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Show Me the Money:Writing a Successful Grant Application

21st Century CCLC Grant Writing Training

January 12, 2012

McREL501(c) (3) private non-profit research and development corporationDenver and HonoluluCommitted to helping educators change the odds for the success for

all studentsResearch and evaluation, developing resources/tools, providing

technical assistance, PD and consultationStarted in 1966; we are celebrating our 45th year

Today’s Learning OutcomesParticipants will:

• Become familiar with strategies for writing a successful grant• Identify key structures, processes and people to have in place

before and during the grant writing process• Become familiar with the 21st CCLC Grant Program RFP• Practice developing key sections of the grant application

Warm-up ActivityAt your table, introduce yourself to someone new and discuss how the word on your card impacts grant writing.

Before you Start • Read and understand the Request for Proposal (RFP).

• What are the funding priorities?• Highlight all of the questions you have to answer.

• Identify key structures, processes and people to have in place.• Organize your ideas-identify your main concept or theme as your

central idea.• Become very familiar with the proposal evaluation criteria or rubric.• List tasks to be accomplished, who is responsible, and by what date.• Write an outline of your proposal.

Good planning is key to on-time delivery!

Before you StartWrite a one paragraph description of your request. It should include:

1. Who you are2. What your project is3. How much you’re requesting

Writing the ProposalDefine your project.

Is the project you are proposing a priority with the funding agency?Develop a message that is easily understood and believable.Follow the format suggested in the RFP.Write the proposal so that it clearly addresses each area in the

evaluation rubric.Draft, review, edit…repeat. Draft, review, edit…and repeat.

Budget• Budgets are cost projections• Well-planned budgets reflect carefully thought-out projects• Only include items the funder is willing to support• The budget narrative must describe a clear relationship between the

activities described in the application and the proposed allocation of grant funds.

• A good budget narrative must also address the necessity and rationale of proposed costs.

Budget Considerations

Can the project be accomplished with this budget?Are costs reasonable for the market?Is the budget consistent with the proposed activities?Is there sufficient budget detail and explanation?

Evaluation PlanHow will you assess what you are doing?Connected to work planIncludes strategies for measuring outcomes, data collection and

date sources

Goal Goal-broad statement of what you wish to accomplish

About the final impact or outcome that you wish to bring aboutMake sure they are linked back to your need statement

Objective• The objective represents a step toward accomplishing a goal.• An objective is narrow, precise, tangible, concrete, and can be

measured. • Describe program results to be achieved and how they will be

achieved• Help set priorities and targets for progress and accountability

SMART OBJECTIVESS= Specific (Who? What?)M= Measurable (How much change is expected?)A= Achievable (Can it be accomplished?)R= Realistic (Proposes reasonable action steps)T= Time-phased (When will objective be met?)

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SMART VerbsAchieve Eliminate

Collect Implement

Compile Obtain

Conceptualize Produce

Decrease Publish

Deliver Recruit

Develop Train

Tips for Writing Good Goals and Objectives

• Tie directly to your need statement• Include all relevant groups in your target population• Do not confuse outcome objectives for methods• Know how you will measure the change projected in each

objective• If you can’t measure the objective, then change it so you can

BREAK TIME! Please return in 15 minutes

21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Program

PurposeEstablish or expand community learning centers that provide students

with academic enrichment opportunities along with activities designed to compliment the students’ regular academic program.• Services should focus on helping students in low income schools succeed academically

through the application of scientifically based practice and extended learning time.

• Examples: tutorial services in core academic subjects; youth development activities, drug and violence prevention, counseling, art, music and recreation programs, technology education programs, and character education programs designed to reinforce and complement regular academic program

Opportunities for literacy and related educational development for families

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Priority Areas for Funding•Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)•Serving high school students•Project based and service learning programming•High school programs with three times the state average number of McKinney-Vento homeless identified students

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Who is Served?Students and families of students who primarily attend high poverty, low

performing schools as evidenced by:• Free and Reduced Lunch rate of 40% and above; AND• Demonstration of low achievement and low growth on Colorado reading

and math content standards

OR• High schools that are three times the state rate for high school eligibility of

McKinney-Vento regardless of poverty or performance

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Who is Eligible?Any public or private organization or consortia of organizations including:• Public schools• Non-profit agencies• City or county government agencies• Faith-based organizations • Institutions of higher learning• For-profit corporations• BOCES• Consortium of organizations and/or school districts• Charter schools

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Grant Awards• $6 million will be awarded• Not less than $50,000 and no more than $150,000 per year• Five years with funding decreasing by 20% per year beginning in year

four (sustainability is crucial!)

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CollaborationApplicants must collaborate with other public and private agencies, including the local school district, to create programs as comprehensive and high quality as possible.

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Evaluation RubricThe criteria outlined in the evaluation rubric is used by reviewers to evaluate the application as a whole.

The evaluation rubric is your friend!

Evaluation RubricPart I: Proposal Introduction- No PointsPart II: Narrative- 159 points + 10

Section A: Need for the Project Section B: Quality of Project Design Section C: Quality of Project Evaluation Section D: Quality of Management Plan Section E: Adequacy of Resources Section F: Priority Areas

Narrative• Reader’s first impression• State your case• State the problem (data)• Gaps in current program• Description of your proposed plan

Research-based Practices• Institute of Education Sciences-What Works

Clearinghouse - http://ies.ed.gov• Youth for Youth- http://y4y.ed.gov• Southwest Educational Development

Laboratory- www.sedl.org

Thank you!!!Please complete an evaluation. Your feedback is valued.