Acquiring Public Grants
Grant
Acquisition Process | Writing
the Proposal
Planning Your Proposal
The first step is to request an application package. Instructions will be included in the program announcement, RFP or RFA. The application package will contain detailed information necessary to write the proposal and provide the basis for your planning. If no application package is specifically offered, the RFP or RFA itself will provide very detailed instructions for your application.
It is important to develop a central program idea or approach for your proposal. Creating a four or five page proposal abstract or concept paper to organize your thoughts and help you think through your ideas can be helpful. Explain how your program will create the result you and the funding agency seek and how you will measure success. This will become your proposal mission statement.
Plan ahead. Usually a very short time period exists between the date that the grant program is announced and the deadline for submittal (typically 45 days). It is difficult for inexperienced applicants to make an organizational assessment and put together a quality application in this short time period. This is one of the reasons that it is a good idea to monitor grant sources regularly—the earlier you learn about the availability of grant funding, the better prepared you can be.
Keep in mind that the grant cycle is an annual process; many of the grant announcements are made in the spring or summer following the Federal budget approval process in the fall. You may want to use one year's grant application cycle as a "dry run" for the next year's grant competition. In that case, request an application package (even if the deadline has passed) to become familiar with the process and requirements. However, be aware that grant solicitations can change significantly from year to year.
The following planning steps can make writing your proposal easier.
- Organize your team: The team should
be involved in the needs assessment, developing the proposal
concept, determining the nature of your program and how it will
be conducted, setting the timetable for the project, establishing
program staffing and volunteer needs and making final decisions
regarding feasibility. They will provide support to the primary
writer and help with reviewing and editing the proposal.
- Develop an evaluation plan: It is
important to ensure that the design and the budget allow for
the evaluation function. The Government Performance and Results
Act (GPRA) mandates increased accountability
and performance-based management
by Federal agencies and grantees. Evaluation determines whether
your program has produced the outcomes expected and measures
the impact those outcomes have had on the target population
or condition your program proposes to address. Local universities
are a good resource for help with evaluation. (For more information,
see the Measuring Outcomes guidebook,
part of the National Resource Center’s Intermediary
Development Series.)
- Create a proposal outline based on the RFP: The RFP will contain specific, detailed information about the content of proposals and extensive discussions of the issues to be addressed, program priorities, the format for the proposal and what should be emphasized. Pay particular attention to the evaluation criteria, selection process and the application contents (what the application must contain to be considered). Create an outline based on the RFP and develop a checklist to ensure that you have included all necessary items. The checklist is discussed in more detail below.
If the grant requires a technical assistance and training (TTA) or sub-award plan, develop outlines for those elements as well. (For more information, see the Designing Sub-Award Programs and Delivering Training and Technical Assistance guidebooks, part of the National Resource Center’s Intermediary Development Series.)
The evaluation criteria and selection process should be used to guide the development of the substance of your proposal. The reviewer will rate your proposal and award points based on these elements. The number of points allocated to each part of the proposal is often listed in the RFP or RFA.
- Gather resources: These should include research sources, statistics and other information to support the needs assessment and build the case for your program. A review of current literature will be required to document your familiarity of current research findings and support your approach to working with your target population. Sources of statistics include the Federal agency websites, state and local government websites, the U.S. Census bureau (www.census.gov), local universities and other agencies who work with your target population or problem.
- Line up your support: Funders
often require evidence of collaboration or local support for
proposals (i.e., letters from elected officials, local agencies
and program collaborators necessary to exhibit support for your
program in your local community). You may also be required to
include memorandums of agreement outlining how your organization
will work with others to carry out the proposed work. It may
take time to secure these documents, so start early.
- Understand matching funds or cost sharing:
Some grant applications require matching funds or, better stated,
cost sharing. Expect to provide
documentation in your application that demonstrates that you
have secured matching resources. Letters from those who have
committed funds (including donors or other funding agencies)
will suffice. (For more information, see the Building
Multiple Revenue Sources guidebook, part of the National
Resource Center’s Intermediary Development
Series.)
- Create a work plan: Make assignments
to team members to help gather support letters, provide partnership
agreements, solicit bids for equipment and a variety of other
tasks.
- Create a schedule: Agree on the
timeline and dates for completion of assignments based on the
application deadline. Schedule times for the team to meet throughout
the writing process to allow all involved to plan their work
and be prepared with assignments. Allow for regular reviews
of progress and provide enough time to put all the pieces together
and "package" the proposal.
- Free up staff time: Staff time
will be required for a variety of tasks from program design
to packaging the proposal. Make sure to plan for it and make
allowances for regular work to continue.
- Gather attachments and fill out forms
early: All Federal grant applications require a standard
form SF424, Application for Federal Assistance or some
variation of it. This form provides basic information about
your organization and the program being proposed. Other forms,
certifications and assurances may also be required. Review the
RFP and application package carefully to ensure that you have
the right forms and understand how to complete them. Federal
program forms can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants_forms.html.
Gather organization and other information needed for attachments
to the proposal (e.g., bylaws, board resolutions, letters of
support, resumes of key personnel, job descriptions, reports
and other documents needed to support your proposal).
- Start working on the budget: Though the final budget cannot be constructed until the proposal is completed and all component costs are identified, identify key budget items and begin developing your budget justification as soon as possible. You must be able to support and relate all proposed expenditures to the goals, activities and objectives of your program.
See the Appendix for a Sample Grant Writing Work Plan/Checklist that you can modify to meet the needs of your project.
Grant
Acquisition Process | Writing
the Proposal