Unlocking Grant Success: Strategies for Securing Funding in Community Development

Getting Funded in aGates/Buffet World Presented by: Partnership for Rural Improvement (a community development collaboration between WSU and select community colleges since 1976)

Overview of Session #1 • What is a grant? • Overview of Process/Organizational Development Requirements • Grant Research • Developing the Proposal Idea • Developing Relationships with Funders • Understanding RFP’s • Writing the Grant • Question/Answer Period

Overview of Session #2 • Evaluating the Letter of Intent • Completing the Grant • Review of Completed Components • Developing Sustainability Strategies • Preparing the Program Budget • Writing the Organization Background Component • Writing the Proposal Summary • Grant Implementation/Administration/Monitoring • Evaluation and Close-Out • Question/Answer Period

Introduction of Trainers • Laura Cailloux • Northwest Program Associate • Director, Business Resource Center & faculty member of Skagit Valley College • former nonprofit manager and small business owner

Introduction of Trainers • Patrick Malone • Inland Northwest Program Associate • Former nonprofit executive director • Nonprofit trainer for past 25 years • SBDC/NxLevel instructor

Introduction of Trainers • Rich Monacelli • Southeast Program Associate • Director of the Walla Walla Area Small Business Center

A grant is: What is a Grant? A gift of resources that does not need to be repaid but does have strings attached

Giving USA 2005 Data

Resources may include: What is a Grant? • Cash • Inventory • Land • Buildings • Equipment • Furniture & Fixtures • Intellectual Property • Human Resources • In Kind

Conditions may include: What is a Grant? • The Golden Rule: • Those with the gold make the rules • Proposal Presentation • Goals and Objectives of Grantor • Dates and Eligibility • Matching Requirements • Accountability • Evaluation • Reporting

Grants from foundations & corporations represent only about 15% of American philanthropy The use of grants can either be restricted or open to operations, capacity-building, capital or equipment, special projects and sometimes endowments What is a Grant?

A formal funding submission, typically to a unit of government, foundation or corporation Grants funding is rarely a primary source of agency funding What is a Grant Proposal?

Emerging Paradigm • A hand up, not a handout • Show sustainability • Outcomes, not output • Value measured in $ ROI • Business model, not social services • Grantors as customers

Business Plan Model • 1. Market Analysis (Demand) • 2. Products and Services (Supply) • 3. Marketing Strategies • 4. Financial Projections • 5. Schedule of Events • 6. Management

Is your cart before your horse? • Before thinking about grant funding, make sure you have: • A thorough knowledge of NEEDS within your community • A broad base of support within your community • Mission and resource alignment to address need

Check Proposal Alignment • Is your organization aligned behind project? • Organizational Mission & Project Outcomes aligned? • Community/Collaborators aligned in support? • Staff & Resource Capabilities aligned with scope of work? • Is the external environment ripe?

Proposal Development Process • Developing a clear program plan in response to community NEED • Research funders thoroughly • Build strong relationship with funders • Target proposal carefully

Question/Answer Period • What is a grant? • What is a grant proposal? • What is the community need? • What organizational development is required? • What process is required? • What questions do you have thus far?

Market Analysis • Identify Target Markets • Users and Payers • Determine Consumer Profile • Determine Consumer Demand • Project “Sales” • Identify Competitors and Partners

Grant Research • Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance • Grants.gov (federal alerts/email notices) • IRS 990’s (annual tax reports) • Foundation Directories (Philanthropy Northwest in Washington St.) • Guidestar or GivingUSA (foundation research; fee for service) • Foundation Center (training/technical assistance; fee for service) • Statewide Nonprofit Coalitions(Evergreen Society in Washington State)

Case Study: Meals Consortium • Over 1,000 frail elderly • 600 over the age of 75 • 500 living on less than $1,000/month • No caseworkers or care provided beyond meal service

Case Study: Meals Consortium • Mission – Develop and coordinate resources for support services to homebound persons, primarily those aged 60 and older • Consortium of 5 “Meals on Wheels” programs • Served 255,000 meals last year

Products and Services • Design and supply products and services to meet the specific demand of target markets

Meals Consortium • Over 1,000 frail elderly • 600 over the age of 75 • 500 living on less than $1,000/month • No caseworkers or care provided beyond meal service

Developing the Proposal Idea • 6 Questions: • What community NEED does your plan address? • What would an improved community situation look like? • What can this organization do to improve the situation? • How will it be determined that the project has succeeded? • How much will the project cost? • How will the project be funded in the future?

Case Study: Meals Consortium • Mission – Develop and coordinate resources for support services to homebound persons, primarily those aged 60 and older • Consortium of 5 “Meals on Wheels” programs • Served 255,000 meals last year

Developing the Proposal Idea:Worksheet 1.1 (page 9-10)

Strategic Alliance with Funder

Developing Relationships w/ Funders • Think of program staff as friends, build a solid and trusting relationship • Do your homework on the funder • Send a letter of intent • Place a follow-up telephone call • Regularly meet or communicate with your program officer • Think of ways to satisfy THEIR mission

Developing Relationships with FundersWorksheet 2.1 (page 15)

Developing Relationships with FundersWorksheet 2.1 continued (page 15)

Understanding RFP’s • RFPequals Request for Proposals • A common practice by governmental funders (federally publicized through Federal Register as Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)) • RFP’s clearly state the program or project purposes, desired outcomes and eligibility for prospective funders • RFP’s typically reflect policy changes by legislative bodies more quickly than most foundations or corporations guidelines

Develop a Customized Proposal ChecklistWorksheet 11.1 (page 77)

Question/Answer Period • Developing the Idea Proposal • Developing Relationships with Funders • Understanding RFP’s • What questions do you have thus far? • Let’s also take a 5 minute stretch break (so don’t go too far).

Writing a Compelling Need Statement • Need statements must establish a clear relationship between your organization’s mission and the project purpose • Need statements must emphasize community, not organizational needs • Need statements must document the problem/issue you’re proposing to address • Your need must match the ability/capacity of your organization to meet it

Compelling Need Statement - Cont • Critically important and often poorly written • Provides a framework for the project’s goals, objectives, and methodology • Basically a literature review • Convince funder that you understand the issue that they have identified and that you can help them solve it

Compelling Need Statement - Cont • Incidence of problem • Factors and causes • Related problems • Comparative data • Consequences of no intervention &cost –analysis • Data and results of similar activities

Compelling Need Statement - Cont • Evidence of demand for service • Data from experts, publications, task force recommendations, research findings, surveys, local data, interviews • Census and demographic data • Comments from target group, providers • Don’t overstate your case

Writing a Compelling Need StatementWorksheet 3.1A (page 22)

Case Study: Who?Where?When? • Who is in need? • Frail homebound seniors over 60 years, old living at home, usually alone. • Where are they? • Throughout Main County • When is the need most evident? • When illness or institutionalization occurs due to an absence of social services

Case Study: What? Why? • What is the need? • No comprehensive assessment of nutritional and social service needs. • The lack of need identification and referral for services results in deteriorating health for frail elders and frequently results in costly institutionalization. • Why does this need occur? • No social workers/nutritionists to assess the health and social service needs • Funding is not available within each organization to hire a social worker

Case Study: Evidence of Problem • What evidence do you have to support your claim? • More than 13,000 individuals in the county over age sixty live below the poverty line. • Social workers are not available to visit the homebound elderly. • Many Meals on Wheels recipients must leave their homes because of lack of coordinated care.

Case Study: Impact if Problem is Resolved • What are the consequences of meeting the need? • Frail elders will be able to remain in their home longer. • Frail elders will remain healthier with good coordination between social services and nutrition programs • Expensive institutionalization will be avoided.

Case Study: Link to Organization? • How is the need linked to your organization? • The Meals Consortium mission is to find cost-effective ways to serve the county’s frail elders. The social services program will provide a coordinated system of social services and nutritional care to serve the target population.

Products and Services • Design and supply products and services to meet the specific demand of target markets

Propose Your Solution • Solid goals and objectives lead to achievable outcomes (these are often a refinement from those contained within your Strategic Plan) • Goals and objectives can be both “program” and “process” in nature • Make your objectives S.M.A.R.T. • This section “measures the impact” of your work and project

Unlocking Grant Success: Strategies for Securing Funding in Community Development