How to Write a Winning ... By Jon M. Shane November 12, 2002

Transcription

How to Write a Winning Grant Proposal
By
Jon M. Shane
November 12, 2002
Copyright www.jonmshaneassociates.com
Introduction
At a time when most law enforcement agencies are being asked by their communities,
through their elected officials, to do more with less, using grants funds to supplement the
Department’s budget is a perfect method toward achieving the agency’s goals. Policing is an
expensive endeavor, sometimes as much as twenty to thirty per cent of the city’s entire budget;
often ninety to ninety-seven percent of the police Department’s budget is dedicated to salaries and
benefits. That leaves very few dollars for equipment or overtime to embark upon new initiatives.
Grant programs provide a source of relief for fiscally strapped cities and towns. Whether the
agency is large or small everyone can benefit from using grants.
During the 1970's the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) began
establishing grant programs. The LEAA program was designed to improve an agency’s
infrastructure and to bring about change within the agency. Purchasing equipment, sharing
technology, hiring personnel and increased training were the themes. Although much has changed
since the 1970's, much has not. These very themes continue to dominate most program strategies.
Improvement and change are the key considerations of most grants. Whether a
Department’s current methods and operations need improvement or an agency’s practices need to
change to conform to contemporary standards, grants serve to bridge the gap between
imagination and practice.
Receiving grant funds can be very advantageous. A combination of hiring initiatives and
equipment purchases will improve service delivery while bolstering a Department’s image and
reputation. Remember that the public is the indirect recipient of the grant award. One’s
grantsmanship can have a profound effect on crime, the fear of crime, corrections, alternatives to
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incarceration, juvenile delinquency, and the overall quality of life for every citizen the Department
serves.
However, there are disadvantages to applying for funding. The process can be labor
intensive: researching, designing charts, obtaining letters of support, gathering endorsements and
forming partnerships. Then, should funding be awarded, there are special conditions set by the
funding source that the Department must abide by. Finally there is monitoring and tracking: did
the Department meet its intended goals? Did the Department accidentally supplant1? Is the
Department at risk for an audit? There are a myriad of different forms and reports required by the
funding agency usually on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. Of course these reports are due
amid the regular daily work!
All too frequently criminal justice agencies find themselves separated from the grant
process because of inexperience. “Where do we find the funds?” “How do we apply?” “What’s
expected of the agency?” These questions are heard from every agency executive that ever sought
after grant funds the first few times. The assumption is that when the Chief says to the Deputy
Chief “I want you to apply for this grant. Just write it up, get it done,” miraculously the funding
source will select your proposal over the 2,000 other proposals they received. Not so. Grants are
both competitive and often discretionary. To the uninitiated writing competitive discretionary
grants is intimidating. The entire research and writing process takes a creative genius, which may
not result in an award.
This article is designed to bring even the most inexperienced grant writers into the
competitive arena. Experienced grant writers may find this article refreshing with a different
perspective. If an agency adopts the principles outlined here, the prospects for success will
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improve greatly. The entire grant application process is provided here and will furnish readers
with an understanding of not only where to seek funding but how to write a winning proposal.
Funding Sources
A variety of funding sources exist from federal and state agencies to private corporations.
The most overlooked source is the private sector. Many companies have a philanthropic extension
willing to fund projects and programs that represent their company’s interest.2 These are some
potential sources:
Federal
Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
1-800-421-6770
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/
National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
1-800-851-3420
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/
Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)
1-800-627-6872
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/
The Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services (COPS Office)
1-800-421-6770 or
202 616-3031
http://www.usdoj.gov/cops/home.htm
Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
202-307-5911
http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/
National Institute of Corrections
(NIC)
1-800 995-6423
http://www.nicic.org/
State
Private
Contact the State’s
“administrative agency” for
assistance. For example, in New
Jersey the administrative agency is
the State Division of Criminal
Justice; in California it is the Office
of Criminal Justice Planning.
The State’s administrative
agency is responsible for passing
through federal funds to local
jurisdictions. Often the federal
government does not make funds
directly available to the local
jurisdiction; the federal government
passes the money to the
administrative agency who then
disseminates it to the local
jurisdictions.
A significant source of
funding for programs on a state
level is the Edward Byrne
Memorial State and Local Law
Enforcement Assistance Formula
Grant Program (Byrne Formula
Grant). Contact the administrative
agency and ask for a copy of this
program.
There are literally
thousands of private foundations
that fund hundreds of program
areas each year.
Besides the internet or
the library as a research
mechanism, the following
company publishes resource
guides to assist you in targeting
only those foundations awarding
programs in your geographical
area:
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Research Grant Guides
PO Box 1214
Loxahatchee, Fl 33470
561-795-6129
561-795-7794 (Fax)
These guides are
extremely useful. First, they are
categorized so you only need to
review the guide for the category
for which you are interested (i.e.,
equipment grants, building
grants, social service grant, etc.).
Then they are arranged by state
further organizing each guide
into a comprehensible format.
Another source is the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). The NCJRS
is a federally sponsored information clearinghouse for people around the country and the world
involved with research, policy, and practice related to criminal and juvenile justice and drug
control. Check their web site for details on funding opportunities: http://ncjrs.org/.
When contacting the funding source ask for an RFP (request for proposal). The RFP is the
official announcement from the source that grant funds are available. The agency may have many
RFP’s available, if so, specify which RFP’s are needed: your Department may be seeking funds to
hire personnel, or purchase equipment, or fund a special initiative for a target population. If the
funding source states that they do not have an RFP that fits the specific program being requested,
then ask to have all of them sent to the Department. Oftentimes the person receiving the call is not
sufficiently trained to interpret the request; often they do not have a criminal justice background
and do not fully understand what is actually meant. Once the Department receives the RFP the
individual programs can be digested and a determination can be made as to whether funding is
applicable.
Life of a Grant
The life of a grant begins with the decision to apply for funding. Usually a member of the
command-staff or the chief executive first creates the interest (e.g., the desire to form a new anticrime task force, or to enhance services for domestic violence victims, or to implement an
overtime program for DWI). Once it is determined that the current operating budget is insufficient
to harness the idea, the grant process begins.
As indicated earlier, the funding process is labor intensive and can be intimidating.
Depending on the jurisdiction’s form of government and the level of bureaucracy, the grantdevelopment team may be up against a very cumbersome application process, or one that flows
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rather easily. Here is an illustration of the individual steps that comprise a typical application
process:
Whatever the process do not be discouraged. The rewards, both personal and
organizational, are tremendous. There is a great sense of accomplishment when the final draft is
submitted and the award letter is received congratulating the Department.
Typical Grant Application Process
S tep 1
S te p 2
S tep 3
RFP/Solicitation is reviewed
for eligibility and program
No
requirements
Project is abandoned
S tep 4
S tep 5
Application and Resolution are
reviewed, approved and signedNo
by
Chief Executive
S tep 6
Project is reviewed;
discussion is opened
No
Police
Department
conducts a needs
assessment
Grant application is
drafted and
reviewed by
Command Staff
personnel
Request RFP/Solicitation
from funding source
Grant application is sent to
Legal Affairs. Resolution to
Participate is prepared
Resolution is delivered
to the following for
endorsement and
approval:
S tep 7
Application is rejected by
funding source
No
No
Resolution &
application are
presented to City
Council for vote
Application is sent to
funding source for
review
Sources
Signatures Required
· Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
· Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
· Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
Corrections, additions and
(COPS Office)
deletions are made
· Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention (OJJDP)
· National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
·Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)
· State Adminsitrative Agency
Staff meeting
held to
determine
applicability
Grant project is
awarded; award letter
and supporting grant
documents are sent
Resolution to Accept
is prepared by Legal
Affairs
Copies of award letter, application
and signed contracts are sent to
budget office for budget insertion
Signatures Required
· Contracts/Special
Conditions are signed by Mayor
S tep 8
Budget insertion and
sent to next council
meeting for approval
Budget office assigns
budget codes; lineitem is established
Budget office notifies
the Police
Department that the
budget is on the
system; spending
may begin
Police Department
begins to spend
funds
Municipal Council
accepts/rejects the
Resolution
S te p 10
S te p 1 1
· Identify Vendors
· Hire Personnel
· Purchase Equipment
· Other uses
Budget codes enable the
spending process
S t ep 12
S te p 1 3
Police Department
tracks spending
Fiscal Responsibility
Council Vote
· Chief Executive
· Corporation Counsel
· Business Administrator
· City Clerk
· Council Sponsor
S te p 9
· Corporation Counsel
· Business Administrator
No
· City Clerk
· Council Sponsor
· Progress reports prepared
· Financial statements prepared
· Reimbursement vouchers
prepared
S t ep 14
S tep 15
The fifteen steps listed above represent approximately four to six months worth of effort.
In most situations approximately thirty to fifty percent of the time is spent waiting for the funding
source to review the proposal. Remember, if the funding agency is a government entity, then they
are receiving hundreds, possibly thousands, of applications from Departments around the country.
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Each proposal must be accounted for, assigned to a reviewer, and reviewed (accepted or rejected
for funding), until finally the award announcement is made.
Gathering Materials
Before the writing process begins it is necessary to gather sources of information and
conduct a literature review on the topic. An excellent starting place is the grant writer’s own
knowledge and experience. Life experience (particularly within one’s profession) is a rich place
from which to draw information; the various assignments that one may have been held throughout
their career, a person’s educational pursuits or possibly a different job at some point in the
writer’s life all contribute to a personal library of information.
A natural corollary that flows from using personal experiences is using the experiences of
others. Consider conducting an interview. First, define the purpose of the interview. After
preliminarily researching the topic decide whom to interview. It is best to go to the top,
executives, administrators, division heads, section chiefs and directors. They are likely to have a
broad understanding of the policies, issues and procedures on the topic in question. Often they
can provide the writer with specific information that is necessary regarding the proposal, and if
not, they can at least identify the right person.
Probably the most convenient and extensive way to gather materials is through the
internet. Using meta search engines3 further reduces the amount of time spent searching for
results. The local library’s reference section is yet another place to assemble materials. And every
accredited college or university has a web site, the NCJRS and the National Council on Crime and
Delinquency (NCCD) collection are some of the thousands of places to begin researching the
proposal.
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There are also research groups dedicated to improving policing. Two of the most
prominent “think tanks” are The Police Foundation and the Police Executive Research Forum
(PERF).4 Both organizations have conducted some of the most historic and notable research on
policing ever written. Their studies include the Newark Foot Patrol Experiment, the Kansas City
Preventive Patrol Experiment, Racially Biased Policing: A Principled Response and The Police
Response to Gangs: Case Studies of Five Cities. These two organizations have both free and
premium publications which may prove indispensable to the proposal’s development.
Supporting Your Ideas
After the resource materials have been gathered and the writing process begins it is
necessary to support the ideas. Support for the program can come from a variety origins such as
authorities (also known as subject matter experts), examples, or statistical illustrations. For
virtually every program a Department can conceive there will be an authoritative documented
source available which will support the concept. If the program being designed is a patrol
augmentation program locate authors Charles D. Hale or Tony Pate; a community policing
program try authors Robert Trojanowicz, James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling; a problem
solving or situational crime prevention program try Ronald V. Clarke, Marcus Felson or Herman
Goldstein; a juvenile justice program try authors John T. Whitehead and Steven P. Lab; a
supervision program try Nathan F. Iannone. These are some of the most influential academics and
practitioners who have used scientific methods to lend credibility to the social sciences,
particularly policing.
Authoritative support is when a respected author or publication is cited on the topic under
consideration. This demonstrates that the Department is not just espousing a theory or advancing
a supposition, but that the topic actually has been studied scientifically or the theory has been
proven. Most people are influenced by the testimony of other people when dealing with topics
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they are unfamiliar with. By quoting or paraphrasing authorities, the reader (i.e., the review team)
will tend to respect their statements because of their special knowledge or experience on the topic
in question.
“Research has shown that vivid, concrete examples have more impact on [readers’] beliefs
and actions than any other kind of supporting material.”5 With examples ideas become specific,
personal and lively. The Bible is an extraordinary source of examples where stories, parables and
anecdotes make abstract principles clear and compelling. There are two types of examples that
can be used, factual and hypothetical. A factual example is a story of a true incident as it relates to
the proposal. A hypothetical example is an imaginary situation (often fiction based on fact) that
relates to the general principle of the proposal. When using hypothetical examples a realistic
scenario is created. It is then related directly to the proposal and captivates the reader (again the
review team). Then, if real statistics are incorporated, it gives the perception that this undoubtedly
could happen in real life! Indeed it is recommended that the writer use statistics to support the
hypothetical example so it does not seem too far-fetched.
Finally, this is an age of statistics. Expressing what is actually meant numerically often
gives others a sense of security in their own knowledge. It also affords the reader the opportunity
to visualize the intensity of what is being said, or to feel the impact of a particular problem. There
is a widely shared belief that, when used properly, statistics offer an effective way to clarify and
support ideas. To avoid falling victim to unreliable statistics ask the following questions:
1 - Are the statistics from a reliable source?
2 - Are the statistics representative?
If the answer to either of these questions is “no,” then the writer risks misrepresenting what they
are trying to portray. Therefore, statistics should be used to quantify ideas and give them
numerical precision. Whenever possible visual aids should be used to clarify statistical trends. A
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simple pie chart, time line, or bar graph will show the relationship between a time period and the
particular social condition. The two charts listed here are a 100% stacked bar chart and a time
series chart.
Source: 2002 Anytown Police Union
Source: U.S Census Bureau 1930-1995
Ethics
The goal of grant writing is to receive funding—but not at any cost. Writing is a form of
power and therefore carries with it a heavy ethical burden. People will be influenced and
persuaded by presentation. This is how your Department’s proposal will be funded over the
others. The question of ethics in grant writing usually centers around the writer’s goals and
methods.
Make sure the goals are ethically correct. As a criminal justice professional and (probably)
a government representative, if worthless or wasteful programs are lauded, the Department is on
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shaky ground ethically. Similar caution extends to the grant writer’s methods. Even if the goals
are ethically correct, the grant writer is not being ethical if cheap and careless methods are used.
Basically this signifies that the “ends do not justify the means.” There are five recognized
considerations for ethical grant writing:
Subject Awareness - The writer has an obligation to himself or herself, to the granting agency, and to the
public being served. Understand the program for which the Department is applying and how it relates to the
city, to the Department, or the Department’s mission or vision statement. Service is the credo, not selfservice.
Honesty in What You Say - The writer must be cognizant of the temptation to distort facts and figures for
their own purposes. Responsible writers do not falsify facts, present few facts as representative of the
whole picture or use tentative findings as conclusive evidence.
Employing Valid Reasoning - It should suffice to say that responsible writers take affirmative steps to
avoid making hasty generalizations, asserting casual connections where none really exists, using invalid or
absurd analogies/examples and yielding to prejudices
Using Sound Evidence - A grant that is awarded is not full of “fluff.” It contains real circumstances that
are supported by qualified, objective sources. This also means avoid plagiarizing.
Plagiarizing - Generally, the grant proposal is a collaboration between the writer and his or her sources. To
be fair and ethical, the writer must acknowledge the borrowing of another writer’s ideas and words by
documenting the source. To borrow without proper documentation is a form of dishonesty known as
plagiarism. Plagiarism occurs in two forms: 1) borrowing someone else’s ideas, information or language
without documenting the source and 2) documenting the source but paraphrasing the source’s language too
closely without using quotation marks to indicate that words and phrases have been borrowed.6 Most
criminal justice professionals and many universities use the American Psychological Association (APA)
style of citation when writing. Consult a good writing handbook such as The Chicago Manual of Style or
The Bedford Handbook for Writers for documenting sources. Give credit where credit is due; if someone
else’s material is used, cite it!
Writing the Actual Grant
Needless to say this is the test of the grant writer’s determination and creativity, which will
coalesce into a comprehensible, meaningful and persuasive document that brings money into the
agency. Remember that the grant writer is selling something: they are selling a concept, they are
selling belief in the city/agency, they are convincing people to invest in the city/agency because a
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worthwhile service is being offered. Draft the grant proposal with these basic principles at the
forefront:
Presentation - Probably the single most salient feature of the grant package! Presentation is so important
because there is no second chance to make a first impression. Use headers and footers in the document;
make sure each page is numbered; use a good word processing program, never hand write the proposal;
use good binding materials; use letterhead with original signatures, and do not fold or crease the paper; use
color printing but do not leave the document gaudy with too many different colors; use charts and graphs to
depict data; organize the document logically and according to the RFP requirements; include an eyecatching cover page that boldly identifies the name of the program and the agency; grammar check and
spell check the document, and have it proofread by someone other than the writer, and above all else follow
the instructions offered by the funding source.
Language, Grammar and Punctuation - Words are the tools of a writer’s craft. Choose the right words
for the job at hand. Do not use a word unless its meaning is clear, if unclear look it up; use a thesaurus,
vary the words, but do not use big complicated ones. The exception to this is when there is a need to
explain or clarify a difficult subject, such as DNA testing procedures, forensic science equipment, or
computer equipment; avoid sexist language—do not refer to all members of an occupational group as “he.”
Say he or she or change the pronoun to they; use the “eight parts of speech”: noun, pronoun, verb,
adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection—these are recognized as the traditional parts of
English grammar; use all of the common punctuation marks: period, comma, exclamation point, question
mark, semicolon and the colon.
The substantive provisions of the grant are defined by the respective funding source. The
provisions will vary among sources, but all grantors have basic requirements: problem statement,
goals and objectives, program strategy, and budget narrative. Other substantive requirements
that funding agencies may desire are: management structure, organizational capability, an abstract,
curriculum vitae of participants, matching funds requirement (local match sources), projected
milestones or accomplishments, geographic location, a statement of the project’s anticipated
contribution to criminal justice policy and practice, continuation and retention, additional resource
commitments and a statement of the program’s contribution to the State’s strategy (Byrne
formula).
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The Process
Organize the grant according to the following format. Many Departments seeking grant
funds do not follow a predefined format and therefore their application does not have logical flow.
By following these steps a grant writer will increase their prospect of an award:
1.
Cover Page - Design a cover that is bold and attractive. Include: 1) the name of the grant,
2) a subtitle, if any, 3) the name of the grant program from which funding is being sought,
4) the funding agency, 5) the date of submission, 6) the city and state, and 7) the name of
the agency. Use graphics and color to heighten the appearance.
2.
Table of Contents - A table of contents should always be included so when a reviewteam member wants to refer back (or to refer someone else) to a specific provision they
will know where to go without fumbling through each page. Use outline format and indent
the subsections for clarity.
3.
Abstract - If required, this is a one page description of what the program proposes to do
and the expected results. It is a summary of the important points of the program; highlight
the key aspects of the problem statement, the program description and the goals and
objectives.
4.
Problem Statement - This is the bedrock upon which all else rests. If there is no problem
to overcome, then funding is not needed. Set a historical perspective that leads from the
beginnings of the problem, through different time periods up the to the current condition.
If it is a crime problem, insofar as possible, make a correlation between the crime problem
an underlying criminological theory (i.e., rational choice, routine activities, social
disorganization, conflict). Also, identify the antecedents that preexisted or coexist with the
crime problem. Use statistics and a variety of charts to bolster your claim: extract
percentages, use rates and add trend lines.
5.
Goals and Objectives - Goals and objectives are often used interchangeably when, in
fact, they are two distinct criteria that must be met. A goal is a broad general statement
explaining what the grant program is expected to accomplish. Objectives are specific,
precise and exact statements which lead step by step to the achievement of the goals. Goal
statements often start with action verbs such as “To or Will. . .”. (e.g., To reduce inmate
population; to reduce fear of crime; Will strengthen community partnerships; Will
minimize the temptation to join a gang).
There are four elements of an objective that must be met in order for them to be
measurable: subject, assignment, condition, and standard.
A.
The subject represents who is tasked with doing something? (e.g., The Tactical
Narcotics Team. . .; The Patrol Division. . .; The Municipal Court system. . .). The
subject is the organizational element or person that will be responsible for
accomplishing what your program is designed to do.
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B.
C.
D.
The assignment represents what the subject is to do (e.g., To effect arrests for
curfew violations. . .; To expedite incoming prisoners. . .; To conduct a workload
analysis. . .). The assignment is an action. It explains the specific task (or
responsibility) that is required of the subject in question.
The condition represents the given circumstances under which the task must be
performed. Conditions may be environmental or situational. (e.g., In the field. . .;
At the domestic violence advocacy center. . .; In the county jail. . .). Conditions
explain how, where, and with what the assignment is to be done.. Because the
condition represents the “given” circumstances under which the assignment will be
performed, in many cases the objective will contain the word “given” (e.g., Given a
cellular telephone the neighborhood patrol officer will. . .).
The standard specifies how well the task must be accomplished. The standard
defines what the expected or anticipated results will be (e.g., Without error. . .;
with 90% accuracy; According to approved agency policy and procedure. . .;
Within the first month. . .).
Here is an example of goals and objectives:
Narcotics Enforcement Program
Goal
C
To reduce narcotics complaints by 25% within the first six months.
C
To secure guilty pleas or convictions in 80% of all cases.
Objective
C
To deploy the Tactical Narcotics Team, who will use covert surveillance techniques
within the target area, for the first eight weeks.
C
To deploy the Special Investigation Unit, who will conduct undercover (UC) and
confidential informant (CI) narcotics “buy” operations within the target area, for the
first twelve weeks.
C
To deploy the Special Investigation Unit, who will apply for search warrants at
locations within the target area in response to the UC and CI intelligence, throughout
the duration of the program.
C
To employ the Emergency Response Team, who will execute all search and arrest
warrants within the target area, throughout the duration of the program.
C
To assign a Special Narcotics Prosecutor, who will investigate and prosecute all
individual cases as part of a RICO scheme when the case involves a firearm or the
weight of the contraband seized equals or exceeds 1 U.S. pound, throughout the
duration of the program.
C
To assign uniformed patrol officers, who will conduct situational crime prevention
operations for those locations within the target area that are responsible for ten (10)
or more calls for service, during the last fifteen weeks of the program.
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6.
Program Strategy - The program strategy is the specific method or activities that are to
be employed for the duration of the grant program. In this section the requirement is to
provide a clear statement of how the project is going to be organized and administered in
order to meet the intended goals and objectives. The writer should meet with the various
Departmental elements involved in carrying out the plan; identify what each organizational
element is prepared to commit (e.g., fifteen police officers from the Tactical Narcotics
Unit; one municipal prosecutor dedicated to the program; five street sweepers from
Sanitation for neighborhood clean up; three drug and alcohol counselors from Health and
Human Services, etc.). If the RFP requires, identify specific individuals who, by virtue of
training and experience, will carry out portions of the program, and attach their resumes.
In short, this section requires the writer to state the means which will be will be used to
achieve the ends.
7.
Budget Narrative - The budget narrative is a detailed, comprehensive itemization and
explanation of the costs incurred from the administration and implementation of the
program. Budgeted costs must be reasonable, allowable and cost effective for the activities
proposed in the program strategy. The budget narrative must also describe and explain
how each particular item was calculated. The typical budget categories that may be
required are: personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contracts, utilities,
construction, indirect costs and consultants. When creating the budget there is one issue
that must not be overlooked: take extra care to ensure that the budget is in proportion to
the goals and objectives. Often times the goals of the project far exceed the funds being
requested, thus making the goals unattainable. This is known as the reasonableness
requirement of the budget.
8.
Appendix - Often times a grant application has a page restriction, limiting the narrative
portion. If this is the case, include an appendix that contains all of the charts, tables and
supporting documents. Do not waste valuable space in the actual narrative section, append
all of your supporting materials, which can be located by an in-text citation (i.e., see chart
1 in appendix). All letters of support should be on company letterhead with original
signatures, again, do not fold or crease the paper; create organizational charts, flow charts
depicting a particular process, Gantt charts depicting a sequence of events and milestones,
and include additional statistical data here too. A variety of off-the-shelf software
applications exist for creating charts and flow diagrams, which are very user friendly.
These programs can clearly illustrate complex processes and strategies, and can present
ideas and information with greater impact through the power of clear visual
communication.
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Summary
Because of obvious space limitations it is not possible to cover all of the nuances that arise
during the grant development process. However, the essential elements of researching, writing,
and organizing a grant have been illustrated. The below listed cause and effect diagram
summarizes the primary grant components and provides a graphic representation of the
relationships necessary for a winning grant proposal.
Table of
Contents
Clearly
identify the
pages and
sections of
the grant
application
Goals and
Objectives
Abstract
Concise description
of the problem,
goals and what you
propose to do
Objectives :
specific,
measurable,
step by step
procedures
leading to the
goals
Goals: broad
statements about
what you hope to
accomplish
Budget
Narrative
Correlated
with goals
and
objectives
Reasonable
Winning Grant
proposal
Identify what needs
to be improved or
changed
Bold, Eye
Catching
Cover Page
Problem
Statement
The methods and
design intended to
be employed
Authenticate
the problem
with statistics,
empirical data,
and
authoritative
sources
Append charts,
tables, letters of
support and other
supporting
documents
Organization
and
administration
of the program
Program
Strategy
Appendix
Whenever a Department is tasked with addressing a problem consider the grant process as
a viable solution. A Department can use grants to start new initiatives or supplement existing
ones. Millions of federal, state and private funds are dispersed every year, but you have to be in it
to win it!
So the next time a staff member must draft a grant proposal apply the principles outlined
here. By adhering to these basic concepts the writer will add strength and credibility to their
application. And once the award letter comes congratulating the Department as being a winner,
one can proudly proclaim that their efforts directly contributed to the image and reputation the
Department enjoys with the community.
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Notes
1. Grant funds must always supplement the city’s budget, not supplant the previously authorized
budget. Supplanting can occur in several ways. The most common form of supplanting is when
the agency uses grant funds in place of previously appropriated funds. For example, the city has
appropriated $3 million for vehicles. The Department then receives a grant for $3 million and
purchases vehicles from grant funds and does not buy any vehicles from the previously budgeted
funds. The Department has just supplanted the original funds with the grant funds. This is always
impermissible and may result in the city having to return that portion of the funds which were
supplanted. There are other more subtle ways in which supplanting can occur, if the city is not
certain about whether they are supplanting, contact the funding agency and pose the scenario to
them.
2. The difference between a project and a program is that a project is usually short in duration
with a narrow purpose: to computerize the Department, to replace the Department’s fleet, etc. A
program is a system of opportunities designed to meet a social need often long in duration: a
quality of life program, an auto theft suppression program, etc. Private companies enjoy
associating their name with projects and programs that reflect their business: insurance companies
often donate vehicles, and computer companies donate hardware and software.
3. A meta search engine is an internet “search engine of search engines.” A meta search engine
searches several other internet search engines at the same time for the information requested. This
way you cover more territory with one request than having to go through each individual search
engine.
4. “The Police Foundation is an independent and unique resource for policing. The Police
Foundation acts as a catalyst for change and an advocate for new ideas, in restating and reminding
ourselves about the fundamental purposes of policing, and in ensuring that an important link
remains intact between the police and the public they serve.” The Police Foundation can be
reached at www.policefoundation.org. “The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is a
national membership organization of progressive police executives from the largest city, county
and state law enforcement agencies. PERF is dedicated to improving policing and advancing
professionalism through research and involvement in public policy debate. Incorporated in 1977,
PERF's primary sources of operating revenues are government grants and contracts, and
partnerships with private foundations and other organizations.” PERF can be reached at
www.policeforum.org.
5. Kobella, Jr, Thomas R. (1986). Persuading Teachers to Reexamine the Innovative Elementary
Science Programs of Yesterday: the effect of anecdotal vs data summary
communications. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 23. p.437-449.
6. Hacker, Diana. (1991). The Bedford Handbook for Writers. St. Martin’s Press: New York.
-16-

How to Write a Winning ... By Jon M. Shane November 12, 2002

Transcription

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