Writing a Grant Proposal Easily!
TIPS Do your homework Proof and reread. Ask someone else (including us!) to read your proposal Make it sexy and exciting (stories help a lot) Use their format, and language (ie: review the guidelines and funding priorities for ―hot phrases‖) Use numbers – quantify what you can Focus on results, and quantify with numbers whenever possible COMMONLY GRANT CATEGORIES Summary/Executive Summary What is the core of your proposal or project? Describe it concisely and paint a brief picture of what you plan to do. 1-2 sentences is all. Statement of Need/Justification: WHY are you doing this? What problem are you solving? What issue/s are you addressing and how will funding help address the issue? Funders want to support projects that address real needs, and have the capacity to make a real difference. This is a great place to make a reference to specific research findings, statistics, or to include demographics of your school population. Goals & Objectives: WHAT are you going to do? What do you hope to accomplish? This is your chance to describe the outcomes of the project. Be specific and use quantifiable results whenever possible. Project Description: HOW are you going to do this? Describe your project – methods and implementation strategies. For many of the ―teacher focused‖ grants, such as the ones we have recommended, this is where you will simply describe what you want to do with the funds—what is the project and how will the funds support it? Organizational or Key Personnel / Partnerships: WHO will do all this? Describe the primary roles and qualifications of the organization or indicivuals involved. It you have partnerships or collaborators, talk about them. Funders love to see collaboration. Calendar/Timetable: WHEN will the project take place? Outline—or breakdown by month, more or less—the milestones leading up to the project, the month of implementation of project, and the follow up reflection and evaluation. Evaluation and Assessment: HOW will you know if you were successful? Don’t get overwhelmed with this question. Keep it simple. Look back at your specific goals and objectives. What kinds of tools will you use to assess how well you have met them? Budget: HOW MUCH? Where is the funder’s money going? If the funder lists specific categories, use them. Show in-kind contributions as well, whenever possible. Letters of Commitment Letters of commitment (more than letters of support) really strengthen a proposal. If you need one from us, don’t hesitate to ask! Get them from other partners as well, whenever possible.
FrontRange Earth Force August 2005 Derived from CAEE presentation and EPA EE guidelines.