Writing Successful Proposals

1. WritingSuccessful Proposals Office of Information & Communications Susan Gramling, MSLS GrantSource Librarian and Information Development Coordinator

2. GrantSource Library 307 Bynum Hall Cameron Avenue (919) 962-3463 Monday-Friday 8:00 - 5:00 http://research.unc.edu/grantsource/

3. Grant Source Library • Susan Gramling • 919-962-7766 • susan_gramling@unc.edu

4. http://research.unc.edu/grantsource/

5. Grant Source Library Services and Resources • Print and electronic sources on fellowships and grants • Grants awarded databases • Assistance and instruction in funding searches • Guidelines for proposal writing • Assistance in locating application forms • Files on Federal agencies and private organizations that offer funding

6. Source: Dr. Glenn H. Crumb, Presentation “Grants: Puzzled About Finding Them?”, Western Kentucky University

7. Introduction • Proposal basics • Write, revise, revise, revise • Get feedback from colleagues Resource for course – “Funding and Proposal Writing for Social Science Faculty and Graduate Student Research”: http://www2.irss.unc.edu/irss/wigginshandouts/granthandout.pdf

8. Topics for today • Planning • Researching potential funders • Proposal elements • Budgeting • Review process • Preparing for the next time

9. Plan Before You Write • Identify a project • Assess project fit with overall personal goals or organizational purpose • Think the plan through to the end • Assess your expertise, resources & strengths to approach the project • Involve collaborators in planning

10. Research Potential Funders • Contact program staff to discuss your ideas & assess fit with their priorities • Study guidelines & review criteria carefully • Read previous successful proposals

11. NCAC Folklife Division • Contact first, then send written summary • Wayne Martin 919-733-7877 wayne.martin@ncmail.net • Beverly Patterson 919-733-7878 beverly.patterson@ncmail.net

12. Folklife Programs • New guidelines coming soon • Three programs • Documentary Program • Public Programs • Salary Assistance Grants

13. Research Previous Awards • Know your competition • What have sponsors funded in the past? NCAC --http://www.ncarts.org/pdf/Quadrennial_Report.pdf NEA-- http://arts.endow.gov/learn/Facts/Contents.html

14. Organizational Profile • Brief overview & history • General description of activities • Sample of specific activities • Board & staff composition • Size and general demographics of community/audience served • Evidence of commitment to equity issues • Explain any budget deficit or surplus

15. Project Description • Clear description of project • activities • artists • consultants & key personnel • audience • project time schedule • Why it’s important • Support materials Handout: sample time and tasks chart

16. Summary • Summarize all important information from proposal • Crucial first impression • Write it last • Write in layman’s terms • Convey enthusiasm

17. Evaluation • How will you know if the project is successful? • Define evaluation criteria • Identify a plan • Types of evaluation- Process- Product

18. General Budgetary Issues • Itemize & account for costs • Budget should flow from your project plan • Justify budget items • Don’t overestimate resource needs • Don’t underestimate resource needs either Handouts: Sample Budget Format

19. NCAC Budget Issues • Salary assistance & public programs require 1/1 match; maximum = $10K • Documentary requires no match • Looking carefully for fair & equitable pay or other kinds of compensation for artists • Awards differ from year to year

20. Trends at NCAC • Long-term impact very important • Involvement of communities of artists themselves • No history of funding very expensive equipment • Infrastructure of presenter not as important as grassroots impact, outreach, and diversity

21. Make It Shine! • Well organized & well written proposal • Not a lot of jargon • Good collaborations • Originality • Validating grassroots culture of artists’ communities

22. Common Weaknesses (NCAC) • Lack of collaboration with consultant, artist, or community served • Oral history or other projects documenting past – interested in folks arts that have a vital, contemporary form

23. Is This Fundable? • Depends on the competition • Judged by criteria and relationship with competitors

24. The Review Process • Process varies by sponsor • Remember - reviewers may not have expertise in your field, may not share your interest and enthusiasm for the project, may be overworked and underpaid • Key point: Make your proposal easy for the reviewer to read

25. NCAC Review Process • Reviewed by program officer • PO’s written summary & applications sent to panelists • Panel convenes & discusses, with presentations from PO • Panelists vote, not PO • Applications assigned ratings, with highest funded

26. Reviewers look for: • A “doable” project (resources, approach) • A project worth doing • Systematic, logical development of ideas • An easily-read, accessible proposal

27. Writing Style • Be clear, concise and direct • Write in a positive manner • Use the active voice, rather than passive • Avoid jargon - someone outside your field should be able to read • Use headings, bullets, formatting and white space to increase readability • Proofread for grammar, spelling and typographical errors Handout: Grant Writing

28. This means you: • Read carefully and follow scrupulously the guidelines provided by the sponsor • This includes points to be addressed • Also includes: spacing, margins, font size, number of copies, page limitations • If no guidelines, double-space, use generous margins and 12-point type

29. Common Reasons for Rejection Mechanical Reasons - Submission deadline not met - Guidelines not followed exactly - Incomplete or unclear descriptions of one or more elements - Highly partisan positions on issues - Poor writing quality - Carelessness and inattention to detail

30. Reasons for Rejection continued Methodological Reasons - Lack of originality - Methodology unsuited to purpose Personnel Reasons - Unfamiliarity with field - Unqualified to perform work Cost-Benefit Reasons - Not agency priority for this year - Unrealistic budget - Costs out of proportion to potential benefits

31. Preparing for the next time • If not funded, don’t give up! • Ask sponsor for reviewer’s written comments, if available • Ask if it would be worth submitting another proposal in the future • When revising, be responsive to reviewer comments

32. Summary • Project planning is key • Project should fit overall goals or plan • Choose potential funders with a good fit • Write with reviewers in mind • Budget should fit your project plan • Don’t despair if proposal is unfunded

33. Applying to Other Sponsors • Use Funding Opportunities resources to identify potential sponsors • http://research.unc.edu/grantsource/fundopps.html • Assistance in proposal writing • http://research.unc.edu/grantsource/grantwriting.html

34. Orange County Arts Commission • Grantwriting workshop Thursday, Oct. 10 from 7-8 pm Chapel Hill Public Library Deadline: Monday, Nov. 25, 2002 Contact: Martha Shannon, 919/245-2335 or mshannon@co.orange.nc.us WEB: www.artsorange.org

35. Proposal Elements • Summary • Problem statement/needs assessment • Goals and objectives • Methodology/project description • Qualifications/resources • Evaluation • Budget and budget justification Online Guide: http://www.learnerassociates.net/proposal/

36. Problem or Need Statement • Identify problem or need • Indicate importance or significance • Cite examples, statistics, etc. • Relate to sponsor’s mission or goal • Don’t take for granted that the reader will know what’s on your mind

37. Project Goals and Objectives • Desired outcomes • Address need or problem statement • Brief, focused, to-the-point • No more than two to five objectives • Each should flow logically to the next • No one objective should make or break the others or the overall project

38. Methodology/Project Description • Describe activities to be undertaken & why • Flows naturally from problems & objectives • Describe staffing & sequence of activities • Provide evidence of planning • Reasonable scope

39. Qualifications • Demonstrate to the reader that you are capable of doing what you propose • Describe project director’s qualifications & expertise • Other available resources, including key personnel & technical resources • Describe organization, its purpose, goals & programs & project administration • Offer statistics & endorsements

40. University Clearance • Proposal development & forms • http://research.unc.edu/osr/osr_prop_dev.html • Frequently asked questions • http://research.unc.edu/services/prop_faq.html • Online internal processing form • http://research.unc.edu/osr/ipf.html • Office of Sponsored Research

41. Office of Sponsored Researchhttp://research.unc.edu/osr/ • Financial review and administrative guidance during proposal preparation and prior to submission • Processes and signs proposals and awards for extramural funding • Institutional oversight & administration • Contract and grant negotiation • Training and development • Administrative and financial management for regulatory compliance

42. Human Subjects Researchhttp://research.unc.edu/services/human_sub.html • Requires IRB approval • Certification required • Address all points in NIH instructions • Computer based training course available • Brochure “Responsible Conduct of Research” at: http://research.unc.edu/gsr/responsible_conduct.pdf