9 Factors to Be Considered When Grant Writing:

Grant writers will increase your success rates and have an easier time writing proposals if you understand these top 9 factors when grant writing: funding resources, grant seeking, project design and development, grant applications, writing convincing cases, post-award management, ethics, professionalism/social capital, and relationship-building. This article describes these 9 factors.

Factor 1 - Funder Resources

There are two major sources of funding: private and public. Private sources include foundations, corporations and individual donors. Public sources include federal, state or local government agencies.

Understanding the major trends for private and public funding will help you access the best resources for you and your projects. For example, private grantors like collaborations, focus on emerging issues and community needs (like disasters), private foundations give more than corporations, and prefer 1-time grants. Public grantors stress post-award management and sustainability, often require online applications, provide technical assistance workshop, and are becoming more conservative.

Factor 2 - Grant Seeking

A major factor in your grant success success is your ability to assess and build an agency's capacity for grant seeking. This begins by having the appropriate documents on hand that most funders will require. Create a folder on your computer that has the IRS determination letter, employer identification number (EIN), Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and National Information Management System (NIMS) registration, sustainability statements, list of board of directors, staff flow chart and job descriptions, most recent audits and financial statements, strategic plans, annual reports and newspaper clippings, certificate of incorporation, bylaws, board minutes, 990 forms, Grants.Gov registration, and mission and vision statements.

Factor 3 - Project Design and Development

Each grant you write can be viewed as a separate stand-alone project or program. Creating a design and development team can save you time and make your life as a grant writer much easier. Your team should consist of a team leader, lead writer, reviewers, budget developer, researcher, needs assessment coordinator, evaluator, clerical support, and gophers.

The most successful teams meet regularly, develop a strategic plan and timeline for development, communicate often, set goals based on shared outcomes and objectives, have a steering committee, build a sense of trust, appreciate and reward effort, and align the team's effort with agency goals.

Factor 4 - Grant Applications

To create the best possible grant application, successful grant writers know the key elements of standard grant proposal applications: agency introduction, problem or need statement, methods and activities, timelines, evaluation, sustainability plan after funding runs out, dissemination of project findings, budget, budget narrative, appendixes and attachments.

Factor 5 - Writing Convincing Cases

The difference between success and failure is your ability to write a persuasive argument why you or your agency should receive the funding. It is a given that you follow instructions and guidelines provided by the funder, use standard English (like action verbs and active not passive voice), and be clear and concise.

Factor 6 - Post-Award Management

When you receive public grants, there is a right and a wrong way to spend your money. Do it the wrong way, and you could be in trouble. This means that you should be aware that all recipients of government funding who are institutions of higher education, hospitals, or other nonprofits, regardless of the type of agency you are, must follow the provisions of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)'s Circular A-110.

Factor 7 - Ethics

One of the places that nonprofits can get into trouble is by having a "conflict of interest." It is important to identify even the appearance of a conflict of interest when a relationship with a donor, prospect, volunteer or employee might benefit you or others personally.

Factor 8 - Professionalism & Social Capital

There are many ways to build the social capital in your community. Social capital refers to networks and cooperative efforts that result in mutual benefit; it represents the units of exchange as we interact with each and share resources and talents. For example, special interest groups like sororities, Elks Club, Rotary Club, and churches can provide resources that can be leveraged with grant funding and engage a community in addressing the most pressing problems.

Factor 9 - Relationship-Building

One way that you can show a mutually beneficial relationship between you and a funder is to create a Dissemination Plan. Funders love it when you include how you plan to distribute and share the results of your program, such as journal articles, presentations at conferences, press releases, in-service workshops, blog posting, and training manuals to promote replication of the project.

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