1

Grantwriters’Grantwriters’

Training WorkshopTraining Workshop

June 29-AlexandriaJune 29-Alexandria

July 1-Baton RougeJuly 1-Baton Rouge

2

Sponsors• Louisiana Association of Science

Leaders• Louisiana Association of Teachers of

Mathematics• Louisiana Council of Supervisors of

Mathematics• Louisiana Science Teachers Association• The Gordon A. Cain Center-LSU

3

OBJECTIVES• Provide a basic overview and

review of the grant-writing process

• Develop a cadre of mentors that can and will provide assistance to other educators

• Increase the number and quality of teacher applications for grants

4

Everything You Didn’t Know To Ask

About Writing a Grant

(and then some)

5

Your Job?To convince a group of

strangers (sight-unseen) to give you their money to carry out a program that you believe is important!

6

Remember…….

How successful you are depends upon your ability to communicate the need for and the quality of your program

7

Terminology• Grant: funds to support a

specific project• Award: a recognition; may have

a “grant-like” component• Proposal: a written document

(a request) submitted to an agency to obtain a grant

8

The RFP ……• The official notice that

describes the guidelines for a grant and (should) contains everythingeverything you need to know!

9

Getting Started(planning is the key)

• Identify your problem• Identify an activity, program

or materials needed to solve the problem

• Prepare the proposal

10

Abstract(the short version of my story)

• May be called the executive summary

• A short, concise summary of your proposal, usually near the front but the last thing you write

• May be used for publicity purposesTHIS IS THE “HOOK-UM” part

11

Statement of Need(what is the problem)

• This section should contain the most forceful language of the proposal

• Use hard-hitting language with an emotional appeal (bring tears to the eyes of the reader but don’t make them throw up!)

• Use documentation to verify the need; charts, graphs, survey results,

anecdotal information, etc.

12

Plan of Operation(this is how I’ll do it)

> This is the part designed to convince the reader that you can carry out the project, ie you have the “capacity”

13

Plan of Operation>Timelines may be required; be careful not

to box yourself in to a specific date >Provide an overview of the activities and

strategies that will be a part of the project(Org chart might work well here)

>Include key personnel, and commitment from any partners

14

Goals and Objectives• Goal: a broad, clear statement

that describes where you want to be at the end of the project (often the goal is not met!)

15

Goals and Objectives• Objective: a measurable result;

more narrowly defined than a goal. The “good” things you want to see happen as a result of the project

• Should be specific, measurable, and attainable during the time frame of the grant

16

Pop Quiz!

To establish a re-cycling program at our school for aluminum cans

or To reduce the number of cans

on the school campus by 90% by the end of the year

17

Pop Quiz!

To raise the achievement scores of identified students by 1 percentile

or

To provide an after-school reading program

18

Commitments(May I have that in writing?)

Key partners should provide a letter of commitment on letter head, specifically stating what they will contribute

“this is a wonderful project” or “you are the greatest” type letters are usually not of any real value for a grant (but may be appropriate for an award)

19

Vita(I’m so fine!)

• Check for page limit in the RFP • Only include information relative to

the project; don’t get bogged down in trivia

• Arrange in a readable format• Don’t go back too far in time• ALWAYS BE HONEST!ALWAYS BE HONEST!

20

Evaluation Plan(did it work......did I do what I

said I would do?)

Did it work the way you hoped it would?

Were there any unexpected results that would help in the future?

What elements were successful and which were not?

21

Evaluation Plan

Process (formative) Provide feedback along the way so changes can be made; usually qualitative.

Product (summative) At the end; Were objectives met? Was new knowledge gained? Was it cost effective? Usually quantitative.

22

Budget(show me the money)

Regardless of the amount of funding requested, you need a detailed budget and sometimes a budget narrative.

23

Budget• Don’t be too thrifty and jeopardize

your project. It’s a balancing act!• Pad your budget• Don’t pad your budget• Be realistic and justify every

expense!• Check figures over and over!

24

Budget Narrative(why I need the money!)

A category by category justification of costs;

25

Appendixes & Attachments

This section is normally at the end;

Contains letters of support, vita and other documentation

May or may not have a page limit so always check RFP to be sure

26

Writing for the Reader

(what they see is what you get)

•Make it as easy as possible for the reader to follow what you are saying

•Don’t get bogged down in local terminology (does someone in Denver know what LaSIP, LINCS, and LATM represent?)

27

The Actual Writing Process

(time to cut bait or fish) Establish a game plan and

timeline for completion,even if it breaks down.

Allow time for someone away from the project to read and comment.

Decide how you will deliver the proposal. Get a receipt!

28

Lagniappe(things I have learned…)

> Repeat certain “key” words and phrases

> Use the “hook”; the “WOW” > Watch for the politically incorrect

term> Know the priorities of the funder> Write in the first person for awards;

for grants use “the project director” or “the applicant”

29

Common Mistakes(why I did not get the grant)

• Not following directions! (hard to believe, but true!)

• Missing the application date • Not providing all required

information

30

Teacher Award Projects

• Teacher of the Year• Presidential Award for Excellence• NSTA Awards• NCTM Awards• Tandy Scholars