Proposal Development for Community Based Organizations Brenda D. Hayes, MSW, MPH, DSW Director of Grant and Proposal Development Office of Sponsored Research Administration Morehouse School of Medicine

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 A successful grant proposal is one that is well-prepared, thoughtfully planned and concisely packaged. …………………………..CFDA

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 In Language, clarity is everything. -Confucius

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 ALPHABET SOUP + RFPs = RFAs = LOIs = NGA = Grants vs. Contracts “My” Award, grant, supplement

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Things to Remember You can be successful You do not have to know everything but You do need to know who might know Colleagues, friends and successful associates can help you given enough advance notice Practice, practice, practice Take advantage of “free” workshops, the Internet and consultation Start Early!

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Three Essential Laws Do your homework Follow Instructions Use Common Sense

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Write first Funding Second

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Goals of the Organization Initial Project Idea Assessing Capability Assessing Need For the Idea Submitting the Proposal Planning Proposal Writing Writing the Proposal Identifying Alternative Approaches Gathering Necessary Data Building Support & Involvement Selecting Funding Source DEVELOPING THE IDEA MODEL FOR PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT This handout taken from Mary Hill. Getting Funded: A Complete Guide To Proposal Writing Continuing Education Publication, P.O. Box 1491, Portland, OR 97207

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Twelve Basic Principles* 1. Match your ideas to the potential funding source and thoroughly understand the goals of the grant program as described in the formal solicitation. The proposal/application must meet the grant program’s needs. Read all solicitation materials and FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS!!! *Source: USDHHS/PHS/SAMHSA. Snapshot: Overview of Grant Funding Opportunities. Rockville, MD. March 2001.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 2. Use the designated resources listed in the solicitation for technical assistance and advice. Consult with the Program Contact prior to submission of the proposal since the staff cannot comment after you have submitted your proposal. These staff members are generally under-utilized. Participate in any technical workshops offered by the funding source.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 3. Begin the proposal before the published notice or funding opportunity. Some organizations/associations highlight their funding priorities before the official notice. Develop a network of contacts that may provide support to the project. Develop a team of key participants who will assist with developing the proposal.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 4. Establish a timetable and organize the needed personnel as soon as funding availability is announced. Identify the person responsible for writing the proposal or application. Identify the person (s) to critique the drafts and who will point out questions or gaps in your proposal. Identify the person who will organize and obtain letters of support (not boilerplate) that are specific to the proposal and to the nature of the support that’s going to be provided.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 5. Follow the instructions and the format. “This is not the time or place to be creative.” “Even if you believe your format is better, don’t use it.”

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 6. Lay out a master plan This plan is your vision for the project. Therefore, it should answer the key questions of who, what, where, when and why. The proposal includes goal (s), specific objectives, target population, resources, time frames and a method to evaluate accomplishments. If you have additional funding sources, then explain how they will be used.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 7. Be reasonable and realistic. Successful applications find a balance between too much and too little detail. Justify your goals and objectives with a convincing description. Any unexplained item leaves questions about your credibility and ability.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 8. Provide information on all of the review criteria. Be thorough, concise and to the point. If the application identifies specific criteria, make sure you explain how you will achieve this.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 9. Explain any omissions, rather than “hope that no one will notice.” It is important to understand that what is not said in an application can hurt more than what is said. If it is not written in the application, it does not exist for the purpose of the review

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 10. Make a reasonable funding request and match the budget to the scope of work. The budget request must relate to the narrative and the proposed scope of work. The justification must match the amount requested. Be specific and justify each item. Explain and justify the use of consultants (based on need) rather than internal staff.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 11. Address items regarding participant protection/human subjects. This relates to the Institutional Review Board and HIPAA regulations. Address confidentiality, parental consent/permission if necessary, assent for children, recruitment strategy, etc.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Basic Principles 12. KISS: Keep the application simple, reasonable, business-like and professional. The proposal/application should be error free, “presentation-ready,” with the correct forms included. Finally, have someone check each page of all of your copies to make sure that each packet is complete.

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Skills you must have or …… Persistence Good People Skills Communication Skills Organizational Ability Conceptualization Collaborations & Sponsorship

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Proposal (Exec.) Summary or LOI At the Beginning of the Proposal 1 Sentence on Credibility 1 Sentence on Problem 1 Sentence on Objectives 1 Sentence on Methods Funds: Requested or On Hand Should be: Brief, specific and to the point

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 What do you wish to achieve? What specific activities/services? Capability and Assets Previous Record Collaborators and Partners Evaluation Getting Started

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Getting Started Identify your Goals State SMART Objectives Describe your proposed project What is the history of your organization? Do you have a network of supportive organizations, people, volunteers? What results do you expect? Can you provide evidence of Impact?

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS Direct, concise, compelling, convincing, capable and resourceful Addresses a significant/important problem Explicit goals, measurable objectives Comprehensive but succinct background review Methodology fits the problem Appropriate funding mechanism

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Unsuccessful Applications Failure to follow directions Lack of new or original ideas Diffuse, superficial or unfocused research; lack of clearly stated hypothesis and rationale Lack of an overall research goal; uncertainty about future directions

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 And these applications Lack knowledge about relevant literature Questionable reasoning in design Lack of demonstrated experience in methodology (lacks details) Format issues Over-ambitious

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Proposal Planning Identify Problem or Need Define the Problem or Need Limit the Problem or Need Consider Target Population Effort and Effect Cost?

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 General Tips and Comments Take sufficient time to prepare a good abstract, LOI, or concept paper Avoid jargon and acronyms Always include a budget and budget justification Be careful when you cut and paste: assure uniformity of font size and type

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 Continued….. Include an adequate and comprehensive literature review, references and citations Include adequate history of previous projects and programs Include information about previous grants or partnerships Include information on outcomes of previous projects or program impact

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 A Word about Evaluation Formative vs. Summative: “When the cook tastes the soup, that’s formative; When the guests taste the soup, that’s summative.” …Bob Stake Evaluation Theorist

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 A Word about Budgets Don’t Worry…… This is the easiest area to find help. Don’t exceed the range given in the RFA/RFP Be reasonable and realistic “Do not bite off more than you can chew.” It is not for a free lunch.. See hand-out material!

Morehouse School of Medicine 2008 The Burden of Proof is on you to show, through a clear, succinct, yet detailed proposal, that you understand and are capable of handling the project and reaching the objectives.