TIPS FOR GRANT WRITING ISLMA/LBSS ENDOWMENT FUND

DO YOU QUALIFY FOR THE GRANT THAT IS BEING GIVEN? Applying for funds from an agency that does not support either your area of interest or your geographical area is a waste of your and the grant reader’s time In the case of LBSS, we grant Readers Choice Awards to public and private schools as well as public libraries but the Read for Information grants are given to school librarians who are a member of ISLMA.

CAREFULLY READ THE GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED SUCH AS FAQS Do not try to make the grantor's program fit what you want to do - your program must be in line with the funding agency's priorities.

TRY PROPOSING A PROJECT THAT PUTS A FRESH SPIN ON AN EXISTING IDEA You don’t have to reinvent the wheel—just redesign it.

KEEP YOUR GOALS REALISTIC! Remember the acronym SMART—target specific areas for improvement, include measurable indicator(s) of progress, and plan realistic activities that are possible to complete (attainable) within the time frame of the grant

IS YOUR PROJECT REPLICABLE? How can you extend the project to other members of your school or library community? Can you show that the project’s benefits will continue into future years?

HAVE A REASONABLE, DETAILED BUDGET Do your homework on costs prior to submitting your application and be sure to explain your budget.

IF POSSIBLE, CITE RESEARCH THAT SUPPORTS THE PROGRAM FOR WHICH YOU ARE REQUESTING FUNDING. With the Read for Information Grant from the LBSS Endowment Fund, we ask that you tie your activities in your project to your curriculum goals and to the Common Core and other standards that may apply.

CLARITY IN COMMUNICATING YOUR IDEAS IS VERY IMPORTANT--PROOFREAD! Have someone who is not involved in the project in any way read and critique your draft application. Spelling and grammar errors convey a negative image. Be careful when cutting and pasting from a previous grant you have written—make sure you change dates and names to correspond with the grant you are writing

FOLLOW THE GRANTOR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER. For example, note the deadline and whether the proposal must be received or postmarked by the deadline. Mark on your calendar other deadlines involved. Check to see if the grantor has FAQ’s on their website or a rubric by which their grant readers score the grants. If the narrative asks you to address four areas, be sure to speak to all four areas equally and completely.

BE SPECIFIC IN YOUR WRITING For example, if you have not adequately described the reason you need the program, the funder will see no reason to invest in your project. Just saying we have no money to fund this project is not enough. Merely listing standards does not let the grant reader know how the activities you have planned meet those standards. In the same vein, merely listing who you will collaborate with on your project does not show the grant reader what type of collaboration is occurring.

TURN YOUR INVESTOR INTO YOUR PARTNER Maintain communication with the agency that grants you funding. Send a thank you note. Keep the funding agency informed about your activities, progress and accomplishments. Take photographs of the program in action. Include these in the final report that tells how you've used the funds. (This a requirement for the Read for Information grant.)

DO NOT OVERLOOK SMALL CORPORATIONS & BUSINESSES IN YOUR AREA These companies often have an interest in funding projects that support the community where their employees live.

MOST GRANTS ARE COMPETITIVE—IF DENIED, REWRITE THE GRANT AND TRY AGAIN. Most foundations have limited resources with which to fund projects. Some grantors provide you the opportunity to ask the grant reader why your grant was not funded and then you can use that information to improve your grant.