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SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LEE COUNTY
GRANT
PROPOSAL
DEVELOPMENT
HANDBOOK
FY09
Revised April 2009
DIVISION OF ACADEMICS
DEPARTMENT OF GRANTS & PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEVELOPING A GRANT PROPOSAL
How to learn the formal rules of grant work........................................................................4
How to find a grant opportunity...........................................................................................5
How to write a grant proposal..............................................................................................6
How to prepare a grant budget.............................................................................................7
How to calculate indirect costs ..........................................................................................10
How to prepare a compliance checklist .............................................................................12
How to submit a grant proposal .........................................................................................13
Where to get help ...............................................................................................................15
REFERENCES
Board Policy 3.10...............................................................................................................17
District Budget Documents................................................................................................17
District Strategic Plan 2006-2010......................................................................................17
District Salary Schedules ...................................................................................................17
District Job Descriptions....................................................................................................17
U.S. Department of Education Grant Forms......................................................................17
Florida Department of Education Grant Forms .................................................................17
Grant Budgeting Guide ......................................................................................................18
Commonly-Used Function Codes......................................................................................19
Commonly-Used Object Codes .........................................................................................20
Grant proposal writing training resources..........................................................................22
FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do I have to submit my grant proposal for review? ..................................................24
Do grant proposals from public charter schools have to be submitted for review?...........24
What happens if I don’t submit my grant proposal for review? ........................................24
Why do some grants proposals need board approval?.......................................................25
May I mail my own grant proposal? ..................................................................................25
May I buy whatever I want to buy with grant funds? ........................................................25
May I decide what to pay people? .....................................................................................26
Why do I have to write my own grant proposal?...............................................................26
Can I get a grant to pay for my own education? ................................................................26
Can I get paid for writing a grant proposal? ......................................................................26
Can I include personal items in my grant proposal budget?..............................................26
A vendor wants to help write our grant proposal. Is this okay? ........................................27
Is this a grant or a donation? ..............................................................................................28
DEVELOPING A
GRANT PROPOSAL
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 3 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
How To Learn The Formal
Rules of Grant Work
AUTHORITATIVE DOCUMENT APPLICABILITY
School Board of Lee County Policy 3.10
All grant proposals must comply with School Board of Lee All grants
County Policy 3.10.
The Red Book
District grant budgets will be prepared according to a document
known as the Financial and Program Cost Accounting and
Reporting for Florida Schools. This is more commonly referred to All grants
as the “Red Book” after the customary color of the cover of its
paper edition. This document contains complete definitions of all
accounting and reporting codes and definitions.
The Green Book
All federal grants
Federal and state grants will also be governed by the provisions of
a document known as Project Application and Amendment
&
Procedures for Federal and State Grant Programs. This is more
commonly referred to as the “Green Book” after the customary
All federal-
color of the cover of its paper edition. This document contains a
through-state
number of procedures, forms, definitions, and codes related to
grants
grant applications and amendments.
All federal grants
EDGAR
Provisions of Title 34 Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 74-86
&
and 97-99 are presented by the U.S. Department of Education as
the Education Department General Administrative Regulations, or
All federal-
EDGAR. This document outlines general provisions for seeking
through-state
and managing federal grants.
grants
OMB Circulars All federal grants
The District is bound by the regulations in three circulars
published by the Office of Management and Budget in the &
Executive Office of the President:
Circular A-87 applies to cost principles All federal-
Circular A-102 applies to administrative requirements through-state
Circular A-133 applies to audit requirements. grants
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 4 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
How To Find A Grant Opportunity
The first and best place to look for grant funding opportunities is the District Grant
Notices page at http://www.leeschools.net/dept/gpd/notices.htm.
This page provides a quick and easy overview of a few of the many grant funding
opportunities currently available. These grants have been selected based on district needs,
district eligibility, consistency with Board policy and goals, and interest to educators.
This page is updated frequently, so please check back every so often to see what new
opportunities are available.
If a suitable grant program is not found on this page, consider continuing the search on-
line. There are a growing number of Web sites that are intended to be clearinghouses for
grant opportunities, but, like everything else on the Web, some sites are quite useless and
some are quite helpful.
If a suitable grant program is still not found, then more extensive research is necessary.
The Department of Grants and Program Development maintains a self-contained grant
research center, featuring computer access to comprehensive, searchable databases of
funding resources and current editions of major educational grant publications and
reference guides. To reserve research time, please contact the Department of Grants and
Program Development at 239.337.8115.
When a grant opportunity is found, contact the Deparment of Grants and Program
Development before beginning to write to obtain authorization to apply and to make
the necessary submission arrangements. Be sure to review the District grant procedures at
http://www.leeschools.net/dept/gpd/process.htm.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 5 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
How To Write A Grant Proposal
1. Notify the Department of Grants and Program before beginning to write. You
will need to obtain authorization to apply from the Director. This step is extremely
important, because it helps avoid unnecessary internal competition when multiple
schools or departments wish to seek the same grant. This step also allows you to
determine when your proposal is due for internal review.
2. Articulate a clear need. What is wrong, or what is missing, or what is needed in the
given circumstance?
3. Be essential. Make sure that the only way to address the need is a grant, and that
other kinds of funding are not available for the proposed project.
4. Make sense. Find a grant opportunity that matches the identified need, the kind of
activities being considered, and the capacity of the individuals and organizations
involved to actually carry out those activities.
5. Think strategically. Get approval up front from the key people who will be
receiving, administering, monitoring, or evaluating the grant project. Look for ways
to align with existing initiatives, and to support overall school and district goals.
6. Understand the rules. Read the grantor's guidelines and instructions carefully,
thoroughly, and frequently. It is surprising how many would-be grant writers never
really do this.
7. Be creative. Most grantors have no interest in funding basic operating or
administrative expenses. Instead, they are hoping to help create something new,
something novel, something wonderful.
8. Be accountable. It is essential to have a realistic budget and meaningful evaluation
plan. Grantors want to know if the projects they fund are successful, and so should
grant writers and grant administrators.
9. Be smart. When appropriate, briefly cite the research that supports the activities
being proposed. (Some grant competitions require this.) Generally, it is not necessary
to include lengthy direct quotes—instead, just make an embedded reference to the
findings that clearly support the proposed activities.
10. Edit, edit, edit. Proofread, proofread, proofread. Then do it again.
Tip: Always create all parts of your proposal in electronic format, and
always, always, always keep an up-to-date back up of all parts of your
proposal as you work on it. Remember that all hard drives will fail
eventually…including the one where your proposal is stored.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 6 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
How To Prepare A Grant Budget
Grant budget proposals are estimates, and should be prepared as such. Making a budget
estimate is both an art and a science, and grant writers should take special care to make
budget proposals as accurate as possible. Doing so will improve the competitiveness of
the proposal, and also make it much easier to administer the grant and expend the funds
most appropriately.
Each grant will have its own budget requirements and usually its own grant forms. Most
all grant proposals, however, will include cost categories such as those shown below:
DIRECT COSTS
Most grant proposals include budgeted expenses for salaries, purchased services,
materials and supplies, capital outlay, and other expenses. Certain very specific
expenditure planning protocols apply to state and federal grants, but the following
information may be considered a general guide.
For assistance with a particular state or federal grant, contact the Department of Grants
and Program Development.
Salaries
Use a reasonable basis for all calculations. It’s better to overestimate than underestimate,
but the goal is to be as precise as possible. “Padding” a grant with amounts you don’t
really need is unethical and counterproductive.
When a new position is written into a grant, it is acceptable to use a salary basis taken
from the midpoint of the salary schedule for that position. Salary schedules are available
online from the Division of Human Resources.
However, if the position in question has specific requirements (such a certain number of
years of experience or a certain type of academic credential) it may be more appropriate
to use the adopted salary schedule and calculate the cost a successful applicant might
generate by considering whatever pay grades, steps, and supplements may apply.
Through either method, a base annual salary can be determined. This is the value to use
in calculating the base cost of this position in the grant budget.
Benefits
Employee benefit costs change from year to year, and often range from sixteen to
nineteen percent of the base salary. Current costs are available from the Department of
Grants and Program Development.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 7 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
Generally, however, you will need to allow for retirement contributions, Social Security
contributions, worker’s compensation, unemployment compensation, and group health
insurance.
Supplemental Contracts
When considering the costs of supplemental contracts, several factors need to be
considered, including the hourly rate and the costs of benefits.
For TALC employees participating in voluntary training, staff development hourly rates
apply. These rates are available from the Department of Staff Development.
For employees who are performing the essential functions of their job after hours (such as
a custodian cleaning up after a grant activity or a teacher writing lesson plans), the hourly
rate is determined by the appropriate association agreement. SPALC employees, for
example would be eligible for overtime pay in some circumstances. For assistance,
contact the Department of Grants and Program Development.
Purchased Services
Purchased services generally include expenses for personal services rendered by
personnel who are not on the payroll of the District school board, and other services
which the Board may purchase. Examples of this kind of expense include:
The services of persons with professional skills and knowledge such as architects,
engineers, auditors, dentists, medical doctors, and lawyers;
Travel costs such as for transportation, meals, hotel, registration fees, and other
expenses associated with traveling on business for the district;
The costs of contracts and agreements covering the upkeep of grounds, buildings
and equipment;
Expenditures for leasing or renting land, buildings, films, and equipment for both
temporary and long-range use of the district;
Expenditures to provide communication services such as telephone service and
postage;
The costs of providing water, sewage, and garbage collection services;
Miscellaneous costs for services provided by persons with specialized technical
skills such as printing, binding, reproduction, and pest control.
Materials and Supplies
This category includes amounts paid for items of an expendable nature that are
consumed, worn out, or deteriorated in use, or items that lose their identity through
fabrication or incorporation into different or more complex units or substances. Examples
include:
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 8 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
Expenditures for consumable supplies for the operation of a school system,
including freight and cartage, expenditures for instructional, custodial, and
maintenance supplies, etc.
Expenditures for textbooks furnished free by districts, including freight;
Expenditures for periodicals and newspapers ordered for the media center.
Capital Outlay
This category includes expenditures for the acquisition of fixed assets or additions of
fixed assets. These are expenditures for land or existing buildings, improvements of
grounds, construction of buildings, additions to buildings, remodeling of buildings, initial
equipment, and additional equipment. Note that capitalized and non-capitalized
equipment, fixtures, and furnishings are included in this category.
Other Expenses
This category Amounts paid for goods and services not otherwise classified above. The
most common use if this category in education grants is the inclusion of indirect costs.
INDIRECT COSTS
Indirect costs are those costs which are necessary to conduct the grant program, but which are
difficult to assign directly and specifically to the grant project itself. For example, the cost of
heating and cooling a classroom in which a grant activity occurs is a true cost, but it is
difficult to say how much of a single month’s utility bill should really be assigned to the
grant project. There are many other such costs, such as accounting, bookkeeping, custodial
services, electricity, Internet services, inventory control, maintenance services, personnel
services, and purchasing.
In order to work around the difficulty thus posed, the district enters into an annual negotiation
with the U.S. Department of Education. This negotiation considers many factors, and it
results in an approved indirect cost rate. This is a small percentage (typically 3% or so) that
the District is authorized to charge to the overall grant project in order to help defray these
indirect costs.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 9 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
How To Calculate Indirect Costs
For Grants In Which The Final Budget Amount Is Predetermined
Indirect costs are “backed out” of grant totals that are predetermined.
First, make sure that the grant funding agency permits indirect costs rate. If so, proceed as
follows:
Obtain the current correct indirect cost rate from the Department of Grants and Program
Development or the Department of Financial Accounting.
The formula for determining the maximum allowable indirect cost is as follows:
(Total Grant Amount – Capital Outlay) * (Indirect Cost Rate) Maximum
= Indirect
1 + Indirect Cost Rate Cost
Example
Assume that a formula grant has a predetermined amount of $125,000.00, and $25,000.00
has been set aside for capital outlay. Assume that the federal indirect rate is 2.9%.
Apply the formula as follows:
($125,000 – $25,000) * (0.029)
= $2,818.27
1.029
Tip: Always use a spreadsheet to calculate your budget. If you use
Excel, be sure to select “precision as displayed” in the calculation
options, and limit all calculations to either cents or dollars.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 10 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
For Grants In Which The Final Budget Amount Is Not Predetermined
Always use a spreadsheet to prepare a grant budget.
Indirect costs are added to grant totals when the final amount is not predetermined.
First, make sure that the grant funding agency permits indirect costs rate. If so, proceed as
follows:
Obtain the current correct indirect cost rate from the Department of Grants and Program
Development or the Department of Financial Accounting.
Subtract all capital outlay amounts from the budget total (these are identified by object
codes beginning with “6”).
Multiply the remainder by the decimal amount of the indirect cost rate. For example, if
the indirect cost rate is 2.9 percent, then multiply the remainder by .029. The result will
be the amount of indirect costs to be added to the grant total.
Example
Assume that a proposed grant budget comes to $95,000.00, including $12,500.00 for
capital outlay.
Grant amount ............................................................................. $95,000.00
Subtract capital outlay ...............................................................- $12,500.00
[Remainder] ............................................................................... $82,500.00
Multiply the remainder by the decimal of the indirect cost rate ..................* .029
[Product]......................................................................................$2,392.50
Grant amount before adding indirect costs ...................................... $95,000.00
Indirect costs ............................................................................ + $2,392.50
Total amount of proposed grant budget .......................................... $97,392.50
Tip: Use a spreadsheet to calculate your budget. If you use Excel, be
sure to select “precision as displayed” in the calculation options, and
limit all calculations to either cents or dollars.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 11 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
How To Prepare A Compliance Checklist
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST
For Grant-Funded Personnel Positions
Use this line to describe the position title used in the grant proposal.
It is preferable that this match the actual job description title that we
Grant Contact Person: use in the District, but there are circumstances where it may be
Date: different.
Grant Funding Agency/Grantor:
Grant Title:
Enter the actual job description title that
Position Title in Grant: we use in the District. Be very precise and
use only the official job title.
Job Description Title:
Job Description Number:
Use only the official job description number.
POSITION CATEGORY POSITION STATUS
Instructional (TALC Agreement) Full-time
Support (SPALC Agreement) Part-time
Professional/Technical/Supervisory Hourly
Administrative Supplemental Contract
A “no” in any of these boxes means that the Be very brief but very precise in these
position will deviate from our association sections.
help determine if not usually personnel
To contracts. This is the specific approved. position is in accordance with the appropriate Bargaining Unit
Agreement, please respond to each of the following items:
SUBJECT RESPONSE EXPLANATION OF RECOMMENDATION
If no, please specify additional proposed
Job Description Yes No responsibilities.*
Specify proposed work year.
Work Year Yes No
Specify proposed work day.
Work Day Yes No
Specify proposed compensation (pay grade).
Compensation Yes No
Specify proposed benefits.
Benefits Yes No
Specify proposed rate and justification.
Supplemental Contract Yes No
*This is a new proposed job description. Non-compliance with an existing SDLC Job Description
Proposing a new job approval. Please
requires the development of a new job description, a review process, and Board description is
attach your draft of the job description for the proposed new position. time-consuming and
extremely
strongly discouraged unless absolutely
Other unique conditions apply, as follows: necessary. Please contact us early for
assistance in this area.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 12 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
How To Submit A Grant Proposal
All grant proposals and formal grant budget amendments must be submitted by the
contact person to the Department of Grants and Program Development for review and
routing for District approval prior to being submitted to the funder. (This requirement
applies to all district and school-based grants, including all competitive, discretionary,
and entitlement grants, except as noted in "Special Procedures" below.)
Grant proposals should be submitted for review in complete and final form no less than
ten working days prior to the mailing date. (The mailing date will usually be the last
business day before the funder's deadline date.)
At the time the grant proposal is submitted to the Department of Grants and Program
Development, the contact person will provide documentation explaining how the
proposal furthers the District Strategic Plan for 2006-2010.
The Department of Grants and Program Development will then review the proposal to
determine which District officials must be consulted about the grant proposal to ensure
that the proposal is consistent with District and Board policies, regulations, and contracts.
The Department of Grants and Program Development will also determine whether or nor
Board approval is required.
If Board approval is required, then the contract person will provide a project abstract and
a budget summary. (This is information is usually included in grant proposals.) This
information will be used by the Department of Grants and Program Development to
prepare the Board meeting agenda item.
If the grant does require Board approval, then the Department of Grants and Program
Development will schedule the grant for consideration by the Board and notify the
contact person of the assigned date. The budget administrator and/or the contact person
for the proposed grant program must attend the Board meeting in case there are specific
questions from the Board.
If the grant proposal includes plans to pay salary or supplemental pay to any TALC or
SPALC employee, the contract person will need to submit a completed Collective
Bargaining Compliance Checklist for further review.
All grants must provide full funding for all aspects of project implementation. The
District does not provide cash to match grants, although in-kind services are permitted.
All grants must complete the District approval process, and, if necessary the Board
approval process, prior to implementation and prior to any expenditure of funds.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 13 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
Special Procedures
Grant proposals of less than $750.00 submitted to certain local funding sources whose
own guidelines match those of the District, and for which all awarded funds will be
expended at a single school may be approved by that school's principal on behalf of the
District and submitted directly to the funder without further prior review. However,
photocopies of these grant proposals and the written approval of the principal must be
provided to the Department of Grants and Program Development no later than five
working days after the grant submission deadline. Failure to provide photocopies of these
grant proposals and documentation of approval in a timely manner may result in denial of
District approval and may result in loss of funding.
At this time, these special procedures apply only to the following grant programs:
The Mini-Grant Program of the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc.
The Education Grants Program of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce
For further information, consult Administrative Regulation 3.20 or contact the
Department of Grants and Program Development.
Tip: By far the best thing you can do to ensure the success of your
proposal is to communicate fully and frequently with our department.
The earlier you contact us, the more help we can be. We’re always
ready to help!
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 14 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
Where To Get Help
Proposal Development
DEPARTMENT OF GRANTS & PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
http://www.leeschools.net/dept/gpd/
J.F. “Jeff” McCullers
Director, Grants & Program Development ...................................................................337.8115
Terri Kinsey
Coordinator, Grants Development ............................................................................... 335-1434
JoAnn Moody
Department Secretary (Submissions and Tracking)......................................................337.8115
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
http://www.leeschools.net/dept/fa/
Greta Malaise
Senior Accountant, Federal Grants .............................................................................. 337-8225
Data Resources
DEPARTMENT OF EVALUATION, TESTING, & RESEARCH
School and district demographic and achievement data
http://www.leeschools.net/dept/plan/
DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCES & EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
Employee association agreements, salary schedules, and job descriptions
http://www.leeschools.net/dept/hr/
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT
Hardware and software bids, pricing, and ordering information (intranet only)
http://supportweb/ordering/Welcome.htm
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 15 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
REFERENCES
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 16 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
LINKS TO KEY REFERENCES
Florida Department of Education Grant Forms These forms are for use in all state
grant proposals and all federal-through-states grant proposals.
School Board of Lee County Policies These official documents constitute the formal
governance of the School District. Grants often entail some new or different activity, so
grant administrators may need to refer to official policy to ensure compliance.
School District of Lee County Academic Plans These documents provide official
outlines of subject areas and courses taught in the District. They can provide critical
information in developing proposals, planning professional development, evaluating
student achievement, and targeting student populations.
School District of Lee County Enrollment Data These reports show student enrollment
in a variety of formats. This information is useful in proposal development, operational
planning and implementation, and in evaluation.
School District of Lee County Job Descriptions These job descriptions are the legal
and contractual definitions of the duties of all District positions. Use these job
descriptions to determine which position is most appropriate for a new grant-funded
employee.
School District of Lee County Salary Schedules The schedules provide hourly or daily
rates of pay for all existing positions. Use the schedules to estimate salary costs.
School District of Lee County Strategic Plan 2006-2010 (50 pages) This document
explains the Districts goals, objectives, and major initiatives for the next several years.
All grant projects are expected to support this plan.
U.S. Department of Education Grant Forms These forms are to be used only for direct
federal grant proposals submitted to the U.S. Department of Education. These forms are
not be used with any other federal agency.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 17 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
2008-2008 GRANT BUDGETING GUIDE
STANDARD BENEFIT RATES
Object Description Percentage Rate Decimal Factor
210.00 Retirement (Regular)A 9.85% .0985
210.00 Retirement (DROP)A 10.91% .1091
220.00 Social SecurityA 7.65% .0765
230.00 Group Insurance (See below) (See below)
240.00 Worker’s CompensationB 1.55% .0155
250.00 Unemployment CompensationB 0.06% .0006
A
SOURCE: Ron Frazer, Director, Department of Payroll
B
Susan Strong, Director, Department of Insurance & Benefits Management
GROUP INSURANCE RATES (regular employees; 30 hours/week or more)
Object Description Annual Cost
Group Health Insurance $6,372.00
Group Life Insurance $65.76
230.00 Annual group insurance cost per employee $6,437.76
SOURCE: Susan Strong, Director, Department of Insurance & Benefits Management
FEDERAL INDIRECT COST RATE (applied to federal and federal-through-state grants
only)
Object Description Percentage Rate Decimal Factor
790.00 Indirect costs 3.65% .0365
SOURCE: Greta Campbell, Director, Department of Financial Accounting & Property
Management
STAFF DEVELOPMENT RATE (For teachers in voluntary off-contract training only. For
all other SDC rates, see CSDC policies and procedures.)
Object Description Rate and Unit
$15 per hour of training
311.00 Training stipends Add 7.65% for FICA (Social Security
and Medicaid) in 311.00
SOURCE: Vicki Stockman, Director, Curriculum & Staff Development Center
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 18 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
TRAVEL RATES (Restrictions apply. See Board Policy 6.01)
Description Rate and Unit
Mileage $0.50 per mile
Breakfast when traveling on District
$10.00 per qualifying meal
business
Lunch when traveling on District business $14.00 per qualifying meal
Dinner when traveling on District business $25.00 per qualifying meal
SOURCE: Greta Campbell, Director, Department of Financial Accounting & Property
Management
OTHER RATES
Description Rate and Unit
$98 per dayA
Substitute Teacher Add 1.45% for FICA
(Medicare only) in 220.00
School bus for in-county, same-day field $30 per hour and $1.00 per mileB
trip
In-kind value of volunteer services $18.77 per hourC
A
SOURCE: Ron Frazer, Director, Department of Financial Accounting & Property
Management
B
Jack Shelton, Executive Director, Department of Transportation
C
Independent Sector
(http://www.independentsector.org/programs/research/volunteer_time.html)
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 19 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
Commonly-Used Function Codes
Instruction
FUNCTION DESCRIPTION
5100 Basic Education K-12
5101 Basic Education K-3
5102 Basic Education 4-8
5103 Basic Education 9-12
5115 Alternative Education
5120 Dropout Prevention
5131 ESOL K-3
5132 ESOL 4-8
5133 ESOL 9-12
5200 Exceptional Student Education
5300 Vocational Technical Education
5400 Adult General Education
Instructional Support Services
FUNCTION DESCRIPTION
6100 Pupil Personnel Services
6150 Parental Involvement
6300 Instruction And Curriculum Development Services
6400 Instructional Staff Training Services
Tip: These codes are provided for a general reference. When preparing
your actual budget proposals, always consult the current Budget Manual
from the Department of Budget. This manual includes extensive
information about all aspects of budgeting, including detailed
information on how to choose the correct codes.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 20 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
Commonly-Used Object Codes
100 Codes Salaries
STATE DISTRICT
RED BOOK INTERNAL DESCRIPTION
CODE CODE
160 115 Bookkeeper
160 124 Clerk Typist
110 127 Coordinator
110 133 Director
150 144 Helping Teacher
130 145 Occupational/Physical Therapist
160 161 Secretary (SPALC)
120 169 Teacher
150 170 Education Paraprofessional
200 Codes Employee Benefits
STATE DISTRICT
RED BOOK INTERNAL DESCRIPTION
CODE CODE
210 210 Retirement
220 220 Social Security
230 230 Group Insurance
240 240 Worker’s Compensation
250 250 Unemployment Compensation
290 290 Other Employee Benefits
Tip: Note that in some cases the District’s internal object codes may
vary from the state’s Red Book codes. Most state program offices will
require you to use Red Book object codes when submitting your
proposed grant budgets, so you should use Red Book codes for this
purpose.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 21 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
300 Codes Purchased Services
STATE DISTRICT
RED BOOK INTERNAL DESCRIPTION
CODE CODE
310 310 Professional and Technical Services
310 311 Professional and Technical Services (Supplemental Contracts)
320 329 Other Purchased Insurance
330 330 In County Travel
330 331 Out Of County Travel
370 370 Communications
370 371 Postage
390 390 Other Purchased Services
390 391 Other Purchased Services (Supplemental Contracts)
500 Codes Materials and Supplies
STATE DISTRICT
RED BOOK INTERNAL DESCRIPTION
CODE CODE
510 510 Supplies
590 590 Other Materials and Supplies
600 Codes Capital Outlay
STATE DISTRICT
RED BOOK INTERNAL DESCRIPTION
CODE CODE
610 610 Library Books
621 621 Audio-Visual Materials (Capitalized)
622 622 Audio-Visual Materials (Non-Capitalized)
641 641 Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (Capitalized)
642 642 Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (Non-Capitalized)
643 643 Computer Hardware (Capitalized)
644 644 Computer Hardware (Non-Capitalized)
691 691 Software (Capitalized)
692 692 Software (Non Capitalized)
700 Codes Other Expenses
STATE DISTRICT
RED BOOK INTERNAL DESCRIPTION
CODE CODE
730 731 Memberships
730 732 Dues and Fees
750 750 Other Personal Services (including substitute teachers)
790 791 Indirect Costs
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 22 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
GRANT PROPOSAL WRITING
TRAINING RESOURCES
Because of the immense amount of high-quality information available on the World Wide
Web and increasing demands on teacher professional development time, the Department
of Grants and Program Development no longer provides formal training in grant proposal
writing. However, proposal writing training, guidance, and assistance is available to
individuals, to school or department teams, and to community partners on an as-needed
basis. Contact Terri Kinsey at 335-1434 for more information.
Some of the better online resources for grant proposal writing training include:
The Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/shortcourse/index.html
One of the very best short-courses in how to write proposals for foundations available
anywhere. It is freely available and it is highly-recommended.
Grantproposal.com
http://www.grantproposal.com/
Another free and high-quality short-course in writing proposals for foundations, written
from the point of view of an experienced and successful practitioner.
Grant Writing Tips
http://www.k12grants.org/tips.htm
A variety of easy-to-read grant tips suitable for first-time grant proposal writers.
Grantmaking at ED
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/about/grantmaking/index.html
A comprehensive overview of the federal education grant process, written in a thorough
Q&A format. This is especially helpful for proposal writers preparing for their first
federal or federal-through-state proposal.
Florida Department of Education Grants Training and Technical Assistance
http://www.fldoe.org/grants/gtd/ttap.asp
Good training documents, handbooks, and how-to guides..
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 23 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 24 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do I have to submit my grant proposal for review?
There are three major reasons for requiring a grant proposal review:
First, the School Board is responsible for setting all educational and operational
policies and regulations for the school district, and the Superintendent and district
administrators are responsible for carrying them out. In the normal course of
events, reviews of these policies and their implementation plans are included in
the District’s regular calendar. However, grant projects almost always involve sort
of important change in educational programs, staffing, or school or district
operations—in fact, many grant projects involve all of these things. Because of
this, the School Board and Superintendent require a formal review to make sure
than any proposed changes are acceptable.
Second, the review process provides an opportunity to make your proposal more
competitive. Department staff are highly-experience grant professionals who can
quickly detect—and often correct--a fatal flaw in an otherwise good proposal.
Third, the review process improves the actual implementation of the grant project
because key operational issues are resolved ahead of time. The review process
includes the full gamut of district staff members whose support will be required
once you begin your grant project—the review process allows them to know
about your plans, and to advise you of any issues or changes well in advance.
Do grant proposals from public charter schools have to be submitted for review?
Yes. All grant proposals from all district department and schools (including public
charter schools and special centers) must be reviewed prior to submission to the
funder. However, reviews for charter schools are significantly less restrictive than
for non-charter schools.
What happens if I don’t submit my grant proposal for review?
If the proposal is submitted for review after the District’s internal deadline of ten
working days before the mailing deadline, then the proposal will be assigned for
review but will receive lowest priority. (Grant proposals that were submitted on
time will receive first priority.) The Department will attempt to conduct a minimal
budget review in whatever time is remaining before the grant deadline, but will
probably not have time to complete the full review. Any deficiencies in the
proposal will probably not be discovered, and may negatively affect funding.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 25 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
If the proposal is submitted to the funder prior to being submitted for District
review, or of the proposal is never submitted for District review, then
consequences may vary depending on the specific circumstances of the case.
In every case, the proposal will be reviewed, and any required changes will have
to be submitted to the funder for their review. It possible that grant funds obtained
without approval may have to be returned to the funder. If the failure to submit
the proposal was a knowing and deliberate violation of Board Policy 3.10, then
other consequences (possibly including employee disciplinary procedures or
impact on employee assessment procedures) may be recommended.
Why do some grants proposals need board approval?
The School Board has assigned some of its oversight responsibility to the
Superintendent and to designated staff. However, Board Policy 3.10 establishes
that the School Board needs to separately review, consider, and approve grant
proposals that are larger or more complex.
Generally, any grant proposal that may be awarded $50,000 or more must be
separately approved by the School Board. Other grants may also need specific
approval.
May I mail my own grant proposal?
Technically, the answer is yes: if your proposal has been reviewed and approved,
you can do the actual mailing (or electronic submittal) yourself, but there are
many reasons you shouldn’t do so.
Your proposal is in good hands: the Department of Grants & Program
Development has submitted thousands and thousands of grant proposals and never
once missed a single deadline.
May I buy whatever I want to buy with grant funds?
No. Purchases made with grant funds are highly-controlled and are limited only to
expenses that were fully described in the grant proposal. All purchases made with
grant funds are fully subject to all federal, state, and district purchasing
requirements, including all limitations on travel, purchase orders, computer
hardware specifications, and quotation and bidding requirements.
In fact, of all the kinds of funds available to school districts, grant funds are
usually the most complicated to use.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 26 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
May I decide what to pay people?
No. All personnel costs assigned to grant projects are covered by at least two sets
of limitations: those set by the funder and those established by the School Board.
Grant projects may only compensate employees at official District rates—no more
and no less.
Why do I have to write my own grant proposal?
Actually, you don’t have to write your own proposal in most cases. The
Department of Grants & Program Development is happy to help. If you contact us
too late in the development timeline, however, our ability to help will be very
limited.
Can I get a grant to pay for my own education?
Possibly. The Department of Grants & Program Development has no
responsibility, authority, or information related to grants to individuals, however.
Please contact the financial aid office of your college or university, or consult the
Florida Department of Education’s financial resources page at
http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/osfahomepg.htm
Can I get paid for writing a grant proposal?
Generally, no. There are usually a number of legal, ethical, and professional
restrictions against this, but there may be exceptions. Consult the Department of
Grants & Program Development for more detailed information.
Can I include items such as food, recognition, awards, clothing (such as t-shirts for
field trip safety), or personal items (such as toothbrushes) in my grant proposal
budget?
Probably not. These kinds of purchases are subject to many laws, regulations, and
policies and thus require very detailed scrutiny. These kinds of expenses may not
be permitted even if the funder is willing to provide them. Consult with the
Department of Grants & Program Development as early as possible to discuss
these kinds of items.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 27 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
A vendor wants to help write our grant proposal. Is this okay?
This is a difficult question to answer, so please consider this entire reply carefully.
First, the use of vendor-written grant proposals approaches the periphery of
ethical professional conduct. To honor the basic concepts of grant giving, each
school or department should be in charge of its own proposals, and each grant
proposal should arise from some actual educational need. There are many talented
grant proposal writers who now work for vendors, and there may be some limited
circumstances when it would be helpful to have to such a person assist a school in
preparing those portions of a proposal that were closely linked to the particulars
of a service or product—so long as the school and the community partner are in
charge of the overall proposal, not the vendor.
Second, vendor-written grant proposals are rarely as competitive as proposals that
are crafted by a District expert. In a large competition, grant reviewers can easily
become fatigued by reading hundreds of "canned" proposals, and the scores
usually show it.
Third, the vendor is in the business of earning money, which is a fine and
honorable thing. Schools are in the business of helping kids learn. Sometimes
these two concerns work together in wonderful harmony and sometimes they
don't. It's important that grant proposals not show any conflict of interest in this
area.
Fourth, letting a vendor write a school's grant proposal does not build capacity for
that school’s staff. The District's successful grant writing model is based on the
idea that each school either has at least one experienced grant proposal writer on
staff or is one phone call away from one (Terri Kinsey at 335-1434). This helps
ensure that each of our proposals are uniquely suited to the kids being served.
Grant writing is an important professional skill that is best learned by practice, not
by observation.
Fifth, schools and departments often consider vendor-assisted proposals as the
submission deadline gets closer and closer. Although most vendors will put
together a long-shot proposal, it important to understand that a truly competitive
proposal takes a long time to develop because of all of the partnerships,
agreements, negotiating, and collaboration between the school, the district, and
the various participating community agencies and organizations. Half-hearted or
last-minute proposals aren't even in the running, and only serve to slow down the
process and waste the time of a lot of people paid from taxpayer money.
Sixth, letting the vendor do the heavy lifting on grant projects isn't the ideal
partnership structure. The District, the school (and, when appropriate, the
community partner) should be in charge, not a vendor.
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 28 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
What is the difference between a grant and a donation?
It’s a grant if It’s a donation if
ANY ALL
of these are true: of these are true:
There is no formal request
for funding, or the request
There is a written request or
Request Format clearly seeks non-restricted
proposals for funding.
donations instead of grant
funds.
The funder describes the The donor describes the
Reference funds as a “grant” in any funds as a “gift” or a
way or circumstance. “donation.”
The funder requests a report
Reporting or description of what was
done with the funds.
The funder expects or
The funder doesn’t care if
Recovery requests that unspent funds
you spend the money or not.
be returned.
The funder requires or
The donor permits funds to
expects that funds are to be
be used for any District-
Restrictions used for specific purposes
authorized purpose without
and/or according to specific
any restriction on time.
timelines.
Accountability is determined
Accountability is determined
by District regulations and
Accountability solely by District
by grantor requirements
regulations.
and/or agreements.
The funder is a government
or public agency, a public-
Sources of
private partnership, or other
Funding
entity that receives or
administers public funds.
The funder requires
Additional
matching funds or in-kind
Obligations
expenditures
Grant Proposal Development Handbook FY09 29 Revised April 2009
Department of Grants & Program Development
