Successful Grant Writing Strategies - Texas
2012 CACFP NPA Conference / April 11, 2012Mary Starboard, Nutrition CoordinatorNutrition, Education & Outreach SectionTexas Department of Agriculture Food & Nutrition
Applying is a good thing!
Why? Supplements resources available Increases, expands reach, number,
quality of services offered Raises the level of skill of employees Addresses provider needs Innovative projects Positive Health Impact
Child Care Wellness Grant – Step 1: Build Your Grant Team
Match/ assign grant review, research, and writing/development duties with the appropriate staff and agency area(s) Director for Nutrition, Education &
Outreach (Lindsay Rodgers) Nutrition Specialist for CACFP (Linda
Simmons) Nutrition Coordinator (Mary Starboard) Others
Step 2: Read and review the RFA
Read, read again, review and re-read Main outcomes Sections and arrangement Criteria and design elements Budget
Step 3: Research, meet & discuss
Research, meet & discuss findings regularly Approaches/initiatives that are supported, tested,
new Policies, professional, scientific statements,
findings, reports Agency infrastructure, staff, policies, processes
Research and discuss what will make proposal unique Includes Texas’ specific information, history, trends,
etc. Addresses Texas’ specific issues
Step 4: Design and defend
Texas’ Child Care Wellness Project Design
FTC BSC HCN
Step 4: Designing and defending Farm-to-Child Care
Why Farm to Child Care?
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s Recommended Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States
Step 4: Designing and defending Farm-to-Child Care (FTC)
Texas’ proposal TDA’s tradition of working with Texas
farmers Increase the connection between local
farms, local produce and children in child care
Create a sustainable system change for CACFP sites to purchase directly from Texas farmers
Step 4: Designing and defending Breastfeeding Supportive Child Care Practices
Why Breastfeeding Supportive Child Care Practices? Recommendations by the
American Academy of Pediatrics
Key component of Let’s Move Campaign
Only 14% of Texas moms breastfeed at 6 months
Higher risk and increased obstacles when children are cared for outside of the home
Breast milk = CACFP creditable food item
Evidenced-based strategy for obesity prevention
Step 4: Designing and defending Healthy Child Care Network
Why the Healthy Child Care Network?
Online training / distance learning meets a statewide provider need
Significant number of child care providers technology/interactive capacity is low
Participation in the HCN would allow technological purchases deemed necessary and appropriate
Expenses would be limited to percentage time spent on CACFP
In time, the goal would be for all CACFP providers to be on the HCN
Step 5: Submit and be ready Submission
Submit your proposal on time and per instructions included in RFA
When in doubt ask questions about submission well ahead of time
Keep & file copies where you can find them easily Review of proposals takes time
Be available and ready to respond Notification is followed by negotiation Be prepared to adjust proposal as needed Keep all responses and communications for reference
First Year Challenges in Texas
Start-up year Hiring delays Response to initial Texas’ RFA for
sub-grants 4 Farm to Child Care & 3 Breastfeeding
Supportive Child Care Practices Projects were awarded
http://www.squaremeals.org/FampNResources/FundingGrants/CACFPChildCareWellnessGrantProgram.aspx
Future Looks Bright
FY2013 Grants Specialist Lillianne Goeders hired Dedicated web page
www.squaremeals.org/FampNResources/FundingGrants/CACFPChildCareWellnessGrantProgram.aspx
Increased communication and outreach efforts 112 applications received to date: 21
Breastfeeding Support and 91 Farm to Child Care proposals.
Total Amount request from applicant’s received to date = $1,509,399.
Award start date for Year 2 is September 1, 2012
For more information
Contact
Lillianne Goeders, F&N Grants Specialist:
512-463-6287