Guide to Identifying

1
Guide to Identifying Writing Grant Proposals

• Stacie D. Brockman
• Equal Employment Opportunity Officer
• Office of Justice Programs

2
Office of Justice Programs Overview

• What We Do
• OJP provides leadership and assistance in
  developing the nations capacity to
• Prevent and control crime,
• Improve the criminal and juvenile justice
  systems,
• Increase knowledge about crime and related
  issues, and
• Assist crime victims
• Provide training, and technical assistance to
  state, local, and non-profit organizations
  involved in any aspect of the administration of
  justice for all areas of public safety
• Administer and manage 7.8 billion (11,021
  grants) totaling in federal grants to state and
  local grant programs through various programs and
  initiatives

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Office of Justice Programs Overview

• The Office of Justice Programs is a component of
  the
• United States Department of Justice.
• The Office of Justice Programs also houses
• Bureau of Justice Statistics
• National Institute of Justice
• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
  Prevention
• Office for Victims of Crime
• Community Capacity Development Office
• Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement
  Education

4
Why Seek Funding?

• What Resources are Available?
• Private Corporations/Business/Foundations
• State Funding
• Federal Funding

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Why Seek Funding?
What Can Funding Help Me Accomplish?

• Plan Projects
• Implement Projects
• Enhance Projects
• Pilot Projects

• Evaluate Projects
• Augment Staff Capabilities
• Purchase Equipment

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Why Seek Funding?

• Good Reasons for Seeking Grants
• A sincere desire to solve the problem or address
  the issue involved
• A strong belief that your agency/organization is
  equipped to solve he problem or address the issue
  involved
• A conviction that your agency can resolve,
  mitigate, or reduce the problem.
• The Program Announcement or RFP conforms to your
  agencys mission.

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Why Seek Funding?

• Questionable Reasons for Seeking Grants
• Following the Money
• Obtaining Money for Applicant Agency
• Sustainability

8
Identifying Funding Sources

• Private Funding
• Distinctive Rules and Requirements
• Ties between Project Goals and Foundation
  Mission
• Shorter Proposals
• Credibility is Key
• May or May Not be Reviewed Competitively
• Think Community
• Utilize Partnerships

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Identifying Funding Sources

• Private Funding Sources
• Foundation Center http//fdncenter.org/
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• http//www.rwjf.org/index.jsp
• The Ford Foundation http//www.fordfound.org/
• The Pew Charitable Trust http//www.pewtrusts.c
  om/
• Annie E. Casey http//www.aecf.org/
• Corporate Philanthropy http//www.cals.ncsu.edu/
  foundation/corps.html

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Identifying Funding Sources

• State Funding Opportunities
• Funding from State Legislature, Specific to State
• Funding from Federal Formula Grants to States
• - Follows Federal Grant Guidelines
• - May Have Additional Requirements
• Funding from Local Organizations

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Identifying Funding Sources

• Federal Funding
• Understanding the Hows and Whys of Federal
  Funding
• Budget Appropriations Process Review
• Type of Funds Discretionary v. Formula
• Type of Award Grants v. Cooperative Agreements
• Earmarks

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Identifying Funding Sources

• Federal Funding Source Sites
• U.S. Government Portal (FirstGov)
  http//firstgov.gov/
• CFDA http//12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.html
• Grants.Gov http//www.grants.gov/
• Federal Register http//www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/ind
  ex.html
• Federal Agency Web Sites
• Independently-Operated Consortium Web Sites
  http//www.capitolcitypublishers.com/pubs/crime/

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Identifying Funding Resources

• WHEN IN DOUBT....
• GOOGLE IT

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Funding Resources Available Through OJP

• Two Main Categories
• Formula Grants
• Discretionary Grants

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Formula Grant Programs

• Provides funds to assist states and local
  governments
• States and local programming may address approved
  purpose areas
• Awards based upon predetermined formulas that may
  be based upon factors such as the crime rate,
  population or other factors
• May require cash match with nonfederal funds
• Maximum project periods
• Contact your State Agency for more information
  (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/state.htm)

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Types of Discretionary Grants

• Typically, funding totals 50-60 million
• Congressional Earmarks
• Sole Source Selection
• Limited and Open Competition
• Continuation Grants

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Writing Your Grant Proposal

• So Youve Developed Your Project and Your
  Partnerships..
• How Do You Write A Grant Proposal?

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Writing Your Grant Proposal
Principles of Effective Writing

• An Effective Writer Keeps These Elements in Mind
  at All Times
• Purpose
• Audience
• Message

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Writing Your Grant Proposal

• Principles of Clear Writing
• Keep Sentences Short
• Prefer the Simple to the Complex
• Use the Familiar
• Avoid Unnecessary Words
• Put Action in Your Verbs
• Write the Way You Talk
• Use Terms Your Reader Can Picture
• Tie in with Your Readers Experience
• Make Full Use of Variety
• Write To Express, Not to Impress

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Common Mishaps to Avoid

• Developing a proposal at the last minute
• Not developing and following an outline
• Focusing on what the funders want only
• Promising the moon
• Not adhering to established criteria of the RFP
  (statistics, timeframes, page numbers, MOUs,
  etc.)
• Not telling the story (history of problem,
  circumstances, etc.)

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If your application is not selected for funding?

• Request a copy of peer review comments
• Ask to become a peer reviewer
• Try, try again!

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Website and Contact Information

• Website www.ojp.usdoj.gov
• Stacie D. Brockman
• US Department of Justice
• Office of Justice Programs
  
• [phone]
• email Stacie.Brockman_at_ojp.usdoj.gov