1. Writing A Grant—From Start To Finish
Workshop 1:
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Educational Resource Development & LCC Foundation
March 20, 2018
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

2. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Today’s workshop will discuss
Educational Resource Development and LCC
Foundation overview
What grants are (and aren’t)
Types of grant funders
Researching potential funders
Project planning
Other resources
LCC’s Educational Resource Development
(ERD) and LCC Foundation
LCC and LCC Foundation application process
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 (Federal and State grants; private foundations)
Distributes grant announcements
Provides grant training
Helps direct proposals through the LCC process
Works with grant writing and evaluation consultants
Communicates best practices
Finalizes and submits grant proposals
Tracks grants
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
LCC Grant Development Resources
LCC Foundation
Researches potential funders (corporate and community foundations; private donors)
Provides grant training
Communicates best practices
Submits foundation and other grants as a 501(c)(3)
Provides fiduciary services
Note: ERD and the LCC Foundation do not write grants; they
facilitate the process
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

5. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Together, 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

6. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
What is a grant?
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

7. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Types of grant funders:
Private foundations
Community foundations
Corporate funders
Corporate foundations
Marketing $$
City government
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
What funders want when
they award a grant
That funded projects deliver what the grant proposal promised
That funded projects remain within the proposal’s budget
That funded projects meet the funder’s reporting requirements
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

10. 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 for
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

11. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Sample LCC and LCC Foundation
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
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 interests and priorities
Potential award amount
Complexity of application process
Timeline/deadline for submitting application
Required LCC matching funds
Post-award report requirements
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
It takes some work…
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

14. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Sample Grant Information Sources
grants.gov
U.S. Dept. of Education TRIO Student Support
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

15. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Project Planning
Align your project idea
LCC Mission Statement and Strategic Plan
Division or Department priorities and needs
Prepare
6 Key steps statement
Case statement
Grant application
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
A finished grant application will have
Statement of purpose/need
Project structure (goals, objectives, activities, outcomes)
Supporting documentation (research)
Evaluation (internal or external)
Budget & Budget Narrative
(LCC Grant Finance or LCC Foundation)
LCC & Department/Division Supporting Information
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
Also consider
Project planning lead person and team members
Project delivery partners (internal and external)
LCC investment (match)
Preparation timeline
(realistic)
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

18. 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 project support
Need college approval
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

19. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Sample Forms and Formats
6 key steps template
Case statement template
Funding organization’s application form
Michigan Council of Foundations common grant application form
Provides a standard format if the funder
does not have its own
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

20. 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

21. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
LCC’s Grant Application Process
Discuss project idea with Supervisor/Dean for buy-in
Complete pre-approval form
Get approval from ELT (Dean does this)
Work with ERD or Foundation to prepare the proposal
Get application review and approval to submit
(ERD or Foundation, one week before due date)
Submit (ERD or Foundation)
Review the application process with the planning group— 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

22. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
LCC website information
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

23. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
Additional Resources:
Grants.gov:
MSU Library:
Grants and Related Resources
Foundation Center database
Profiles of more than 100,000 foundations and corporate
giving programs
Foundation Center:
Grant-related articles in the Grant Space in “Improve Your Skills” link
MI Council of Foundations Directory (can be accessed at MSU Library)
Grant Station.com:
Can access through ERD
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

24. So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
This week’s to-do’s:
Consider grant project ideas that reflect
your interests, fill an LCC need, and meet LCC’s priorities
Next week’s workshop:
Developing Your Grant Proposal Idea
The why’s and how’s of developing a grant project
Developing the project idea
Preparing the project outline or case for
support
Doing effective group work
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal

25. 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
Retta Parsons, Scholarship and Operations Coordinator,
ext. 1989
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal
So You Want To Write a Grant Proposal