Foundation Grant Workshop Outline. 11AM-1PM March 24, 2015

Transcription

1 Outline Presenters: 11AM-1PM March 24, 2015 Tina Meyer, DHSc, PA-C, Associate Professor, Chair Department of Health Sciences, Western U CAHP. tmeyer@westernu.edu (909) Linda-Marie Sundstrom, DPA, Assistant Professor, Master of Public Policy and Administration Program, California Lutheran University lsundstrom@callutheran.edu (805) Workshop description: The workshop will target the competencies that are common to all foundation grant applications. Practical applications will include the cover letter, the executive summary, the statement of need, crafting goals and objectives, methods/strategies and program design, evaluation, sustainability, and budget. Please join the IME and Dr. Meyer from the College of Allied Health Professions for this informative workshop. Introduction to the workshop: The following outline addresses the structure for our time together and illustrates the main talking points that the presenters feel are most relevant to the workshop. As with all workshop experiences the plan will guide our work but does not dictate the session. The presenters look forward to learning about your interests and desires concerning foundation grant funding, and to a lively exchange that results from a discussion of real needs and circumstances. Workshop outline: 1. Introductions 2. Putting Foundation grants into context (Prezi) Foundation mission, vision, and goals The foundation grant judging process The role of the problem statement Activity 1: So, what s your problem? 3. Foundation grant process Finding the funder (Intro to Guidestar database) Main points of preparing for a foundation grant application:

2 Check the office for WU engagement Front work what do we do before we contact Activity 2: What do we do to build our plan before we write? Collaborations Resources Match Opportunities Challenges How long will it take to achieve desired results of the project? What role does the grant play in the larger context of the work? 4. Goals and objectives Goals of the project Objectives of the project Activity 3: One goal that you would like to achieve with a foundation grant 1-3 objectives that you will measure in fulfillment of the goal 5. The work plan Activities Benchmarks and indicators Timeline Activity 4: Logic model to capture your ideas for a foundation grant project 6. Misc. Partner documents and MOU s Letters of support Project management considerations 7. Consult the expert! 2

3 Goal(s) and Objectives Goals are broad, general intentions that indicate the end result that we hope to achieve through our work. Goals are somewhat abstract. On their face, they are not easily measured or validated because of their broad nature. Objectives quantify the specific steps that we will take to achieve the goal(s). They are specific, tangible, time-bound, and provide for a measure of evaluation to determine to what degree something was achieved. Objectives contain the following components: A: Audience who will be affected; who will do something? B: Behavior what will the audience do? C: Condition(s) under what conditions will the audience complete the behavior? D: Degree to what degree will the audience perform the behavior? Example: Goal: The presenters will assist attendees to write clear statements of goal and objectives relevant to future grant applications. (A) (D) (B) Objective: (Participants) will (accurately) (operationalize the differences) between goals, objectives ( C ) and outcomes (relevant) to their work at WU.

4 Problem Statement: Goals Goal 1: Objective 1.1 Objectives Objective 1.2 Objective 1.3 Goal 2: Objective 2.1 Objective 2.2 Objective 2.3

5 The Problem Statement Funders want to advance their work, not yours. The goal is to create a partnership that is based on mutual interests and goals. How will your work advance the work of the foundation? Remember that Judges are usually volunteers who most probably do not possess content/subject matter expertise. They are usually pressed to review several applications in a short period of time and assess them on a rubric. The Problem Statement is a key element in capturing the Judges attention early on. Why should the foundation give money to your problem rather than someone else problem? Remember, the lack of something is not a problem! The Problem Statement must be evidence based, compelling, align with the foundations mission and vision, and it must be specific but not overly technical.

6 Work on the front end to establish your program plan Before initiating any contact with a funder, check with the appropriate Western U office to ensure that it is alright to do so. The front end work is not grant specific and is work that you will have to do regardless of the targeted funder. What do you need to build your plan before engaging the funder? - What type of project will this be? - What do you want to do about the problem? - What collaborations do you need? - What resources do you have in place? - What challenges do you foresee? - How long will it take to achieve the desired results? - What role does the grant play in the context of the larger body of your work?

7 Logic model to capture your ideas for a foundation grant project Problem statement: Goal: The intended aim of impact over the life of the project. Outcomes Rationales Resources Activities Outputs. External factors:

8 Problem statement: A description of the problem that the project seeks to solve. Logic model to capture your ideas for a foundation grant project Goal: The intended aim of impact over the life of the project. Rationales Why will the project activities produce results? Assumptions: What factors are necessary for project success are already in place? Resources People, time, materials, funds, dedicated to or consumed by the project. Activities The actions the project takes to achieve desired results. Outputs The tangible, direct products of the project activities. Outcomes The changes expected to result from the project changes within programs, organizations, communities, or systems. External factors: Other influences on program results; circumstances beyond project control

9 Main Parts of the Foundation Grant and Best Practices The Introduction The introduction is where you establish your credibility by focusing on yourself and your agency. Outline your history in the community/area of the grant topic. Describe your staff, individual and collective accomplishments, awards, degrees, specializations, etc. Highlight your current services and programs. The Problem Statement Funders want to advance their work, not yours. The goal is to create a partnership that is based on mutual interests and goals. How will your work advance the work of the foundation? Remember that Judges are usually volunteers who most probably do not possess content/subject matter expertise. They are usually pressed to review several applications in a short period of time and assess them on a rubric. The Problem Statement is a key element in capturing the Judges attention early on. Why should the foundation give money to your problem rather than someone else problem? Remember, the lack of something is not a problem! The Problem Statement must be evidence based, compelling, align with the foundations mission and vision, and it must be specific but not overly technical. The Work Plan The work plan should read like a blueprint of directions for how the project will be completed. Include the activities, time frames, responsible personnel, and the outcomes. Tangible proof of accomplishments is required so you must operationalize your variable for each activity. A multipage, highly detailed document is the norm. The Work Plan must be comprehensive and constructive. Evaluation

10 Project Management The Project Management plan focuses on personnel and the hierarchy of responsibilities that will be observed for project completion. You will create a narrative that describes personnel qualifications for the job that they will do. Create an organization chart to depict the structure clearly. Provide additional information such as the contributions of advisory group members, and supporting information concerning the physical location, marketing plans, etc. Create a commentary of why each person was chosen to fill the position on the team. Budget The budget is completed in proper categories and is designated in columns. A brief narrative may introduce the budget but the main elements are presented in table format. Include grant monies, cash donations, all service and in-kind of contributions of time, materials, and resources. Partner Documents Artifacts include a description of partners and supporters, letter of commitment/support, Memo s of Understanding, Advisory Group. Support may take the form of monetary contributions, time, talent and abilities, and a variety of resources. An MOU is a formal contract via a 2-way agreement that requires a minimum of 2 signatures, one from each agency involved in the project. Advisory groups serve to represent the interests of all parties. Many participate in the evaluation processes. Members are both professional and non-professional. You should prepare a document that identifies the group members and their affiliations. Best practices Follow all elements of the RFP. Be clear and descriptive without using technical jargon. Spell out all acronyms. Write in the past tense. Do not include dated information. Site all claims with evidence. Present a complete strategic plan an include the effects of sustainability.

11 Distinguish your agency from others. (It is permissible to compare and contrast yourself with similar organizations if it provides context and clarity. Contact the program officer AFTER you clear it with Western U. Remember that the officer s role is that of ambassador and advocate for the interest of the foundation as well as your partner and collaborator. Engage the officer in honest conversation and establish that your goals and agency are a good fit with the foundations goals. Don t chase money. Instead, seek out a good fit between your work and the aims of the funder. Review the organizations that were previously funded. It may be permissible to submit a Letter of Inquiry to determine compatibility with the funder. Keep a thorough checklist and as logic model to remain organized. Calendar all due dates and deadlines and be on time if not early. Write with a team. Always have a proof reader. Use headings. Remember that the Judges are reading quickly and looking to score rubric elements. Headings help the reader/judge find the information that they are looking for. Include pictures, graphs and charts if they emphasize your claims and increase clarity. Use quality paper. Prepare a common grant application as a base for information. Establish a grant library. The Common Grant Application (CGA) tool The CGA was developed by the National Network of Grantmakers (NNG) in 1995 to advance a set of guidelines for the creation of a proposal. Always check with your funder for additional information/documentation that may be required. You may download a free copy of the CGA at