Take Nothing for Granted Funding your fondest dreams

1
Take Nothing for GrantedFunding your fondest
dreams

• Ben Silliman
• NCSU Department of 4-H Youth Development

2
What can we do for you?

• Understanding the Challenge Gaining a realistic
  perspective on grants and other sources of
  funding
• Grantwriting Basics Understanding the proposal
  components (Objectives and Strategies,
  Evaluation, Budget)
• Creative Brainstorming Generating a quality
  environment and innovative activities in
  afterschool
• Networking
• Question and Answer

3
Thanks

• Dr. Eddie Locklear, National 4-H Council
• Michael Haney, NC Dept. of Juvenile Justice and
  Delinquency Prevention

4
Understanding the Challenge Is it a grant I
want?

• A tongue-in-cheek Top 10 Questions list

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Understanding the Challenge Is it a grant I
want?

• 10. How can I fund my staff for the Summer?
• 9. Where can I get money for neat stuff like
  silly string, craft supplies, and plastic
  clapping hands?
• 8. Could I get money for workforce training and
  get kids to work for nothing in my auto
  restoration business?
• 7. Where can I get someone to pay for snacks
  and meals?
• 6. I have a bunch of Mad magazines in the
  closet at homecould we get money to start a
  literacy program?

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Understanding the ChallengeIs it a grant I want?

• 5. My young people are as good as the
  contestants on American Idolcan I get money to
  start my own TV show?
• 4. If I can get a couple of my afterschool kids
  to take drugs, commit crimes, or start failing in
  school, will that make my program eligible for
  more money?
• 3. If the program down the street got funding
  for that (whatever), why cant I get my share?
• 2. If I agreed to provide transportation from
  school to my program, could I get that Cadillac
  Ive always dreamed of?
• 1. Who will fund a conference in Hawaii so I can
  get a vacation from the afterschool rat race?

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Understanding the ChallengeMatching Resources to
Needs

• Operating Funds
• (governmental or non-governmental)
• User fees
• Donations (cash or in-kind)
• Fund-raising events, campaigns
• Grants
• (facilities, program support, training, etc.)

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Where do you want to go?Beyond Survival Mode

• What positive difference can you make?
• How big is your vision of the difference you can
  make?
• What are your critical leverage points?
• What sequence of events will make it happen?

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Is anybody going with you?

• Environmental Scan
• Professional and Research Knowledge
• Youth Development (self-efficacy, problem
  solving, willingness to help, teamwork)
• Programming Practice (caring adults, structure
  and spontaneity, skill-building)

10
Is anybody going with you?

• Environmental Scan
• Needs/Perspectives of Stakeholders (Environments)
• Participants
• Parents
• Partners (agencies, organizations, government,
  businesses, community)
• Program (staff, facilities, activities, budget)

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Is anybody going with you?

• Environmental Scan
• Assets/Potential of Stakeholders (Environments)
• Participants
• Parents
• Partners (agencies, organizations, government,
  businesses, community)
• Program (staff, facilities, activities, budget)

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Asset Mapping

• What capacities and opportunities in the
  community can be used to support and inspire
  youth in afterschool programs?
• Neighbor-to-neighbor help mentoring, homework
  help, building and repair baby sitting, errands
• "Learning Exchange practical and technical
  skills shared by youth and adults in the
  community (baking bread, fixing a bike,
• Community partners Collaborative opportunities
  with organizations, churches, schools, police,
  libraries and parks, cultural and artistic
  resources
• Source J. Kretzmann J. McKnight (1996)
  Building Communities from the Inside Out.
  Evanston IL Northwestern University Institute
  for Social Policy.

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Is anybody going with you?

• Check grant funding priorities
• Grant Guidelines for Organizations (NC Arts
  Council)The next deadline for submitting grant
  applications is March 1, 2005 unless otherwise
  noted. The new grant guidelines will be available
  on our Web site in early November. In the
  meantime, you can review the 2004-05 Grant
  Guidelines for Organizations by clicking on the
  links below.
• General Grant Information All applicants should
  read this information first. It includes the Arts
  Council's general funding policies and
  eligibility requirements for grantees, as well as
  information on how grant decisions are made. It
  also includes a list of rural/low wealth counties
  eligible for special matching requirements, and
  accessibility information for applicants with
  disabilities.
• Arts in Education
• AIE Initiatives
• AIE Rural Development
• AIE Artist Residencies

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Dont go there

• Because other programs are doing it
• Are you LIKE those other programs?
• EXACTLY WHAT are those programs doing with the
  funding?
• Is it just a fad/trend/temporary fix?
• How much do you know about what they had to do to
  get funded?

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Dont go there

• Because there is funding
• Where does the funding fit and are you ready to
  use it?
• Will the program be more trouble than its worth?
• Timing
• Resources
• Management

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So what now?

• Begin with the end in mind

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Targeting Outcomes of Programs

• Long term Social and Economic Change
• How can this community be different in 25 years?
• Sustained change in foundational attitudes and
  practices of youth, families, communities
• What must we do to achieve profound change?

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Targeting Outcomes of Programs

• Short-term changes in knowledge,
• attitudes, skills, and aspirations
• What outcomes will be catalysts
• for long-term change?
• Specific and concrete actions that support
  short-term program outcomes
• What resources and efforts will
• get us started?

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Grant BasicsWhat will you need to know?

• Eligibility/Registry
• Cover Letter
• Summary/Abstract
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Problem/Situation

• Objectives/
• Strategies
• Evaluation
• Timeline
• Sustainability
• Dissemination
• Budget/Narrative
• Attachments

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Registry
• Pre-registration of personal/organizational data
  with funder
• Eligibility for grant funding
• Gain access to online forms or technical
  assistance

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Registry Example NC Arts Councilhttp//ncarts.eg
rant.org/login.asp

• Login/Registration If you have used eGRANT
  before, please login below using your same Login
  ID and password.
• If you have not previously used eGRANT, please
  register below to access the system.
• Once you enter eGRANT, you will see a menu of any
  previous applications that you have worked on.
  Click on the Create New Application button at the
  bottom of the screen. You can stop working on a
  form at any point. You can resume working on your
  form by choosing the green edit icon from the
  menu after you log in. All the information
  previously entered will have been saved. You must
  move to a new page within eGRANT to save your
  work. Never use the Back button on your browser
  while you are in eGRANT.
• The Standard Grant Application Form and the
  Report Form are available in PDF format, and you
  can view or print these forms without
  registering. Click on the button below.
• NC Arts Council staff is available to assist you.
  Click the Contact Us button above for contact
  information. There is also a link on the Contact
  Us page for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Cover sheet (form)/letter (letterhead)
  Introduction
• Title of project
• Funding source/code
• Amount
• Applicant
• Summary of project purpose
• Strategies for implementation, management
• Strategies for evaluation

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Example Cover Sheet GCCwww.ncgcc.gov

• Governors Crime Commission
• 1201 Front Street, Suite 200
• Raleigh, NC 27609
• Phone [phone]
• 1. Name of Project
• 3. Applicant Agency
• Tax I.D. Number
• 6. Authorizing Official
• 8. Financial Officer
• 10. Implementing agency
• 12. Implementing agency
• profile
• 13. Project Summary

• Grant Number 1852
• 2. Committee assignment
• 4. Program priority
• 5. Project starting and ending dates
• 7. Type of action first/later
• 9. Congressional District
• 11. Project Director
• 14. Requested Budget

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Summary/Abstract
• Key components
• Purpose/critical need
• Target audience and location
• Principal partners
• Summary objectives and strategies
• Key impacts
• Target audience
• Broader field

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Summary Example NSF grant

• 4-H TEAMS demonstrates intellectual merit by
  advancing understanding and practice of
  inquiry-based learning strategies in afterschool,
  weekend, and summer venues using engineering
  activities to promote IT-STEM mastery and
  academic achievement with 150 disadvantaged
  middle school youth

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Summary Example NSF grant

• University specialists will collaborate with
  partners in government, business, schools, camps,
  six community youth programs, parents and
  community volunteers to develop curricula,
  research effects of inquiry-based strategies, and
  foster local sustainability

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Summary Example NSF grant

• Broader impacts, achieved through dissemination
  of results to professionals and practitioners
  serving over 500,000 youth nationwide, include
  research-based systemic improvements in informal
  education programs, leader training, access to
  IT-STEM careers, and economic development.

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Table of Contents Key components
• Summary/Abstract
• Body of Proposal (specify subsections)
• Budget/Narrative
• Appendices (specify)

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Body of Proposal
• Introduction
• Paraphrase of summary statement based on grant
  proposal language
• Introduction of audience/setting, overall goal,
  component goals, objectives/strategies, expected
  impacts
• Organization(s) capacity to achieve the stated
  goals and objectives

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Body of Proposal
• Problem/Situation Statement
• Research evidence (general and specific)
• Data and trends (local, regional, state,
  national)
• Implications (risks increased, benefits lost)
• Interpretative emphasis (targeted to your
  emphasis)

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Body of Proposal
• Target Audience and Setting
• Number and description of participants
• Number and description of settings
• Frequency of activities by setting

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Body of Proposal
• Objectives and Strategies
• Objective Statement of specific end-state to be
  achieved, consistent with component goal and/or
  overall goal of the project
• Strategy Description of specific activities and
  steps linked to accomplishment of an objective
• (some strategies may serve multiple objectives)

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Creative Brainstorming

• How can you create a setting
• that enhances quality
• (or sets the stage
• for successful activities)?

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Creative BrainstormingUsing research to find
opportunities

• Target Traits of Effective YD Programs
• Safe Spaces, Physically and Emotionally
• Organization and Positive Rules
• Caring Peers and Adults
• Opportunities to Belong
• Positive Expectations and Values
• Support for Making a Difference
• Opportunities for Skill Building
• Strong Connections to Family, School,
• and Community

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Creative BrainstormingFinding ways to improve
environment

• How can these traits could be more typical of the
  time and space occupied by my program?
• Time
• Amount of time that trait is evident
• Frequency of trait in program activities
• Evidence of the trait when intensity changes
• Space
• Breadth of spaces where trait is evident
• Typical locations/activities where trait is found
• Evidence of the trait in transition to new
  location

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Creative BrainstormingFinding improvement
opportunities

• Gray Spots
• Gray spots appear at intersections of white
  lines, but disappear when you focus on them
• Keep a notepad or journal to note gray spots in
  your program that may point to opportunities for
  program improvement or innovation

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Creative BrainstormingGenerating innovative
activity ideas

• Creative Association
• Traits of an everyday object generate ideas for
  new programs
• Eight sides math, geometry, architecture and
  design
• Yellow color cowardice (relate to Courage
  character education)
• Gold band holding things together (group
  cohesion, teamwork)
• Sharpened point sharpening skills
• Eraser learning from errors, starting over
  bounciness suggests recreation

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Creative BrainstormingGenerating innovative
activity ideas

• Creative Association Extension
• Traits of an everyday object linked to
  developmental needs of youth to generate program
  objectives
• Educational attainment and learning
• Health and safety
• Emotional and social development
• Self-sufficiency

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Critical Youth Indicators(Child Trends, 2004)

• Educational Attainment and
• Cognitive Development
• School Success
• Critical and Creative Thinking
• Project Mastery
• Presentations
• Written Records

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Critical Youth Indicators(Child Trends, 2004)

• Health and Safety
• Risk Prevention (drugs/alcohol, sexual behavior,
  violence, accidents/injury, mental health
  problems, delinquency, school behavior and
  achievement)
• Health Promotion (nutrition, exercise, health and
  safety habits)

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Critical Youth Indicators(Child Trends, 2004)

• Social and Emotional Development
• Personal Development (self-control,
  self-management, self-awareness, coping and
  navigating)
• Managing Leisure (extracurricular activities)

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Critical Youth Indicators(Child Trends, 2004)

• Social and Emotional Development
• Relationships (positive friendships,
  multicultural competence, empathy and compassion,
  support and accountability from caring adults)
• Civic Engagement and Leadership (teamwork,
  service, advocacy, leadership)

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Critical Youth Indicators(Child Trends, 2004)

• Self-Sufficiency
• Generic (time mgt., decision-making, problem
  solving)
• Family (positive relationships with parents,
  responsible childbearing, financial mgt.,
  readiness for marriage, family)
• Work (employment experience, work ethic, career
  skills, initiative/inventiveness)

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Creative BrainstormingGenerating innovative
activity ideas

• Creative Association Extension
• Object and Developmental Needs traits linked to
  program framework
• Snacks, healthy nutrition
• Recreation, peer interaction
• Homework and academic support
• Enrichment activities and community service

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Writing ObjectivesPolishing your prose

• Composing objectives ABCD method
• Who is the Audienceindividuals (children, youth,
  adults), families or other groups, neighborhoods,
  or whole communities?

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Writing ObjectivesPolishing your prose

• Composing objectives ABCD method
• What Behavior (Knowledge, Attitude, Skill/Action,
  or Aspiration) will be changed, consistent with
  the goals of the project or needs, attitudes or
  competence of the participants. The more
  specific and measurable, the better the
  objective. Action words focus the planning and
  implementation process increase, improve,
  expand, learn, demonstrate.

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Writing ObjectivesPolishing your prose

• Composing objectives ABCD method
• Under what Conditions will objectives be met
  type, duration, sequence, or intensity of
  activities (training, practice, interaction,
  etc.), setting, facilities, or training of
  providers. What resources will be needed to
  support projects?

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Writing ObjectivesPolishing your prose

• Composing objectives ABCD method
• To what Degree can knowledge, attitudes, skills,
  or behaviors be changed? How much progress is
  possible and how fastwhats realistic?

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Writing Objectives Example

• Objective framework
• Audience (Pre-teen) 100 (or 75 of) afterschool
  participants
• Behavior (behavior) will demonstrate six
  intermediate level dog show skills (as measured
  by an expert with checklist)
• Conditions (experience) as a result of
  completing training and practice
• Degree (time frame) in a 6 week 4-H pet show
  project.

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Criteria for Evaluating Objectives

• Specific focused the exact knowledge, attitude,
  skill, or aspirations to be changed
• Measurable capable of being quantified or
  described
• Achievable realistic given circumstances
• Relevant meaningful to people responsible for
  achieving them
• Time-bound set in a specific time frame with a
  definite reporting sequence and deadlines

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Timeline Chart the sequence of events,
  describing
• Activities
• Relevant objectives and evaluation outcomes
• Responsible partner(s)

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Evaluation What impact?
• Performance assessment
• Targets of assessment youth, families,
  communities
• Types of assessment attitudes, knowledge,
  behavior
• Levels of assessment Impact, Practices,
  Outcomes, Inputs (investments, capacities)

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Evaluation Was the project successful because of
  the program or in spite of it?
• Program quality evaluation
• Knowledge/Skill of program staff
• Environmental ratings (SACERS, etc.)
• Special Issues (curriculum quality, community
  needs assessment, parent involvement)

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Sustainability
• How can you keep a good thing going?
• Continuing and integrating project activities
• Replace grant funding with local support, fees,
  innovative grant projects
• Recruit organizations to invest in and support
  specific components of programming or provider
  training

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Dissemination
• How can you spread the news?
• Reporting on project to other professionals
• Replicate project in other settings
• Distribute materials or training to multiple
  sites

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Budget (check for allowable expenses, limits)
• Personnel Salaries, Wages, and Fringe
• Materials and Supplies
• Operating Services (mail, phone, online)
• Equipment
• Travel (site/off-site domestic/foreign)
• Other (consultants, stipends, facility rental)
• Indirect Costs (overhead)
• Matching (in kind or cash)

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Budget ExampleUSDA/National 4-H Council

• BUDGET
• ORGANIZATION AND ADDRESS AWARD NO.
• PROJECT DIRECTOR(S) DURATION (IN MONTHS)
• Funds Requested
• A. Salaries and Wages CSREES-FUNDED
• WORK MONTHS
• Calendar Academic Summer
•  1. No. Of Senior Personnel
•   a. (Co)-PD(s)) _____ _____ _____ _________
  ____________
•   b. Senior Associates _____ _____ _____ ____
  _________________
• 2. No. of Other Personnel
• a. Research Associates _____ _____ _____ __
  ____________________
•   b. Other Professionals _____ _____ _____ __
  ____________________
•  c. Paraprofessionals ______________________
  ____________________________
•   d. Graduate Students ______________________
  ____________________________
• e. Students ___________________________
  _______________________
•   f. Secretarial-Clerical __________________
  ________________________________
• g. Technical, Shop, Other _________________
  _________________________________
• Total Salaries and Wages _________________________
  _______________________________

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Budget ExampleUSDA/National 4-H Council

• D. Nonexpendable Equipment ______________________
  _________________________
• (Attach supporting data. List items and dollar
  amounts for each item.) 
• E. Materials and Supplies _______
• F. Travel
• G. Publication Costs/Page Charges _____
• H. Computer (ADPE) Costs
• I. Student Assistance/Support
• (Scholarships/fellowships, stipends/tuition,
  cost of education, etc. Attach list of items
  and dollar amounts for each item.) 
• J. All Other Costs
• (In budget narrative, list items and dollar
  amounts, and provide supporting data for each
  item.)
• K. Total Costs (C through J) _____
• L. Other  
• M. Total Amount of This Request ______
• NAME AND TITLE (Type or print), SIGNATURE
  (required forrevised budget only) DATE
• Project Director ____________ ______________ __
  _____
• Authorized Organizational Representative
  Signature (for optional use)  
• ____________ ______________ _______

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Appendices
• Detailed budget, narrative
• Letters of commitment from proposal partners
• Letters of support from target audience
  stakeholders (youth, families, community groups)

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Mastering Grant Proposals

• Appendices
• Detailed timeline
• Detailed staffing plan, with 2-page resumes and
  descriptions of collaborating organizations
• Detailed samples of activities, evaluations

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Rules of thumb for grantwriting

• Start early (develop a general template)
• Talk to the funder first and last
• Review past successful grant applications
• Follow directions, conditions, and limits
• Talk to collaborators first and last
• Stay focused and consistent with the purpose
• Set roles and timetables for completing the
  application

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Rules of thumb for grantwriting

• Write for reviewers (use knowledge base/
  organizational values avoid jargon, assumptions)
• Get commitments in writing and before submitting
• Identify responsibilities and timetables
• for each objective
• Proofread and coordinate final document
• Submit on time in form(s) requested

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The End--Thanks

• Take nothing for granted
• Success or rejection is your first step to a
  better program or proposal
• Ideas are more valuable than money