IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN:

WRITING EFFECTIVE PROPOSALS FOR GOVERNMENT GRANTS

Breakin’ It Down Conference

Friday, November 10, 2006

Valerie F. Leonard
Community Development Consultant
www.valeriefleonard.com
 Workshop Goals

• You will learn to

– Develop your concept utilizing a program logic
model
– Identify sources for demographic and
socioeconomic data
– Write a compelling needs assessment
– Develop realistic goals and objectives
– Design a program using sound methodology
– Identify potential public funding resources
– Garner community support for your idea
– Develop a program budget and evaluation plan
– Position your program for long term sustainability
 What We’ll Cover
• Definition of Proposal
• Strategic Planning
• Program Planning
• Preparation
• Developing Ideas
• Community Support
• Finding Resources
• Writing the Proposal
• Contract/Grant Administration
• Compliance
 What is a Proposal?
• Written expression of a problem, and how
the organization proposes to address the
problem.
– Needs assessment or statement of the problem
is the basis for the project
– Used to make the case for funding, provide
guidance for program development and
evaluation
– Funding decisions largely based upon
organization’s ability to carry out its mission
 Strategic Planning
• Assessing Needs
– Identify need in the community
– Propose a solution to the problem
• Data Collection
– Statistical
• Census Track Data
• Other Quantitative Data (ie, property values, absorption rates, average
rents, tax rates, reading scores, etc.)
– Spatial
• Maps
• Graphs
– Empirical
• Personal observations and experience
• Internal Client Reports
• Community Surveys
• Focus Groups
 Strategic Planning
What Do the Data Suggest?
• Empirical Studies
– Types of needs
– Severity
– Who specifically exhibits those needs
• Spatial Studies
– Where current and potential clients are
– Areas of highest concentration of people who need the
organization’s services and vice-versa
– Trends over time and geography
• Census Track Data/Public Records
– Who potential clients are
– How many there are
– Where they are*
* Eric Rinehart and Barbara Bouie-Scott, The Basic Steps in Planning and Writing a
Successful Grant Application, Published September, 1998 and August 2003 by the
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
 Strategic Planning
Where Can I Find These Data?
• Empirical Studies
– Develop questionnaires and surveys
– Read researchers’ reports
– Conduct interviews and focus groups of
clients and stakeholders
• Spatial Studies
– Generate maps by plotting data along
census tracks or streets
– Download maps from the Internet
• Census Track Data/Public Records
– Download Census data from Census Bureau
 Strategic Planning
Commonly Used Websites
• Public Records
– Chicago Board of Education www.cps.k12.il.us
• Provides statistics on City school performance and student reading
and math scores over time city-wide and at the community level

– State Board of Education www.isbe.state.il.us

• Provides statistics on State school performance, student
reading and math scores over time and concentration of
students eligible for free lunch at the state, city and local
school level
 Strategic Planning
Commonly Used Websites
• Spatial Data
– Chicago Area Housing
http://www.chicagoareahousing.org/HousingHomePage.asp
• Provides interactive maps of Census Track data and other
descriptive statistics by community over time

• Census Track Data

– Census.gov www.census.gov
• Provides demographic and economic statistics over time, aggregated
at the national, state, local, block and Census track levels
 Helpful Hints
• Allow community needs to drive the proposal
development process, as opposed to “build it, and
they’ll come
• Make sure the funding you seek and programs you
develop are within the realms of your organization’s
mission, goals and objectives
• Ensure your organization has the internal capacity to
fulfill grant requirements and maintain accountability
• Establish relationships with persons at all levels of
the grant making process
 Preparation
• Get Local Support
– Board Members
– Community Partners
– Staff
– Clients
– Support Agencies
– State, Federal or Local Elected
Officials
 Preparation
• Elements of Effective Letters of Support
– Letter should come from individual or organization
who will provide services or resources, utilize
service
– Letter should not look or sound like a form letter
– Supporter should demonstrate knowledge of the
organization, the project
– Letter should indicate commitment of some sort (ie,
Cash or in-kind resource; use of service once it is
available; provision of technical assistance to staff or
clients

Note: In some instances a memorandum of understanding (MOU)

outlining roles and responsibilities may be helpful to maintain a
commitment, or even required by the funding agency.
 Preparation
• Research the Issues
• Get expert opinions
• Conduct public relations campaign
• Quantify the costs and identify
potential funding sources
• Establish relationships with key
decision makers
Developing Proposal Ideas
• Make sure your idea is not being
implemented by others in the same
market
• Enlist input from key stakeholders who
will use and administer the service
• Ensure the plan may be realistically
implemented with the resources
outlined in the proposal
 Program Planning

Simple Program Logic Model

Inputs Outputs Impact

What What will What will

resources we do? change as
do we a result of
need? our
actions?
 Writing the Proposal
Supplemental Documents
• Articles of Incorporation
• Certificate of Good Standing from the state
• Letter of Determination (501 (c ) (3) letter)
• Most recent audited statements (2 years)
• Most recent monthly financial statements (balance sheet, income
statement, cash flow statement)
• Annual Report
• Form 990 and AG 990-IL
• Media Articles
• Resumes/Bios for key personnel (ie, board members, executive
director, program director)
• Architectural drawings, if applicable
• Letters of Support
• Other forms and certifications as required by City, State or Federal
agency

Note: The required supplemental documents vary from agency to agency, depending upon the program and size of
grant requested. Your agency may be required to provide more or less documentation than listed above.
 Writing the Proposal
Supplemental Documents
• Other Types of Documents
– Certifications
– Disclosures
– MBE/WBE Utilization
– Workplan

Note: The required supplemental documents vary from agency to agency, depending upon the
program and size of grant requested. Your agency may be required to provide more or less
documentation than listed above.
 Writing the Proposal
Letter of Intent
• Organization’s history, mission, goals and
objectives and programs
• Identification of a need and how your
organization proposes to address it
• Expected outcomes of the program or project
• Summary of how the program or project will be
conducted
• Fit between agency and the organization
• Total cost of program/project and how much
money the organization is asking of the
agency
• Follow up information-who will be contacting
the agency, and when
 Writing the Proposal
Needs Statement
• What is the need your organization proposes to
address?
– Describes a critical condition or set of circumstances
impacting a targeted group at a specific point in time
• Need should have direct relationship to organization’s
mission and purpose
– Heart of entire case for support
• Focus on needs of the clients and/or the community
versus the needs of the organization
• Support needs statement with documented facts,
statistics, expert testimony, human interest stories, case
studies, etc.)
• Organization should demonstrate the ability to address
the needs in the manner described in the proposal
• Provide a sense of urgency
• Focus explanation of need on service area you propose
to serve, and the impacts of resolving the problem
 Writing the Proposal
Goals and Objectives [i]
• Definitions
– Goal: Broad-based statement of the ultimate result of the
change being undertaken
• Example: the homebound elderly in Main County will live
with dignity and independence in their own homes
– Outcome Objectives: Measurable, time-specific result that
the organization expects to accomplish as part of the grant
• Example: There will be a 5% decrease in the number of frail
older adults going into convalescent homes during the first
year of the social services referral program (This
demonstrates and impact or result)
– Process Objective: Quantifies a method for achieving the
goal
• Example: There will be an increase in social services
referrals and follow-up for 75% of the individuals served by
the Meals Consortium during 2000-2001 (This demonstrates
a process to achieve the impact)
•
[i] Winning Grants Step by Step, Second Edition, Mim Carson (The
Alliance for Nonprofit Management), 2002, John Wiley and Sons,
Publisher
 Writing the Proposal
Goals and Objectives
• Goals and objectives should be
related to the organization’s need
statement, and be guided by the
overall mission
• The best objectives are stated in
terms of outcomes and not
methods (day to day activities)
 Writing the Proposal
Methods

• Consistent with organization’s goals and

objectives and needs statement
• Describe how the organization will bring about
the results stated in its objectives
• Identify who will be served, and how they were
selected
• Indicate what facilities and capital equipment
will be available
• Provide rationale for selecting participants (if
applicable)
 Writing the Proposal
Methods
• Include rationale for choosing one
methodology over other alternatives
– Cite models used, if applicable
– Indicate how methodology is similar or different from
other models used, if applicable
– Cite research, expert opinion, organization’s past
experience
• Prepare implementation plan, including
– Timeline (for each activity as well as overall project)
– Major Tasks/Activities
– Assignments
– Resources Needed
 Writing the Proposal
Evaluation

• Evaluation determines programmatic or project

effectiveness, efficiency or impact
• Evaluation planning should take place during
the writing of the proposal or program design,
regardless of whether it is required by the
agency
• Strengthens the proposal in the eyes of the
agency
• Increases the likelihood of developing
programs that are effective and responsive to
the needs of the community
 Writing the Proposal
Evaluation
• Quantitative Methods
– Translate experience into units that
may be counted, measured and
analyzed numerically (ie. , financial
data, census statistics, number of
clients served, number of housing units
developed, etc.)
– Most appropriately used to
• Determine cause and effect
• Establish baseline knowledge and
determine knowledge gained
 Writing the Proposal
Evaluation
• Qualitative Methods
– Focus on direct contact with the people involved
In a program
• Interviews
• Focus Groups
• Observation
• Document Review
– Most appropriately used to
• “Get behind the numbers”
• Gather multiple view points
• Understand feelings about a program, or changes in the
environment
 Writing the Proposal
Sustainability
• Sustainability refers to the organization’s
demonstrated ability to maintain its ability to
carry out its mission over the long term
• Future funding
– Renewing of existing grants
– Fees for service
– Annual campaigns
– Sales of items or activities
• Business Planning (where applicable)
– Indicates feasibility of products and services
• Strategic Planning (where applicable)
– Positions organization to be proactive in dealing with
changes in its environment
 Writing the Proposal
Budget
• Numeric translation of the organization’s mission, goals, objectives and
values
• Should quantify activities in the methods section
• Budget period should last for the duration of the project and/or proposal
– Projected Revenues
– In-Kind Donations
• Estimate the value of the service or product donated (item should
also be included as an expense in the same amount as the
associated revenue)
– Direct costs-those costs associated with delivering a program or
project (not general operating or overhead) Programs staff salaries
and benefits
• Supplies
• Equipment
• Program-related travel
• Program-related rent
• Printing (i.e, program brochure versus annual report or
organizational brochure)
– Indirect costs-overhead costs associated with running the agency
itself, including insurance, the executive director’s salary, audits, etc.
Contract/Grant Administration
• Monitor project/program progress towards
goals periodically (monthly, quarterly, or
annually)
• Submit regular status reports and/or grant
reports
• Monitor budgeted versus actual program
expenditures; explain variances
• Evaluate program regularly. Use results to
inform future program changes.
 Compliance
• Understand contractual and regulatory
reporting requirements
– Form 990 and AG 990-IL
– Audited statements
– Periodic reports as required by agency
• Understand penalties for noncompliance
– Loss of funding
– Possible repayment of grant funds
– Financial Penalties and late fees
– Loss of tax-exempt status