1. Ben Amsden, Ph.D. Partnerships and Grants Coordinator PSU Center for Rural Partnerships

2. Why data is important in a grant application What grant writers must do Strategies for integrating data Common problems/mistakes Navigate a few sources of data

3. Inspires confidence! Effective use of data convinces the funder methods are appropriate grounded in reality a need exists problems will be solved findings can be reported work can be documented

4. Be relevant Be accessible & credible Be consistent All this, while avoiding “professor speak” “If, for a while, the ruse of desire is calculable for the uses of discipline soon the repetition of guilt, justification, pseudo-scientific theories, superstition, spurious authorities, and classification can be seen as the desperate effort to ‘normalize’ formally the disturbance of a discourse of splitting that violates the rational, enlightened claims of its enunciatory modality.” (Homi Bhabha, The Location of Culture)

5. Storytelling throughout multiple sections Short statements that build Agritourism is a proven lifeline for survival in tough economic times. In Vermont alone, agritourism added $10.5 million to statewide farm income in 2001, an average of $5,000 per farm 1. In addition to saving farms, agritourism provides economic support to the regional economy. New Hampshire’s agricultural tourists, for instance, spent an estimated $201 million in 2002, including $26 million for farm products 2. This spending resulted in 2,556 full time equivalent jobs, household incomes of $59.2 million, and $19.2 million in state and local government revenues 3. 1 http://www.vermontagriculture.com/Agriview/2001/agriv091501.pdf 2 Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, http: www.agmrc.org 3 http://www.nh.gov/agric/divisions/agricultural_development/documents/econimpact.pdf1 Agritourism is a proven lifeline for survival in tough economic times. In Vermont alone, agritourism added $10.5 million to statewide farm income in 2001, an average of $5,000 per farm 1. In addition to saving farms, agritourism provides economic support to the regional economy. New Hampshire’s agricultural tourists, for instance, spent an estimated $201 million in 2002, including $26 million for farm products 2. This spending resulted in 2,556 full time equivalent jobs, household incomes of $59.2 million, and $19.2 million in state and local government revenues 3. 1 http://www.vermontagriculture.com/Agriview/2001/agriv091501.pdf 2 Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, http: www.agmrc.org 3 http://www.nh.gov/agric/divisions/agricultural_development/documents/econimpact.pdf1

6. Outlines, lists, bullets Relevant and interesting Lightning is an important issue facing New Hampshire residents. According to the National Association of the Measurement of Meteorological Mishaps: Only 2 in 5 New Hampshire golfers put away their clubs during a thunderstorm (21%). Last year, 16 Plymouth residents were struck by lightning, 6 were hospitalized. Lightning strikes caused $550, 000 worth of damage to New Hampshire homes. Approximately 120,000 bolts of lightning strike New Hampshire each year, a figure 36% higher than the number of strikes reported by other similarly-sized states. Therefore, we seek funding for a Lightning Education Seminar to be held on the campus of Plymouth State University. Lightning is an important issue facing New Hampshire residents. According to the National Association of the Measurement of Meteorological Mishaps: Only 2 in 5 New Hampshire golfers put away their clubs during a thunderstorm (21%). Last year, 16 Plymouth residents were struck by lightning, 6 were hospitalized. Lightning strikes caused $550, 000 worth of damage to New Hampshire homes. Approximately 120,000 bolts of lightning strike New Hampshire each year, a figure 36% higher than the number of strikes reported by other similarly-sized states. Therefore, we seek funding for a Lightning Education Seminar to be held on the campus of Plymouth State University.

7. Simple, appropriate tables or graphs Labels, titles, obvious trends

8. Unclear and inconsistent Levels (how) and units (what) of analysis Lack of summary statements Over-feeding Undefined terms Basic errors No citations No peer review

9. State and local data http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/ Demographic data http://www.census.gov/ Labor data http://www.bls.gov/

10. Keep a notebook of facts, figures Journal files Check sites often Follow curiosity Storm the fortress

11. PSU Center for Rural Partnerships Russell House 5-3274