Six Ways to Get the Best Results from Your Grant Writer
1.
Budget and Annual Report Be prepared to provide your grant writer with your organization's annual report, and audited financial statement.
The financial statement should be available to the grant writer in a common electronic spreadsheet format such as Microsoft Excel or Corel Quattro.
If you give your grant writer a paper or word processor copy of your budget, he she may have to spend time converting it to spreadsheet format; and since grant writers are generally paid by the hour, that will be time lost from the essential grant writing activity or increased cost to your organization.
2.
Mission Statement and Organizational History Provide your grant writer with an electronic copy of your organization's mission statement and a brief history of your organization.
When was your organization started?Who started it?Why? If your organization is a nonprofit organization, how has it historically accomplished its mission?For example, if it is a chorale society, how many concerts has it performed each year? What was the attendance?Has it performed at retirement homes, hospitals, or orphanages? 3.
Board of Directors The grant writer will need to know who is on your board of directors, and how they can be contacted.
Again, provide this information electronically to your grant writer.
Don't make him/her dig for it - that's time lost from the essential process of grant writing.
Also provide the grant writer with your articles of incorporation and, if you are a nonprofit, provide 501 (c) 3 information.
All information must be in electronic format.
Email attachments are normally best, unless the information is highly sensitive.
4.
Statement of Problem or Need If you are asking for grant money then presumably you have identified a need or a problem that has to be solved.
Document the need/problem and give the information to the grant writer electronically.
His/her job is to start with your information and edit it to increase your chances of being successfully funded.
5.
Goals/Solution How will you use your grant money to solve the problem or need that you identified? Why is your organization best qualified to solve the problem or meet the need?Type it all into your word processor and provide it to your grant writer in an electronic format.
6.
Other Information Before your grant writer is finished he/she will need to know details of how your organization plans to administer the grant program, how you will measure the results, other funding sources, and how your organization plans to follow up on the grant activity.
Conclusion Having all the above information ready for your grant writer will significantly increase your chances of getting successfully funded.
copyright 2006 Sam Mela
Budget and Annual Report Be prepared to provide your grant writer with your organization's annual report, and audited financial statement.
The financial statement should be available to the grant writer in a common electronic spreadsheet format such as Microsoft Excel or Corel Quattro.
If you give your grant writer a paper or word processor copy of your budget, he she may have to spend time converting it to spreadsheet format; and since grant writers are generally paid by the hour, that will be time lost from the essential grant writing activity or increased cost to your organization.
2.
Mission Statement and Organizational History Provide your grant writer with an electronic copy of your organization's mission statement and a brief history of your organization.
When was your organization started?Who started it?Why? If your organization is a nonprofit organization, how has it historically accomplished its mission?For example, if it is a chorale society, how many concerts has it performed each year? What was the attendance?Has it performed at retirement homes, hospitals, or orphanages? 3.
Board of Directors The grant writer will need to know who is on your board of directors, and how they can be contacted.
Again, provide this information electronically to your grant writer.
Don't make him/her dig for it - that's time lost from the essential process of grant writing.
Also provide the grant writer with your articles of incorporation and, if you are a nonprofit, provide 501 (c) 3 information.
All information must be in electronic format.
Email attachments are normally best, unless the information is highly sensitive.
4.
Statement of Problem or Need If you are asking for grant money then presumably you have identified a need or a problem that has to be solved.
Document the need/problem and give the information to the grant writer electronically.
His/her job is to start with your information and edit it to increase your chances of being successfully funded.
5.
Goals/Solution How will you use your grant money to solve the problem or need that you identified? Why is your organization best qualified to solve the problem or meet the need?Type it all into your word processor and provide it to your grant writer in an electronic format.
6.
Other Information Before your grant writer is finished he/she will need to know details of how your organization plans to administer the grant program, how you will measure the results, other funding sources, and how your organization plans to follow up on the grant activity.
Conclusion Having all the above information ready for your grant writer will significantly increase your chances of getting successfully funded.
copyright 2006 Sam Mela