STRATEGIC GRANT WRITING (INTRO)

Workshop conducted by Rick Olsen

THE LAYERED ONION STRATEGY

Layers of the Onion •  Reading & Literacy •  Adult & Public Education •  Children & Youth •  Community Service •  Crime Prevention •  Economic Development •  Elders in Need •  Food & Nutrition •  Health •  HIV/AIDS •  Homeless Services

•  Housing •  International Programs •  Micro-enterprise •  Prisoner Reentry •  Refugees & Asylees •  Rural Needs •  Substance Abuse •  Technology Resources •  Veterans •  Workforce Development

STRATEGY = FUNDING,

FUNDING = STRATEGY

THE STRATEGY WORLD

•  Less than 5% formulate an effective strategy

•  Less than 5% implement their strategy •  Which means: Only 3 per 1000

implement effective strategies.

Those three beat the competition 10 to 1!

BHAG BIG

HAIRY

AUDACIOUS

GOAL

“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.” --Burnham

Grant Writing

•  Grants: Government (Federal, State) •  Foundations

Ø Public & Private •  Corporate •  RFP

SESSIONS ONE:

•  IDENTIFY OUR FIRST FUNDING SOURCE •  BUILD YOUR LAYERED ONION STRATEGY •  BUILD TIMELINE TO ACHIEVE YOUR BHAG •  ANALYZE YOUR SWOT (STRENGTHS,

WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS) •  CRAFT YOUR REQUEST

•  PREPARATION –  Defining Your Project –  Identifying the Right Grant Sources –  Contacting the Funders –  Acquiring Proposal Guidelines –  Determining Personnel Needs

•  WRITING THE PROPOSAL –  Writing the Narrative and the HOOK –  Aligning the Budget to the Project Mission –  Supporting Materials –  Authorized Signatures

•  FOLLOW UP •  SYLLABUS

The Mechanics of Writing a Superior Grant

Corporate Grant Programs •  Dollar General •  Target •  Wal Mart •  Nike – Jordan Fundamentals •  Dell •  Best Buy •  Build a Bear •  Most utility companies – gas, electric, rural co-ops, telco •  Corporate giving programs in Texas

http://www.tgci.com/funding/cgps.asp?statename=Texas&statecode=TX

•  Corporate giving programs in New Mexico http://www.tgci.com/funding/cgps.asp?statename=New Mexico&statecode=NM

Regional Foundations Top Giving Foundations in New Mexico •  http://www.tgci.com/funding/top.asp?statename=New

Mexico&statecode=NM Top Giving Foundations in Texas •  http://www.tgci.com/funding/top.asp?

statename=Texas&statecode=TX Don’t overlook community foundations and partnership

opportunities with non-profits such as United Way, YMCA, B&G Clubs

Foundation Center Libraries in your area

•  Amarillo Area Foundation •  University of Texas at El Paso •  Lubbock Area Foundation •  Tom Green County Public Library •  Bernalillo County Library System/Albuquerque •  New Mexico State Library •  Thomas Branigan Library – Las Cruces

Web and email grant resources •  www.grantwrangler.com •  foundationcenter.org •  nccs.urban.org – National Center for Charitable Statistics •  www.tgci.com – The Grantsmanship Center •  www.schoolgrants.org •  eschoolnews grant list •  librarygrants.blogspot.com •  edfunders.org (Grantmakers for Education)