© 2010 Institute of Strategic Funding Development, LLC. All rights reserved. July 2012 ...

© 2010 Institute of Strategic Funding Development, LLC. All rights reserved.

July 2012www.isfdonline.com

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© 2010 Institute of Strategic Funding Development, LLC. All rights reserved. 2

Tom SantPersuasive Business Proposals

“The proposal is written to persuade.”


David G. Pugh and Terry BaconPowerful Proposals

“…What most RFPs lack is insight.”


William S. Pfeiffer and Charles H. Keller, Jr.Proposal Writing: The Art of Friendly,

Winning Persuasion

“Writing a successful proposal

is a process.”


Jacques BarzunBegin Here

“It cannot be too often repeated that reading, writing, speaking, and thinking

are not four distinct powers but four modes of one power.”


Andrew Friedland & Carol FoltWriting Successful Science Proposals

“Scientific proposals are always judged by

their perceived significance.”


Laura N. Gitlin, Kevin J. LyonsSuccessful Grant Writing

“…An idea that has funding potential must reflect national needs, the interest

of your profession, and be operationalized concisely and cost

effectively.”


Jack HartThe Writer’s Coach

“Great writing happens not through some dark art, but when method

meets craft. The best writers I know sit down at their keyboards and write

one line. And then another. And another.”


Jeremy T. Miner & Lynn E. MinerProposal Planning & Writing

“As a proposal writer, your job

is to ‘out-imagine’ the reviewers…”


Agenda:

Why proposals matter Dispelling common myths Common problems in applications Grant seeking challenges Asking the right questions; getting the right idea Opportunities for 2012-2013 Understanding grant makers The structure and elements of proposals Creating a budget Writing your proposal Standards of excellence Optimizing your clarity Keeping your sanity


Why Proposals Matter

“Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but it is the lightning

that does the work.”

~Mark Twain


Necessary Reality

Cannot receive money without a formal, written proposal: tangible evidence of abilities to meet a funder’s needs and requirements, manage a project, and produce results

Must touch heart and mind of a funder by means of a relevant story

Must make effective decisions with regard to your idea, your words, and your plan


Dispelling Common Myths

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity.

The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

~Winston Churchill


Myth #1:

Due to the Great Recession, there are few grant opportunities in 2012-2013


Myth #2:

You must have a prior relationship with the grant maker to get funded


Myth #3:

Successful proposal writing depends on echoing the words and phrases used in the application guidelines


Myth #4:

Collaboration reduces the work and time spent on a proposal


Myth #5:

Grants are awarded to applicants with the greatest need


Myth #6

Grant makers are eager to

read your proposal


Common Problems in Applications

Lack of passion

Insufficient understanding of current funding trends

Inadequate appreciation of grant maker’s priorities



Disorganized approach to writing tasks

Defining the wrong problem



Vague or tedious organization description

Questionable solution

Superficial or weak hypothesis (research project)



Lack of attention to significance

Failure to understand potential obstacles


Critical information missing

Overly ambitious work plan

Too much detail

Unrealistic budget



Challenges of Grant Seeking

“To see far is one thing: going there is another.”

~ Brancusi



Identifying competitive ideas



Competing against a large applicant pool



Identifying new and realistic grant opportunities



Expressing the unique impact of your program or project



Organizing team and tasks to meet grant maker’s requirements



Finding time to write proposal and to meet deadline


Getting the Right Idea

“The answers you get depend upon the questions you ask.”

~ Thomas Kuhn


Generating a competitive idea(Da Vinci Exercise)

1. First, write the idea from your point of view.

2. Next, write the idea statement from the perspectives of at least two other people who are close to or involved in the idea.

3. Rewrite the idea statement to correspond to the mission of the potential grant maker

4. Synthesize the different perspectives into one all-inclusive idea statement.


Getting the right idea:

Why does your idea meet the current priorities of the grant maker and your organization?



Why is your idea necessarily innovative or surprising?



How does your idea help address current and relevant problem(s)?



Is your idea truly significant?

Does it elicit real emotions?



What short-term and long-term benefits does your idea offer?



How workable is your idea?



What are the stories behind your idea?


Identify key and distinctive factors about your organization

Mission/Vision

Challenges

Direction

Leadership

Place in the Community

Resources/Experience

Impact/Accomplishments


Finding Grant Funds in 2012


Types of Grant Makers

Government Agencies Independent Foundations Operating Foundations Special Purpose Foundations Community Foundations Corporations; Unions Civic Organizations Family Foundations


Types of Grants

Project grant

General operating grant

Capital or endowment grant

Restricted grant

General purpose grant

Start-up funds or seed money

Challenge/Matching grant


Additional Types of Grants Re-grant program

Special projects

Research

Student aid

In-kind contribution or service

Technical assistance

Fellowships

Awards and prizes


Grant-Seeking Resources► www.foundationcenter.org -- Foundation

Center--Directory of private philanthropic and grant making foundations.

► www.cof.org -- Council on Foundations--Membership organization serving grant makers, family foundations, corporate giving programs and international grant makers.

► www.grantadvisor.com -- Since 1983, The Grant Advisor newsletter has been a leading source of information on grant, research, and fellowship opportunities for U.S. institutions of higher education and their faculty.


Grant-Seeking Resources

► www.fundsnetservices.com

Great comprehensive website, tips to finding grant makers, links to funder sites and resources for grant writers.

► www.infotoday.com

Offers The Foundation Reporter profiles the top 1,000 private foundations in the United States that have at least $10 million in assets or whose annual giving totals $500,000 or more.


Federal Gov’t Resources for Grants

► www.grants.gov -- Federal website with one-stop access to all online U.S. government resources for grants.

► www.cfda.gov -- A government-wide compendium of Federal programs, projects, services, and activities which provide assistance or benefits to the American public.

► http://www.house.gov/ffr/resources_all.shtml -- A listing of sites that are recommended sources of information for researching grants, procurement, and other resources on the Internet.

► www.federalregister.gov -- The Federal Register is the official daily publication for Rules, Proposed Rules, and Notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as Executive Orders and other Presidential Documents.

► www.usa.gov -- The U.S. government's official web portal for the public to get U.S. government information and services on the web.


Corporate Foundation Funding: Search Sites

Hoover’s Online: www.hoovers.com

Thomas Register: www.thomasnet.com

Corporate Information: www.corporateinformation.com

Securities and Exchange Commission: www.sec.gov

State Corporate Records Files: www.xx.gov



► www.grantselect.com --

Offers over 14,000 funding opportunities and the largest collection of sponsored research opportunities. GrantSelect is the most effective and comprehensive tool available for any grant.


Grant-Seeking Resources www.cos.org -- Community of Science (COS)

provides access to information about the funding of science and other projects across all disciplines. Database contains more than 22,000 grant records.

www.infoed.org -- Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPINPlus) is Web-based subscription package that bundles SPIN, a funding opportunities database, with Genius, a flexible CV/BioSketch database and SMARTS, an automated alerts system that matches investigators with grants and contract announcements.



► www.charitychannel.com --

CharityChannel is a resource that connects you to your nonprofit colleagues around the corner and around the world. Our Purpose: To foster a place where nonprofit professionals can learn from each other, share information and work together to advance the cause of philanthropy.

► www.amphilsoc.org/grants/franklin --

The Franklin program is particularly designed to help meet the costs of travel to libraries and archives for research purposes; the purchase of microfilm, photocopies, or equivalent research materials; the costs associated with fieldwork; or laboratory research expenses.


Grant-Seeking Resources► www.guidestar.org --

Subscription based GuideStar offers basic, in-depth, and customized data services on more than 1 million U.S. nonprofits.

► www.philanthropy.com --

The newspaper of the nonprofit world. Its Guide to Grants offers a database of all foundations and corporate grants listed in the Chronicle of Philanthropy since 1995.


Blogs: Grant Opportunities

Keep up to date on trends and changes

Find new opportunities

Share opinions

Many blogs specific to particular interest areas or disciplines


Blog Examples:

New Voices of Philanthropy – www.tristaharris.org Maintained by Trista Harris, nationally known as a passionate advocate for new leaders in philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.

Nonprofits Assistance Fund – www.nonprofitsassistancefund.org/blog Interesting and informative blog focused on “helping nonprofits thrive.”

Smart Givers Blog – www.smartgivers.org From the Charities Review Council --covers accountability and management.

PhilanTopic – www.pndblog.typepad.com/pndblog

A blog of opinion and commentary from Philanthropy News Digest. Good source of news, trends and information on the industry.


Understanding Grant Makers

History/Current Priorities?

Types of Awards?

Limitations?

What is their Average Grant Award?

Current Status/Total Assets?

Management and Program Officers?

Press Releases/Media Stories?


Understanding Grant makers

They may know little or nothing about your project/program area.

Grant makers are busy, normal people.

The last thing they want to see is a cluttered, incoherent application.


Initiating Contact with Grant Maker

Some request a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) prior to submission of a full proposal.

Many grant makers appreciate a “good” pre-proposal phone call and substantive questions.

Many prefer clear, concise, informed email inquiries.


Letter of Intent Elements Your organization

Your unique program and services

Explain purpose of request

A short description of the project budget

Describe outcomes of project

Additional information outlined in funder’s guidelines


The Structure of Proposals

“Structure is everything.”

~Paul Johnson


Proposal Development: Need

The problem is _________________

It is caused by__________________

The perfect solution is ___________

Without solving this problem,

_________________ will happen


Proposal Development: Need

How would a leader in your field write about the problem?

How would a college professor write it?

How would a politician write it?

How would a psychologist write it?

How would a precocious child write it?

How would a risk taking entrepreneur write it?

How would an investigative reporter write it?


Need Statement Checklist

Determine if there is a real need or problem; convey reasons why it hasn’t been addressed



Supported by statistics, anecdotes and statements from authorities



Identify consequences if nothing is done---tales of woe



Prove need or problem relates to the funding organization and to mission of your organization



Focuses on only relevant details


Proposal Development:Identifying Goals and

Objectives

What is the difference and why does it matter?


Goals

They are long-range aims, and should be much more general than objectives

They are what you would accomplish when all your objectives have been met

They should be directly tied to the needs statement

They are your good intentions


Objectives

They are the blueprint for the entire proposal and should be written first

They should be stated in measurable terms

They should be stated in terms of outcomes

They should be realistic and capable of being accomplished during your project


Objectives should be SMART

SPECIFIC

MEASURABLE

ACHIEVABLE

REALISTIC

TIME BOUND


End-Oriented Objectives

These are the types of objectives you DO WANT in your proposal

Known as outcome objectives

► Focus on the end result

Linked directly to the need


Process Objectives

Related to the means rather than the ends of the project

These are the types of objectives you DO NOT WANT in your proposal


Proposal Development:Project Plan and Design

“Converting a decision into action requires answering several distinct

questions…”

~Peter F. Drucker


Explaining your Plan

Indicate rationale or theoretical basis for the effectiveness of your specific plan; provide evidence that justifies the use of time and resources to meet the plan’s goals and objectives


Explaining your plan

Describe program activities (what) and methods (how) that correspond to each objective


Explaining your plan

Use short tables, diagrams, charts and other visual displays to ensure plan is clear and logical; helps answer funder’s questions


Gantt ChartsProject 2012 2013 R-E-S-P

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept

Engineering Engineering

Site Survey Marwell

Draft Results Marwell

GMBH Review MGMT

Survey RPT Electrical

Design Lost Creek

Review Electrical

Bid & Award Marwell

Construction Supp. Marwell

Construction Construction

Buy Cable Electrical

Install Cable Electrical

Procurement A & J

Installation A & J

Console A & J

Load Data MGMT

Configure A & J


Work Plan

Identify who is going to do the work and why they are qualified


Work Plan

Describe timeline, place and resource commitments that will create an effective plan


Work Plan

Demonstrate plan’s challenges and how they will be addressed


Work Plan

Describe how plan’s effectiveness will be communicated to funder and project/program constituents


Proposal Development:Evaluation

“True genius resides in the capacity for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous and conflicting information.”

~Winston Churchill


Evaluation

Decide purpose of evaluation

State what standards will be used

Determine what information will be collected

Determine how to analyze and report data

Identify resources and evaluator


Formative Evaluation

Formative (Process)

► Step by step data collection

► Monitors progress of project and is based on measurable objectives


Summative Evaluation

Summative (Outcome)► Final results evaluation

(successful?)

► Share with the funder and others in the field

► Use final results to gain visibility among potential funders


Proposal Development: Sustainability

Why will you continue the project?

How will you continue the project?

What will you do to continue the project?

Who else will support project?


Proposal Development:Creating a Budget

“The secret of a good budget is balance and propriety.”

~Thomas Ogden and Israel Goldberg


Budget Basics

Create project or program-driven budget

Determine sufficient resources for meeting program/project goals and objectives


Budget Basics

Establish budget period

Reference program objectives


Budget Basics

Direct costs • Program staff salaries and fringe

benefits

• Supplies

• Equipment

• Program-related travel

• Program-related rent

• Marketing/Communications


Budget Basics

Indirect costs• Facilities and Administrative

• Audit

• Insurance

• Legal

• Leases

• Bank costs associated with grant


Budget Basics

Cost sharing (cash vs. in-kind;

mandatory vs. voluntary)• Donations (dollars)

• Volunteer time

• Donated equipment and space


Budget Basics

Use format required by funder

Create narrative that is uncomplicated

Check for mistakes


Support Materials: Appendices, Attachments, Forms, etc.

Letters of support, agreements, collaborations

Resumes of key staff, consultants

List of board members and affiliations

Agency’s yearly budget

Organizational profile

Latest annual report

Long charts, graphs, tables, other visuals

Other funders to whom the proposal is being sent

IRS Letter


“You got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because

you might not get there.”

~Yogi Berra

Finalizing your proposal


Finalizing…

Understand the review process and criteria


Finalizing…

Cover letter--- essential and compelling


Finalizing…

Edit for style (spelling, grammar and usage)


Finalizing…

Edit for substance (what’s the proposal about? why does it matter?)


Finalizing…

Appearance is everything (clear graphics, proposal layout and neatness)


Finalizing…

Review, review, review!


Finalizing…

Sending proposal (online or hard copy)


Finalizing…

Tracking proposal


Maximizing your clarity

The Linguistics Golden Rule:

“Send unto others what you would like to receive yourself.”

~Tom Sant

Persuasive Business Proposals


Basic Writing Rules Develop a sound writing process Write like you talk Write with clarity and accuracy Use paragraphs as the framework of your writing Stay in context Make sure your key messages come across clearly and

often Know the mechanics Substantiate all claims Write lawfully and ethically


Proposal Writing Mindset

Think of argumentative speech: look at the issue from every perspective and anticipate questions

Think of journalism: concise, clear, good title, interesting, simple

Think of business writing: to the point, logical, important points stand out

Do not fear failure!


Proposal Writing Practice

“He whose ranks are united in purpose will be victorious…”

--Sun Tzu


Perseverance

“You have to keep punching, because you’ve always got that puncher’s chance.”

~Otis Chandler


Standards of Excellence

Clarifying the complex

Knowing the real problem

Always offering value

Using a persuasive approach

Easy to read, don’t stop the flow

No credibility killers


Inspiration

Don’t worry about trying to be better than someone else. Always try to be the very best you can be. Learn from others, yes. But don’t just try to be better than they are. You have no control over that. Instead try, and try very hard, to be the best you can be. That you have control over.

~John Wooden, legendaryUCLA basketball coach


Keeping your sanity

Make sure to develop a workable process that deals successfully with any and all proposal requirements

Seize every opportunity to master the craft of grant writing

Good Luck!

© 2010 Institute of Strategic Funding Development, LLC. All rights reserved. July 2012 ...

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