grant writing 101 ymca campfire conference january 11, 2016

GRANT WRITING 101GRANT WRITING 101YMCA CAMPFIRE CONFERENCEJanuary 11, 2016

OBJECTIVES

2 | GRANT WRITING 101 | YMCA Campfire Conference 2016

1. GRANT BASICS2. HOW TO FIND FUNDING3. KEYS TO SUCCESS

GRANT BASICS


WHAT IS A GRANT?

A grant is a sum of money given to an organization for a particular purpose. Generally, a grant :• Has a formal application process• Has required objectives and outcomes• Has reporting and stewardship requirements• Contains either time or purpose restrictions• Can be submitted through an online portal or by mailing in

completed documents

A grant may be sought from a foundation, corporation, or from federal, state, or local government sources.


TYPES OF SUPPORT

Grant funding is available for: • Program/Project Support

• Scholarships • Capital• Equipment• Evaluation • General Operating Support • Staff Professional Development


COMPONENTS OF A GRANT

1. Executive Summary2. Organization Information3. Statement of Need4. Project Description5. Outcomes & Evaluation 6. Budget


COMPONENTS OF A GRANT:EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Executive Summary provides a funder with an overview of the entire grant application, highlighting:• Funding requirements• Organization and it’s expertise• The need for this project/program• Project description

TIP: Write it last and make it compelling!


COMPONENTS OF A GRANT: ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

Most grant applications will ask for various information about the organization as a whole, including:• Date of founding• Mission statement• List of board members and key staff• Major programs and audience served • Tax ID number• 501 c 3 letter• Audited financial statements• Organization budget


COMPONENTS OF A GRANT: STATEMENT OF NEED

The Statement of Need section provides an opportunity to describe the need or situation that your program addresses. Try to answer the questions:• Why is this issue important?• What evidence can you provide to support it?• What is the underlying cause?

Be sure to use relevant and current information/data; you can talk broadly about an issue, but also use more local data.


COMPONENTS OF A GRANT: PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Project Description is where you talk about the details:• Describe the solution to the problem you addressed in the need

section.• Who will your project serve?• What are the major components?• Staffing - who will carry out the project? • Any key partnerships? • What are your expected outcomes and how will you achieve them?


COMPONENTS OF A GRANT:OUTCOMES & EVALUATION

This section is where you share how you measure success. Outcomes• Goals: broad description of what you will achieve• Objectives: measurable outcomes that determine if you met your

goals. Should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.

EvaluationWhat tools will you use to track outcomes? Surveys for campers, parents, staff; Net Promoter Score


COMPONENTS OF A GRANT:BUDGET

Program BudgetExpense Information• Personnel• Non-personnel• Overhead

Income Information• Other committed or potential funders• Projected program revenue

Budget narrative


HOW TO FIND GRANT FUNDING

HOW TO FIND GRANT FUNDING: BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Before you begin research, make sure you know:• Your parameters• What is realistic• Your capacity• The fundraising landscape of your association

TIPS:• Try to have a conversation with the funder before applying (but

AFTER doing your research!)• Be specific


HOW TO FIND GRANT FUNDING:WHERE TO LOOK

Google – specific purpose, local foundations, 990s

Local companies, Board/Volunteer connections

Y-USA

Equipment manufacturers/suppliers

Public library – Foundation Center online directory

Funders of similar programs/organizations


http://giving.walmart.com/apply-for-grants/local-giving

http://www.yexchange.org/

KEYS TO SUCCESS

KEYS TO SUCCESS:

• Give yourself plenty of time• Read the directions carefully and answer every question/detail• If the application is online, create a Word document with the

questions; complete your application in that document then copy it to the website

• Be concise• Have someone else read it before you submit • Keep up with data along the way – don’t wait until a few days before

a report is due to track down numbers• Develop a relationship with funder• Make sure you communicate within your association


QUESTIONS?

THANK YOUAllison Jones

Director of Community Relations & CommunicationsYMCA of Greater Charlotte704 716 [email protected]

grant writing 101 ymca campfire conference january 11, 2016

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