GRANT WRITING FOR MUNICIPALITIES Beginner Training Thursday, August 30, 2012 Trainer: Natasha M. McCoy, NM2C, LLC Louisiana Municipal Association, Incorporated Louisiana Municipal Advisory & Technical Services Bureau Corporation
Logistics General overview of training schedule Location of bathrooms Scheduled breaks Scheduled lunch Please turn all phones to vibrate Parking Lot for questions
Icebreaker Name Municipality Existing grant situation (Yes or No)? What would you like to learn from this course?
Training Objectives Provide basic overview on Grants, Grant Writing, Grant Preparation and Grants Management Provide tips for developing a competitive application Practice developing narrative for common grant sections Learn about existing opportunities
GRANTS 101
Grants 101 A grant is a type of funding assistance used to achieve a particular purpose Not free money Not a gift (donations)
Why do Grants Exist? Standardized way of distributing taxpayer dollars or donated funds to charitable causes or causes not addressed by government or industry operations Provides ability to transfer funds from one agency to another Connect hundreds of individual projects to a dedicated goal or set of objectives
Legislation Donor-advised Community-centric Emergency / Disasters Formation of Grants
Block grants Types of Grants Large grants provided at federal and state levels for one primary purpose or a group of related activities Project (categorical) grants Grants given for a particular cause; research, health, etc. Formula grant Funding provided based on standard set of data (e.g. census data) Charitable grants Funds provided by foundation or social fundraising activities for a specific purpose
Federal Grant Making Process Federal funds appropriated by Congress Funds are transferred from the U.S. Treasury to the respective federal agency Federal agencies carry out competitive grant process or use funding for special projects
Grant Making Process State grants (via state government agencies) Budget approved by Legislature and Governor Funds transferred from state general fund to state agencies or fiscal intermediaries Most state agencies have programs that serve as a pass-through for federal funds
Foundation Grant Making Process Solicited grant making (competitive process) Unsolicited grant making Funding given for a charitable cause
Who can Receive Grants? Varies by funder Grants are developed with an intended target audience in mind Must check the grant maker s program guidelines and respective funding application for this information
Federal grants www.grants.gov How to Find Grants? State grants Check the specific state government agency Foundation grants The Foundation Center GrantStation Fundbook
GRANT PREPARATION
Grant Preparation Tips Locate funding opportunities Internet Phone Library Develop grant writing team and meet regularly Assign a grant writing lead Ensure compliance to applicable laws
Last Year s Model With grants, never get comfortable with last year s model grant makers have the ability to change the grant application process, what types of projects are funded and how programs are selected every year to meet a new or existing need as long as it continues to comply with overall objectives Read every application as if it s your first time reviewing it
Tips for Competitive Proposals Plan Ahead Collaborate Be Innovative Follow Directions
Plan Ahead RE: Grant preparation and writing Drill down to the root cause of your problem Get to know the funders and their respective funding opportunities Plan your project in advance, but don t let it collect dust on the shelf! Problems versus projects
Collaborate Collaborate when collaboration makes sense Seek ethical and mutually beneficial partnerships Engage and get the community involved to the extent possible Public meetings Community assessment
Be Innovative Innovate within reason Give the grant reviewer something to remember you by Historical information Vision for the future Capacity Budget
Follow Directions Give the grant maker what they re asking for Follow grant application guidance Ask questions for clarity during available question and answer periods
Inverted Pyramid Style of Writing Key points Information to support key points General information
Writing Style Use active rather than passive voice Simple sentences Provide headers and subheadings Do not use jargon or acronyms, provide explanations if necessary Write from the prospective of the beneficiaries Focus on the funder s needs Source: Foundation Center. The Proposal Process www.foundationcenter.org
PRIORITIZE NEED
Prioritizing Need Will dedicate time, energy and money to the proposal writing and grant acquisition process Important to ensure that the need, given this level of attention, is of utmost importance to residents and municipal officials
Prioritizing Needs Sources for Identifying Municipality Needs Municipality s Consolidated Plan Community Assessment Public Meetings Public Records Emergency and/or Disaster Federal, State or Local Objectives
PLANNING & PROPOSAL WRITING
Project Notebook Physical or virtual notebook used to track the project from concept to completion Helpful for keeping and tracking all relevant items Meeting minutes Contact information Quotes Request for proposal / funding announcement Completed funding application
Obtain Consensus Obtain final agreement on the problem, mission, strategy and objectives Can be difficult to have a change of mind or change of heart based on securing and providing accurate information and buy-in on a particular strategic direction
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your program Create a concept paper State the goals and objectives of your program Construct a timeline Estimate costs for staff, materials, and equipment Plan for an evaluation of your program Write job descriptions for program staff Source: Foundation Center. Guide to Funding Research. www.foundationcenter.org.
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper
Grant writing team Commit Ideas to Paper Gather necessary resources Identify best practices or industry practices Refer to necessary content experts or specialists for guidance Develop different options and scenarios Assign roles
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your program
Describe your Program Statement of Need How you intend to address the particular need or issue Supportive information Best practices
Statement of Need Direct statement identifying the following: Issue to be addressed / resolved Parties involved Historical information Other relevant information May not always be a generally defined problem Funding sought to enhance student learning through Junior Municipal Governance Program Understand how funders want the problem explained
Quantitative Information Derived from statistical data collection and analysis Actual numbers
Qualitative Information Data that is relevant but described narratively Focus group information captured with open ended questions
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your program Create a concept paper
Concept Paper Options to address the need
Write a Scope Statement A scope statement describes what you re trying to achieve and to what extent
Mission Statement A mission statement defines the what and why of the project Follow typical structure of: Problem to be addressed or goal How you intend to resolve the problem or goal Be concise Focus on the outcome the project seeks to achieve
Develop a Strategy Strategy is the high-level how of the situation Gives a very general understanding of what you intend to do to address the situation Strategy is typically followed by defining the tasks and logistics of the situation
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your program Create a concept paper State the goals and objectives of your program
Develop a Work Plan Work plan defines: Goals Objectives Relevant activities / tasks Who s responsible for completing the tasks Resources needed
Goals and Objectives Goal is a concise statement addressing the intended outcome of the project
Objectives Want to ensure development of S.M.A.R.T. objectives S- Specific M Measurable A Accurate R Relevant T - Timely
Address the following: Who What For whom By when Where How much or to what extent Objectives
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your program Create a concept paper State the goals and objectives of your program Construct a timeline
Timeline Can be included in work plan or separate scope of work document Determine length of time needed for each activity When you expect to complete certain milestones When you expect to complete all anticipated activities
Timeline Important to understand that not all projects will have a concrete timeline Economic development Health Crime prevention In these situations, the timeline must adhere more to evaluation measures that will relate to the ultimate steps taken to address the issue> For example, a childhood obesity project looks at time to complete projects that will ultimately address children s physical activity and nutrition habits.
EXERCISE #1 Divide into groups using speaker instructions
Exercise #1 In your respective groups, develop a project plan for your community project
EXERCISE #1 Five (5) Minutes to Review and Designate the following: - Team Reporter - Note Taker - Time Keeper - Instruction Lead
EXERCISE #1 Fifteen (15) Minutes to Develop Plan: - Mission - Strategy - Work Plan - Timeline - Costs
Exercise #1 In your respective groups, develop a project plan for your community project
Lunch 12:00 12:15 = Lunch Served 12:15 12:45 = Guest Speaker 12:45 1:00 = Post-Lunch Break
EXERCISE #1 Group Report Back
MORNING RECAP
Grants 101 Grant Preparation Proposal Writing Tips Morning Recap
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your program Create a concept paper State the goals and objectives of your program Construct a timeline Estimate costs for staff, materials, and equipment Plan for an evaluation of your program Write job descriptions for program staff Source: Foundation Center. Guide to Funding Research. www.foundationcenter.org.
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your program Create a concept paper State the goals and objectives of your program Construct a timeline Estimate costs for staff, materials, and equipment
Budget Statement of projected costs
Standard Budget Components Personnel Fringe Benefits Travel Equipment Supplies Contractual Other Direct Costs Administrative Costs (Indirect Expenses)
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your program Create a concept paper State the goals and objectives of your program Construct a timeline Estimate costs for staff, materials, and equipment Plan for an evaluation of your program
Evaluation Determining how you will measure successful completion of the project and intended outcome
Evaluation Develop a set of process questions Develop a set of impact questions Determine what is available or will need to be developed to collect information to properly answer both questions
Developing Your Proposal Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your program Create a concept paper State the goals and objectives of your program Construct a timeline Estimate costs for staff, materials, and equipment Plan for an evaluation of your program Write job descriptions for program staff Source: Foundation Center. Guide to Funding Research. www.foundationcenter.org.
Organizational Structure Management and partnership structure Typically shown as an organizational chart Mayor Assistant Project Manager Fiscal Officer Communications Specialist
Organizational Information Opportunity to describe your municipality to the funder Discuss organizational capacity (ability to do the work) Present information on decision-making structure Share information on key staff, consultants, contractors and partners
Conclusion Not a requirement for all grants Should be used to reiterate your project mission or the vision for the future
GRANT SOLUTIONS
Finding the Right Grant Fit
Key Things to Consider Funder s Priorities Funder s Objectives Funder s Strategy Eligibility Criteria Method for Releasing Funds Grants Management Close-out
Direct payment Reimbursement Revolving loan fund Funding Mechanism
EXERCISE #2 Review Request for Funding Proposal
Grant Proposal Components Executive Summary Statement of Need Project Description Budget Organizational Information Conclusion
Letter of Inquiry/Intent Indicates request to apply for an available funding opportunity Letter of Intent Requests ability to submit a proposal for a project that has not already been identified by the funder but may fit the funder s priorities and objectives Letter of Inquiry
Letter Contents Be concise Include key project information What do you intend to do? Who will benefit? How do you plan to execute the project (strategy)? What is the cost? What is the timeline? Who is responsible? Include funding opportunity reference
Executive Summary Provides an overall summary of the project and funding request Can provide more information than the letter of intent Should cover all areas discussed in the grant proposal but in a summarized fashion
Statement of Need Who is the project s intended audience? What is the project s intended target? What type of information is available? Quantitative Qualitative
Project Description Vision, mission and goal statements Objectives Methods Timeline
EXERCISE #3 Project Description
EXERCISE #3 Ten (10) Minutes to Develop Project Description using information from your group s proposed project
Project Description Align your project with the funder s requirements Ensure format is the same as the format proposed in the grant application
EXERCISE #4 Evaluation
EXERCISE #4 Ten (10) Minutes to Develop Key Set of Evaluation Questions based on Population and Project
GRANTS MANAGEMENT Post-provision of funds
Project-Specific Administrative Fiscal Funder Grants Management
Project-Specific Project implementation phase Assemble partners Acquire resources Implement plan
Municipal serving as lead Administrative Set up as official municipal project Appropriate fiscal management system Chain-of-command Expectations of mayor, council or mayor-council
Fiscal Adhere to municipal accounting principles Municipalities are required to following federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-87: Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments Properly show how money is spent Keep applicable receipts (Remember: project notebook)
Funder Requirements Progress reports (Monthly, Quarterly or Annually)? Plan for site visit? Level of involvement in process Sponsor Partner
AFTERNOON WRAP-UP
Training Objectives Provide basic overview on Grants, Grant Writing, Grant Preparation and Grants Management Provide tips for developing a competitive application Practice developing narrative for common grant sections Learn about existing opportunities
In Conclusion Develop the project Find appropriate funding Use tips provided to develop a competitive application Ensure necessary oversight for proper grant management
Louisiana Municipal Advisory and Technical Services Bureau Corporation Grant Writing for Municipalities Training Series Series of grant writing training and technical assistance workshops provided in partnership with NM2C, LLC Schedule Intermediate Training: October 4, 2012 Advanced Training: November 1, 2012