by Susan Reese, Techniques Contributing Editor
Imagine that one day you have a sudden flash of inspiration—or perhaps you have spent a long time formulating a project idea. You know you have a great project in mind. You know that this is something that will benefit your students, your school and your community. There is only one thing standing between you and the execution of your great idea—money.
Teachers often have enough trouble coming up with funds to pay for classroom supplies, and many of them dip into their own pockets to keep their classrooms stocked with the basic necessities. It’s going to take more than a bake sale or a car wash to start up the program you have in mind, so where do you turn to get those much-needed funds? Many teachers seek out grants, which can come from both government and private sources. Finding the right source and preparing the winning proposal may not be easy, but it can pay off in a big way.
There are federal and state grants as well as grants from private foundations and corporations, but the first step is to develop a proposal that is in line with the needs of your school or community. It should be a clear, well-thought-out project idea with a necessity that can be demonstrated just as clearly. When you have established that the need is there and that you have a project that meets that need, then you can start looking for funding.
There are a number of grants for education, including ones for teachers, students, after school programs, special education, adult education, research and technology. And unlike loans, grants are nontaxable, interest free and are not paid back. But first, grant seekers should determine a reasonable amount of money needed.
According to Grant-Sources.com, there are currently more than 1,400 federal government grant programs, 24,000 state grant programs, 30,000 private foundations and 20,000 scholarship programs.
Uncle Sam is probably the first funding source that comes to mind for most people, and one of the places to look for such funding is the American Grant Provider Directory Web site, which is even called UncleSamsMoney.com.
Perhaps the best place to begin, however, is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) from the General Services Administration. According to CFDA, its database of federal programs is updated biweekly as new or updated program information is received from federal agencies, and there are currently 10 types of assistance available, including not only grants, but surplus equipment, training and guaranteed loans as well.
The Foundation Center offers information on both sources and the process of obtaining a grant and says its mission is “to strengthen the nonprofit sector by advancing knowledge about U.S. philanthropy.”
At the Foundation Center’s Web site, you can search a list of grant maker Web sites with links provided to each site. The Learning Lab provides answers to frequently asked questions, with additional answers available from the Online Librarian.
The Foundation Center has five libraries, one in its New York headquarters and four more at its field offices in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Cleveland and San Francisco, as well as a network of Cooperating Collectors.
Whatever source you use, when researching funding sources, always keep in mind how well your project matches the grant’s requirements or how it aligns with the mission of the organization granting the funding.
“Finding an appropriate funding source can take a lot of time and effort,” says Patrick W. Miller, Ph.D., the author of Grant Writing: Strategies for Developing Winning Proposals. “There must be a good match between what the funding agency wants to support and what you want to do.”
When you find a good match for your project, contact the grant maker for the specific guidelines. It is especially important to follow the requirements spelled out in a government request for proposal (RFP) or request for application (RFA); not doing so can result in early rejection.
Miller says that many institutions are unprepared to respond to grant solicitations because they lack knowledge about the funding agencies’ rules and regulations, they do not have knowledgeable staff to respond to the RFP in a short time frame (usually 30 days or less), and they often lack the necessary upper-level administrative support.
Miller, who is a life member of ACTE and whose book is sold through the ACTE bookstore, has worked as a director of grants and a contract administrator. He has been a grant and project consultant to school districts and a mentor to college and university faculty and staff on methods of completing and submitting grant applications. As a university professor, Miller taught professional and technical courses. He has also served as national grant reviewer and panel leader for the U.S. Department of Education. In other words, he is ideally suited to offer advice to career and technical educators on successful grant writing.
According to Miller, “Funding seekers who win grants on a consistent basis usually follow a series of comprehensive activities that can be broken down into six fundamental phases of proposal development.”
These are:
- activities before the RFP/RFA is released
- prewriting activities after the RFP/RFA is released
- writing, reviewing, rewriting and editing the narrative
- preparing budgets
- producing, reproducing, packaging and delivering proposals
- postsubmission activities
Most experts stress the importance of research and planning, and Miller says that planning should begin even before the RFP is publicly announced. In his book, he offers sets of steps to take even before the RFP is released. Then, after the release, should come even more planning—three days of prewriting activities are suggested by Miller before writing the actual proposal.
After a great deal of planning and organizing, the actual task of writing the proposal can begin. Again, the experts stress the importance of following the grant maker’s guidelines. The proposal should be presented in the complete, appropriate format with all required attachments included. The needs and objectives addressed by the project should be stated clearly and concisely, and, as educators know, proper grammar and correct spelling are a must.
“Grant writing is basically an essay contest with a budget,” Miller comments. “Unfortunately, the people most deserving do not always win the money.”
Advice on good proposal writing often turns up adjectives such as “persuasive,” “interesting,” “unique,” and “convincing.” It may require various talents to write the proposal needed to secure a major grant, so it is best achieved with a lot of teamwork. For teachers, support from administration is critical.
“Proposal directors should be identified by upper administration/management as soon as a decision to prepare a grant proposal has been made,” says Miller. The proposal directors should have the experience, time, demonstrated leadership abilities and a commitment and belief in the project. Other members of the team may include writers, budget staff, reviewers or partners.
To begin with, Miller suggests writing two or three drafts, with reviewers providing detailed feedback to the writers after each draft.
Topics to cover might include:
- the reason for the project
- goals and objectives
- the project activities that are to be accomplished
- the funding needed
- strategies to evaluate the project
- any organizational or community support the project may receive
There are some standard components to almost all grant proposals, such as a project narrative, a budget and supporting materials. Some grant applications may require an abstract, additional appendices, summaries, explanations, certifications or other government agency forms. And don’t forget the authorized signature—the lack of one has meant the early death of many a proposal.
With the narrative written and the budget completed, the proposal is ready to be produced, assembled, copied, packaged and delivered.
“Grant proposal producing, reproducing, packaging and delivering tasks must not be taken lightly,” Miller cautions.
If not done carefully, the result could be missing sections or pages, or other problems that could not only give a bad impression, but could also result in rejection of an application. Miller suggests “a quality control check” of grant applications from cover to cover before reproduction and another check of each copy before submission.
Then comes the packaging. This is another area in which carefully following the grant maker’s guidelines is crucial. For example, a certain format may be required for packaging. And, of course, one last important consideration is the deadline. Make sure to allow enough time for your proposal to arrive before the specified due date and time; otherwise, it will most likely not be considered.
You did everything right, and you receive a “notice of award” letter or perhaps even a contract that spells out the terms and conditions of the award.
“Some awards have relatively few restrictions, while others are laden with extensive reporting requirements,” notes Miller.
He explains that most grant awards require periodic progress reports and financial reports. These will provide details about the proposed activities in relation to the project’s objectives.
Sometimes a grant may be awarded that is less than the amount proposed. In some cases the grant maker may decide that certain project activities are unnecessary, or the costs for certain items are excessive. If negotiation is a possibility, Miller advises that you prepare carefully before the contract negotiation session, and “be prepared to both give and take.”
He adds, however, that, “If you receive an award amount that was less than what you proposed and there is no room for financial negotiating, it is strongly suggested that you reread the proposal narrative and make appropriate corrections to the proposed activities.”
In his book, he even offers a sample letter after receiving a low budget award, as well as a sample “why not” letter if you did not receive funding.
Yes, there is the possibility that, after all of your planning and all of your efforts, you still may not be awarded the grant you had hoped for.
“If you lose,” says Miller, “it is extremely important that you find out why you were denied funding.”
He advises a debriefing meeting with your team to discuss the reviewers’ comments and how you can strengthen and improve the writing of the proposal and the budget. Although it does not apply to private grants, most public agencies are required to provide reasons for turning down an application, and that feedback can help you know what to work on improving.
Miller also sees value in requesting a list of winning grant applicants and one or more winning grant applications (available through the Freedom of Information Act). These he says can provide new insights and new ideas for future grant proposals. He also provides a sample letter for this purpose in his book.
Armed with this new information and experience, the chances for success can be increased either in the reapplication process or in applying for a future grant.
Just remember, says Miller, that for a winning strategy, “Patience, persistence and a positive attitude are needed.”
Career and technical education exists to meet the needs of communities as well as our nation’s workforce needs, and those involved in CTE have historically used grants to establish or to grow programs that range from manufacturing to health care. Grants have been used for a wide variety of community needs—from attracting or keeping businesses and industry to providing dental care to needy children. It takes time, commitment and knowledge of what works in securing such grants. But perhaps no facet of education is better suited for the task—or more deserving of the opportunity—than career and technical education.
Here’s how to do it:
- Read the article
- Log on to www.careerteched.com
- Select “Course Catalog” by clicking on the text on the home page (be ready to provide the following information: your name, complete address, day and work phone numbers, and e-mail address).
- Choose the month/article you wish to receive hours for by clicking on the month listed within the catalog of available courses/articles.
- Follow the instructions through registration and payment. Each course costs $7.95. Once registered, you will be taken to your home room, where you can review the article and begin your exam.
- Complete the examination by choosing the correct answers, then clicking the submit button. Once you pass the exam, you will be taken to your completion page, and the Professional Development hours are issued through the certificate of completion.
That’s all there is to it!
This article provides one Professional Development hour for Career and Technical Educators. It can only be completed via the careerteched.com Web site. If you need assistance, please call careerteched.com at
1-866-369-8010 during business hours—Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. PST. You may also e-mail questions to: service@ingrain.com. Please do not contact ACTE or Techniques magazine for assistance.
Here are some resources to turn to for help in the search for grants.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: www.cfda.gov
Other Sites for Federal Funds: www.gov-grants.com, www.unclesamsmoney.com , www.grant-sources.com
The Foundation Center: www.fdncenter.org
Grant Writing: Strategies for Developing Winning Proposals, by Patrick W. Miller, Ph.D., is a great way to develop and refine your grant writing skills. The second edition of the book is now available through the ACTE Bookstore.
This publication discusses funding sources, proposal writing, budget development, and how to produce, package and deliver proposals. Also included are recommended prewriting activities and postsubmission activities. While we could only briefly touch on Miller’s winning strategies in this article, his book offers detailed, step-by-step advice.
For more information, and to order a copy of Grant Writing: Strategies for Developing Winning Proposals, call ACTE at 800-826-9972 or visit the ACTE Web site at www.acteonline.org/store. For more information about grant writing workshops and other grant resources, visit Miller’s Web site at www.grantwritingpro.com.
- Techniques April 2005 Issue - 
