Slide 1
Foundations of Grant Writing
Glenn Stresman C.F.R.E.
Willistead Manor
February 23, 2010
Welcome to today’s session.
When we first talked about a presentation on grant writing tips, I envisioned a
group of 20 – 30 people, so the strong interest has been very surprising. We
have two sessions each with 70 participants and 60 more on a waiting list. We
are pleased to be able to provide the information today in hopes that it will be
able to help your organization realize the funding assistance that it needs.
We will be scheduling at least one more session in the near future, and will
accommodate your feedback, so please pass on your comments either to Mike
or to me before you leave today.
My thanks to a number of groups and individuals who have assisted in
publicizing the event, including Amanda Gellman and Manan Strategy
Consultants.
Slide 2
Introductions
Glenn Stresman CFRE, Executive Director
Mike Morency, Communications and Grants Coordinator
Pam Labute and Staff
Registration Volunteers:
Sumar Jasey and Nora Bertram-Romero
We have the use of this outstanding venue courtesy of the City of Windsor Parks
and Recreation Department, and we thank Pam Labute and her staff for being
our hosts and co-sponsors for the day.
When you called the Community Foundation office to inquire about registering for
this event, you talked with Mike Morency, our Grants and Communications
Coordinator. Thanks to Mike for all the organization for today and to Nora
Bertram-Romero and Sumar Jaser for your assistance.
WECF is one of 160 community foundations in Canada that act on behalf of
donors to advance their philanthropic goals. In doing so, we work to build
stronger, more vibrant communities. A significant part of that work is done
through the process of receiving gifts from donors that are placed in endowment
funds and invested so that the annual earnings can be awarded to registered
charities in the form of grants.
Last year, community foundations in Canada awarded $169,000,000 in grants to
local, provincial and national charities. Locally, this past year, WECF awarded
$125,000 in grants, that in the face of the worst stock market conditions since
the Great Depression. So granting is very much a part of what WECF does and
we are pleased to share our expertise with you.
A brief note about my experience in grant writing. I have been a member of the
fund raising profession for 20 years. From 1990 to 2003, I was the Director of
Development at Concordia Seminary, a graduate college of Brock University. My
responsibilities there included the establishment and development of a parallel
foundation to manage the student aid endowments of the seminary. In 2003, I
moved to Kingston, ON, as the Executive Director of CFKA.
Professionally, I was privileged to participate in three courses taught by Hank
Russo, the founder of the Fund Raising School, affiliated with the Indiana
University Center on Philanthropy. I was a member of the National Society of
Fund Raising Executives, now known as the Association of Fundraising
Professionals from 1990 to 2008, and currently am a member of the Canadian
Association of Gift Planners (CAGP.) I earned the Certified Fund Raising
Executive designation in 1995 and have maintained it since.
In addition to my work as the Executive Director of the WIndsorEssex Community
Foundation, I serve on the board of a national foundation based in Winnipeg.
Slide 3
Ben and Alex Stresman
Last March, my wife and I were recruited by this pair of individuals to move to
Windsor.
Slide 4
Today’s Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Identifying Key Questions
3. Some Personal Information
4. Research needed
5. Elements common to applications
6. Writing the application
7. Common Pitfalls
8. When your application is approved
9. What if the application is declined
10. Questions and Discussion
11. Closing Comments
Introduction
Identifying Key Questions
Some Personal Information
Research needed
Elements common to applications
Writing the application
Common Pitfalls
When your application is approved
What if the application is declined
Questions and Discussion
Closing Comments
I have asked Mike to watch the time for me in case I spend too much time on one
section. I hope to cover the prepared notes in an hour and have the last 30
minutes for the Question and discussion section.
Some other notes as we begin – please ask questions as we go along. If the
answer is more involved, we will add it to the “parking lot list” and answer it at the
end of the session.
Washrooms are available, bottled water is at the back and Mike will be able to
assist you with other matters.
Slide 5
o ns?
i
e st
Qu
Questions that you brought with you today. Mike will list them and will highlight
the ones that we cover in the presentation. We will take some time at the end to
cover any remaining unanswered.
Slide 6
Research Needed
Who give grants in Canada?
a. family, community and corporate foundations,
b. Charities such as the United Way,
c. Service clubs (Rotary, Lions Club, Kiwanis),
d. Faith groups,
e. Ontario Trillium Foundation and similar,
f. Municipal, provincial and federal governments
A successful grant application begins with research.
Step 1. Identify who the funders are:
family, community and corporate foundations,
Charities such as the United Way,
Service clubs (Rotary, Lions Club, Kiwanis),
Faith groups,
Crown corporations, and
Municipal, provincial and federal governments
Slide 7
Research Needed
How do you identify potential funders?
1. Association websites
2. Web based data bases like “Big Online”,
3. News stories in trades publications like Charity
Village,
4. CRA website – use the search engine
5. Official notices by government agencies
6. Grantee publications (Event programs, especially)
7. Networking among colleagues
How do you identify them?
Foundations usually belong to one or more associations – example Community
Foundations of Canada. Look to their websites
There are web based data bases like “Big Online”,
Look for news stories in trades publications like Charity Village,
CRA website is very good resource. Using their search engine, I came up with 41
private foundations registered with their home address as Windsor,
Official notices, governments especially,
Grantee publications I read through every program for functions that I attend and
run across tidbits like the fact that the Davies Foundation supports the National
Youth Orchestra at a significant level,
Networking among colleagues (we are always interested in who is funding
whom)
Slide 8
Research Needed
• Look for a funder that fits
– Similar purposes
– Geographic area
– Similar areas of emphasis
– Size of grants
Foundations regularly receive applications that are unsolicited. Organizations in
the past would purchase the CCP’s book of corporate and foundation donors and
have an intern or summer student photocopy a standard application and mail it
off to everyone listed in the book. I am pleased to report that this practice is
mercifully dying off because it was a waste of effort and resources.
The internet has revolutionized research. There is so much information available
on organization websites that your organization will know what the past grant
history of any organization is. Unless there has been a change of direction by the
grantor, you can count on that as a key indication of a what a successful
application will be.
Some funders will identify priorities for a period of time. Others will list the range
of grants to apply for. Still others will set conditions such as collaboration with
other agencies working in the same field. The odds of a funder going against its
own stated priorities in awarding grants are very small, so it might not be worth
the effort to apply.
Slide 9
Elements Common to Applications
• Incorporation documents
• List of board members
• Financial statements
• Mission and vision statements
• Case for support for Organization
• Case for support for the specific program
As you do your research, you will notice that there are items that are common to
all applications. Set up a file that includes the standard items and you will save
yourself considerable time as you complete the application process.
I commend the Trillium Foundation for its new practice of saving the background
documents to cut down on unnecessary copies of things like financial
statements.
A note about Case for Support. I use the term as a fundraiser would define it. A
clear and concise Case for Support is a great help when you begin to write the
actual application.
A second note about financial statements and budgets. If a format is provided for
the project budget as Trillium does, the matter is straightforward. If not,
understand what the potential grantor is looking for – proof that your organization
has the knowledge and structure to handle the funds appropriately. Audited
financial statements for the organization provide such proof. In the case of the
Community Foundation, I would prefer that you call and talk to us if you have any
questions rather than submit large documents that are unnecessary.
Slide 10
Writing the Application
Who should write it?
– Staff or professional
grant writer?
– If a staff person is
selected, should
he/she be at the
centre of the project?
Who authors the application? There is no clear answer. Rather, some concepts
to consider.
A professional grant writer has experience and ability to write in a clear, concise
manner that grant reviewers appreciate. On the other hand, they lack the passion
for the project that someone in the organization will have.
On the other hand, the person most acquainted with the project will have such a
deep understanding of the project that he/she often assumes that the reviewer is
equally knowledgeable and writes the proposal accordingly.
A third consideration is the size of the grant in relation to the cost of having a
professional grant writer complete the work. If the grant amount is potentially
large and the application long and involved, then you can make a case for using
a professional. Since members of the AFP do not work on commission, be
prepared to pay the grant writer regardless of the success of the application.
A note here to those who are applying to government agencies for core funding.
These forms tend to be long and technical in nature, meaning that staff are best
equipped to complete them. McGill University has available on their website a
guide prepared for faculty and staff applying for research grants. Included in the
guide is a list of other grant writing resources including 8 guides from other
universities in Canada and Harvard University in the US. An excellent resource to
add to your reading list.
As an aside, there are US Foundations that do make grants into Canada,
including the Ford Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trust.
Since many of you here today are from smaller organization, there is no choice
but to have a staff member or key volunteer write the application. In your case,
the application review becomes very important – I will comment on that later.
Slide 11
Writing the Application
What to write
– Use the format provided
– Be concise and precise
– Focus on people served
rather than benefits to your
organization
Organizations that provide grants spend a lot of time designing the forms that we
use. We review them regularly and modify them because it is important to us that
we get the information we need to make the appropriate decision when we award
funds. So, please follow the format. While it is tempting to take last year’s
application to another organization and simply change the dates, it is
counterproductive. I suspect that applicants underestimate the time needed to
complete the applications and fall back on past applications in order to meet
deadlines. I suggest that the project you are applying for is worth sufficient time
to complete the application in the manner directed.
Earlier in the session I mentioned case statements for your organization and for
the specific project. They become very helpful at this point.
Most applications ask you to write about your organization and describe the
specific project. Rather than use the standard paragraph from your organization’s
publicity brochure as many do, think of the way you present your organization to
a major donor. This is what a good case statement does.
A question frequently asked is “Are applications declined because they are
poorly written?” We do not deduct marks for spelling mistakes and errors in
grammar, although it is not a good idea to misspell our Foundation name.
However, there are times that projects are not funded because the application
did not carry with it the benefit that project will have on the lives of the recipients.
For me, an application is well written if it puts forward the worth of the project
regardless of the language it is couched in. In my experience in reviewing
hundreds of applications, some will stand out because the work the project will
do will make a significant impact within the community. That is what you seek to
capture in as short a statement as you can. Understand – it is always harder to
write shorter. That sounds odd, but it is true.
In the slide I state, be precise and concise. There is a school of thought that
encourages asking for more to get what you need. If you need $1,000, ask for
$2,000. My suggestion is to ask for what you need. The grant reviewers will spot
inequities and that casts doubt on the whole application.
On the other hand, be realistic. Story about ticket sales.
Are there items that we are looking for? Yes – if you check out our website, we
talk about working collaboratively, working toward sustainability, working for the
larger good. We do look for those concepts in the grant proposals.
Review our application as an example of one for smaller grants.
Slide 12
Writing the Application
Cover letters and attachments
– Follow the guidelines!
Is there a place for additional material such as testimonial letters and promotional
videos? Only if the application form calls for them. In the end, your time is best
spent completing the form as concisely and precisely as possible.
There are anecdotes in the foundation world about applications received with all
manner of attachments, and printed in various shapes and sizes to match the
projects that they hope will be funded. Understand that most grantors will remove
any materials not requested, so regardless of how creative your work is, our
reviewers will not see it.
The increased use of electronic means to complete and return forms,
standardization will become the norm, so at some point this will become a moot
point.
Slide 13
Writing the Application
Review before sending
– Who should review?
– What to look for
The proposal is written. Your first reaction is one of relief, your second is to mail it
as quickly as possible so that it arrives in good time to meet the deadline.
But hold on a second. Be sure that everything is completed and in order.The
check list that Trillium Foundation uses with their application is excellent. When I
fill out an OTF application, I read it before during and after I work on the
application. If you are working on an application that does not have a checklist,
do your own, and add target dates to keep you on track.
I suggest that an essential step in the writing process is to have it reviewed by
someone removed from the center of the organization. You want someone to
look at it as the grant reviewer will. Your volunteer will notice things like
acronyms used without explanations and essential concepts assumed but not
stated. If your volunteer is too close to the center of the organization and project,
he/she will miss these pitfalls.
You will need to build time into your schedule to allow for this essential part of the
grant writing process.
Slide 14
Pitfalls and Landmines
• Assuming the reviewers
knowledge
• Using jargon and acronyms
• Deviating from the process
• Missing deadlines
• Trusting in connections
rather than quality
The list is self explanatory – ignore them at your peril.
Slide 15
WHEN the application is approved
• We have entered a
partnership
• Follow the process
• Notify us of changes
• Work toward the next
project
Some words of encouragement for when you are successful in receiving funding
through a grant. We have become partners in this project and we want to work
with you to make the project successful.
First of all, review the steps that were outlined in the original materials. In our
application, one of the questions asks how you would publicize the grant. We
expect that you will follow this.
Keep us informed of the progress of the project. Invite us to attend the start of the
project and the project dedication as circumstances allow. If there are changes in
the project, let us know that also. If it is a significant change, the Foundation will
need to approve the changes before funds are expended outside of the original
plan. Usually what is required is a letter to the Foundation requesting the
variance.
A reminder that the successful completion of one grant project is the first step in
applying for the second one.
Slide 16
If an application in declined
• We understand the passion that goes with
an application.
• Many factors are beyond your control.
• Most decisions are final.
• Some will review with you, but no guarantee
of future approval.
We do understand that the people who apply for grants do so because they have
a passion for the work the organization does. So we take our responsibility in
managing the review process seriously. However, there are times when
applications are declined. Some applications do not fit the parameters set out by
the granting organization. Others arrive in incomplete form or past the deadline. If
that happens, we will state them in the letter declining the application because it
allows you to opportunity to resubmit the application in the next grant round if you
so choose.
We ask you to understand that there are factors beyond your control as well. This
past Community Foundation grant round, we received requests for ten times the
funds we had available.
What is a successful rate? My mentor at The FRS suggested 1 in 4 as a
reasonable expectation.
AFP document suggests that only 10% of funds raised by charities comes from
foundation grants. Clearly, you cannot fund your organization solely on what you
receive in grants from foundations. However, there are times when a grant
received is the miracle that makes your fund raising campaign work!
Slide 17
Slide 18
Questions and Comments
My suggestions for takeaways:
Research to find the right fit.
Plan ahead.
Make a checklist with time line added
Use an external reviewer
Slide 19
Thank you for attending this
session. Please fill out the
comment form before you
leave.
