1. Writing A Grant—From Start To Finish
Workshop 1:
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Educational Resource Development & LCC Foundation
March 21, 2017
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

2. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Today’s workshop will discuss:
LCC and LCC Foundation overview
What grants are (and aren’t)
Types of grant funders
Researching potential funders
LCC’s Educational Resource Development
(ERD) and LCC Foundation
Proposal planning
LCC and LCC Foundation application process
Other resources
Not “free money”
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

3. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
LCC Grant Development Resources:
Educational Resource Development (ERD)
Researches potential funders (State of MI and federal grants; private foundations)
Helps direct proposals through the LCC process
Works with grant writing and evaluation consultants
Finalizes and submits grant proposals
LCC Foundation
Researches potential funders (private, corporate, community foundations)
Submits foundation and other grants as a 501(c)(3)
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

4. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
ERD and the LCC Foundation:
Build LCC’s capacity to apply for and receive grant funds
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

5. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Grant Definitions: Noun: A sum of money given by an organization, government entity, or individual for a particular purpose. Verb: To consent to carry out for a person.
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

6. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
What grant funders
require:
Most grants fund a specific project and require some level of compliance and reporting on financial expenditure, project performance, and results if a grant is awarded.
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

7. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Types of grant funders:
Private foundations
Community foundations
Corporate funders
Foundations and marketing $$
State government
Federal government
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

8. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
What are they thinking?
Grant funders want to support projects that:
Match their goals and priorities
Will have a significant impact
Corporate funders want to support projects
that:
Give them visibility (marketing)
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

9. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Grant awards
Range from less than $1,000 to millions of
dollars.
LCC’s policy is that grant applications
less than $25,000 annually must be
approved by the Sr. VP for FAA and the
Provost.
The LCC Foundation can submit
smaller size applications--
talk with them to assess.
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

10. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Sample LCC and LCC Foundation
grant awards:
MEDC MSF Community College Skilled Trades
Equipment Program $4.8 million
Dept. of Education TRIO $1.4 million over 4
years
MDHS Independent Life Skills Coach $450,000
Mott Foundation $200,000
Dart Foundation $500,000 over 5 years
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

11. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Sample Grant Postings:
grants.gov
U.S. Dept. of Education TRIO
MDHS Independent Life Skills Coach
Services/Independent-Living-Skills-Coach-For-Training-Eligible- Youth.asp?tn=109729
Dart Foundation
Guidestar.org (Dart Foundation information)
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

12. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Assessing if a funder is a good fit:
Their interest areas
Potential award amount
Complexity of application process
Timeline/deadline for submitting application
Required LCC matching funds
Post-award reportage
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

13. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Grant Project Planning:
How do you start to develop your grant idea?
Michigan Council of Foundations Common Grant Application Form
Not all applications use this format, but it can help you start to develop your idea
ERD Grant Pre-Approval Form
Approval from Dean and Provost’s Cabinet to prepare
the application is required
LCC Foundation Preapplication Form
Approval required
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

14. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Grant Project Planning:
Developing the project idea:
Purpose/Need
LCC mission, Operation 100%, Strategic Plan
Delivery
Evaluation (internal or external)
Budget & Budget Narrative/Justification
(LCC Grant Finance; LCC Fdn)
Organization Information
Also consider:
Project Partners (internal and external)
Planning Team
Timeline to prepare the application
To Do:
Start
Project Planning
Early!
Confirm College Buy-in and Prepare a Case Statement
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

15. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
About Project Partners:
Funders are looking for partnerships and
collaborative projects that broaden project impact.
Partnerships show buy-in from the applicant and the community.
Partnerships help develop a project idea:
Get ideas percolating
Provide resources
LCC receives requests from other organizations
to be a project partner or show support
Need college approval
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

16. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
LCC’s Grant Application Process:
Discuss project idea with Supervisor/Dean
Complete pre-approval form
Get approval from Provost’s Cabinet (Dean does this)
Work with ERD or Foundation to complete the proposal
Get review and approval for submission
(One week before due date)
Submit (ERD or Foundation)
Review the application process—what went well, what could go better next time?
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

17. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
After Submitting an Application:
Debrief Meeting!
Grant teams (including outside grant writer
and project evaluator, if used) meet to debrief
on the application process:
What went well?
What could have gone better?
Increases what we know about how to prepare grants
Builds our capacity as individuals and within the College.
If grant is awarded: Post award budget review and grant report meetings
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

18. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
LCC website information available:
ERD
List of Funding Sources
Grant-Related Resources
Successful Awards/Active Grants
LCC Foundation
Professional Development Grants (EDF Members)
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

19. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Additional Resources:
Grants.gov
MI Council of Foundations Directory (annual fee)
MSU Library:
Grants and Related Resources
Foundation Center database
Profiles of more than 100,000 foundations and corporate
giving programs
Foundation Center:
Grant Space (in “Improve Your Skills”)
Guidestar.org
Includes foundation and other nonprofits’ IRS 990s
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

20. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Contact ERD and the LCC Foundation:
ERD
Jeanne Donado, Grant Development Coordinator
ext. 1307
Vivian Keeney, Grant System Coordinator
ext. 1581
LCC Foundation
Dan McKean, Executive Director, ext. 1987
Peggy Hellwig, Scholarship and Operations Coordinator,
ext. 1989
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

21. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
This week’s homework: Consider grant project ideas
that meet your interests and LCC’s priorities
Next week’s workshop: Developing Your Grant
Proposal Idea
Draft your idea
Outline your plan
Research potential funders
Begin writing a Case Statement
Tuesday, March 28, :30 am – 12:30 pm
University Center 222
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal