Element 1: Assess Organizational Needs and Basis for Desired Funding
Purpose: Writing a successful grant application begins with understanding the reason for seeking grant funding from a governmental agency or private foundation. If the grant seeker is a school, the organizational assessment undertaken for improvement planning may provide useful reasons for the desired funding.
The grant seekers organizational assessment must address the subject area the funding organization has an interest in supporting. In regards to a governmental grant proposal, the assessment must address the request for proposal's focus.
Element 1 outlines the tasks involved in creating an organizational assessment.
Activity 1: Take a Snapshot of Your Organization
Activity 2: Identify Broad Areas in Need of Improvement
Element 2: Outline the Project Ideas
Purpose: Developing innovative grant ideas that fulfill organizational needs is essential in a successful grant application. The successful grant application will be one that effectively matches the grant seeker's project ideas with the grant funder's interests or programmatic focus!
Activity 1: Create a Project Team
Activity 2: Conceptualize Project
Element 3: Organize for Action
Purpose: Prior to writing the grant application, the project lead should pre-plan how the application will be developed, a timeline for completing it, and an internal review process for the application. Element 3 outlines the steps in creating a road map for the application process.
Activity 1: Understand the Grant Requirements
Activity 2: Plan to Act
Element 4: Develop and Submit the Grant Proposal
Purpose: The grant proposal brings life to the project idea. It is the vehicle the grant seeker uses to sell their idea to the prospective funding sources. Element 4 outlines the steps to develop and submit a successful grant application. Once the application has been submitted, follow-up with the funder is essential.
Activity 1: Develop the Project Plan
Activity 2: Commit the Proposal to Paper
Activity 3: Review and Finalize the Proposal
Element 5: Implement the Grant
Purpose: Upon receiving the grant award it is necessary to have a process in place for administering and managing the grant. Element 5 outlines the steps involved with implementing the project and fulfilling the grant's administrative requirements.
Activity 1: Administer and Manage the Grant
Activity 2: Accomplish Change
Activity 3: Evaluate Project Outcomes
