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