Grantwriting forHealth Councils

Ron Hale, Coordinator

New Mexico Alliance of Health Councils

www.nmhealthcouncils.org

ronhale@aol.com

(This presentation completed with support from the New Mexico Department of Health)

I. Introduction & General Tips

Basic Rules of grantwriting:

1. Demonstrate that your interests are the same as those of the funder

2. Follow the instructions

3. Make it easy for the reviewer

4. Only apply if it’s appropriate

General recommendations

• Follow the guidelines exactly

• Answer every question or section

• Include everything that is requested, nothing more

• Use logical format

• No B.S.

• Make it easy for the reviewers

Deciding to apply

• Is it appropriate?• Is the program feasible?• Is there time to do a good proposal?• Is this the appropriate organization?• What is the likely competition?• What are the chances of success?• Are all the appropriate stakeholders at the

table?

When is a grant appropriate?

• Non-profit, 5019(c)(3) organization

• Alignment with organizational mission & plans

• Applying is feasible• Success is likely• The organization is capable of

administering the grant

When is a grant not appropriate?

• When it’s the sole source of funding

• When it could divert the organization from it’s mission

• When it won’t cover the real program costs

• Political activities, lobbying

• Religious purposes

When is a grant more difficult?

• Government-run programs: schools, libraries, etc.

• Faith-based organizations

• Advocacy programs

II. Health Councils & Grant Funding

Health Councils & Grant Funding: Options

• Applying for direct funding

• Facilitating community processes: coalitions, collaborative projects

• Endorsing funding proposals

• Using of Health Profile information

• Providing assistance with research, writing proposals

Funds leveraged by MCH Councils

• During a three year period, County MCH Councils received approximately $8.5 million from the NMDOH. With this core funding, they were able to leverage an additional $37.8 million.

• County MCH Councils attracted over $4 for every $1 provided by DOH in core funding.

--Ann Hayes Egan & Ron Hale, March 2003

Leveraged Funding by Source, All Sources

28%

34%

34%

4%

State

Fed

Fdn

Other

MCH Funds leveraged, 2000-2003• State: $10,313,517• Federal: $12,877,334• Foundation: $12,602,915• Other: $1,627,220• Total: $37,420,986

Grants to health councils: Advantages

• Collaborative

• Can leverage funding

• Community-wide impact

• Stable

Grants to health councils:Disadvantages

• Jeopardizes perceived neutrality

• Competition with community organizations

• Fiscal agent

• Role as facilitator of community processes

III. Funding Sources

Charitable giving in the U.S.:

• Individuals: 75%

• Foundations: 12%

• Corporations: 5%

• Bequests 8%

Types of Grants:

• Programs & projects

• Contracts to implement specific programs

• General operating funds

• Capital grants

• Research grants

• Grants to individuals

The Closer-to-Home Rule:

1. Personal contacts

2. Local foundations or businesses

3. Regional funders

4. State-level funders

5. National funders

Types of Funding Sources:

• Private/family foundations• Community foundations• Health foundations• Corporations, businesses• United Way• Local government• State agencies• Federal grant programs

New Mexico: Family Foundations

• McCune Foundation, www.mccune.org

• Frost Foundation, www.frostfound.or

• Maddox Foundation, www.jfmaddox.org

• Daniels Fund, www.danielsfund.org

• Mabee Foundation, www.mabeefoundation.com

• Messengers of the Healing Winds Foundation (no website)

New Mexico: Community Foundations

• New Mexico Community Foundation

• Albuquerque Community Foundation

• Santa Fe Community Foundation

• Taos Community Foundation

• El Paso Community Foundation

• Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico

New Mexico: Health Foundations

• Con Alma Health Foundation

• Northern NM Health Grant Group

• Paso del Norte Health Foundation

• Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation (primarily education)

New Mexico: United Ways

• Central NM, Albuquerque

• Eastern NM, Clovis

• Northern NM, Los Alamos

• Southwest NM, Las Cruces

• Others in Alamogordo, Artesia, Carlsbad, Farmington, Hobbs, Roswell, Santa Fe, Tucumcari

New Mexico: National Foundations

• W.K. Kellogg Foundation

• Kresge Foundation

• Burnett Foundation

• Brown Foundation

• Ford Foundation

• Intel Foundation

• Robert Wood Johnson

Federal Funding Sources

• Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)

• Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

• Administration on Children & Families (ACF)

• Others: Dept. of Education, Dept. of Labor, Dept. of Agriculture

IV. Prospect Research

Information Sources:

• Personal contacts

• Community history

• Foundation Center Collections

• Internet data bases

• Foundation websites

• Federal Government: Grants.gov

• State agency websites

Search Criteria:

• Accept unsolicited proposals?

• Geographic areas covered

• Areas of interest

• Funding history

• Deadlines

• Limitations/prohibitions

Foundation Center Materials:

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES • The Foundation Directory Online• Foundation Grants to Individuals

Online

PRINT RESOURCES • Board Member's Book (2003) • The Foundation Center's Guide to

Proposal Writing (2007) • The Grantseeker's Guide to Winning

Proposals (2008) • The Foundation Directory (2008) • The Foundation Directo5ry

Supplement (2008) • Foundation Fundamentals (2008) • Foundation Grants to Individuals

(2008)

• Foundations Today Series – Foundation Giving Trends (2008) – Foundation Growth and Giving

Estimates (2008) – Foundation Yearbook (2008)

• Guia para Escribir Propuestas (2008) • Guide to Funding for International and

Foreign Programs (2008) • International Grantmaking IV (2008) • National Directory of Corporate Giving

(2008) • Philanthropy Annual (2008) • Securing Your Organization's Future

(2001) • Social Justice Grantmaking II (2008)

Useful Resources:• Foundation Center: foundationcenter.org/findfunders/ • Foundations on Line: www.foundations.org• NM Grantmakers: http://nmgrantmakers.org/• NM Assn. of Grantmakers: http://www.nmag.org/grantseek.php• Center for Nonprofit Excellence:

http://www.centerfornonprofitexcellence.org/home/• Grantsmanship Center: http://www.tgci.com/funding.shtml• Guidestar: http://www.guidestar.org/• NM Funding Directory (UNM):

http://research.unm.edu/publications/nmfd_book• Chronicle of Philanthropy: http://philanthropy.com/grants/• Rural Information Center, National Agricultural Library:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/fundguide.html

V. Creating a Successful Grant Proposal

Group Planning

• Convene the stakeholders

• Develop the program

• Sketch out a rough budget

• Assign tasks

• Do an application work plan & timeline

Proposal Timeline & Work PlanTasks/

Activities

Primary

Responsibility

Completion

Dates

Partners Involved

Planning & research

Writing :

First Draft

Writing:

Final Draft

Gathering support letters

Budget development

Forms

Packaging & mailing

Writing Style

• Use clear, concise language

• Avoid jargon

• Don’t assume the reviewers know you, your program, or New Mexico

• Write the way you talk

• Support assertions with data and/or anecdotal evidence

Basic Elements of a Proposal:

• Introduction/Abstract• Needs• Goals• Objectives• Outcomes• Activities/Work Plan• Evaluation Plan/Logic Model• Organizational Capability• Budget• Appendices/attachments

Introduction/Abstract

• Hook the reader

• Clear idea of the proposal in first paragraph

• Demonstrate that the proposal addresses the funder’s interests

Community Needs

• Community Description• Urgent needs: health, social,

economic, cultural, artistic• Data: National, state, local• Organizational experience• Community strengths,

resources

Goals

• Broad statements of intent

• Measurable or verifiable

• Overall outcomes of the project or mission of the organization

• Example: The goal of this program is to reduce child abuse & neglect in Sierra Co. by 10%.

Objectives

• Strategies: sets of activities, processes• Specific, measurable, verifiable• Concrete accomplishments• Time-framed• Example: By June 2008, the X

program will enhance parenting skills by providing parenting education classes to 150 teen parents.

Outcomes

• Program outcomes: Changes in behavior, knowledge, or conditions of target population

• System outcomes: Community-level changes in organizational relationships, policies, funding patterns, networks, coalitions, community infrastructure

• Health status changes: improvements in population health indicators

Examples of Outcomes:

• Population outcome: Program participants will demonstrate improved parenting skills, as measured by the Parenting Stress Index

• System outcome: The schools will develop policies that support teen parents in completing high school.

• Health status outcome: The rate of substantiated child abuse and neglect cases in X County will be reduced by 5% by 2012.

Time Frames for Outcomes:

• Short-term: Up to one year• Intermediate: 1 – 5 years• Long-term: 5 years or more

Activities/Action Steps

• Organized by objectives

• Tasks to be accomplished

• Who will be responsible

• Partners involved

• Completion dates

Outputs

Quantifying activities:• Products developed

• Services provided

• Numbers of people served

• Events produced (e.g., classes, town meetings, health screenings)

Project Work PlanTasks/

Activities

Completion Dates

Primary Responsibility

Resources needed

Collaborating entities

Objective #1

Objective #2

Objective #3

Objective #4

Objective #5

Project TimelineTasks/

Activities

First

Quarter

Second

Quarter

Third

Quarter

Fourth

Quarter

Objective #1

Objective #2

Objective #3

Objective #4

Objective #5

Project Logic ModelObjectives Activities Outputs Outcomes Indicators/

Measures

Objective 1

Objective 2

Objective 3

Objective 4

Objective 5

Budget: Expenses

Expenses:• Personnel: Salaries,

Benefits• Space rental• Supplies• Telephone• Internet • Postage• Equipment• Supplies• Travel• Administrative Overhead

Income:• Grants• Program revenue• Private contributions• Organizational resources

In-kind:• Space• Utilities• Administrative

supervision• Administrative support

Budget: Income

Income:• Grants• Program revenue• Private contributions• Organizational resources• Matching funds

In-kind:• Space• Utilities• Administrative supervision• Administrative support

Project Sustainability

Support following termination of the grant:• Program-generated revenues: fees for

services, tuition, sales of products• Third-party reimbursements: Medicaid,

Medicare, private insurance, etc.• Leveraging of additional grant funding (seed

funding)• Spin-off of program activities

Appendices/Attachments:

• Required forms

• Budget detail

• IRS determination letter

• By-laws

• Letters of commitment

• Letters of endorsement

• MOU’s