1. Can I Get a Grant for That? Strategically Researching, Writing, and Administering Grants for Archives Projects Kelsey Scouten Bates Assistant Archivist, Birmingham Public Library + Independent Grant Writer for the Arts & Humanities

2. Research 80% of Grant Writing

3. Where will you put your research? Excel/Access Inexpensive but useful donor software Expensive and comprehensive donor software

4. Where can I find grant opportunities? Federal Government National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH.gov) National Endowment for the Arts (NEA.gov) Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS.gov) National Historical Publications and Records Commission (archives.gov/grants/)

5. Where can I find grant opportunities? State and Local Government Your state public library service (Library Services and Technology Act) ex. Alabama Public Library Service (apls.state.al.us) Your State Humanities Council ex. Alabama Humanities Foundation (ahf.net) Your State Arts Council ex. Alabama State Commission on the Arts (arts.state.al.us) Municipal Grants

6. Where can I find grant opportunities? National Foundations Foundation websites Guidestar FoundationCenter.com Peer institutions (annual reports, fliers, websites) Services you have to pay for: FoundationSearch.com, LexisNexis, Blackbaud, etc…

7. Fitting a Project to a Grant Size of the foundation or grant opportunity Ask for an average amount on the first try Even foundations with large assets may only give a few grants. Don’t waste your time! For federal agencies, start with the smaller grants and work your way up

8. Fitting a Project to a Grant What does the foundation like to fund? If the foundation likes to fund educational programming, don’t ask for a conservation project Your project may be stronger if you put two or more small projects together

9. Fitting a Project to a Grant Have you met all prerequisites? Strategic Plan? Master Plan? Conservation assessment? Audience data?

10. Fitting a Project to a Grant What if a foundation does not accept proposals? Ask your board and staff Write a letter of inquiry Send an invitation

11. What Not to Do Do not make up a project to fit a grant The project should already be something you have decided to do—don’t apply until you’re ready to do it. If it’s not possible to put it in your operating budget, then be prepared (and prepare others) not to do it

12. What Not to Do Do not over fund by over asking Ask only for what you need. Then if you’re turned down, continue to the next ask (start early!) It’s okay to create an ideal budget, but if you are funded, you MUST use it all.

13. What You Should Do Prepare a Well-written and Easy-to- Understand Grant Package Answer the questions in the grant proposal exactly, add headings if necessary (use the question editing technique) Remove redundancy Use anecdotal information AND statistical information Look at the research and cite it

14. What You Should Do Prepare a Well-written and Easy-to- Understand Grant Package Send photos Clarify and simplify the budget Ask someone to proofread

15. What You Should Do What if things go wrong? Don’t panic Call the foundation or agency Find a positive

16. Don’t think of grant writing as a necessary evil. Think of it as a way to help you think through every step of a project and accomplish your organization’s goals.