1. Grants and NN/LM Funding Opportunities

2. Agenda Types of grants and funding opportunities Basic elements of the NN/LM proposal NN/LM proposal finishing touches NLM grants process – the PHS 398 form Other funding sources Q & A

3. Common Mistakes

4. Types of Grants & Funding Ops. NN/LM Funding: –http://nnlm.gov/scr/funding/fundopp.htmlhttp://nnlm.gov/scr/funding/fundopp.html Government Grants: – NLM: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/extramural.html http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/extramural.html – Grants.gov: http://www.grants.govhttp://www.grants.gov – NIH: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/index.cfm http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/index.cfm – HHS: http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/ http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/ Private Corporations & Foundations – Foundation Center: http://fdncenter.org/http://fdncenter.org/

5. NN/LM Funding Awards Application Form - no formal proposal needed : – Internet Connectivity Project (ICP) – Library Improvement Project (LIP) – Ariel Project for DOCLINE Libraries – Express Outreach Awards Proposal based opportunities: – Public Health Awards – Consumer Health Awards – Special Population Awards

6. Internet Connectivity Project Goal: establish new or upgrade existing Internet connections Designed for hospitals, clinics, and community based organizations. Receive: – computer, printer, scanner and software – Internet provider subsidy for one year – training in NLM databases and support Apply: Application Form Memorial Health Systems of East Texas - Lufkin

7. Library Improvement Project Goal: Provide connection to the Internet and improve library services Receive: – computer, printer, scanner – Internet provider subsidy – document delivery subsidy Apply: Application Form 2004 – 2005 recipients include: –University Medical Center Library, Lafayette, LA –Bullard Community Library, Bullard, TX –Atwell Public Library, Hutchins, TX

8. Ariel Project for DOCLINE Libraries Goal: Foster use of Ariel Receive: – Ariel software – Computer – Printer – Scanner Apply: Application, letter of interest and letters of support 2004 – 2005 recipients include: –St. Edwards Mercy Medical Center, Ft Smith AR –Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena TX

9. Express Outreach Awards Goal: Provide an opportunity for institution to plan an outreach project on a smaller scale $5,000 Applicants describe their project on a web based form and submit No formal proposal needed Types of awards: – Public health – Consumer health – Community assessment

10. Proposal Based Funding Opportunities Request for Proposal (RFP) details the goals of the award Grant seeker designs project and writes proposal Examples: –Access to Electronic Health Information for the Public –Partners in Public Health Information Access –Closing the Gap-Health Information Outreach to Health Professionals Serving Special Populations –Technology Awareness Conference

11. Project Ideas: Internet/PubMed/TOXNET training for first responders Provide train-the-trainer sessions for public librarians Training to health professionals serving people with developmental disabilities Basic computer & health information training sessions for promotoras

12. Getting Started Start early Have a plan: don’t “chase the money” Review the RFP written guidelines Form a working group Submit a Letter of Intent –Letter is not binding –Provide: Name, Institution, Date Pay attention to any deadlines Contact us if you need any assistance

13. Before the Proposal Gather background information on the need to be addressed Identify project needs – Staffing – Equipment – Supplies Sketch a rough draft of the budget Determine who will write the proposal

14. Tips on Writing Make a cohesive argument Always remember your plan Avoid excessive jargon Think of the reviewer – No unnecessary information Revise Have someone else read the proposal Edit

15. Sections of the Proposal Plan Need Evaluate Method Market Budget

16. Summary Statement Starts with a summary of the proposal Answer: who, what, how, how much Why is there a need? Include specifics – examples, statistics What are you going to do about to solve this need? Also known as an executive summary

17. Identification of Target Population and Geographic Area 1-2 paragraphs Use background data Be as specific as possible: –Group –Demographics –Census information- Populations –Socioeconomic data

18. Project Goal and Objectives What do you want to accomplish with the project overall? List goals and objectives –Goal: Increase rural professionals’ use of PubMed –Objectives: Conduct training sessions at the Red River & Clausen county health departments Develop liaison between Reference Librarian and Regional Health Directors Publicize library’s Reference-by-Phone program List each goal individually

19. Establishment of Baseline Data How will you establish baseline data? Baseline data allows you to determine the success or failure of the project Does not have to be done prior to submitting the proposal A generic baseline questionnaire is available from NN/LM SCR office

20. Facilities/Institutional Support Describe the institution – what makes your institution unique? List services or facilities that will be used in the project Detail any support given by university, clinics, departments, etc. relevant to the project Any other funding used

21. Methodology and Approach: How will you address the need? How will you meet each objective? – Details, details, details What is the timeline from start to finish? Who will staff the project? – What are their qualifications? – CVs The “Meat” of the Proposal

22. Evaluation Must be measurable and quantifiable Will be based on the baseline data Evaluate each goal and objective. See: Measuring the Difference: Guide to Planning and Evaluating Health Information Outreach by Catherine M. Burroughs M.L.S. available online at http://nnlm.gov/evaluation/guides.htmlhttp://nnlm.gov/evaluation/guides.html Contact NN/LM SCR office if you need a copy

23. The Budget Step 1 Contact Grants or Accounting office in your institution for Indirect Cost Rate (IDC) Indirect Cost: Costs not readily identifiable with a particular cost objective, but necessary to the operation of the institution to conduct the activities it performs Not all awards will permit Indirect Costs

24. The Budget (cont.) Step 2 Highlight each item in the narrative that will appear in the budget –Tip: Conversely, every item that appears in the budget must be described in the narrative Break down each item into parts; be intuitive Equipment$1000 Equipment Dell computer Model #$900 Remote Mouse$100  

25. The Budget (cont.) Step 3 Ensure that the RFP allows for funding of the items included in your narrative –Tip: If you include items not listed in the budget preparation section of the RFP, contact the funding institution to discuss! They want to hear from you!

26. The Budget (cont.) Step 4 In – kind contributions or waived fees must be stated or discussed in the proposal –Tip: Be as explicit as possible in all descriptions in the narrative. Reviewers are not as familiar with your concepts or environment as you are.

27. The Budget (cont.) Step 5 Specifications Quotes Hourly Rates Salary breakdowns

28. The Budget (cont.) Step 6 Is your budget realistic? –Tip: Consider the period of performance of the project, in relation to the amount of recurring expenditures, e.g. reproduction, supplies, communication, travel Don’t cut yourself short

29. The Budget (cont.) Step 7 Ensure that your figures add up correctly Ensure that your proposed budget does not surpass the total funding amount –Indirect Costs + Direct Costs = Total

30. Continuation of Activities After the period of funding finished, how will the project be continued? – indicates recipient’s belief in the project What will be done with the information gathered during the project? Very important to foundations, non-profit and private funders.

31. Putting it Together: Title: Make it descriptive, not clever Include a table of contents Do not bind the proposal Appendices: – Charts, graphs – Evaluation form – CV from every staff member – Any letters of support

32. Exercise: Program Planning

33. Need Statement The Winston Memorial Library proposes to increase access to easy-to-read patient educational materials on the Internet at three clinics in Winston County Texas. The Easy-to- Read Healthy-for-You (ERHY) project will provide training for clinic staff on Internet resources. It will also place up to three wireless computers in each clinic location. The Winston Memorial Library respectfully requests $19,973 for support of this contract

34. Identification of Target Population Winston County Texas, located 50 miles south of Houston, Texas has a population of 2200 people, mainly rural and low income. According to the latest census data, an estimated 26.7% of the population lives under the poverty level. The majority Winston County’s residents read at a fifth grade level or below. Unfortunately most patient education materials are produced at an 8 th grade level resulting in a population poorly equipped to make informed health decisions.

35. Project Goals and Objectives Goal: To increase access to easy-to-read patient educational materials on the Internet at three clinics Objective 1: Provide training to clinic staff on patient educational materials on the Internet –Rationale Objective 2: Place up to three wireless computers in each clinic in Winston County –Rationale

36. Winston County Memorial Library will provide the following Internet training classes to clinic staff: – What is the Internet? Class description – How to Search the Web Class description – Health Resources on the Web Class description – Patient Education Materials on the Web Methodology

37. NLM Grants

38. An Overview of NLM Grants http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/extramural.html Resource Support Grant application form: PHS 398 NLM grants ongoing – Deadlines: –February 1 –June 1 –October 1 Examples of NLM grants: –Internet Access to Digital Libraries (IADL) –Translational Informatics Grant –Integrated Advanced Information Systems (IAIMS) –NLM Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health Grant

39. Fusion of Internet Connections and Internet Access grants –incorporates features of both Permanent program as of Feb 1, 2003 $45,000 for host site + $8,000 per added site Example: MedConnect – Connecting Rural LA to Digital Libraries http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/GrantIADL.html Internet Access to Digital Libraries (IADL)

40. Replaced NLM’s Information Systems grant Projects must result in an operational service activity Released November 8, 2004 $150,000 for one year, $300,000 over two years, $450,000 for three years http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR- 05-012.htmlhttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR- 05-012.html Translational Informatics Grant

41. IAIMS Grants Design, test, evaluate and deploy integrated advanced information management systems with a focus on context appropriate information, standards- based information management, and digital libraries Different types: –Planning grants –Operations grants –Pilot project grants http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/Research.html

42. Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health Replaced NLM’s Publication Grants Small grants for the preparation of book-length manuscripts about information of value to U.S. health professionals Publications about health sciences informatics, health sciences librarianship, biomedical communications, and health information science. Released November 30, 2004 http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR- 05-025.htmlhttp://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR- 05-025.html

43. Applying for NLM & NIH Grants: Form PHS 398 http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398 /phs398.htmlhttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398 /phs398.html Instructions must be strictly followed: –Font size –Page limits –Content requirements Applications are not mailed directly to NLM Include form pages & a narrative

44. The Face Page (page 1): Fill In The Blanks : –Title of grant –Principal investigator’s information: Title Degrees Address –New reviewer? –Type of organization –Administrative Official

45. Page 2: Description (very brief) – Aims – Long term objectives – Research methods – Don’t confuse description with narrative Performance site List of key personnel – Begins with PI & lists others in order

46. Page 3: Table of Contents Complete last to ensure all items correctly match corresponding page Easier for reviewers to find pertinent information

47. Budgets: Initial budget –Personnel cost –Itemize equipment, supplies & other expenses Entire budget –Justify all costs over entire period of grant

48. Biographical Sketch All key personnel Information is input directly on the page (do not substitute resumes for forms) Photocopy the page or follow the format for each person.

49. Narrative Describe the project in detail Letters of recommendation – Institution – NN/LM SCR Curriculum Vitae from Key Personnel

50. The NLM Grants Process 1.Application is mailed to NIH 2.First level review –Conducted by the Biomedical Library and Informatics Review Committee –Applicants may ask for summary statement 3.Second level review by NLM Board of Regents 4.NLM Staff prepare funding recommendations 5.Funding decisions implemented 6.Notice of Grant award mailed by NIH

51. NLM Grants – Final Thoughts Plan, Plan, Plan Apply Early! –Applications take 9 months to go through the process Follow the directions on the form Quality grant ideas will be rejected if format is not strictly followed Resubmit

52. Other Sources of Funding Other government agencies – AHRQ – USDA – Institute of Museum and Library Services Foundation (private) grants – Be creative! – Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Foundation Center’s National Guide to Funding for Libraries and Information Services –ALA’s: Big Book of Library Grant Money

53. Private Grants Proposals should be only 5-7 pages in length Proposal: – Cover letter – Executive Summary – Statement of Need – Project Description – Budget – Organization Information – Conclusion Letter of application may be required

54. Remember: It all Starts with an Idea

55. QUESTIONS? Michelle Malizia NN/LM SCR 713-799-7880 1-800-338-7657 michelle.malizia@exch.library.tmc.edu