finding funding 101 answers to the questions you are asking and those you should be asking...

Finding Funding 101

Answers to the Questions You Are Asking and Those You Should Be Asking

ResearchChannel Sixth Annual Meeting

Los Angeles, California

October 27, 2002

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How to Work With a Grant Writer or Become One

What Grant Writers Are and Are Not Different Levels/Types of Grants and

Assistance Grant Basics and Proposal Outlines Obstacles Funding Trends

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Grant Writers Are Not:

Genies Mystical Beings from a Parallel Universe

Filled with Money Mind Readers Fortune Tellers Experts in All Disciplines (Via Osmosis, of

course)

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Grant Writers Are:

Communicators Strategists Researchers Interviewers Teachers Busy People Always Working on a

Deadline

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What are the Types of Support?

Public (federal, state, local governments) Private (Foundations) Equipment Donations In-Kind (space, supplies, employee time,

equipment use, advertising)

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What are the Different Types of Grant Assistance?

Prospect Research Prospect Wooing Project Design Grant Writing Grant Editing (Content and/or Grammar) Budget and Justification Evaluation/Assessment

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Where To Begin: The Basics

Planning Writing Approval Administration

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Grant Planning

Need Goals Areas/Disciplines Served Innovation Collaborators Organizational Status and Support Sustainability

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What are the Elements of a Grant?

Problem Statement Project Summary Goals and Objectives Timeline and Methods Budget and Justification Evaluation Organizational Information Sustainability/Future Funding

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What are the Most Common Reasons Proposals are Rejected?

Submission is late Applicant did not follow instructions. Failure to demonstrate a clear

understanding of the problem Project is not feasible (lack of qualified

staff, equipment, budget unrealistic, scope too broad or too narrow)

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Rejection Reasons (Continued)

Goals and Objectives are unclear or missing

Project is not sustainable (no future funding)

Proposal is poorly organized and/or poorly written (clichés are not your friends)

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What are the Primary Obstacles to Attracting Funding?

Failure to Understand the Funding Process.

Limited or Unrealistic View of Project. Failure to Communicate with Funder Failure to Communicate with Colleagues

and Other Organizational Departments. Weak Proposal

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What Obstacles are Unique to IT and Video Projects?

Once Considered “fluff” or Catering to “too specialized” an Audience”

Wider Scope: Diverse Levels of Technical Savvy and Learning Curves within Audiences Served

Requires Larger Initial Institutional Investment in Infrastructure and Support

Continuing Sustainability is More Important

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Is There Any Good News for IT/Video Funding?

Web is now considered primary information source

Funding agencies use electronic methods for proposal advertisement and submission

Funders “demand” innovation, not recycled ideas

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What Do Funders Look for in a Proposal?

Collaborations (public/private, industry/education)

K-12 and Community Service Projects Research and Service (theory and practical

application) Innovation Universality (Models) Bridging geographic and other barriers (stronger

after 9/11)

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What is the “Real Secret” to Getting Funding?

Communicating what is unique about your project:

Your passion and commitment to it.

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Closing Thought

The easiest writing is on subjects about which you feel passionately.

---Pauline Stieff, September 2002

Contact Information

Pauline Stieff

Tufts University

Academic Technology

617-627-3369

pauline.stieff@tufts.edu