KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL

GRANT WRITING PART I

Northstate Conservation Partners

Mary E. Mitchell

Cottonwood, CA

1. YOU MUST LOVE PUZZLES!

2. ASSESS YOUR ELIGIBILITY Are you eligible?

Is the project eligible?

3. RECOGNIZE IT IS A LOT OF WORK Analyze the work involved.

Clarify questions with the agency.

Requirements seem excessive? Oh, well.

Don’t procrastinate!

It’s not a spare time

activity.

Letters of support are challenging.

Review, review, review for grammatical errors.

Don’t start unless you can finish.

4. ASSESS THE COMPETITION

Regional, state, or national?

How much is available?

Number of grants to be awarded?

For your business or any business?

Grants per hundred competitors?

In competition with double match organizations?

Check out previous grants funded.

Read applications previously awarded.

In doubt, inquire.

5. MAKE THE GRANT APPLICATION A PRIORITY If grant funding is not a priority,

seek someone with experience.

Is the writer qualified or available?

If the application is not a priority, it might not read well or be competitive.

Go for all extra bonus points.

6. USE THE FORMS PROVIDED

Forms help consistency and minimize bias.

Use the forms, no matter how bizarre it seems.

Confused? Ask questions!

Don’t attach extra information.

Follow the instructions no matter how odd.

7. UNDERSTAND THE FUNDING OBJECTIVES What is the grantor trying to achieve?

Support the grantor’s funding objectives.

Applications are ranked on the funding objectives.

Uncover objectives that are not obvious.

8. MULTI-ROUND GRANT PROGRAM

First round has the most $$$.

Additional rounds may be cut or eliminated.

First round funded and successful projects add credibility.

First round projects should stand on their own, yet be expandable.

AH, SUCCESS!

And now the real work begins!

PART II

Now what?

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

START DATE

END DATE

REIMBURSEMENTS

EXTRA REQUIREMENTS

DELIVERANCE

FIND THE DELIVERABLES

WHAT, WHEN, HOW

WHO DOES WHAT AND WHEN?

THE RIGHT PERSON OR PERSONS

THE RIGHT TIMELINE

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

WHAT DO THEY WANT?

WHEN DO THEY WANT IT?

TRACKING PROGRESS

REINTERPRETING THE BUDGET

MAKING YOUR ACCOUNT CODES WORK FOR THE GRANT BUDGET

PRESENT A WORKING BUDGET FOR PROJECT MANAGERS

ORGANIZE FILES, FINANCIALS, AND BILLING

BLUE, GREEN,RED SYSTEM

TRACKING EXPENSES

BILLING

IMPLEMENTATION

YOU’RE READY…

YOU’RE SET…

GO!

WRAPPING UPDELIVERABLES CHECKLIST

FINAL BILLING

FUTURE OBLIGATIONS

GETTING THE RETENTION

JOB WELL DONE!