Valerie Mann, Author of Getting Your Share of the Pie- The Complete Guide to Finding Grants and President of Mann and Mann Grant Solutions, Fruitland, MD

Cover Letter If an application has a cover sheet, the grant writer can generally skip a cover letter The main purpose of a cover letter is to further confirm that the application was indeed sent Cover letters are critical when you are sending the application to the “State Single Point of Contact” which is also referred to as the Clearinghouse

Cover Sheet In federal applications, the cover sheet is the Standard Form 424 Contact information for the applicant and for the project director Employer Identification Number (EIN) of the applicant as well as the amount requested The title of the project and a brief description

Abstract This is a brief summary of the application that is no more than two pages and should only be prepared when explicitly requested The heading should clearly state the title of the project, the funding agency, and the name of the applicant The first paragraph should be a summary of the activities

Abstract Continued The second paragraph should briefly describe the need The third paragraph should discuss specific positive outcomes The fourth paragraph should describe the capabilities and experience of the applicant organization The final paragraph should be a “wrap-up” that talks about evaluation and sustainability

Statement of Need Do not assume anything This is no place for vague or general statements or flowery language Do not embellish or exaggerate Be specific, simple, and direct. Use hard statistics and individual histories and anecdotes when available Include a general description of the situation, the number and type of people affected, the extent to which they are affected, and what will happen if nothing is done to change the situation

Statement of Need Continued Clearly demonstrate that without grant funding the project will not move forward Show that you are trying to find funding from other sources Showing the allocation of funds in your organization’s budget is important to demonstrate that no additional money is available Discussing the economic situation of the local community is a good idea as it drives home that more money cannot be obtained from the community

Project Description As in the Needs section, be clear, direct, and specific. Reiterate the overall amount requested along with the specific price of the major cost categories

Goals and Objectives This section can be defined as, “What we hope to accomplish” Make the goals realistic yet ambitious Funders are more interested in a good-faith effort to accomplish your goals Quantify any objectives where this is easy to do as this gives the funder a frame of reference to show the impact of the program

Administrative Capacity Funders need to know that their funds will be in safe hands State that the project will be a priority for your organization Include a brief history and mission of the organization Mention accomplishments

Administrative Capacity Continued Mention experience with other grant programs Describe your staff and how their expertise and training would aid in administering the grant Explain who will do what in your organization in regards to administering the grant

Administrative Capacity Continued Mention if your group has had any problems in the past with grants Serious problems with previous grants will often keep an organization from receiving grants for a period of time Do not be modest

Budget This section should give a clear statement of what you plan to do Many state and federal applications have a specific form that must be used Most applications require a brief narrative giving extra detail on the budget itself

Sustainability Most grant programs require that the funds be spent over the course of one or two years Writing this section can be difficult as in many cases the applicant has no idea where they will continue to get additional funding Do not make grandiose claims It is okay to state that the organization will consider funding this out of its own budget in the future Applicants may also say that they will look for grant funds from other sources

Evaluation Plan Even if an evaluation plan is not required it would be worth doing The organization is expected to take baseline data and compare it to data after the project is complete to see if the project accomplished its goals