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MYTHS OF GRANT WRITING. MYTH Number One: There is no money available. Truth:. Great sums of money Individuals, institutions, agencies as desperate to give as you are to receive. Truth:. Individuals Small institutions Small businesses, schools, hospitals Small governments. Truth:.
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Truth: • Great sums of money • Individuals, institutions, agencies as desperate to give as you are to receive
Truth: • Individuals • Small institutions • Small businesses, schools, hospitals • Small governments
Truth: • Philanthropic giving up 8% • Federal funding up 26% over 7 years • State funding doubled • Competition greater!
Myth Number Two: The money that is available goes to big, prestigious institutions and agencies; not to individuals, small institutions, and small agencies.
Mabee Foundation • 2002 = $6 million/$10 million to small organizations and schools NSF • 2002 = over 500 fellowships to individuals
Truth: • Local corporations and agencies favor proposals from local residents • Purposely seek out individuals and small institutions • Success (not size) begets success—focus on strengths
Truth: • It is a focus of almost all agencies to serve the underserved • Underserved = • Women in science and math • Minority groups (especially American Indians, African Americans, Hispanics) • Small colleges • Rural schools and communities • Isolated colleges • First generation college students • Poor
Truth: • Faith-based groups are respected for successes, strength of contributions and quality of participation
Myth Number Three: Successful grant writing requires connections, and I don’t have any.
Truth: • Friends in funding agency • Proposal reader for major funding agency • Follow guidelines and meet expectations • Rating form
Truth: • Friends in the legislature • Friends at the Regents • Collaborations and partnerships
Myth Number Four: I don’t have time to write grants.
Truth: • Everyone has same number of hours. • You have time for the things you value. • Make appointments for writing. • Write even if the deadline is too close—next cycle you will be ready, gain from reviews.
Truth: • Write about your passion and profound interests • Take all the time you need – willingly miss the deadline – and you will be read next time
Myth Number Five: Getting funded just requires preparing a grant proposal and luck does the rest.
Truth: • Quality is the most important • Your job is to convince the readers that your project will do a better job of meeting the funder’s goals than all the competitors • Follow the guidelines
Myth Number Six: Meeting the deadline is everything.
Truth: • Write about your passion and profound interests • Take all the time you need – quality is mandatory. Willingly miss the deadline – and you will be ready next time
Myth Number Seven: Collaboration will spread out the workload and reduce the time required to succeed.
Truth: • Collaboration takes more time. • Collaboration forces the writer to lose control. • Writing is distinctly individualistic, but collaborating takes time to share, plan, review, negotiate….. Add more time to a collaborative project!
Myth Number Eight: The grants are awarded to those applicants who have the greatest needs.
Truth: • Grants are awarded to the best use of the money to meet the funder’s goals. • Grants are awarded for strengths and skills. • Some agencies ignore need totally and focus only on quality.
Truth: • Grants are awarded to known providers. • Grants are awarded to successful applicants. • Corporations fund in their shadow. • Grants are awarded to friends and colleagues of colleagues.
Truth: • OneNet is the best connective technology of all 50 states. It will help disseminate results and enhance projects.
Myth Number Nine: Community Colleges are not research institutions, so they will not be funded.
Truth: • Projects, training, education reform, student services, community service • Collaborations with research institutions • Undergraduate research • Research improves teaching better than anything else
Myth Number Ten: Getting funded is where it’s at!
Truth: • Writing is valuable in and of itself • Develops knowledge • Research improves teaching better than anything else • Writing should be externally rewarded
RECAP OF MAJOR IDEAS • Money is always available • Goal – produce proposals that convince • Use connections—make connections—convince—rating form • Plenty of time is available • Passion + deadline + well written proposal
RECAP OF MAJOR IDEAS • Quality and strengths—convince • Collaboration takes more time • Best use of funder’s money • Research + programs, training, education reform, community service • Research and writing improves teaching better than anything!
Attitude is everything! • Internal locus of control • Belief in yourself • Grant writing is about POWER—we write grants because they empower us to do things we otherwise could not do. • Myths created by non-writers.
Attitude is everything! Cast away the myths that defeat many.