ILRU Project Development/Grant Writing 1995 TABLE OF CONTENTS Agenda Welcome! Thanks Biographies of Trainers Learning Objectives Section 1 Establishing Superior Performance: Developing a competency-based model Section 2 The Vision Thing: Defining terms for project development and grant writing Section 3 Where Are You Now? Self-analysis Section 4 Getting Started: Types of Grants What Do You Do Before You Start Writing Funding Sources Section 5 Writing the Proposal: Getting Prepared to Write an Application Writing the Application A Checklist for Simple Grant Writing Section 6 What's It Gonna' Cost? Preparing a Realistic Budget Section 7 Drafting a Proposal Outline Real federal requests for proposals handed out during training Section 8 A Jury of Your Peers--Sometimes! Simulated Title VII Part C Application Review Participant Activity Section 9 After the Dance is Over What to do with unfunded proposals (discussion) Open Space: What more do we need? Evaluation of This Workshop Follow-up form Section 10 Miscellaneous Handouts and Training Notes ILRU Project Development/Grant Writing Workshop Agenda February 9 - 11, 1995 Charlotte, North Carolina (All times are tentative) Day 1 Thursday, February 9, 1995 9:00 Warm-up, Welcome and Icebreaker 9:15 Overview: Introductions, learning objectives, review of instructions for peer review, housekeeping and completion of evaluation forms during workshop time. 9:30 Establishing Superior Performance: Developing a competency-based model for project development and grant writing. 10:45 BREAK 11:00 The Vision Thing: Defining terms for project development and grant writing. 11:30 Where Do You Want Your Organization To Be? Visualizing your perfect organization. 12:00 LUNCH 1:30 Where Are You Now? Using self-analysis to build peer support and think about moving toward your preferred future. 2:30 BREAK 2:45 Getting Started: Basic rules about writing grants, type of grants, types of funding sources, and what to do before you start writing. 3:45 BREAK 4:00 Getting Started (continued) 5:00 End of workshop day. 6:00 Dinner: Pre-arranged with hotel shuttle for those who want to attend. Day 2 Friday, February 10, 1995 9:00 Writing the Proposal: Steps necessary in preparing a narrative. 10:30 BREAK 10:45 What's It Gonna Cost? Developing a realistic project budget. 11:15 Drafting a Proposal Outline: Practice analyzing a request for proposals for development of a narrative and budget. [Breaks, including lunch time, are the decision of each small group.] 3:00 Small Group Discussion: What did we learn? In small group, evaluate what you have learned individually and collectively for reporting back to the large group. 3:30 Large Group Debriefing: What was learned in small groups? 4:15 Getting Your Foot in the Door: How to approach private funding sources? Improvisational role plays based upon situations developed by the trainers and trainees. 5:00 End of workshop day. 6:00 Dinner on your own. 8:00 pm Trainers available for questions and answers. to 9:00 pm Day 3 Saturday, February 11, 1995 9:00 A Jury of Your Peers--Sometimes! How the peer review process works and how to prepare for it. Breaks, including lunch time, be determined by each peer review group. 1:00 Ratings Posted by Review Panels: Large group review. Funding decisions are made and what was learned is discussed. 2:00 After the Dance Is Over: An exercise to discover what to do with those unfunded proposals and... 3:30 ...Open Space: A new technique for determining future for great project development and grant writing. 4:45 Workshop Evaluations 5:00 End of Workshop WELCOME! "Project Development and Grant Writing" is a workshop for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) which has been developed by two people nationally known in the field--Quentin Smith and Maggie Shreve. Thanks to a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, this workshop provides information about how to develop effective projects and seek appropriate funding for them. This workshop lasts three (3) full days and covers a wide variety of topics, including: ù Defining competencies for project developers and grant writers. ù Defining vision, mission, and goals. ù Analyzing your current skills as a project developer and grant writer. ù How to find appropriate funding sources. ù How to approach public and private funding sources. ù Tips on writing effective proposals. ù What to do once the proposal has been sent. ù How to review a federal proposal. Training methods for this workshop include some lectures, but a great deal more of group and individual activities. For more information about this workshop or manual, contact: Quentin Smith Maggie Shreve, Consultant Director of Development Organization Development ILRU 1523 West Edgewater 2323 S. Shepherd, Suite 1000 Chicago, IL 60660-4210 Houston, TX 77019 312/989-4385 (voice and TTY) 713/520-0232 312/989-8268 (FAX)713/520-5136 (TTY) 713/520-5785 (FAX) e-mail: maggie@tsbbs02.tnet.com THANKS Special thanks is given to Chester Helms and the staff of Programs for Accessible Living (PAL) for their hard work in assisting with logistical arrangements for this training and for their hospitality in making us all feel welcome in Charlotte. We have been assured that if anyone needs assistance or information while in Charlotte, the staff of PAL is available to provide information on local resources. The phone number for PAL is 375-3997. Again, many thanks to Chester and his staff for their hard work and outstanding hospitality. Quentin W. Smith ILRU Director of Development _______________________________________ 2323 S. Shepherd, Suite 1000 Houston, Texas 77019 713/520-0232 713/520/5136 (TTY) 713/520-5785 (FAX) ______________________________________________________ ______ BIOGRAPHY ______________________________________________________ ______ Quentin Smith has extensive experience in project development and securing project funding from a variety of public and private sources. In addition to his role as director of development for the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) Program at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, Quentin is an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Quentin holds a master of science degree in health care administration from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He also completed doctoral level coursework in health education and management at Texas A&M University. Since leaving graduate school in 1978, Quentin has worked in several positions in which he has had major responsibility for project development and grant writing. He became involved in independent living in 1983, with his appointment as executive director of the Houston Center for Independent Living. In 1985, he assumed the position of co-director of training with ILRU, a position that he continued to hold during tenures as administrator of the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, and grants and contracts manager of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C. In January 1989, Quentin returned to Houston to devote more time and effort to his interests in independent living. He continues to serve in the dual role of director of development and co-director of training for ILRU. In more than ten years of doing project development and preparing grant applications, Quentin has been the primary writer of proposals that have garnered more than $150 million in project funding. He has written successful proposals to the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He has also written successful proposals to numerous private foundations, including The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Milbank Memorial Fund, and the J.M. Foundation. Quentin has also published numerous articles in professional journals dealing with training, research, and policy issues. He has co-authored a number of monographs dealing with management issues in independent living and other topics related to service delivery for people with disabilities. He is a staunch advocate for consumer control in disability-related service programs and has recently published articles in health professional journals calling for enhanced access to careers in the health professions by persons with disabilities. Quentin brings to his training activities a commitment to equal access and opportunity for all individuals and extensive experience in developing projects that merit support by public and private funding agencies. MAGGIE SHREVE Organization Development Consultant ______________________________________ 1523 West Edgewater Avenue, #1 Chicago, Illinois 60660-4210 312/989-4385 (TTY and Voice) 312/989-8268 (FAX) e-mail: maggie@tsbbs02.tnet.com ______________________________________________________ ______ BIOGRAPHY ______________________________________________________ ______ Maggie Shreve has extensive experience in developing local, state, and national organizations. She consults for and trains centers for independent living, statewide independent living councils, research and training centers, universities, state associations, government agencies, and other not-for- profit organizations. Her expertise in the field of organization development has become her foremost skill and contribution to the independent living movement nationally. Maggie has been critical to the success of several local centers for independent living, five state associations and one national organization. She has served as an executive director, program planner, speaker, and organizer in the field of independent living and disability rights for more than eleven years. Maggie was instrumental in organizing the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), the largest and most powerful consumer-controlled national membership association of centers for independent living and their supporters. Following her graduation from the University of Cincinnati, Maggie developed her management expertise and training skills through hands-on experience in government and not-for-profit agencies. Her first work in a disability-related organization was as community services director of a United Cerebral Palsy affiliate. Trusting her instincts about the need for greater consumer involvement and more systemic advocacy to eliminate attitudinal and community barriers, she looked for and found a management position with one of America's first independent living centers. Maggie's on-the-job training while at this pioneering center became the basis for her current philosophy and value system within the field of independent living. Since becoming a self-employed organization development consultant in 1989, Maggie has honed her skills as a creative trainer, group facilitator, mentor, and executive coach. She has worked on dozens of projects, many of national significance. She works closely with John Nelson, chief of the Independent Living Branch, Rehabilitation Services Administration (U.S. Department of Education) on issues related to the development of centers for independent living, most notably national standards and indicators, customer satisfaction and needs assessment techniques, and training needs for every entity receiving funds under Title VII of Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992. Through her work the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) program in Houston, Texas, Maggie lends her "cutting edge" ideas and knowledge of new trends in training and project development to the entire independent living movement. Maggie is actively involved as a volunteer in her community of Chicago as well as nationally. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Organization Development Network of Chicago as the Director of Mentoring. She is chair of the 1995 National Conference on Independent Living and an active member of several committees of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). Maggie provides a wide variety of consulting and training services. Her most frequently provided services include:  facilitation of large group processes  organizational analysis and development  training and development of human resources (boards, staff, councils)  conference planning and development of training workshops  planning (short-term, strategic, and long range) Maggie Shreve believes in democratic, consumer-controlled organizations which involve the participation of all those affected by the organization. She has an approach to consulting which is highly interactive and dependent upon the participation of everyone. Maggie considers developing consensus as one of management's primary goals. Maggie's unique style succeeds in involving everyone in creating solutions for organizations and promoting sound group dynamics. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT/GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP Learning Objectives 1. Gain knowledge of knowledge, skills and abilities required to write effective grants. 2. Understand meaning (definitions) of key words using in planning and grant writing. 3. Understand relationships among vision, mission, goals, objectives, action steps, strategies, methods, policies and procedures. 4. Be able to picture future organization; able to visualize the future. 5. Analyze current skills for project development and grant writing to understand what skills need improvement. 6. Know how to find grant funding through public and private funding sources. 7. Understand differences among types of funding sources. 8. Know how to approach funding sources with a project idea. 9. Know how to organize ideas and information for effective grant writing. 10. Understand the importance of research for writing an effective grant application. 11. Understand how to prepare an effective grant application narrative. 12. Understand the importance of a sound and reasonable budget in grant competitions. 13. Understand grant budget categories. 14. Be able to organize ideas for a grant application. 15. Be able to organize project goals and grant narrative outline. 16. Be able to develop budget which supports grant narrative outline. 17. Know what to do with unfunded proposals. 18. Understand the importance of follow-up with funding sources. 19. Understand how a peer review process works. 20. Understand how grant awards are made when peer review process is used. 21. Understand how peer review ratings are used when grant award decisions are to be made. 22. Be able to write applications which are easy for peer reviewers to rate. BUILDING A COMPETENCY-BASED MODEL FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND GRANT WRITING Definitions COMPETENCY: Underlying characteristics of a person, learned and innate, encompassing:  values  traits  knowledge  attitudes  skills  behaviors  potential for the future that leads to effective superior performance BUILDING A COMPETENCY-BASED MODEL FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND GRANT WRITING Definitions SKILL: Behavior which creates the ability to perform a work task. KNOWLEDGE: Familiarity with an awareness and understanding of a range of information necessary to perform specific work tasks. BUILDING A COMPETENCY-BASED MODEL FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND GRANT WRITING Definitions COMPETENCY MODEL: A blueprint or tool of characteristics associated with superior performance in a particular job, encompassing:  critical elements of the job  desired behaviors, skills, and knowledge for superior performance BUILDING A COMPETENCY-BASED MODEL FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND GRANT WRITING Questions to be answered 1. What are the identifiable characteristics of the superior project developer? 2. What are the identifiable characteristics of the superior grant writer? 3. How can we measure ourselves against the competency-based model we build? DEFINITIONS VISION þ something seen in a dream þ an object of imagination þ the art or power of imagination þ a mode of seeing or conceiving þ unusual discernment or insight DEFINITIONS MISSION þ a body of persons sent to perform a service or carry on an activity GOAL þ the end toward which effort is directed (aim) OBJECTIVE þ something toward which effort is directed (goal, aim) DEFINITIONS ACTION þ the manner or method of performing þ a thing or things done þ behavior, conduct þ often implies more than one step; is continuous or is capable of repetition DEFINITIONS STRATEGY þ the science and art of employing the political, economic, psychological and military forces of a nation or group to afford maximum support to adopted policies in peace or war STRATEGIC þ necessary to or important in the initiation, conduct, or completion of a strategic plan DEFINITIONS POLICY þ prudence or wisdom in the management of affairs þ management or procedure based primarily on material interest þ a definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions. DEFINITIONS PROCEDURE þ a particular way of accomplishing something or of acting þ a step in a procedure þ a series of steps followed in a regular definite order VISION: We see a world/state/community where.... PURPOSE: Our purpose and role in this world/state/community is to.... MISSION: We are responsible to our various stakeholders in this world/state/community for.... GOALS: We must achieve the following in order to fulfill our mission and realize our vision.... ACTIONS: This year, we will do the following things to achieve our goals.... SELF-ANALYSIS PROJECT DEVELOPMENT/GRANT WRITING Rate yourself in terms of your current skills, abilities, resources, and organizational capacities for being the best project developer and grant writer you can be. Where do you need to improve? How will you increase your knowledge, skills, resources, and capacities? Be prepared to discuss ways you might approach improving your abilities with others in a small group. Small group discussion will focus on those statements where you and your colleagues rated yourself lower than a 3. Your group will be asked to report what was learned through this self- analysis to the total group. CHARACTERISTICS of SUPERIOR GRANT WRITERS/PROJECT DEVELOPERS Rate Yourself (5 is strong - 1 is weak) SKILLS: 1. I organize necessary materials and resources quickly. 5 4 3 2 1 2. I persuasively "sell" my project idea to supervisors and the board of directors, if necessary. 5 4 3 2 1 3. I develop an outline or blueprint about how a proposed project will look, function, drive our mission, or help us reach our vision. 5 4 3 2 1 4. I write: þ concisely, þ clearly, þ persuasively. 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1 5. I package a proposal in an attractive and easily readable format. 5 4 3 2 1 6. I edit my own writing effectively. 5 4 3 2 1 7. I work as a team member in developing new project ideas. 5 4 3 2 1 8. I work as a team member in drafting a proposal. 5 4 3 2 1 9. I can produce grant applications with my own technical skills, when necessary(i.e., I can type, use a computer, print out my work, etc.). 5 4 3 2 1 10. I improve my skills by reviewing what others say about my work (e.g., the editing and critiques of others). 5 4 3 2 1 ABILITIES: 11. I am able to analyze data to determine organizational and project needs in relation to our vision and mission. 5 4 3 2 1 12. I am organized in how I set up my work and time. 5 4 3 2 1 13. I maintain a system of documentation and "boiler plate" materials I might need for easy retrieval when developing a project. 5 4 3 2 1 14. I am able to call together all the necessary people within my organization to get a project developed. 5 4 3 2 1 15. I am able to develop a reasonable and realistic budget for proposed projects. 5 4 3 2 1 16. I work with and supervise other staff effectively in the preparation and execution of a grant proposal. 5 4 3 2 1 RESOURCES: 17. My organization has the necessary hardware, software and office equipment to produce attractive project outlines and grant proposals. 5 4 3 2 1 18. My job allows for sufficient time to develop project ideas and write grant proposals. 5 4 3 2 1 19. The board of directors is supportive of new project ideas generally. 5 4 3 2 1 20. The board of directors assists staff in developing project ideas. 5 4 3 2 1 21. The board of directors assists staff in development of grant proposals. 5 4 3 2 1 22. My organization has access to necessary information resources for the preparation of a grant proposal. 5 4 3 2 1 PERSONAL ORGANIZATION: 23. I keep needed telephone numbers, addresses, and other key contact information up-to-date and arranged for easy retrieval. 5 4 3 2 1 24. I am time-focused, meeting all important deadlines. 5 4 3 2 1 25. I follow instructions in grant applications precisely. 5 4 3 2 1 26. I communicate my plans for project development and grant writing clearly, ensuring no missed steps or missed communications in organizing work to be done. 5 4 3 2 1 27. I know how to reach or contact important resources when needed. 5 4 3 2 1 28. My personal organization enables me to persevere in pursuit of a grant when others around me are getting nervous. 5 4 3 2 1 29. Even when others are losing their sense of humor due to panic, I can remain calm. 5 4 3 2 1 30. I know how to integrate all those "between the lines" issues that are present in grant competitions, such as funding source's language preferences, how to use numbers and data, merging different sets of instructions. 5 4 3 2 1 31. I know how to write the final grant application to meet the needs of different reviewers. 5 4 3 2 1 ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITIES: 32. My organization has a clear vision of its preferred future (long-term, visionary). 5 4 3 2 1 33. Our board of directors and staff understand this vision and how we plan to achieve it. 5 4 3 2 1 34. My organization has a clear mission and statement of purpose which distinguishes it from other organizations in my community. 5 4 3 2 1 35. My organization supports the independent living philosophy and everyone within the organization practices this philosophy. 5 4 3 2 1 36. My organization meets all the federal assurances and standards for a center for independent living. 5 4 3 2 1 37. My organization is stable and soundly managed. 5 4 3 2 1 38. My organization is ready for new project ideas. 5 4 3 2 1 39. My organization is respected by other organizations in the community. 5 4 3 2 1 40. My organization is supported by the people for whom we advocate and whom we serve. 5 4 3 2 1 41. My organization has a positive track record of achievements. 5 4 3 2 1 42. My organization has a positive track record of securing funds from public and private sources. 5 4 3 2 1 43. My organization has adequate public relations materials to support grant applications and proposals. 5 4 3 2 1 44. My organization has a clear, thorough process for reviewing project ideas and proposals to ensure that they support our vision and will help us reach our goals without violating our philosophy. 5 4 3 2 1 45 My organization has an effective track record of following-through on all proposed projects, once funded. 5 4 3 2 1 46. My organization has a system of organizational analysis to determine the effectiveness of each project we conduct. 5 4 3 2 1 What other characteristics, values, traits, knowledge, skills, attitudes, or behaviors did your workshop develop for the SUPERIOR project developer/grant writer? Add below and measure your strengths against the superior model: TYPES OF GRANTS I. ANY type of grant--Federal, state, or local, private, or corporate: A. Solicited versus unsolicited proposals? B. Requests for proposals (rfps) or bids versus single-source contracts? C. Length of narrative expected? Can run from 3 to 50 pages. D. Type of approach expected and language used? Check and double-check with funding source on approach. E. Is research and/or evaluation expected? Such components are often emphasized. F. Is there dissemination and/or replication value in your idea? These features are often sought (i.e., "model" approaches). G. Does your proposal incorporate both the instructions and whatever evaluation criteria will be used? Using an outline helps. Make sure you have covered everything and in detail! II. Private grants A. Foundations 1. Independent--funding usually comes from an endowment established by a family, individual or group of individuals. 2. Company-sponsored--independent grant-making organization with close ties to the corporation providing the funds; funding may be from an endowment or contributions from the profit-making company. 3. Operating--an organization which uses its resources to conduct research or provide a direct service; funding usually comes from an endowment provided by a single source. 4. Community--publicly supported organization which makes grants for a specific community or region, funding usually comes from contributions of many donors. B. Corporations 1. Trusts--fund established for specific giving purposes, can be similar to a company-sponsored foundation. 2. Corporate giving--may come through United Way contributions, through other payroll deduction plans of the company, or through a decision of the for-profit board of directors. Getting Started! What Do You Do Before You Start Writing? In the spaces below, please write down the five things that you do routinely before you start writing a grant application! 1. ______________________________________________________ _ 2. ______________________________________________________ _ 3. ______________________________________________________ _ 4. ______________________________________________________ _ 5. ______________________________________________________ _ FUNDING SOURCES FOR CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING FEDERAL SOURCES By far, the largest source of support for service projects is the federal government. Agencies within the federal government that fund independent living and other disability related projects include: U.S. Department of Education Most federal funding for disability-related programs and services is offered through the U.S. Department of Education through the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS). OSERS is the component of the Department of Education in which the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) are housed. 1. The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) John Nelson, Independent Living Program Director U.S. Department of Education Switzer Building, Room 3326 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202-2741 Telephone: (202) 205-9362 voice or TTY RSA funds Title VII Independent Living Service Programs and a variety of special projects. It has funding earmarked for long-term and short-term training for personnel working in independent living, as well as in other disability-related fields. RSA also funds innovative and experimental training projects and service demonstration programs, such as minority outreach projects. Contacting RSA periodically to obtain any current announcements about funding opportunities in independent living and related areas is strongly recommended. 2. The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Emily Cromar, Independent Living Program Officer U.S. Department of Education, NIDRR Switzer Building 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Telephone: (202) 205-9890 NIDRR funds primarily research-related projects, including three research and training centers in independent living. It also funds field- initiated research projects that are developed by people in the field. In addition, NIDRR funds a limited number of projects around implementation of ADA, including the ten Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers and several training projects. NIDRR has traditionally committed the lion's share of its funding to university-based research programs, and independent living centers and other independent living-oriented organizations have found it difficult to secure funding through NIDRR. However, this orientation may change with the appointment of a new Assistant Secretary of Education. At present, the best avenue for seeking independent living funds from NIDRR is the field-initiated research (FIR) program. Ms. Cromar has responsibility for the independent living research and training centers funded by NIDRR, and she can refer you to other NIDRR programs that may have funds available to support independent living projects. 3. Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Joseph Clair, Early Education Program for Children with Disabilities Switzer Building, Room 4622 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-2466 Telephone: (202) 205-9503 TTY: (202) 205-8170 Much of OSEP's funding goes to university programs involved in special education and other educational programs targeted to persons with developmental disabilities. An example of the type of project funded by OSEP is parent information and training. As with NIDRR and RSA, it is worth contacting OSEP periodically to determine what types of projects they are interested in funding. National Institutes of Health 1. National Center for Medical Rehabilitation and Research (NCMRR) Marcus Fuhrer, Director NCMRR/NICHD Building 61E, Room 2A03 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 402-2242 NCMRR was only recently established and this is a temporary address. Although their primary interests are in basic and clinical research, NCMRR is an organization that may become more prominent in disability service funding in the future. It is worth keeping in mind, particularly if your center is involved in projects that might tie into clinical health care services for people with disabilities. With impending health care reform, centers may be better positioned to be partners in projects that address the health care and related support needs of people with disabilities. 2. For other NIH Institutes by contacting NIH's Division of Research Grants (DRG) at (301)496-7441. They can provide information on more than 20 institutes, centers, and programs that fund projects in a variety of areas, including disability-related research. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, known as CDC, funds a variety of projects designed to reduce the deleterious effects of disease. Although not primarily involved with disability issues in a direct way, CDC does fund projects that relate to prevention of disability, most notably the Injury Prevention and Control Centers. Collaboration with a university-based program involved with injury prevention or prevention of secondary disability might be feasible for many independent living centers. Additional information about CDC funding opportunities can be obtained from: Adrienne S. Brown, Specialist Grants Management Branch Procurement and Grants Office Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 255 East Paces Ferry Road NE, Room 300 Atlanta, GA 30305 Telephone: (404) 842-6630 National Science Foundation (NSF) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has shown increasing interest in projects designed to address the needs of people with disabilities. They are particularly interested in development of technology that enhances integration of people with disabilities into everyday life. They are not interested in medical products, which they view as the domain of NIH, but in products that might assist people with disabilities in communicating or otherwise interacting more effectively with their environment. Funding is also available under NSF's Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) program to allow persons with disabilities (investigators, staff, and students) to work on NSF funded projects. Information about this program is available by calling the Directorate for Education and Human Resources at (202) 357-7461. Information about NSF programs can be obtained from: National Science Foundation Forms and Publications-Room 233 1800 G Street NW Washington, DC 20550 U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) DoJ has had limited funding to support projects related to the implementation of ADA. Although it is not known if this funding will continue to be available in future years, it is worth monitoring what is available from DoJ for disability rights projects. Information on DoJ funding for disability-related projects can be obtained from: Public Access Section Civil Rights Division U.S. Department of Justice P.O. Box 66738 Washington, DC 20035-6738 Telephone: (202) 514-0317 TTY: (202) 514-3519 Other Sources of Federal Funding Although these are the primary sources of federal funding specifically targeted to disability-related projects, creativity in exploring other options for funding may be rewarded. You should particularly consider projects through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD especially should be considered for funding of projects designed to improve housing options for persons with disabilities. Information can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Assistance Staff by calling (202)690-3594. Information on HUD program funding can be obtained from: Thomas Miles, Program Advisor Single Family Servicing Division Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 Seventh Street SW, Room 9178 Washington, DC 20410 Telephone: (202) 708-1672 TTY: (202) 708-4594 Information on the full range of funding opportunities available to non-profit organizations is published daily in the Federal Register. A subscription to the Federal Register is available in paper copy for $444, or $490 for a combined Federal Register, Federal Register Index, and List of CFR Sections Affected (LSA). It is available on microfiche at a reduced cost of $403 for the combined version. As of summer 1994, the Federal Register can be purchased through an online database service for a single workstation subscription charge of $375. The database provides both text and graphics, and includes issues beginning with January 2, 1994. The database is accessed through Wide Area Information Server (WAIS), through the Internet via asynchronous dial-in. Six-month online subscriptions can be purchase for $200 for a single workstation, and one-month service is available for $35.00. Discounts for additional workstations are available. To purchase an online subscription, Internet users should telnet to wais.gpo.gov and login as "newuser" (all lower case); no password is required. Dial-in users should use communications software and modem to call (202) 512-1661 and login as "wais" (all lower case); no password is required; at the second login prompt, login as "newuser" (all lower case); no password is required. Follow the instructions on the screen to register for a subscription to the Federal Register Online via GPO Access. For assistance, contact GPO Access User Support Team by sending Internet e-mail to: help@wids05.eids.gpo.gov or a fax to (202) 512-1262, or by calling (202) 512-1530 between 7:00 a.m. and 5 p.m. eastern standard (EST) time, Monday through Friday, except holidays. In addition to publishing information on funding opportunities, the Federal Register also includes important information on new legislation, such as the ADA, or amendments to existing legislation, such as the Rehab Act, and information on federal regulations and programs and services. To order a paper or microfiche Federal Register subscription, send a check or money order in the appropriate amount for the version you wish to purchase to: U.S. Government Printing Office P.O. Box 371975M Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7975 Telephone: (202) 783-3238 STATE FUNDING SOURCES In addition to the potential federal funding sources identified above, there are many state agencies that should be considered as possible sources for independent living projects. Although the names of public agencies vary from state to state, all states have agencies with responsibility for projects related to health and human services. In order to become familiar with these agencies and project funding available through them, you are urged to subscribe to your state's Register. Just as the federal government publishes notices of funding in the Federal Register, states are required to publish notices of project funding in a state register. In Texas it is called the Texas Register, and is published daily. It is in your best interest to subscribe to your state's Register and to review it daily for funding opportunities for which your center might apply. COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL FUNDING SOURCES These may be some of the best sources of funding available to independent living centers. Some cities particularly are very liberal in the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds obtained from the federal government, and it is worthwhile to determine which city agency has responsibility for CDBG funds in your city. County governments also typically contract for many services needed by county residents. You should determine who is responsible for grants and contracts at your municipal and county governments and make sure that you are on their mailing lists. PRIVATE FUNDING SOURCES--National Foundations There are a number of foundations that provide funding for projects on a national basis. Unfortunately, independent living centers are typically at a disadvantage in applying for funding from national foundations. Centers are disadvantaged because most of the these foundations are interested in funding projects that are very innovative and/or are models that have a high likelihood for replication elsewhere. Although many independent living center projects may be innovative in their communities, it may be difficult to convince foundation staff that the approach that you are taking has not been tried before, or that there is a reasonable likelihood that the approach can be replicated in other settings. As such, careful consideration should be given to whether it is wise to invest the time in pursuing funding from national foundations. Notwithstanding the inherent difficulties faced by local service organizations in obtaining funding from national foundations, there are a few national foundations that bear mentioning. These include: 1. The Dole Foundation for Employment of People with Disabilities Paul Hearn, Executive Director 1819 H. Street, NW, Suite 340 Washington, DC 20006 Telephone: 1-800-232-3885 or Voice or TTY: (202) 457-0318 In addition to focusing specifically on issues of employment and disability, the Dole Foundation also coordinates the activities of the Funding Partnership for People with Disabilities, a coalition of foundations that are funding projects designed to promote full and effective implementation of ADA. Dole is an especially attractive funding prospect if your center is mounting a project that addresses employment issues. 2. The J.M. Foundation Chris Olander, Executive Director 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 1651 New York, NY 10165 Telephone: (212) 687-7735 Founded by Jeremiah Milbank, the J.M. Foundation has always viewed disability-related projects as a high priority. Like the Dole Foundation, J.M. is concerned about employment opportunities for people with disabilities. However, J.M. also funds other projects that benefit people with disabilities. Although the amounts of awards typically are not very large ($10,000 - $30,000 range), J.M. may be more approachable with regard to projects with local impact than are most national foundations. 3. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Steven Schroeder, M.D., President Route 1 and College Road East Post Office Box 2316 Princeton, NJ 08543-2316 Telephone: (609) 452-8701 The Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Foundation traditionally has funded projects that deal directly with health care delivery and model approaches for improving health care services. Within the past few years, they have modified their approach to health care services to include delivery of independent living services. Although they continue to be committed to health care priorities and may not be overly receptive to independent living initiatives, they are more willing to consider non- traditional approaches to service delivery than they were a few years ago. If you have a project that is linked closely to health care improvements, particularly if it is one that may be replicated in other settings, then it might be worth contacting RWJ. 4. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Norman A. Brown, President 400 North Avenue Battle Creek, MI 49017-3398 Telephone: (616) 968-1611 The Kellogg Foundation is interested in projects around education and community-based health care services, as well as broadening the leadership capacity of individuals. They particularly like to fund pilot projects that can be sustained by the grantee beyond the period of initial funding. They are willing to provide substantial funding for projects that they deem worthy. State and Local Foundations As implied from the previous discussion, the best sources of foundation funds to support independent living services are from state and local foundations that have vested interests in the well-being of the states and communities in which your centers are located. There are literally thousands of state and local private foundations that provide grants ranging from the hundreds of dollars to the millions of dollars. The best source of information on state and local foundations is The Foundation Directory, published by the Foundation Center in New York. Most public libraries keep a copy in the reference section, and virtually all university libraries have copies in the reference section. The Foundation Directory provides the names of all private foundations--excluding corporate foundations--in each state, along with summary information on the types of projects funded, ranges of dollar support for projects, contact information, and approach preferred by the foundation. It is strongly recommended that all independent living centers have a Foundation Directory in their reference collection. A soft-cover copy can be purchased for under $150 from: The Foundation Center 8th Floor 79 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10003 Telephone: (212) 620-4230 In addition to the general purpose Foundation Directory, you may wish to consider securing other resource documents on grant funding. A couple of examples of resources that might be particularly helpful to independent living centers include: Directory of Grants for Organizations Serving People with Disabilities (Eighth Edition) Edited by Richard M. Eckstein Research Grant Guides P.O. Box 1214 Loxahatchee, FL 33470 This publication also includes summary information on federal programs that fund disability-related projects. At a cost of about $40, it is probably a good investment for your center. Directory of Operating Grants (First Edition) Edited by Richard M. Eckstein Research Grant Guides P.O. Box 1214 Loxahatchee, FL 33470 This publication also costs about $40. If you are having difficulty finding sources of funding just to keep things going, this may be a good investment. In addition to these two sources, there are numerous funding newsletters that are published by private firms at costs ranging from about $50 per year to several hundred dollars per year. One organization that publishes several of these, including Education Grants Alert and Health Grants and Contracts Weekly is: Capitol Publications, Inc. (CPI) 1101 King Street P.O. Box 1453 Alexandria, VA 22313-2053 Telephone: (800) 655-5597 (subscription services) Although CPI newsletters are somewhat more costly--$339 annually for 50 issues of Health Grants and Contracts Weekly and $299 annually for 50 issues of Education Grants Alert--than some of their competitors, they tend to get the information out earlier than many other organizations, giving the proposal writer the extra time often needed to get a good proposal together. A newsletter of this type is worth considering if you plan to pursue federal funding opportunities. Getting Prepared to Write the Application 1. Federal and Other Public Applications  Read the application materials at least twice.  Make sure that your center is eligible to apply. It is usually worth a call to the project officer to ask a few questions about the types of projects they are looking for, and whether there are any restrictions on the types of agencies eligible to apply or the types of projects that they intend to fund.  Determine exactly when the application is due. Is the due date a postmark date or a receipt date? If this is unclear in the application materials, call the funding agency for clarification.  Determine what the funding range is for projects and what the average award amount is expected to be. Keep in mind that unless you believe that you can develop an outstanding project, you are unlikely to obtain funding above the average level. You may determine that you simply do not have the resources to carry out a project at the funding level indicated. In such cases, you can save yourself a lot of aggravation by making such determinations early.  Decide if you need collaborating organizations or consultants. Often it is clear from the application instructions that involvement of persons with certain types of expertise is essential for an application to be competitive. You may need to involve someone from your state Client Assistance Program (CAP) or someone with special education experience. An early decision as to whether the likelihood of getting support from needed collaborators is feasible will help you decide whether you should proceed.  Find out if applications are going to be "peer reviewed," and if so, who the reviewers are likely to be. Not all applications are peer reviewed. Particularly for applications for smaller amounts of funding (e.g., under $50,000), decisions on funding may be made by program staff of the funding agency. If this is the case, make sure that you talk to program staff at the agency to determine if they have any recommendations on how to proceed. They may tell you that they can only provide whatever information is in the application, but it is worth asking. If the applications are going to be peer reviewed, ask them what types (e.g., independent living people, special educators, vocational rehab counselors) of persons will be invited as peer reviewers. This will give you an indication of the types of folks with whom you may want to collaborate. For example, if the reviewers are mostly special educators, it is in your best interest to collaborate with one or more special educators during preparation of the proposal, as well as afterwards. This increases the likelihood that you will address the issues that reviewers will be concerned about.  Determine whether there are page length restrictions and other restrictions on format and presentation that may be mandated by the funding agency. Some agencies, such as the Administration on Aging, have firm limits on page length of the narrative and accompanying materials. They also have firm restrictions on margin sizes, number of characters per inch of typing, and position of page numbers. If any of these restrictions are violated, your application is returned without being read. Make sure that you are aware of any format or structure restrictions before beginning to write. Reorganization takes time.  Determine whether there are certifications (e.g., drug-free workplace requirements, anti-lobbying statements) that need to be signed and sent with the package. This may require some policy action by your board, so do not wait until you start writing your application to take care of this.  Make sure you know who within your center needs to sign off on an application, and make sure that they are going to be available on the day that the application will be ready for signing. This will depend on internal policies and procedures of your center. If the executive director can sign off on applications, make sure he or she is ready to do so on a timely basis. If the board president needs to sign off, get him or her prepared to do so. Don't wait until you are in the thick of proposal writing to do this. It is an easy thing to lose track of.  Decide what you are going to do about indirect costs. If you have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate, this is no problem. However, most centers do not have a negotiated indirect cost rate. In making this decision, read the application carefully as it may indicate that indirect costs are restricted to some pre-determined level. If there is no fixed indirect cost rate stated in the application instructions, and you do not have a negotiated rate with any federal agency, it is probably in your best interests not to request indirect costs. However, if you do not request any indirect costs, it is critical that you recover all of the direct costs of the project.  Make your best estimate of the amount of time that will be required to produce the application. Be realistic! We all have tendency to underestimate the amount of time it takes to prepare an application. If you believe that it will take ten days of time, add 20% to that and budget your staff time accordingly. Spending ten days on an application that is not ready for mailing on time is not only frustrating, but also demoralizing to staff who have been "under the gun" while you've been working on a deadline. If the time is not available, do not try to squeeze it out unless you believe that the likelihood of getting the funding is at least 90%.  Make sure that the proposed project "fits" your organization, and that it is not going to divert resources from other activities that are crucial to your center's operations. We have all witnessed the impact of centers becoming engaged in chasing dollars and getting away from their missions of providing independent living services. If you want to be something other than an independent living center, that is your board's choice. However, such a decision should be made consciously as a result of a rational strategic planning process and should not occur as a by-product of the chase for dollars, regardless of the center's mission. 2. Private Foundations and Funding Sources  Make sure you know what the funding priorities of the foundation are and any restrictions that they place on use of funds (e.g., cannot be used for operating expenses, no funding for construction).  Determine the proper process for applying. Do you need to send a letter prior to submitting an application? Does the foundation only review invited applications?  Find out if there are specific application dates or deadlines set by the foundation. Many foundations accept applications all year long, but some have specific deadlines, usually tied to foundation board meetings when funding decisions are made.  Determine what types of documentation will be required with your application. Most private foundations require a copy of your 501(c)(3) determination from the IRS and a listing of the board members for your center and their business affiliations. Some foundations may request a copy of your bylaws and of your last annual financial audit. Be prepared for these requests. All of these documents should be easily retrievable.  Determine whether there are application restrictions with which you must comply (e.g., no more than a two-page narrative, no funding for salaries--believe it or not, some foundations do not provide funding for salaries).  Find out if you have any contacts with anyone serving on the foundation's board or in a key staff position. If so, you need to use that contact effectively. Writing the Application 1. Federal and Other Public Funding Applications  The instructions, stupid! This may sound crass, but many times as a reviewer you wonder if the people who prepared the application read the application instructions. Make sure that you organize your proposal as indicated in the application package. If a specific order of items is indicated try to follow it religiously.  Be faithful to the review criteria. You make the reviewers' jobs easier if you can follow the format of the review criteria that are provided in application package. Sometimes this is difficult because the review criteria and the organizational outline provided for the application do not match well. In such cases, you need to decide how to indicate clearly to the reviewer that you have addressed each criterion specified. This may be done by using techniques such as a "roadmap" of the criteria, indicating which sections of the proposal address each criterion. This is often tricky to accomplish, but the more you help the reviewer, the more favorable a reception your application is likely to receive.  Avoid jargon. Even in cases where the reviewers are likely to recognize terms that are specific to a professional discipline or field, it is a good idea to avoid excessive use of jargon. You should write your proposal so that any person with a college education can read it and understand it, even if they are not familiar with the field. Although it may be necessary to use terms that are not in general usage, this should be kept to a minimum, and the narrative should be easily readable to anyone.  Avoid "alphabet soup." The overuse of abbreviations is one of the most annoying habits of people who write federal applications. Only abbreviations that are readily recognizable to likely reviewers or abbreviations that are used for key concepts repeated frequently in the proposal should be used-- and these only sparingly. Introducing numerous new abbreviations for organizational components or strategies will drive the reviewer crazy as he or she constantly tries to sort them out or is forced to look back to see what the "IBQ" is.  Write clearly and concisely. Make your points and get on with the application. Do not try to "sell" your plan or concept with a lot of excess verbiage. If it is a good idea, it will "sell" itself. You need to provide enough information to be clear about what you are going to do, why you are doing it, how you are going to do it, what you expect to come out of it, and who will be doing it. Providing more information than that is distracting to reviewers.  Make sure that you document the need for what you are doing with appropriate data. If you are doing a local project, make sure that you have some data on local need for the project. Indicate where your data came from and when it was gathered. If you do not have local data, indicate why it is missing (often this only requires that you indicate that funds have been lacking to collect local data). If you do not have local data, estimate needs by extrapolating from state or national data that can be cited from a good source. Indicating that you have made some effort to quantify the scope of the problem that you are addressing suggests to the reviewer that you have done your homework.  Use language that parallels the language in the application package. If the application instructions use terms like "goals and objectives," give them goals and objectives. Even if you disagree with their use of the term goals and objectives for what they are seeking, do not reduce your chances of getting a favorable review by correcting the terminology in the application package because you think it was misused. If you have strong objections to terminology used, or it simply does not fit the project that you are proposing, tactfully explain your use of the term and how such use might vary somewhat from standard usage.  Address every requirement indicated in the outline provided in the application package and every item in the review criteria. This may be tricky, but it will increase your chances of a favorable review. If a reviewer feels that you failed to address an issue that was identified in the application materials, you will almost certainly lose points in the review process.  Even if the page limit is only "suggested," make an extra effort to stay within it. Do not assume that because the page limit requirement is not mandatory, the reviewers will ignore it and simply read on through a document that substantially exceeds suggested limits. Some reviewers will simply stop reading when they reach the suggested limit and based their review on what they read to that point. Others will be so annoyed at your disregard for suggested limits, that their judgment of the application will be affected negatively.  Use appendices wisely. If you have material that you think will really enhance a reviewer's understanding of your proposed project, but it simply is too lengthy to be included in the narrative, put it in an appendix and refer to it in the narrative text. Careful consideration should be given to what is placed in the narrative and what goes into appendices, since all reviewers may not be provided appendix materials.  Proofread the document carefully and use Spell Check. Almost all applications have a couple of grammatical "glitches" or misspelled words. A few of these problems are generally overlooked by reviewers. However, an application with misspelled words on every page and grammatical errors throughout the document suggests that the writers did not take much care with their efforts. Get someone to proofread your application who understands the issues, but who was not involved in preparing the application. This person can tell you if it made sense and if it is readable and understandable.  Include a table of contents, if possible. This should allow reviewers to locate outlined sections of the application and pages where specific review criteria are addressed. Not having a table of contents makes it very difficult for reviewers to go back and see if specific points were addressed in the application. 2. Private Foundation Grants Most of what applies to federal and other public grants also applies to private foundation and corporate grants. However, the types of applications submitted to private foundations and corporate funding sources are usually much more spare than are applications to public funding agencies. This requires conciseness and an economy of language that takes practice to achieve. A few tips for preparing private foundation and corporate funding source applications are provided. However, it should be cautioned that there is enormous variation in requirements of private funding organizations, and it is in your best interests to develop a relationship with someone at the foundation or corporation who can help you to "decode" the published information that may be available on the application process.  Follow their stated application procedure to the letter. If the process requires an initial letter of intent, make sure that you provide such a letter before submitting an application. Some foundation staff view their roles as "gatekeepers," whose primary mission is to reduce the number of applications with which the foundation must deal. These folks will use the application process as a means of eliminating as many applications as early in the application process as possible. Not following the stated procedure provides them an easy means of eliminating your application without spending any time on it.  If the initial approach is by letter, state the reason why funding is requested and the amount of funding you believe to be necessary for your project right in the opening sentence. Do not be vague about what you are requesting or keep the reader wondering what it is that you want. In general, directness, clarity, and brevity are valued by foundation staff people who have to consider numerous requests for support.  Avoid jargon and excessive use of abbreviations at all costs. Even more than with federal grants, jargon and "alphabet soup" are anathema to foundation staff. If they have to stop and look up terms or get outside help in understanding what your application is about, they are not likely to respond to it favorably. Plain and understandable English is the best approach in requesting funding from private funding sources.  Do not confuse an application for project funding with a public relations campaign for your center. Although you may want to establish the credibility of your center by indicating how many people it serves, singing your own praises can be offensive to the reader. If you are trying to obtain funding for a project, talk about the project and the center's capabilities to conduct it--not about how wonderful independent living and your center are. Data on numbers and characteristics of people served by the center can be included in an attachment or appendix to your letter or application. If the foundation staff want to find out about the reputation of your center in your community, they probably will not rely on you for such information.  Make sure that you provide all of the accompanying materials requested. Do not send partial applications. Foundation staff may not be inclined to follow-up if something is missing, particularly with unsolicited applications. A CHECKLIST FOR SIMPLE GRANT WRITING _____ 1. Develop your program concept. a. Will it help you realize your vision? b. Does it fit your purpose and mission? c. Does it support your long-term or strategic plan? _____ 2. Seek approval from the board of directors for the program concept and development of a grant. _____ 3. Investigate possible funding sources. a. References: 1) Foundation Directory and Source Book Profiles; 2) Annual Register Grants Book; 3) Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance; 4) Federal Register; and 5) Local libraries, universities, donor forums. b. Find out: 1) The foundation's or agency's purpose, mission and funding priorities; 2) Amounts of money available and for what length of time; 3) Types of proposals previously funded; 4) Deadline date(s) for applications or letters; and 5) What is required for an application. _____ 4. Refine your concept in order to prepare requests for funds from different kinds of sources. Using an outline format can be helpful for shorter and then expanded grant applications. a. Identify the needs your program will meet: What will your program do? How will funding make a difference? b. List the goals and objectives of your program: are your objectives quantifiable and/or measurable? How do you determine "quality" of results? c. Describe the procedures necessary to meet your objectives--list action steps for each objective: how will you meet your goals and objectives? d. Begin collaboration with other agencies or groups to solicit support for your ideas and to coordinate activities: don't duplicate what others are doing! Do your consumers want this? How do you know? e. Assess the amount of money you need to accomplish your objectives (i.e., staff, benefits, equipment, occupancy charges, travel, etc.?). Develop your budget and be realistic! _____ 5. Make preliminary contact with possible funding sources to identify their requirements and procedures for applications. a. Talk to funding sources at length before getting too deeply involved in writing your proposal. You want to ensure that you are developing a program that has the potential for funding. Ask to meet a representative in person if you can; if not, use the telephone. b. Have questions ready based upon research you have done, people you have talked with, and your basic program concept. c. Be honest yet inquisitive. Don't chit-chat unless the funding source contact seems to want to do this. _____ 6. Write your application for funding after you feel reasonably confident that you are approaching the right sources. Each funding source you choose will have its own specific criteria, but all applications should include the following information: a. Name, address, tax exemption number, contact person, that person's title, and telephone number of your organization. b. Purpose and activities of the organization (history). c. Brief description of the proposed program, including the need for the program, any services to be offered, information to be gathered, information to be disseminated, types of persons to be served, and geographical area to be covered. This may be extrapolated as an "abstract." d. Amount of money requested (budget) with justification for each major budget category. e. Organizational chart of proposed program, job descriptions, resumes of key existing staff, and a list of governing board members. f. Program plan (objectives with scheduled deadlines). Use a chart to display your goals and strategies (action steps) -- easy to read, helpful to reviewers. g. Approach or methodology; in other words, how you will achieve the program's objectives (action steps with scheduled deadlines). h. Expected results or benefits, or how the program will make a difference in the work of your organization or the people you serve (use data which can be quantified if possible). i. Facilities and resources available for the program, including any inter-agency agreements, matching funds from another source, physical space, equipment, and accessibility of current facilities. j. Evaluation plan and plans for permanent financial support (if needed). You do not need to include plans for future financial support if the program for which you are requesting funds is intended to be short-term, for capital improvements, or for delivery of a product. k. Any assurances required or letters of support. _____ 7. Other things to think about: Possible funding source questions:  What is the funding source's track record?  Who are the key decision-makers within that funding source?  What connections do you have to those decision-makers?  Is the source generally supportive of your type of program?  Will your program be of benefit to others in the same field?  Would the funding source gain recognition for achievements of your program?  Will the funding source want proof of your results?  What kind of communication will the funding source expect after it has granted you funds?  What kinds of "strings" may be attached to granted funds? Other questions you might ask: Writing style: þ Writing style should be clear, direct, and concise. þ Some sources only desire a 2 or 3 page proposal; others expect 15 to 30 pages. þ Write in the present tense whenever possible (such as, "The ABC Center for Independent Living provides four basic services. This project expands service delivery to six different services.") þ Future tense is acceptable when it describes what the funding could do. Objectives and action steps should always be in the present tense, as in the form of a command, and should always be measurable. þ Avoid the use of personal pronouns such as "we", "our", "I", and "they" to appear professional. If you want a "warm," more "feeling- oriented" approach, then use "we." Never use "I" or "they." þ Use a resource like The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Other hints on writing style: Final check on the out-going application: þ Computer-printed or typed final copy should be neat, easily read, error-free and paginated. þ One-inch columns on either side and at the top and bottom of each page are desirable. þ Format your proposal with plenty of breaks in narrative text by using headlines and sub-headlines, underlining, "bullets," etc. There should be ample "white space" on each page. þ If the proposal is long, include a table of contents with pages for each division or section of the proposal. þ Do not type or print on both sides of a page. þ Double check your budget to make sure that your figures are reasonable and that all columns add up to the correct total. þ Make sure that you have sufficient copies of the application. þ Ensure that your method of delivery gets the documents to the proper person by the proper time and at the proper address. Other final check items: _____ 8. Items needed for easy retrieval: ___ History of the organization, mission statement, current annual plan ___ Organizational charts (board and staff) ___ Board of directors roster ___ Existing staff job descriptions ___ Resumes of existing staff (up-to-date) ___ Current annual budget ___ Recent statements of revenue and expense (balance sheets) ___ Audit report (annual) ___ 501(c)(3) letter from the IRS ___ Certificate of good standing or record of incorporation from the state where your organization is doing business ___ Record of achievements or annual report (brochure or other promotional materials) ___ Track record of other successful grants Other easy retrieval items: Preparing a Realistic Budget 1. Federal and Other Public Agency Applications  Personnel. Determine how many and what type of staff you will need to get the job done. This is not always a straightforward process. If you are proposing projects that are consistent with your center's mission, they are likely to have some things in common with projects or programs that you already have underway. This provides the opportunity to take advantage of existing resources (including materials already developed, staff working on activities similar to those proposed, and dissemination vehicles that are already in place). In any event, you should try and gauge as realistically as possible the amount of staff time--including direct service staff time, supervisory staff time, and support staff time--that will be required in order to complete all of the activities planned for the project. Although it is to your advantage to draw upon resources that may be available through related projects or programs, care should be taken to avoid understaffing a project. Understaffing can be disastrous if the project gets funded and you have to pull people from other projects or programs in order to get the job done on the new project. Do not cut corners in estimating your staffing needs.  Fringe Benefits. Try to anticipate increases in fringe benefit costs, so that you do not have to use funds from other budget categories to pay for employee benefits. Fringe benefit costs continue to soar as health insurance costs rise at phenomenal rates and other costs increase with inflation. Be prepared to document your current "real" fringe benefit costs and to justify any projected increases based on previous increases or actual new-cost data available to you.  Travel. Base your estimates for out-of-town staff travel on reasonable costs for discounted airfare. Although you may find that you have underbudgeted travel costs somewhat, planning to obtain discounted fares by doing advanced purchases and, when possible, staying over Saturday nights indicates that you are concerned about costs. Most federal agencies are particularly stingy about travel funds, in part because federal employees can take advantage of steep discounts for federal travel. You should generally plan for no more than one out-of- town trip by a project staff member to do a presentation or other activity in association with a project. One thing that you should do in preparing your travel budget is determine if the project staff person likely to be doing the travel will require a personal assistant. If so, this cost can be justified easily and federal program personnel have a difficult time not approving this cost without appearing discriminatory. Costs for PAS travel are usually equal to those of the staff with whom the assistant is traveling, minus the cost of nightly lodging, assuming that a sleeping room is shared.  Local travel costs should be considered carefully. If the project involves a good deal of community outreach by staff or volunteers who should be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket costs, then a fair estimate of such costs should be included in the budget. This might be done by estimating the number of roundtrips that are likely to be made in a month (e.g., 10) and multiplying that number times the average length of a roundtrip (e.g., 30 miles), resulting in a projection of 300 miles per month of local travel. Based on a rate of $0.25 per mile, the travel budget would include a request for $75 per month in staff travel. Travel for consumers, consultants, and other non-staff persons is usually included under the "Other" budget category in federal grant applications.  Equipment. Equipment needs to be well-justified in all budgets. As with travel, federal funding agencies are stingy with equipment money. When asking for equipment, be sure that your figures reflect the low end of current pricing ranges for any equipment requested. Federal agency staff do not like to give the impression that they are providing money to buy a Cadillac if a Ford will do. Indicate why the equipment is needed, and if similar equipment to that being requested is available in the center, explain why equipment currently owned by the center will not be available for the proposed project. Always indicate if the equipment requested is needed for reasonable accommodation of employees with disabilities, and specify any special features of the equipment that make it suitable for employees with disabilities. For example, if a staff member with visual impairment requires a computer with an oversize monitor to accommodate large sized print, make sure to explain that.  Supplies. Requests for consumable supplies should be reasonable and typically do not require extensive justification. Often, simply a statement saying that these costs are projected based on previous experience in conducting projects of similar scope is enough. An acceptable consumable supplies budget for most federally-funded projects is in the $100 to $200 per month range. Some examples of the kinds of supplies mentioned for this category include computer diskettes, printer toner cartridges, and stationery. If the project requires use of a particular item, such as computer diskettes for some reason outside of routine use, that item should be detailed in the budget. For example, if plans for a project require sending out computer diskettes to 10 collaborators on a weekly basis, a budget item for four or five boxes (10 to a box) of diskettes weekly should be detailed. This might increase your monthly budget by $30 to $50 per month, not an insignificant amount.  Construction. If there are construction costs associated with your project, they need to be justified in detail. For many federal projects for which centers might apply, construction costs are not allowed. However, it is altogether feasible that independent living centers could propose projects requiring construction for the purpose of reasonable accommodation of staff or consumers with disabilities. Such expenses should be fully explained and accompanied by cost estimates from construction professionals for the type of construction required (e.g., remodeling of space, building of new facilities).  Contractual. All work to be done by an organization or individual with which/whom the center will enter into a contractual relationship should be itemized on separate budget sheets and justified in the same manner as the main budget. It is advisable that these budget sheets and a separate face sheet be processed through the business office or other administrative entity of the contracting agency. However, if time does not allow for contracts to be approved through the formal administrative structure of the contracting organization, most federal agencies will accept a letter from an authorized representative of the contracting agency indicating approval for participation in the proposed project and stating the contracting agency's intent to enter into a formal contractual arrangement with the center if funding is received. In planning your project budget, it is important to consider both direct and indirect costs that will be paid to any organizations that will be performing work through contractual arrangements with the center.  Other. Other costs can cover a multitude of sins. Since the "Other" category is considered "collapsible" by most federal funding agencies (i.e., money within the "Other" category can be shifted around from one item to another within the category at your discretion), it is a good place to include cost items that are difficult to estimate. Some items that are almost always included in the "Other" category include: -- postage, typically projected on a monthly basis, often at $50 to $100 per month, with special mailings (such as those done with surveys) broken out as separate items in this category; -- long-distance telephone calls, also typically projected on a monthly basis, often at $50 to $100 per month for projects budgeted in the range of $100,000 annually, but with higher costs if heavy telephone use is expected; -- local telephone if the center will have to expand its telephone capabilities in order to conduct the project, then costs for installation of any new lines and any monthly line charges should be included in the budget, along with a clear explanation of why the expanded service is needed; -- routine duplicating should be estimated for the project, usually with a projection of number of copies to be made per month (such as 3,000) at the per copy cost (such as $0.03 per copy); -- printing jobs in excess of routine duplicating, such as those needed for survey instruments or curricular materials, should be included, based on a per-page cost for smaller printing jobs or a per-unit cost (e.g., an instructional manual at $20 per copy for 30 consumers) for larger printing jobs; -- consultant costs should be calculated on the basis of the number of days of consultation to be purchased at an agreed-upon cost per day, for example, 10 days of consultation time from an organizational development consultant or an instructional specialist at $500 per day = $5,000. -- consultant travel, whether for out-of-town travel or local travel should be included, along with a clear explanation of how the estimate was calculated (e.g., $500 for roundtrip airfare, for two trips of five days each, with ten nights lodging at $90 per night, 11 days meals at $30 per day, and $50 each trip for ground transportation = $1,000 + $900 + $330 + $100 = $2,330 in total consultant travel); -- office space rental should be charged against grant sources, if your center pays rent for its space, with the estimate based upon the number of full time equivalent (FTE) staff who are charged against the grant, times the number of square feet per FTE (including common space, ILRU generally calculates this at 200 per FTE, allowing for extra space needed for staff who use wheelchairs), times your annual rental rate per square foot of space (for example, 2.5 FTE x 200 square feet x $14 per square foot = $7,000); -- facility maintenance charges--if these are not included in your rental cost, as is usually the case, charges for cleaning and routine repairs of facilities should be charged to grant sources; -- equipment maintenance charges--if you have maintenance contracts on copiers, computer equipment, or other office equipment, a proportional amount of these costs can be charged to grant sources; -- insurance costs, such as general liability insurance, professional errors and omissions insurance, and other insurance not included under fringe benefits can be charged against grant sources, with an explanation as to how the percentage of such costs to be charged against the grant source was calculated; and -- reasonable accommodation costs, including charges for sign language interpreters needed for the project, other personal assistance services, special transportation required for staff, consultants, or consumers, and other special arrangements made to allow access by persons with disabilities to the project. All projects developed by independent living centers should include funding for reasonable accommodation; and it should be made clear to funding agencies that, in most cases, it is difficult, if not impossible, to predict in advance the precise nature of reasonable accommodation that might be required, since such accommodation is tailored to the needs of participants in the project. Unless you are sure in advance of the project participants and their needs for accommodation, projections of reasonable accommodation costs are best estimates only. Indirect Costs As indicated previously, indirect costs should only be requested if the funding agency indicates that it will pay a fixed indirect cost rate (as is the case with the eight percent that the Department of Education allows for training projects), or if your center has a negotiated indirect cost rate with a federal agency. If neither of these situations applies, you will do better to try to recover as much as possible in direct costs and forego indirect costs. Otherwise, you may find yourself engaged in a complicated and time- consuming process of trying to justify the indirect costs that you have requested. Centers that have very good financial records probably should invest the time to explore the feasibility of establishing a negotiated indirect cost rate with a federal agency, such as the Department of Education. Centers with mediocre or poor financial record-keeping systems should stay out of this. You can easily become mired in this swamp if you are not well- prepared. 2. Private Foundation and Corporate Funding The budgeting processes used by private foundations and corporate funding agencies vary as extensively as the foundations themselves. Many use budgeting processes similar to the U.S. Department of Education, while some use simpler budgeting formats, and some--like The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation--use more complicated budgeting formats. The best advice in preparing budgets for private foundations is to follow any directions that they provide precisely. Do not be careless in adhering to the budget directives of foundations, or they may assume that you are careless about other aspects of your project. Some private foundations require even more detailed justification of budgets than do federal funding agencies. Be sure to provide adequate justification for all budget items when requested. Often, private foundations will not require detailed budgets until after they have reviewed a preliminary application with a budget outline. It is a good idea, however, to prepare your budget justification when you prepare your initial budget outline so that you will be prepared to respond quickly if the foundation requests additional details. Make sure that you are aware of any restrictions placed on funding from private foundations before you prepare your budget. For example, many private foundations will not fund conferences or seminars. If you have a request for such funding in your proposal, you can count on it being excluded if your project gets funded. If you are requesting funding for a project that includes a seminar or conference and your best funding prospect does not provide funding for such purposes, make sure that you indicate that the foundation or corporation being approached is not being asked to pay for that portion of the project. In addition to allowing you to pursue the funding through the prospective foundation, this approach also allows you to show how project costs will be shared between funding sources, a notion that many foundations find attractive. 3. Matching or Cost-Sharing Requirements A number of federal agencies and/or specific projects funded by federal agencies, as well as many private foundations and corporate funders, require grantees to put up some portion of project funding as a "match" or as cost sharing. The percentages required for the match vary substantially. In some cases, a dollar-for-dollar match is required. In other cases, the match may be one dollar of grantee support for every three dollars of federal or private foundation support. In the case of RSA's long- term training grant program, the amount of the match is not specified, but it is clearly stated that a match is required. Determining how and whether your center can make the match can be quite tricky. In the case of many federal grant requirements, the only caveat regarding matching funds is that they not be federal funds. In other words, if you have one federally-funded project, you cannot count staff time from that project, or other resources funded from that project as part of the match for another project, even if the two projects are closely related and mutually reinforcing. Generally the best match is from "hard" dollars that your center can commit in support of the project. These dollars may come from fees for services, the proceeds of fund-raising events, or private donations. Such matching requirements are one reason why it is in the best interest of centers to do fund raising in addition to grant writing. Non-grant fund raising provides your center with funds that can be used at your discretion in making the match required for grant-funded projects that you may choose to pursue. However, you need to be creative when determining if you can match grant sources. In some cases, funding provided by private foundations to carry out activities can be used as the match required for federally-funded projects. For example, if you have private foundation funding to provide peer counseling services, and you submit a federal grant for a project that involves provision of peer counseling services, it may be possible to count at least a portion of the service time provided by staff paid from private foundation funds toward making the match needed to secure the federal funds. However, if you are going to do this, it is advisable that you notify the foundation from which you have funding about your plans. You can present your plans in terms of using foundation funds to leverage other support for similar services. Many foundations are very pleased to have their funds used for leverage purposes, and you may find that you strengthen your position with private funding sources when you notify them that you want to use their dollars to leverage support from other public or private sources. Also, keep in mind the value of board time spent on projects, and other volunteer time committed to projects for which you may be requesting federal funding. Come up with a reasonable estimate of the time and value of board and volunteer time that will be committed to proposed projects and include such contributions in your match. Similarly, if your administrative costs are fully covered from other sources and you can afford to contribute administrative time to the project, then such a contribution can be counted toward the match. This approach should be used cautiously, however. All too often centers find themselves contributing significant staff time to projects that are simply underfunded. This can produce significant problems for the center if administrative support is inadequate. In essence, you could end up subsidizing some projects with funding provided for other projects, and the whole center suffers as a consequence. Be very careful about not recovering actual costs required to conduct projects, and make conscious decisions about subsidizing projects. A project should only be subsidized for a limited period of time if there is some clear benefit to the center in terms of being able to address better the immediate needs of consumers or preparing to obtain more substantial support for center activities. In such cases, the funds obtained for the project that is being subsidized from other sources should be viewed only as short-term seed money. In such cases, funding sources should be alerted to the fact that the funds they are providing are being used for seed money so that they do not come to expect the center to continue the service or program indefinitely with inadequate funding. Finally, in making a match, make sure that you count hardware, software, and other equipment and maintenance costs that you will bear in conducting the project. This may be difficult to estimate, but it will also be difficult for the funding agency to disprove. This estimate can always be scaled back. Evaluation of ILRU Project Development/Grant Writing Workshop February 9-11,1995 1. How would you rate your knowledge of project development and grant writing BEFORE you attended this workshop? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 None or low High or superior 2. How would you rate your knowledge of project development and grant writing AFTER attending this workshop? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 None or low High or superior 3. What did you find MOST helpful about this workshop? 4. What did you find LEAST helpful about this workshop? 5. Do you think this workshop prepared you well enough to apply what you learned immediately? ____ Yes ____ No ____ Unsure If you answered "no" or "unsure" to question #5, what additional training do you need to get started? 7. Please rate the following segments of the workshop in terms of how effectively they enhanced your understanding of project development and grant writing: þ Establishing Superior Performance: Building our own competency-based model of project development and grant writing. Extremely Somewhat Not Worthwhile Worthwhile Worthwhile Worthwhile Comments: þ The Vision Thing: Defining terms for project development and grant writing. Very Somewhat Not Helpful Helpful Helpful Helpful Comments: þ Where Do You Want Your Organization to Be? Visualizing your perfect organization. Extremely Somewhat Not Worthwhile Worthwhile Worthwhile Worthwhile Comments: þ Where Are You Now? Self-analysis of project development/grant writing skills and abilities. Very Somewhat Not Helpful Helpful Helpful Helpful Comments: þ Getting Your Foot in the Door: Improvisations about how to approach a private funding source. Very Somewhat Not Helpful Helpful Helpful Helpful Comments: þ Drafting a Proposal Outline and Budget: Preparing goals, an outline, and a budget for a federal grant application. Very Somewhat Not Helpful Helpful Helpful Helpful Comments: þ A Jury of Your Peers--Sometimes! Peer review panel and evaluation of proposals. Very Somewhat Not Helpful Helpful Helpful Helpful Comments: þ ALL materials in the manual, including how to find information, write grants, develop budgets, etc. (i.e., likely funding sources, what to do before you start writing, writing the application, the checklist, preparing a realistic budget). Very Somewhat Not Helpful Helpful Helpful Helpful Comments: 8. How effective were the trainers' skills in enhancing your learning? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Not effective Highly effective 9. How would you rate the trainers' knowledge of the workshop content? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Not Highly knowledgeable knowledgeable 10. Did this workshop increase your confidence about writing and submitting grant proposals to private and public funding sources? _____ Yes _____ No _____ No opinion  If you answered "no," please explain why or tell us what you had expected. Please feel free to make any other comments about this workshop below: Thank you for your feedback! Maggie Shreve and Quentin Smith ILRU PROJECT DEVELOPMENT/GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP FOLLOW-UP FORM Directions: Write down three to five action steps you will take when you get back to your center which will help you develop new projects and grants. (Think of action steps which require you to apply something you have just learned during this workshop.) This form will be turned in to the workshop trainers and returned to you have it has been copied for our evaluation of the workshop. Name: _________________________________________________ Center: _________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________________ Action Steps I will take: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.