PDF Summary:Grant Writing for Dummies, by Beverly A. Browning

Securing grant funding is a perplexing process for many individuals and organizations. In Grant Writing for Dummies, Beverly A. Browning demystifies the grant application process and outlines strategies for identifying potential funding sources from both government and private entities.

The guide takes readers through the nuts and bolts of applying for grants—tailoring proposals to match funders' priorities, crafting a compelling narrative, articulating a logical action plan, and managing the awarded funds efficiently. With meticulous detail and pragmatic insights, Browning furnishes the tools to bolster your chances of obtaining critical financial support.

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• This part describes the approach for tracking the progress of your project. What information do you plan to gather? How often do you evaluate your progress? How should outcomes be communicated? Is the evaluation of your project going to be carried out by your organization's internal experts, or do you plan to seek assistance from external professionals?
• Engaged parties will be informed about the evaluation outcomes through a designated communication process. Ensure that the final report is disseminated strategically and verify that information about the project is accessible on your organization's website.
• Describe the structure and makeup of the team leading your project, emphasizing their credentials and the specific responsibilities they will assume. Elaborate on the structure and roles within your project's leadership team, detailing each position's required qualifications, specific duties, and the budget set aside for their salaries, while also explaining the organizational structure to ensure transparent responsibility. Ensure that a concise professional summary of the principal investigator is included when you apply for a research grant or cooperative agreement.
• Describe the structure of your organization and elaborate on the administrative procedures in place, highlighting your team's capacity to implement and evaluate the project upon securing funding. Also, briefly describe your organization's risk-management procedures to ensure funders that their funding investment is in the right and ethical hands now and for future requests.
• Outline the approach your organization intends to take to sustain the project's progress after the grant funds are completely expended.

Ensure the application includes all necessary additional documents and attachments.

Grant providers generally expect the provision of specific additional materials or documents. Funding organizations often require various supplementary documents, including detailed financial information and program budgets, as well as formal commitments to collaborate from partner organizations. The funders have specific expectations for the documents that must be included in the application.

Other Perspectives

• While understanding grantwriting terminology and types of grants is important, practical experience and learning from successful grant applications can be equally valuable.
• Grants may be awarded to qualified entities, but the process is highly competitive, and many worthy projects may not receive funding due to limited resources or subjective criteria.
• Strict adherence to grant conditions is required, but this can sometimes limit the flexibility needed for a project to adapt and evolve in response to changing circumstances.
• Governmental and private sector entities offer grants, but navigating the bureaucracy and differing expectations of each can be complex and time-consuming.
• Formula-based funding ensures a predictable source of income for certain projects, but it may not always reflect current needs or allow for innovation.
• The requirement for organizations to match grant funds can be a barrier for smaller or less financially stable entities, potentially limiting their ability to benefit from grants.
• Board members' understanding of meeting management and fundraising is crucial, but overemphasis on these skills can overlook the need for diversity in perspectives and expertise on nonprofit boards.
• Having a comprehensive plan for securing grant funding is strategic, but it can also be rigid and may not account for serendipitous opportunities or the need for rapid response to emerging issues.
• Identifying funding needs and potential supporters is a systematic approach, but it can lead to a transactional view of relationships with funders, rather than fostering genuine partnerships.
• Including critical information about the organization and project in grant applications is necessary, but it can also lead to a formulaic approach that stifles creativity and doesn't capture the unique aspects of a project.
• The requirement for additional documents and attachments can be onerous, especially for smaller organizations with limited administrative capacity.

Strategies for identifying and securing grant funding opportunities.

Browning provides detailed guidance on identifying funding prospects from various public and private sources for both organizations and individuals, emphasizing essential tactics and methods to increase the chances of obtaining financial support.

Begin the process of securing grants in the governmental realm.

Individuals seeking to tap into the considerable reserves of government financing should begin their quest by exploring nearby grant-awarding entities, since these organizations frequently offer monetary assistance to non-profit entities and collectives within their vicinity. To ensure the sustainability and broader impact of multi-year projects, either at a regional or national scale, it makes sense to pursue substantial funding from upper-tier government bodies for your initiative or individual endeavor.

Explore various strategies for securing research funds from government bodies across local, state, and federal tiers.

Browning advises beginning the quest for grants by forging connections with local government bodies, such as county, town, or city officials, who often disburse federal monies that are passed down to states and then apportioned at the municipal level. Explore online resources to discover available funding opportunities by using the keyword "grants +" in your search. The name given to your local region. When searching for grants within San Diego, consider using search terms like "grants City of San Diego" or "grants provided by San Diego's municipal authorities." If you're struggling to identify possible grants or hesitant about starting the process, seek advice from a representative of your local government or a member of the municipal council.

Investigate the different digital platforms of your local government agencies to uncover possible funding sources within your area. To find the different administrative divisions within your state, it's advisable to check the state's official government website and look for a section typically named Agencies, Departments, or Directory.

Browning advises beginning communication with political representatives at the regional and state levels, particularly with members of the state legislature, to uncover potential sources of funding. Ensure your opinions reach your representatives by starting a dialogue through electronic mail or telephonic communication. Arrange a discussion with representatives or their associates to address your financial requirements. Seek guidance on presenting your organization or personal initiative effectively and identifying potential financiers who operate within the local and state jurisdictions.

The principal tool for finding federal grants is the website Grants.gov. This platform operates as an all-encompassing hub for grant-related information, providing daily updates regarding newly announced government funding options. The website streamlines the process of registering for and applying to federal grant programs.

Understand the difference between grants that are awarded based on competition and those distributed through a predetermined formulaic method.

• Browning characterizes formula grants as financial resources distributed by the federal government to state and local governmental bodies, in addition to specific nonprofit entities such as Head Start, which are awarded these monies based on documented needs substantiated by statistical data. Examples of needs encompass indicators of poverty gathered from the decennial surveys conducted by the U.S. Census, figures related to student enrollment for entities seeking grants to bolster educational initiatives, data pertaining to criminal justice, and a range of criteria employed by federal agencies to determine the allocation and quantity of financial support to state and municipal authorities. The allocation of grant funding is determined by legislative actions and is not subject to an annual competition. Those seeking federal grants can update their previous proposals, modify demographic-related numbers, and reapply to the appropriate funding agency.
• Entities seeking financial assistance are required to convincingly demonstrate their ability to oversee the project, provide evidence of the need for monetary aid, and outline their plans for implementing and evaluating the program. Securing these grants requires you to stand out in a competitive field of applicants from across the country. A group of experts, well-versed in the pertinent area and compensated by the organization providing the funds, evaluates the submissions to decide their eligibility for financial assistance based on predefined evaluation criteria. The funding agency's program officer carries out the final assessment and endorses proposals that meet the predefined standards and have received the highest evaluations in the peer review process. Once selected to receive a grant, the awardee must fill out and return the acceptance documents supplied by the grantor, which then leads to the deposit of the funds into the organization's account at their bank.

Explore different organizations in the private sector that could offer financial support.

Support from private entities continues to be robust even with a minor economic decline in the United States. Grant-awarding organizations are typically classified into two main groups: philanthropic foundations that concentrate on specific sectors, and businesses that seek to distribute a portion of their profits to community-beneficial philanthropic activities, which may also offer fiscal benefits.

Assess different entities that offer monetary assistance in the form of grants.

Browning recommends that grant seekers thoroughly investigate private funders by scrutinizing their digital footprint, which encompasses their goals, priorities, accessible funding guidelines, magnitude of previous contributions, and other pertinent information that could influence the crafting of the grant proposal. Drafting a grant proposal necessitates a significant investment of time.

Utilize specialized databases to pinpoint appropriate funding prospects from private entities for grant research.

Browning recommends that using a dedicated online database for grant research can be highly beneficial in gaining a thorough understanding of the methods and strategies used by foundations and corporations in their grantmaking. The website https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/ serves as an extensive database containing details on financial contributions from corporations and charitable foundations. You can utilize this resource by subscribing or going to a library or nonprofit information center where the widely available collection of grant funding data is at your disposal.

Browning also suggests consulting additional databases:

• Instrumentl, which can be found at www.instrumentl.com, provides a comprehensive repository filled with information on a wide array of entities providing grant opportunities. Instrumentl's algorithms enhance the efficiency of pinpointing and categorizing suitable opportunities compared to many other online platforms that focus on grant research.
• Fundsnet Services provides complimentary entry and is well-organized, with specific areas designed for grantmakers across the globe.
• GrantStation offers a subscription service that includes an extensive array of resources and databases designed to support the pursuit of grants by a diverse range of entities such as nonprofits, educational institutions, government agencies, religious groups, and individual grant professionals.

Browning recommends thoroughly assessing potential funders that have been pinpointed in the grant-research phase, focusing on particular benchmarks.

• Start by examining the segment that discusses restrictions. Is your initiative or endeavor excluded from consideration? Frequent restrictions include offering assistance solely within specific areas or focusing on certain types of grants, like seed money or funds for ongoing costs. For example, most foundations generally do not include personal, religious, or large-scale capital projects in their financial support schemes. Move on to outlining the objectives and proposed actions if your proposal satisfies the necessary qualifications.
• Does your project's goals or your organization's mission align with the goals and programs of the prospective funding source? Does your organization's mission correspond with the goals and focus areas that the funder endorses? If you're unable to identify common goals or interests, it might become necessary to consider alternative paths. After pinpointing an appropriate opportunity, move on to the next crucial phase.
• Identify sponsors who have explicitly expressed an inclination to fund projects in your specific field of interest. Stay informed by frequently checking the funder's online profiles or their entries in grant directories, since their preferences for funding can change frequently. Should you find it challenging to pinpoint an exact match, try describing the breadth of your initiative with broader and more encompassing terms. Even when the description provided by the funder does not specifically mention after-school tutoring, the services offered by your organization in this domain could still be pertinent. They might instead focus on highlighting initiatives and efforts aimed at improving educational opportunities and youth programs within community districts.
• Does the grant provider have the capacity to fulfill your specific funding needs? does not focus on capital projects, infrastructure enhancement, or construction initiatives, then a project centered on erecting new structures is not in harmony with their funding priorities.
• Has the grant provider previously supported projects that are akin to your own or within your region? Engaging in dialogue with the grant provider about their openness to initiatives in your sector before presenting a comprehensive proposal is recommended, especially if their initial feedback is not favorable.
• Is the budget for your project consistent with the usual amounts that the grant provider has allocated in the past? Review past grants to gauge the extent of their monetary support. Should your project require a sum of $100,000 and the most substantial grant previously given was $5,000, it will be necessary to seek funding from various sources. When initially reaching out to a potential donor, it's wise to tailor your request to match the lower end of their previous contributions.

Investigate the various types of financial support available to individuals and organizations.

The focus is on pinpointing genuine opportunities to obtain funding accessible to individuals and diverse organizations. Obtaining funding for nonprofit organizations requires a great deal of research and dedication. Persevere despite the challenges! Researchers with exceptional investigative abilities and businesses offering novel ideas may also tap into private-sector resources alongside governmental funding.

Familiarize yourself with the different types of grants available for personal and business projects.

Browning explains that most grants available to individuals are allocated for research purposes within the realms of education and commerce.

• Organizations committed to providing scholarships and financial assistance are frequently the source of financial support for higher education.
• Fellowships are a type of grant that usually provide financial assistance for research endeavors undertaken by individuals during their graduate and postdoctoral phases.
• Pharmaceutical companies, for instance, provide monetary support to patients who cannot afford their medications by issuing subsidies. Initiatives aimed at assisting individuals usually concentrate on supplying drugs for ongoing health issues such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Organizations from the private and public sectors allocate funds specifically for scientific research and educational activities.
• Several states offer financial support for the initial purchase of a home, focusing on first-time buyers by providing resources to assist with down payment expenses.

Investigate various avenues to secure government-supported financing designed to bolster startup activities and expansion efforts.

The SBIR and STTR initiatives provide monetary support for research and development efforts undertaken by small enterprises. Each initiative is comprised of three distinct stages.

• The first phase of funding is dedicated to verifying the technical robustness, feasibility, and potential market success of the company's proposed research and development initiative.
• The subsequent phase entails broadening the scope associated with the initiative. Innovation in products or methods often receives financial backing. Recipients of Phase I awards may progress to the next stage if they have successfully met the established objectives and goals for the initial phase.
• To finalize this phase, the small business needs to obtain outside funding to progress its initiatives in research and development to a point where they can be introduced to the market and widely distributed.

Individuals aiming to obtain an SBIR or STTR grant should contact the specific representative for these initiatives in their state, as recommended by Browning. To ascertain who oversees these programs at the state level, you might want to contact the office of the governor or search through the website dedicated to the state's economic development.

Other Perspectives

• While local grant-awarding entities are a good starting point, they may have limited funds, and it might be more strategic to target larger, national or international funders with more substantial grant offerings.
• Pursuing funding from upper-tier government bodies can be highly competitive, and smaller organizations or individuals may find it challenging to meet the stringent requirements or to compete with larger, more established entities.
• Forging connections with local government bodies is useful, but it can be time-consuming and may not always result in funding, especially if the project does not align with current government priorities.
• Online resources are valuable, but they can be overwhelming and may not always be up-to-date; personal networking and relationships are often more effective in identifying and securing grants.
• Communication with political representatives can be beneficial, but it may also be subject to political biases and may not be a reliable strategy for all types of projects or initiatives.
• Grants.gov is a comprehensive resource, but navigating federal grants can be complex and daunting for newcomers, and the competition is often fierce.
• The distinction between competition-based and formula-based grants is important, but it can also be misleading as some formula grants may still require a competitive application process.
• Demonstrating the ability to oversee projects is crucial, but smaller organizations or individuals may lack the track record to prove their capacity, which can be a barrier to securing funding.
• Private sector organizations can offer financial support, but they may have specific agendas or expectations that could influence the direction of the funded projects.
• Specialized databases are helpful, but they often require subscriptions, which can be a barrier for individuals or small organizations with limited budgets.
• Assessing potential funders based on restrictions and alignment with goals is important, but it can also limit the scope of projects to what is currently fashionable or prioritized by funders, rather than what is innovative or necessary.
• Investigating different types of grants is essential, but the landscape is highly competitive, and the availability of grants may not match the needs of all individuals or organizations.
• Government-supported financing for startups and expansions is crucial, but the application process can be bureaucratic and slow, which may not be suitable for all startups that need timely funding to capitalize on market opportunities.
• Contacting specific representatives for SBIR and STTR initiatives is a good recommendation, but these programs are highly competitive and have specific requirements that may not be applicable to all businesses or research projects.

Maximizing the chances of obtaining grant support and managing it efficiently once awarded.

The guide focuses on crafting persuasive grant applications and outlines essential processes for the proper management of awarded funds. Browning initiates the process by assisting individuals in pinpointing the government grants that align best with their organization's needs and proceeds to provide an in-depth walkthrough of completing the narrative and various other components of the grant application.

Identify the federal grant options that are most appropriate.

Browning emphasizes the importance of applicants thoroughly and consistently scrutinizing the announcement for federal grant funding. Before submitting an application, confirm that your organization possesses the required eligibility.

Examine the grant announcement meticulously to determine if you fulfill the requirements for eligibility and whether it corresponds with your objectives.

In this section, Browning underscores the importance of each component detailed in the grant announcement, encompassing:

• Review the objectives and goals of your organization to ensure they align with the priorities of the funding agency.
• Confirm that your organization fulfills the prerequisites for application submission.
• The section discusses the range of monetary assistance expected, which includes the smallest and largest amounts that the agency plans to distribute to each beneficiary of the grant. Requesting funds from a donor whose maximum contribution is $5,000 when your entity needs $100,000 suggests that there is a mismatch between their giving capacity and your organization's financial needs. Proceed forward!
• What is the anticipated number of recipients for the funding? The limited number of grants accessible greatly reduces the chances of obtaining one. Submitting more grant applications enhances the chances of obtaining financial support.
• Application reviewers utilize specific criteria when analyzing submissions. Employing the suggested strategies can improve your chances of achieving success.

Build partnerships to improve the request for funding.

Browning underscores the importance of securing official pledges and documented agreements, like Memorandums of Agreement or Understanding, from all collaborating parties for the section of the grant proposal that focuses on partnerships. She explains that it is now considered unacceptable to incorporate generic letters of support from collaborators who lack a deep understanding of your project for contemporary grant funding entities. Funding organizations seek concrete evidence of real dedication, which encompasses quantifiable backing like personnel time, use of facilities, monetary donations, expertise, and other forms of assistance from entities working together.

Browning underscores the necessity of including a team with a minimum of ten diverse individuals in your grant proposal.

• Entities that recommend your organization to others or that are endorsed by your organization are recognized as referral partners.
• Collaborators from government entities encompass state, local, and federal institutions, along with members of your organization's governing body.
• Local enterprises that are invested in the welfare of your clients, including financial institutions,
• Entities within the commercial realm, including law firms, accounting companies, and trade associations.

Ensure that your written work conforms to the standards established for peer assessment.

Upon issuing a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), government entities supply detailed guidelines for the application that delineate the required elements of the narrative. The assessment of proposals for public grants typically employs a numerical grading method, where the maximum score might be 100 points, although certain contests might extend to a scale reaching 1,000 points or more. Funding is generally awarded to the applications that receive the highest scores. Browning emphasizes the need for grant writers to comprehend the evaluation standards and guides them in formulating their responses to enhance their chances of receiving the highest scores from those evaluating the grants.

Comply with the specified criteria for technical evaluation.

Browning explains that the first step in the peer review process involves a grant specialist scrutinizing the application documents to confirm that the submission is comprehensive, including the required checklist, obligatory cover letters, all essential introductory documents, the synopsis or overview, the index of contents, and the main text of the grant proposal, as well as any additional supporting materials or annexes. If the application is submitted with sections left unfilled, forms that are not filled out correctly, or in a format that is not acceptable, such as including pictures in an e-grant template where they are not allowed, it will be rejected before a team of experts can evaluate it.

Prior to beginning the narrative draft, it's crucial to concentrate on these key components as highlighted by Browning:

• Certain applications require proposals to be structured with single spacing, whereas alternative applications call for increased spacing between lines.
• Some entities require that grant applications be presented in a specific font, like Times New Roman, and dictate that the text must be in a certain font size, for instance, 12-point.
• Certain parts of the story may have a set number of pages they must adhere to, or there could be an overall cap on the number of pages for the entire narrative. Some applications may require that attachments be included in the overall page count.
• Applications for grants generally require a numbering system that starts with the first document and ends with the last page. Certain funding organizations may specify that page numbering is required solely for the narrative portion.

Utilize the best tactics to secure the highest rankings within the framework of the program.

The section of your grant proposal that holds the utmost significance is the one that outlines the structure of the program you plan to implement, commonly known as the action strategy. The proposal should clearly present your plan for executing the project and effectively demonstrate its likelihood of success to the funding agency.

Browning advises adopting the subsequent structure:

• Start the narrative by explicitly stating the goals of the project or the reasons for seeking financial assistance. The declaration must be succinctly articulated in a single statement.
• Focus on the expected results that the initiative aims to achieve. The goals of the project should reflect the wide spectrum of outcomes expected when its various aims are achieved. When detailing goals, it is crucial to conform to the stipulations set forth by the funding body, regardless of their measurability.
• Define quantifiable benchmarks for achieving each goal, known as SMART objectives. An objective should articulate the precise alterations expected, such as reductions, enhancements, advancements, or other quantifiable transformations, and should also identify who will benefit from these changes, whether they are clients, patients, employees, the broader community, etc., and also specify the period during which these changes are expected to occur. To adhere to the SMART criteria described by Browning, one must establish objectives that are explicitly outlined, measurable, attainable, reasonable, and bound by a precise time limit. A possible objective for a program designed to support women returning to the workforce might be articulated as follows: Upon finishing the initial year, we expect that at least 75% of those enrolled in our program designed to boost self-confidence will obtain steady jobs and the accompanying advantages.
• Process-related objectives: Once the grant is awarded, the project team will commence with the planned activities. Every duty should be clearly outlined in a chart, indicating a measurable objective along with the period within which it should be achieved.
• Browning provides insights that forecast the expected long-term outcomes.
• Establish a structured outline that clearly defines how the components of the project, such as resources, processes, anticipated outcomes, and deliverables, are interconnected to demonstrate responsibility. To enhance recycling efforts, your organization must establish a direct connection to the planned activities, which should encompass developing a comprehensive plan to increase recycling awareness among local populations. Make certain that your plan for outlining the desired outcomes is thorough.
• When are the activities scheduled to commence and conclude? A timeline chart clearly delineates the approach your team will take to advance effectively through the implementation phase, serving the funder's interests. Organize the table to reflect the logic model's systematic framework, specifying each element.
• What is your strategy for evaluating the project's effectiveness? Do you intend to hire a specialist to conduct an assessment? Will the evaluation be conducted by individuals associated with the organization? Providing all the required information is essential.

Other Perspectives

• While Browning's guide emphasizes the importance of aligning with federal grant options, it may not address the potential benefits and opportunities available through private foundations or international funding bodies, which could be more suitable for certain organizations.
• The guide suggests a meticulous review of grant announcements for eligibility, but it may not account for the dynamic nature of some organizations' goals and objectives, which could align with a broader range of funding opportunities not immediately apparent.
• The focus on monetary assistance ranges and the number of recipients might lead organizations to overlook smaller grants that could be combined to fund a project or the strategic value of applying for grants with fewer recipients for increased visibility and prestige.
• The recommendation to build partnerships and secure documented agreements is sound, but it may not fully consider the time and resources required to establish these partnerships, which could be prohibitive for smaller organizations.
• The insistence on a diverse team of at least ten individuals in grant proposals may not be practical or necessary for all projects, especially smaller or more specialized initiatives.
• Strict adherence to technical evaluation criteria is important, but it could stifle creativity and innovation in the proposal writing process, potentially leading to a formulaic approach that doesn't fully capture the unique aspects of a project.
• The emphasis on formatting requirements, while crucial for compliance, may overshadow the substantive content of the proposal, leading applicants to focus excessively on form over function.
• The guide's tactics for securing high rankings within the program framework may not take into account the subjective nature of peer review and the possibility of reviewer bias.
• The outlined approach to defining goals, expected results, and SMART objectives is comprehensive, but it may not leave room for adaptive management strategies that allow for flexibility and responsiveness to changing circumstances during project implementation.
• The structured outline connecting project components and outcomes could be overly rigid, potentially limiting an organization's ability to adapt and innovate as the project unfolds.
• The development of a timeline and evaluation strategy is critical, but the guide may not emphasize the importance of iterative learning and continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle.