Galen R. Wilson

galen.wilson@nara.gov

Dawne Dewey

dawne.dewey@wright.edu

Writing your way to ca$h

Help from OHRAB with yourNHPRC grant proposal

Provenance

These slides were used for a presentation on preparing NHPRC

grant applications given at theSociety of Ohio Archivists’ meeting

April 9, 2010.

Step 1

Navigate NHPRC andGrants.gov Websites

NHPRC grant categories

• Basic preservation and use

• Detailed processing

• Digitizing historical records

• Electronic records

• Historical editing

• …and more

http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/

Click here

Where to find NHPRC grant opportunities

Click on an opportunity of interest.

A very long and detailed page

tells you everything you need to know.

Your next stop:Grants.gov

Quickest way to get to NHPRC grants is to

click on “Grant Search”

Fastest next step is to choose “Browse by Agency.” Keyword searching may make you sorry you started.

NHPRC is part of National Archives and

Records Administration, so click this link.

Select applicable opportunity.

And there you are.

More details are available in the full announcement.

Application package can be downloaded by following

“Application” link.

You may have to download free software in order to be able

to use the Application download.

Also, please note that applicants must register with Grants.gov and obtain a log-in.

Sidebar:

A peek into what NHPRC does fund can

help you determine funding

likelihood for your own project.

Step 2

Fill out the application

(easier said than done!)

Opportunityand Challenge

Give yourself plenty of time.

Before you write one word…do your homework!

• Read the application carefully!• Make sure the grant you are applying for is the right one!• Ask for samples of successful applications.• Research similar projects.• Make sure you are eligible.• Check the award information.• Check the grant deadline!• Register with grants.gov!

• Applicant Resources• Tutorials• Register early!• Get your DUN# (Data Universal Number System)• Get your CCR# (Central Contractor Registration)• Set up Username and Password

Contact NHPRC or OHRAB before you begin.

The Application

• Project Narrative• Project Summary• Supplementary Materials• Project Budget

Teamwork!

Project Narrative

• Organization’s history, mission and goals.• How does project further NHPRC’s goals?• Significance• Collection Details• Audience• Discovery and Use

Project Narrative…

• Evidence of planning• Scope of Work• Detailed description of project activities• Current methodology• Detailed plan of each stage of project• People and resources

Project Narrative…

• Describe products you will produce.• How will you evaluate project success?• What are the qualifications of staff?• What are the performance objectives?

And all in 12 Pages!!

Project Summary

• Purposes and Goals of the Project• Methods• Summary of Plan of Work• Products to be Completed• Institutional Information• Performance Objectives

3 3

Supplementary Materials

• Résumés• Position Descriptions• Institution’s Mission and Goals• Institution’s Policies• Detailed Work Plan Charts• Examples of cataloging and other records• Letters of Support from Partners

2020

Project Budget

• Grant Funds

• Cost Share

• NHPRC Budget Form

• Budget Narrative

FINISHED!!!

NOT QUITE…

• Review grant guidelines.• Read it again.• Have someone else read it.• Find a good editor.• Revise as many times as it takes.• Double check budget figures.• Check page length; number pages.• Table of Contents

Review and Edit

Finish Line

• Convert all pages to pdf format.• Log on to grants.gov• Enter all documents in correct places.• Attach supplementary materials.• Save!• Submit!

Collapse and Wait!

Your grant will be reviewed by:• Peers• OHRAB• NHPRC

About six months later …

Excuse me, but we needmore information.

4 4

More waiting… and then the results.

• Notified by mail.• Reviews are included with notification.• Celebrate success and get to work!• Learn from mistakes and try again!

Things to Remember

• NHPRC wants you to call and ask questions.• Submit a draft – it’s well worth it!• You have competition• Take advantage of OHRAB expertise!• Don’t give up if you get turned down.• Practice makes perfect!

Step 3

Avoiding common errors

(Don’t let this happen to you)

Quick paths to non-funding

• Choose the wrong announcement Read exclusion and inclusion statements carefully!

• Fail to show “American experience” relevance

• Fail to show management support Be sure to have it in the first place!

• Be vague about goals

• Submit an including-the-kitchen-sink proposal Narrow focus to a few manageable specifics

More self-inflicted fatal injuries

• Fail to have done basic homework Know what you have and tell what you know

• Fail to establish clear ownership of materials

• Fail to show support from a user community

• Fail to show that project will stay afloat after grant funding ceases

Common budget snafus. Do not…

• Submit a sloppy budget Unrealistic cost estimates Cost-sharing claimed but not actually paid Travel funding for mileage driving to work

• Misdirect cost-sharing to grant funding NHPRC doesn’t subsidize current staff salaries

• Fail to show source of matching $

• Include other grant funds as institutional “match” For example, work-study money

Step 4

Send application draft to OHRAB

beforebeforesending it to NHPRC

Definition of “before”

• It’s all about planning ahead.

• Good grant proposals aren’t slapped together on “Deadline Eve.”

• First OHRAB contact should be six months before NHPRC due date.

• If proposal is due at NHPRC in October, your first draft should be to OHRAB in April.

• …and this isn’t because OHRAB is mean.

Send to an OHRAB member

• OHRAB members can work individually with you to hone your application.

• Current member list:

http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/ohrab/index.php?title=Board_Roster

Involve all of OHRAB

Ask for review by the entire Board. Forward draft application by two weeks in advance of a scheduled meeting. Meeting dates:

2010: April 30, July 30, October 29 2011: January 28 (probably)

Plain English translation: If NHPRC deadline is October 2011, contact OHRAB by mid-April 2011. Then OHRAB can review your first and second drafts at its April and July meetings.

Why it matters

NHPRC will ask OHRAB to review your application after it is received there.

OHRAB may as well see it first and help you work out kinks.

Subtext

It’s not too early to be thinking about submitting grant

proposals in 2011.

Final thoughts

• Grant-writing too often happens at the last minute with not enough time for polishing.

• You can write a really great proposal and still not be funded because there isn’t enough money to fund all worthy projects.

• You will definitely not be funded if you don’t apply in the first place!