This document is a summary of a webinar on winning grants. It provides information on finding and applying for grants, including preparing by focusing on community needs, researching potential funders, writing proposals with clear goals and evaluation plans, and following up after applying. Tips are given on justifying technology needs, finding the right size grants, and keeping materials organized. Common components of proposals and reasons for not getting funded are also discussed.
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Winning Grants
June 23, 2011
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Conference Call: 866-740-1260; Access Code: 6339392
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Winning Grants
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Winning Grants
Conference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392
5. We are working toward a time when every nonprofit and social
benefit organization on the planet has the technology resources
and knowledge they need to operate at their full potential.
Winning Grants
Conference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392
24. Good Projects:
Solution to real community needs
Offer something new, innovative, or creative
Create a model that can be replicated
Maximize resources
Have tangible outcomes or products
Have a reasonable budgets and realistic timelines
Include community partners and community involvement
Have goals and SMART objectives
Have an evaluation plan that measures progress
Cause a change in behavior, attitude, skill, life condition or
knowledge in PEOPLE
Indicate sustainability
26. Outcome Based Evaluation
Outcome = Impact on end user
Behavior
Attitude
Skills
Knowledge
Condition/state
Know where you started.
Are you spending resources on projects and
programs that are making a difference?
29. Justifying Technology Needs
• Tie to your mission, goals and the people served
– A new model of community communication
– Empowers and engages customers
– Saves staff time - efficiency and productivity
• Solves universal problems/issues
– Provides disability access
– Allows job training assistance
– Extends reach into the community
– Closes the digital divide
– Organizes volunteer opportunities and information
• Specific technology functions
– Enables data collection and measurement
• Share stories of how tech helps!
30. Prepare
Implement,
Focus on Priorities
Evaluate Continue
Grant
Write the Proposal
Cycle Develop the
Project
Research
Funders
& Grants
32. Find out about Funders
Use the language of the resources and funders
Learn about prospective funders - find a good match!
Visit prospective funder websites;
search on 990s
Record what you find; Keep your research organized
36. Federal Grant Sources
Institute of Museum & Library Services
http://www.imls.gov
US Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps
National Library of Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/grants.html
National Endowment for the Arts http://www.nea.gov/
National Endowment for the Humanities
http://www.neh.gov/grants/index.html
National Institute for Literacy
lincs.ed.gov/cgi-
bin/lincs/search/gsearch/dbsearch.cgi?action=Show%20Results
37. State and
Local Government Sources
State Humanities Council
www.neh.gov/whoweare/statecouncils.html
State Council on the Arts www.nasaa-
arts.org/About/State-Arts-Agency-Directory.php
State Department of Education
wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/org_list.cfm?categ
ory_ID=SEA
State Library: www.publiclibraries.com/state_library.htm
City, County Gov (Arts, Business, Community
Development, Environmental, Historical Preservation,
Education, Youth, Technology, Archival)
38. Private Funding Sources
Foundations
Corporations
Clubs and Organizations
Professional Associations
40. Federal Gov Grant Resources
Grants.gov
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance www.cfda.gov
Federal Agency websites
Federal Register www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html
Primary Source www.imls.gov/news/source.shtm
TGCI Federal Register Grant Announcements
www.tgci.com
42. Federal Gov Grant Resources
Grants.gov
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance www.cfda.gov
Federal Agency websites
Federal Register www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html
Primary Source www.imls.gov/news/source.shtm
TGCI Federal Register Grant Announcements
www.tgci.com
44. Corporate Grant Resources
Visit web sites of corporations in your community
for priorities, grant guidelines, and deadlines.
Grantsmanship Center Corporate Giving
(banks, grocery stores, utilities, stores, etc.)
http://www.tgci.com/funding
National Directory of Corporate Giving
Print directory by The Foundation Center.
45. Professional Associations &
Local Grants!
Research local community directories
http://fdncenter.org/getstarted/topical/sl_dir.html
Michigan State University’s service clubs & civic
organizations funding list
http://staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/servicec.htm
Ask local government contacts, use the yellow
pages, talk to friends and staff to discover clubs
and organizations that provide funding
47. 5 Easy Grants for Beginners
Target Store Grants
Libri Foundation Books for Children
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Minigrants
Dollar General Grants
Dreyer's Foundation Grants & Product Donations
49. Prepare
Implement,
Focus on
Evaluate
Priorities
Continue
Grant
Cycle
Write the Develop the
Proposal Project
Research Funders
& Grants
50. Write the Winning Grant Proposal
1. Tell the Story. (PASSION! Facts!)
2. Keep the Audience in Mind
3. Seek Feedback
4. Ask for Everything you Need
5. Stay Positive!
51. Common Grant Components
Cover Letter, Title Sheet, Table of Contents
Abstract/Summary
Organizational Overview
Statement of Needs/Justification
Project Description
Timeline/Activities/Methods
Budget
Evaluation Process
Appendix
52. Prepare
Implement,
Evaluate
Focus on Priorities
Continue
Grant
Cycle
Research Funders Develop the
& Grants Project
Write the Proposal
53. Writing an Evaluation Plan
1. What is the purpose?
2. Who is the audience?
3. What do you need to measure progress?
4. What sources of information are needed and how
will you collect?
5. When do you need the information?
54. Getting Funded
CELEBRATE!
Then:
• thank the funder!
• tell appropriate officials/staff
• send out a press release
• begin preliminary activities
55. Not funded?
Don’t give up!
Ask for reviewers’ comments
Strategize a new approach
Revise and edit
Try another source
56. Common Reasons Not Funded
Grant project didn’t match funder’s purpose
Guidelines not followed
Proposal was poorly written
The budget was inaccurate or unclear
The necessity for your project and its potential
impact were not apparent
Needed partners or collaborators
Evaluation planning weak
Project not sustainable
58. Keep Up-to-Date
Library Grants Blog librarygrants.blogspot.com
RFP Bulletin from the Foundation Center http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/
NEH Connect! The National Endowment for the Humanities' electronic
newsletter http://www.neh.gov/news/nehconnect.html
Grants.gov Grant Opportunity http://www.grants.gov/Find#receive
Charity Channel Forum Online Discussion Groups
http://charitychannel.com/subscribe/
Association of Fundraising Professionals
http://www.afpnet.org/country.cfm?cntry=USA&folder_id=932
The Grantsmanship Center
http://www.tgci.com/training/tprogram.asp
Chronicle of Philanthropy http://www.philanthropy.com
http://broadband.wiki.techsoup.org/
59. Special Offer on Winning Grants from Neal-Schuman Publishers!
10% off with code: GERD11 http://neal-schuman.com/wg
Stephanie Gerding
http://stephaniegerding.com
stephaniegerding@gmail.com
60. “I have tried raising money by asking for it,
and by not asking for it.
I always got more by asking for it.”
-Millard Fuller, founder, Habitat for Humanity
61. Continue discussing & learning…
• Additional questions can be answered by
posting in in our Community Forum:
– http://bit.ly/tsgrant
Upcoming webinars:
• The Biggest Green IT Opportunities for Nonprofits
and Libraries
• Evaluating Digital Literacy Programs
– http://techsoupforlibraries.org/events
Winning Grants
Conference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392
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Winning Grants
Conference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392