WHY WASN T MY GRANT FUNDED?

Transcription

1 WHY WASN T MY GRANT FUNDED? RESEARCHING, WRITING, & WINNING GRANTS EVERETT L. LONG, MA, PH.D. CANDIDATE

2 WHO CAN IDENTIFY WITH THESE FEELINGS?

3 THE STAGES OF GRIEF & HAPPINESS IN GRANT WRITING RFP ARRIVES! HOPEFUL START WRITING FINISHED! LETTER ARRIVES EDITING WAITING ANXIOUS READ RFP PROOFING

4 PRESENTATION OVERVIEW Introduce reasons grants may not be funded Group Activity! 1 st set of reasons 2 nd set of reasons Detour #1 3 rd set of reasons Detour #2 Recap

5 MY EXPERIENCE WITH GRANTS 3.5 years grant writing for Athens Nurses Clinic Grants now account for 1/3 of budget Won travel and research grants from UGA Doctorate level courses: Grant writing Program development Theory Evaluation All required writing NIH level grants The point is I wrote A LOT OF STUFF! American Grant Writer s Association member

6 1. SOMETHING COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR CONTROL 2. SOMETHING SORT OF IN BETWEEN SO FAR I HAVE DISCOVERED 3 REASONS A GRANT IS DENIED 3. SOMETHING THAT YOU/YOUR ORGANIZATION DID

7 SOMETHING SORT OF IN BETWEEN Out of your control SOMETHING YOU DID

8 Out of your control SOMETHING YOU DID GEOGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION FOCUS FUNDER HANGED SIMILAR DID NOT LATE BUDGET TIMING FOCUS PROJECT HAVE MISTAKES Didn t SUFFICIENT FUNDED INCIDENCE prove the NOT POLITICS FUNDING HIGH need ENOUGH SOMETHING SORT OF IN BETWEEN POORLY POOR PAST NON- DID SUSTAINIBILITY PROJECT PUBLIC EVALUATION NOT DIDN T HEALTH FOLLOW WRITTEN/GRAMM ORGANIZATIONAL MEASUREABLE AFTER THE FIT GUIDELINES GRANT ATICAL CLIIMATE/FUNDIN THE OUTLINE FUNDING OF NOT MISTAKES CLEAR CAPACITY OBJECTIVES G RFP RECENTLY RECIEVED

9 Out of your control PUBLIC HEALTH CLIMATE/FUNDING ORGANIZATION DIDN T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING FUNDER CHANGED FOCUS POLITICS INCIDENCE NOT HIGH ENOUGH

10 ORGANIZATION DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS We ve all received this letter: ABC Foundation was pleased to receive your grant application. We received an overwhelming amount of grants this year, and unfortunately we cannot fund them all. At this time your grant was not chosen. Thank you for your interest. Accept this Ask for score sheets/feedback if available.

11 THE CLIMATE IN PUBLIC/COMMUNITY HEALTH? Is there an issue du jour? Obesity Health Navigators Bully Prevention The state of funding for public health 2012 Institute of Medicine $12 billion increase Affordable Care Act $2.25 Billon for preventive resources

12 AFFORDABLE CARE ACT PREVENTION AND CLINICAL Community Prevention Health departments Improving public health systems Maximizing cohesion across states and communities Chronic disease self management Access to Wellness Services Cancer screenings Programs for under/uninsured Behavioral Health Tobacco Cessation

13 CLIMATE AND YOUR GRANT Use the current climate to bolster your grant Be explicit With the new health care reforms we want to ensure that our clients have best services while in our care. For Tobacco cessation program: This program is in direct alignment with the direction of the Affordable Care Act s focus on Tobacco Cessation * Do a little research to feel out funders position on ACA

14 POLITICS We live in GA Where do you live? Rural Area Who s in charge? Know your local legislator s positions

15 FUNDER CHANGED FOCUS Community health Research Capital/Operational Programing Shifts in areas of funding

16

17 INCIDENCE NOT HIGH ENOUGH IN YOUR COMMUNITY Greater demonstrated need elsewhere Not an issue in your community

18 SOMETHING SORT OF IN BETWEEN GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS RECENTLY RECIEVED THE GRANT TIMING SIMILAR PROJECT FUNDED PROJECT DIDN T FIT GUIDELINES Organizational Capacity

19 SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREA Actual geographic area of funder vs. stated Expanding? Using your location as an advantage BUT You should know the areas the organization funds

20 TIMING Similar project recently funded Catch organization out of cycle Focus BUT Be in touch with the organization before you apply

21 HAVE YOU RECENTLY WON THIS GRANT? Eligibility rules usually stated Using the grant for the same purpose BUT You should know how often an award is given to a single organization

22 PROJECT DIDN T FIT GUIDELINES Can t read a board s mind Right Amount of $$$$$$ BUT You should know if your program fits the overall scope/guidelines Be wise with how much you ask for $ YOU SHOULD HAVE READ RFP-50 times!

23 ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY Organization isn t ready Just starting out Organization status Audits, tax reports Doesn t appear ready Skillset/Diversity of Board of Directors Staff capabilities/key players BUT Get proper independent audits Diversify your board of directors Augment staff responsibilities with key volunteers/interns

24 SIMILAR PROJECT FUNDED IN AREA Other clinics/health services meeting need Avoid duplicated services BUT You should be aware of other efforts in area Opportunity for collaboration?

25

26 REASONS TO COLLABORATION Connect regional/local/community health services Decrease competition for grant dollars Eliminate duplication of services Strengthen services Strengthen your grant application EVERYBODY WINS!!!

27 OBJECTIVES FOR COLLABORATION Acquiring needed organization knowledge and skills Addressing common resource needs Pursuing a shared organizational mission Mays, GP, Halverson, PK, & Kaluzny, AD. (1998). Collaboration to improve community health: trends and alternative models. The Joint Commission journal on quality improvement, 24(10), 518.

28 AREAS OF POSSIBLE FOCUS IN COLLABORATION Service delivery Planning and policy development Surveillance and assessment Education and outreach

29 ANC HEALTHY NEGA WOMEN PROGRAM Provides breast health education, clinical breast exams, and mammograms Collaborators Athens Regional Breast Health Center Health Department Partner sites Local Churches Neighborhood organizations Other clinics Fish Open Arms

30

31 SOMETHING YOU DID Did not prove the need Non-measureable objectives Budget Mistakes Did not follow the outline of RFP Sustainability after funding not clear Poorly written/grammati cal mistakes LATE Poor past evaluation

32 LATE

33 GRAMMATICAL ERRORS/MISTAKES NO REASON FOR THIS! Spell check is there for a reason-use it Proofreading mandatory Someone who doesn t speak the jargon Clarity GET ORGANIZED!

34 GET ORGANIZED SO YOU CAN Be concise Answer the questions that are ASKED Narrative and budget are clear Have partners and matches READY. (MOU) Address ALL reporting elements Get application in early (48 hrs before) Keep folders with standard components Backgrounder LOI

35 DIDN T PROVE THE NEED Do your Research Use current statistics Data bases Journal Articles Local organization reports Use your organization s data

36 BUDGET MISTAKES What do they fund? Budget well planned Realistic Are you taking liberties? Does the budget match the budget narrative? Use an excel sheet

37 DID NOT FOLLOW GUIDELINES OF RFP FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS!-This is your first test! Use the provided headings Grant/Page length Don t over-submit extra things Read the RFP

38 SUSTAINABILITY What will you do in the future for funding? Let them know you plan to continue beyond their funding From the words of a funder: Sustainability is NOT: We will continue to seek grants in order to continue funding this program Consider: Absorbing it into general operating budget Annual campaign Fees for services Activities/fundraisers

39 NON-MEASUREABLE OBJECTIVES Objectives should be: In quantifiable terms Stated in terms of outcomes Clearly identify target audience Realistic! Goal: An larger focus of accomplishment supported by a series of objectives to realize it. Objective: A step toward a goal that is precise, measureable, time-related.

40 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Example GOAL 1: To increase education and awareness about breast health care among indigent populations in Athens Clarke County and the Northeast Georgia Area. Objective 1: Attend five (5) health related events in the Northeast Georgia Area to provide educational materials regarding breast health, self-breast examinations and mammograms during the program year. Objective 2: Distribute health education materials to at least 500 women at heath events during the program year. Objective 3: Distribute educational materials regarding breast health information, breast cancer, and screening to 90% of the female patients over the age of 35 seen at the clinic during the program year.

41 POOR PAST EVALUATION Funders remember Funders talk to each other Evaluation is the MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR GRANT Start your proposal with what you are going to evaluate

42

43 WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF EVALUATING YOUR PROGRAMS?

44 JUST ANOTHER THING I HAVE TO DO TIME- CONSUMING WHAT WE SAY/FEEL ABOUT PROGRAM EVALUATION DIFFICULT CONFUSING

45 WAY TO SHOW WHAT MY CLINIC CAN DO USEFUL FOR DIRECTING GRANT WRITING WHAT WE SHOULD SAY/FEEL ABOUT PROGRAM EVALUATION IMPROVE CLINIC FUNCTIONING WAY TO GET MORE MONEY!

46 EVALUATION: A DEFINITION Evaluation is the systematic application of scientific methods to assess the design, implementation, improvement or outcomes of a program

47 BE SYSTEMATIC Establish a way to track your program Use a simple method Keep it the same way from start to finish

48 ASSESS IMPLEMENTATION Check-in on your program from time to time Process evaluation very useful Check attendance, adherence, recruitment, etc. Check in with key players to identify problems Staff Patients/participants Case study: ANC Diabetes Education Program Traditional classroom style program with diabetes educator High no show rate, low adherence Changed it to one-on-one courses

49 ASSESS OUTCOMES Direct reflection of goals and outcomes Keep it simple Discuss changes openly Discuss problems openly

50 EVALUATION SHOULD ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS: 1. Did what we say would happen happen? (implementation) 2. Is the program going as we stated it would? (process evaluation) 3. What was the impact of the events happening? (outcomes) 4. Where do we go from here?

51 EVALUATION Should be based on goals and objectives or hypotheses Should directly reflect logic model and program activities Use various data collection methods Quantitative Frequencies, enrollees Cause and effect (statistical methods) Using baseline measures (pretest/posttest) Qualitative Testimonials from participants Interviews Visual

52 WHERE TO START EVALUATION?

53 LOGIC MODEL Tool to help evaluate the effectiveness of a program Basis is the if-then model If we have money, then these activities can happen, which will produce these outcomes. Components: Inputs: What will go into the program What will you use the money for? Outputs: Activities Outcomes: What will happen as a result of the inputs/outputs

54

55

56 RECAP That up and down feeling of grant writing NEVER goes away Can categorize 3 main reasons that a grant doesn t get funded Most of the reasons are OUR FAULT Minimize the reasons that are your fault Collaboration es bueno Evaluation=useful way to improve clinic, and prove your organization s capacity to get more money!

57 QUESTIONS? Everett L. Long eveready77