Carol R. Hegeman, MS Hegeman Consulting William Lane, Ph.D. William Lane Associates, LLC 1

Since so much of the session to be delivered in Boston is interactive, only slides from Part I of the session are included here. There will be additional slides and discussion at the presentation. 2

This session provides only basic tips on the grant writing process. A session of this length can never be a grant-writing workshop. Please keep your expectations reasonable. Short as our time is, the information here will help you be better prepared for grant writing planning and grant writing,. 3

Mini-Lecture Ten practical tips for writing a proposal for aging services. Avoiding Common Grant Writing Mistakes Learn to identify and avoid common mistakes we have observed when serving as grant reviewers. Small Group or “Work at Seat” Activity: Critique and correct sample grant components using the tips provided. Questions and Answers 4

Grant writing tips you can use 5

Grant writing is not fund raising. Getting a grant is not getting a simple infusion of cash. 6

7 FundraisingGrant writing Money is usually for the agency as a whole Money is usually targeted for a specific project Money is fungibleMoney must be spent according to grant budget Strings may be attachedMany strings are always attached Increases revenueOften budget neutral as funds are dedicated to new projects or expansion of an existing project Grants are a contractual obligation. If you have not planned well, meeting these obligations might cost you $$$!!! In most cases…

Funders in aging services are only about 1-4% of all funders!!! Therefore, reframe your concept to appeal to a wider group of funders than “aging services” usually suggests. e.g. Submit exercise programs to funders in wellness and health e.g. Submit intergenerational programs to funders in youth e.g. Submit outdoor improvement grants or indoor projects to reduce energy use to environmental funders groups. 8

There are three main types of funding sources: Governmental (local, state, Federal) Private Foundations (large, small, regional) Corporate Foundations Find foundations and corporations at the NYS Foundation Center Libraries: 9

Congressman sometime have newsletters, EG: 10

If you think you may have found a funder, or if you have an open opportunity fort funding, ask yourself: Is your project really congruent with the goals of the funder? How do you know what the funder really wants? … 11

You only get one precious chance to make a first impression. Use it! 1) Share a rough draft with all stakeholders as you plan. 2) Revise the draft as you change your proposal– it must synchronize with what you have in later text. 3) Sometimes you come up with a dynamite phrase that gets at the heart of your project and it is buried in later text. 4) Re-use key words in the request for proposal. 12

Every other competing applicant is likely to have similar needs as your agency, so how do you stand out? Find and use data: “We serve a a lot of low income elders” is not a compelling or convincing needs statement. If you can, use comparative data. “The obesity rate of elders in our county is 35% greater than in the four neighboring counties” is compelling. ” 13

Goals should not be written in terms of your agency. Look to reflect the purposes of the Request for Proposal in your own goals. 14

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Start developing your budget early.... don’t wait until the proposal is completed If there is a funding limit, don’t exceed it! Develop a realistic, not extravagant, budget. Leave room to negotiate. Highlight your agency’s in-kind contributions as well as those of your partners. If it is a multi-year grant, clarify if funds can be carried over from year-to-year. 17

The mistakes we have seen as reviewers can make a grown person cry! We describe four common errors to avoid at all cost. We will then share strategies for avoiding them. 18

May your grant awards be many! May your grant awards result in better services for our aging population! Contact us for grant services and/or consulting Ca rol Hegeman William Lane 19