WRITING THE SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL C. June Strickland, Ph.D., RN Associate Professor University of Washington School of Nursing

GOAL To prepare you for a.) Decision making about when to apply for a grant b.) Addressing key criteria for a winning grant application

OBJECTIVES At the end of this session you will be able to list and discuss: 1. Key questions to ask before writing a proposal 2. Resources for funding 3. Key criteria for a winning application 4. How to design the EXTRA unique application

ELIGIBILITY Is your organization eligible to apply? Are the staff qualified to undertake the job? Do you have enough available staff to implement? Is the application wired for a special population? DO CONTACT THE PROJECT OFFICER AND DISCUSS BEFORE STARTING

Elements of a Successful Proposal Application Follow the directions Demonstrate knowledge Demonstrate ability Clearly define goals and aims Well outlined activities Time line Evaluation linked to objectives Reasonable budget/justified CV and biosketch

Follow the Directions Font Size Spacing and page length Margins All forms to complete Signatures to obtain Indicate the TYPE of application Headings CV’s and letters of support

Demonstrate Knowledge Provide data on needs Provide a literature review on what has been done Discuss what you have done already Use available publications and documents Partner as appropriate Seek consultation

Clearly Define Goals/Aims A “Goal” statement is general and provides direction about what you aim to do.

Goal Statement Examples “The goal of this project is to increase the knowledge and awareness of young Indian women in the community about the need for women’s health screening.”

Clearly Articulated Objectives Objectives must be specific in terms of: a. Who… The population of focus b. What.. You intend to achieve c. When.. You expect the change d. Where... Location e. Level … percentage of change

Objective Example At the end of this program, 50% of the Indian women in our Tribe between the ages of 19 and 40 will demonstrate that they know the Pap test screening guidelines for their age group ( pre and post test measurement) and demonstrate knowledge of conducting BSE on a model with 90 % effectiveness as measured by a selected evaluation tool.

Activities Goals/aims, objectives, activities, and evaluation MUST all be linked

Example Activities to reach young Indian women about women’s health screening might include some of the following: Establish a planning team Develop a recruitment plan Design a one evening education program Implement the program Evaluate and disseminate findings

Time Line Example TASK TIME Jan Feb Mar Apr May 1.Establish Team X----X 2.Locate Materials X 3.Market Program X----X 4.Implement X—X 5.Evaluate and report X X

EVALUATION May be PROCESS or OUTCOME or both Must be linked to the objectives Should NOT take more than the intervention Unless research, should not require extensive statistical support Should be in line with the funding request expectations for reporting

Examples of Evaluations Process ( Formative) Report on the number of programs offered and the numbers attending Outcome (Summative) Report on the knowledge gain or behavior change DO CONSIDER MORE NATIVE APPROPRIATE APPROACHES TO EVALUATION

BUDGET Link budget to the activities Base on known costs Address indirect costs Follow standard costs, e.g. Personnel, supplies, equipment, travel, etc. Do plan for travel to disseminate DO ask for the total amount Get an outsider to review

THE UNIQUE ELEMENT Unique idea ( family based survivorship program) Timely with language, e.g. health equity Transferable or a model Advances understanding in a new area Includes a population not reached before

Funding Sources 1. Federal: NIH, NCI, CDC, NARCH 2. Foundations: Komen for the Cure 3. Organizations: American Cancer Society 4. Other: ITHS, funding within academic institutions available through partnerships

WINNING PROPOSAL APPLICATIONS Clear plan/ goals and objectives Based on existing research Reasonable budget well justified Strong credentials of PI Strong consultants and letters of support Solid evaluation and sustainability plan Follows directions Offers something unique and innovative