  Funding?
• Be Specific about Current and Projected Funding
  Streams.

33
Wrapping It Up

• Final Pitch
• Bring it all Together
• Make a Final Appeal for Your Program. Briefly
  Reiterate what Your Agency Wants to Do and Why It
  is Important.

34
Step NineReadability

• Make it Easy for the Funder
• to Read Your Proposal
• Your Sub-heads should Use
• the Same Terms and Follow
• the Outline Requested by
• the Funder.

35
Writing Style

• Simplicity Counts! Write in Plain English. Use
  Short Sentences, Bullets
• Strong, Active Verbs
• Avoid Jargon. No Technical Terms or Acronyms.
• Watch your Grammar, Spelling, Headers/Footers.
  Edit and Proofread.
• Cross-check for Consistency

36
Application Hints

• List Request for Dollars on Page 1, Para 1.
• Layout - Go Easy on The Eye - 12 pt Font, Easy on
  Bold, Underline, Italic. No Full Justification or
  All Caps, One Inch Margins, Plenty of White
  Space.
• List Agency Name on each Page. Put Footnotes on
  Same Page. Number Pages.

37
Step TenAttachments

• Provide ALL of the
• Information Requested
• and ONLY the
• Information Requested.

38
Attachments

• Include ONLY what the Funder Asks For
• IRS Letter
• State Letter
• Board of Directors
• Audited Financial Statement
• Operating Budget
• Project Budget
• Income Expense Report
• Balance Sheet
• List of Funders
• 990
• Resumes

39
THANK YOU

• GOOD LUCK!