Grant Writing 201:Grant Writing 201:Raise Your Game!Raise Your Game!
Loretta Holland, [email protected]
http://meankitty.wordpress.com
Goals for the Next Level
• Know how to prepare for grant writing
• Gain confidence as writers and project leaders
• Identify good prospects and leverage your best use of time and opportunities
• Understand SMART objectives
Gather Your Team
• Make it easy for your team to participate Everyone gets the RFP Personalize each copy
• Create a work plan Benchmarks, internal deadlines,
check in points, and tasks Be aware of demands on team
members’ time Pad deadlines for staff who
procrastinate
• Grant Planning Committee• Determine membership,
purpose, and guidelines
Prospect Refinement: Meeting Your Match
• Just Say “No!”• The Five Key Criteria
Areas of interest Geographic limitation Do they accept
“unsolicited” proposals? Range of grants made Who they funded before
and how much• Create a Vetting
System
And now for something completely different…
10 MINUTE BREAK!
Hone Your Writing Skills• Find your voice
Be clear, brief, supply the information requested
Extraneous information uses space that you need
Watch for emotional language, marketing messages, sound bites
Use expository writing Appropriate use of client stories
• Make your words work Chose powerful, active words Use active voice
• Write for your reader Recognize and avoid jargon Look for assumptions
Setting Goals: Objectives
• Outputs and Outcomes
• SMART Objectives Specific—don’t be vague Measurable—able to be
tracked Attainable—are your
sights too high? Realistic—are you really
affecting the outcome? Timely—defined by a
period of time
Wrap Up and Review