KEYS TO OBTAINING EXTERNAL FUNDING AND CREATING

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

• DR. SCOTT KLUNGSETH, PROJECT DIRECTORWATCHDOGS AND WELLNESS

• OWNER: ACHIEVE GRANTS DEVELOPMENT• ASST. PROFESSOR OF EXERCISE SCIENCE:

DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

MY BACKGROUND20-years a an educator

10-years as a grant writer

Over $4 million in last 5 years

7 successful Carol M White PEP Grants

Numerous other grants

3-time Federal Grant Project Manager

3-time Federal Grant Evaluation/Assessment Coordinator

3-time Federal Grant Reviewer

LEVERAGING YOUR CURRENT PROGRAMS OR GRANTS

• Use same project title for continuity and building upon• Grant as matching/in-kind funds for future grants • Use your data, evaluations, and assessments• Building connections between before/after school

programs, pre-school programs, summer programming

• Connections with non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, businesses, city, library, etc….

Watchdogs and Wellness Grants 

2008 PEP Grant: Watchdogs and Wellness: A Healthy Tomorrow

 

2008 Beresford Community Foundation:Watchdogs and Wellness: Building Our Future 

2009 ING Unsung Heroes Grant: Watchdogs and Wellness: Adventure and Mentoring Program

 

2009 No Child Left Inside Grant:Watchdogs and Wellness: Camping in Schools

 

2011 PEP Grant:Watchdogs and Wellness: Watchdogs of the Future

2013 PEP Grant:Watchdogs and Wellness: Building on Success

2015 Wellmark Foundation Kickstarter GrantWatchdogs and Wellness: Outdoor Fitness Initiative

Watchdogs and Wellness Grants – Currently Submitted

2015 Bush FoundationWatchdogs and Wellness: Youth Mental Health Initiative

2015 SAMSHA Mental Health Grant Watchdogs and Wellness: Youth Mental Health Initiative

2015 USDA Food Insecurity GrantWatchdogs and Wellness: Eliminating Food

Insecurity

WATCHDOGS AND WELLNESS-started in 2008

-one small janitors closet for PE storage

-primarily used athletic equipment

-very dated and small weight room at MS/HS

-elementary gym doubled as lunch room

-high school had 2 PE electives

-complete focus either strength or team sports

-elementary with very limited contact minutes

-no partnerships

-no professional development

-basically financially broke Com-Ed program

-basically no written curriculum at all

-no coordinated fitness assessments

WATCHDOGS AND WELLNESSNow in 2015

-fully mapped K-12 HPE curriculum with SPARK PE, Team Nutrition, technology integration

-6 elective PE choices

-partnerships with Alliance for Healthier Generations, Multiple Community Partners, Com-Ed Before/After School Programs, Summer Programs, Daycares

-dedicated elementary gym

-state of the art student fitness facility

-significant professional development

-physical activity buy-in with the classroom teachers and kinesthetic desks

-expanded before/after school and summer physical -activity/fitness programming

2008-2011 Focus• Building a high quality, research-based,

standards-based, coordinated/mapped curriculum for Health and Physical Education

• Developing a strong knowledge base through targeted professional development

• Gaining a PE technology base• Establish evaluation/assessment system for

fitness and expanded evaluation procedures for physical education grades

• Expansion of PE electives for 9-12 Physical Education

2011-2014 Focus• Continue to develop all activities from 2008-2011 focus• Develop of Before/After-School and Summer

programming in coordination with our K-12 Health and Physical Education programming

• SPARK After-School program integration • Coordinated fitness programs between PE and

Athletics and After-School Fitness• Exergaming

• Lifetime and Family Based Activities• Family Fun nights, Saturdays in the Park, X-Country

Skiing, SnowShoeing, Disc Golf• Partnership developments

• Clinic• Com-Ed• LOG

2014-2017 Focus• Physical Activity integration in the classroom

• BeFit2Learn• Action Based Learning• Active Academics• Kinesthetic Learning Lab

• Updating of Physical Education and Fitness Programming and Student Wellness Center

• Spreading to other areas of need• Youth Mental Health• Food Insecurity• Outdoor Fitness for All

School Health Index Results (SHI)

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4School Policies Health Ed PE/PA Nutrition

BSD 2008 54% 58% 58% 54%BSD 2010 66% 61% 64% 60%BSD 2012 77% 69% 72% 73%

2008 Underweight Healthy Weight

Overweight Obese

Elem 7.6% 47% 29.3% 16.1%Middle 7.6% 42% 37.4% 13%HS 3.0% 40% 38% 19%

2010 Underweight Healthy Weight

Overweight Obese

Elem 2.3% 56.3% 27.2% 14.2%Middle 5.3% 49.2% 33% 12.5%HS 1.8% 46% 35% 17.2%

2013 Underweight Healthy Weight

Overweight Obese

Elem 4.5% 59.1% 25.3% 11.1%Middle 5.5% 55.5% 27% 12%HS 3.2% 54% 29% 13.8%

START SMALL BUT THINK BIG

1. Work together and develop your vision2. Share your vision3. Get key people on board4. Develop a preliminary timeline5. Develop your plan of action6. Record your successes, failures, struggles, highlights7. External Funding will probably be very important8. Do your research, read, talk, beg, borrow, steal, have

people make stuff for you, make a wish list9. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Develop Sustainability• Train the Trainer Format• Equipment: vendors, warranties, service

agreements• Promote successes widely to build community

support ---- Do not be afraid to Brag

Off-Shoots from Program• Staff Wellness Programming• Growth of JRFH and HFH• School and Community Pride• Dedicated Elementary Lunch Room• Community Wide Health Fair

POTENTIAL CHANGES/IMPACT OF ESSA (EVERY STUDENT SUCCESS ACT)

1. Wording change to “Well-Rounded Education”2. Significant grant funding from Department of Education

to the states3. School districts will have to complete new plans for

allocation of federal funds from ESSA that must include teaching input and submit to the State Department of Education

4. Funds begin to be distributed to states on July 1, 20165. ESSA strongly discourages “pull-outs” from one

academic subject for remedial or additional work in another subject

TITLE I FUNDING UNDER ESSAFormula Grants to States

Old ESEA Wording

“Improve the Basic Academic Achievement of the Disadvantage”

“Core Subjects”

New ESSA Wording

“Improving Basic Programs Operated by State and Local Agencies”

“Well-Rounded Students”

Significantly broader definition of who can use professional development funding

TITLE II FUNDING UNDER ESSAFormula Grants to States

Wording throughout of “Well-Rounded Education”

Broader definition of professional development that applied to ALL school staff

School improvement plans and professional development plan submitted for Title II funding must have teacher input

TITLE IV FUNDING UNDER ESSA

Eliminates 50 Individual programs and creates a new block grant titled “Student Support and Academic Enhancement” to states for distribution as sub-grants to individual school districts

PART A

Well-rounded education – 20% of funds minimum

Safe and Healthy Students – 20% of funds minimum

Effective Use of Technology

Other Specified Areas

Required needs assessment for the school district submitted to SD Department of Education

School districts must complete new plans for allocation of federal funds from ESSA and must include teacher input

TITLE IV FUNDING UNDER ESSAPART B

Continues the 21st Century Community Learning Centers as a stand alone program

40% Free and/or Reduced Lunch or

Title I Schoolwide

Development or enhancement of after-school programs – STEM, Nutrition, Physical Activity

School-Community Partnerships

Authorizes Pre-School Development Grants funded through the Department of Health and Human Services and jointly administered by the Department of Education

BEGINNING GUIDELINESResource Development Begins with a Good Idea

The First and Best Place to Look for External Funding Support is Close to Home

BEGINNING QUESTIONS1. Are the Chances of Your Proposal Being Funded Great Enough to

be Worth Your Time and Effort?2. Does Your Proposal Meet the Philosophy and Goals of Your

School3. Why are You Undertaking this Adventure? Are You Being Honest

and Realistic with Yourself and Your School4. Have You Shared Your Idea with Other Key People5. Are you goals consistent with any potential funding sources goals

WHERE GRANTS COME FROMCommunity Foundations

Private Foundations

Corporate Foundations

Professional Sources

Government Agencies

MYTHS ABOUT GRANTS1. Grants are Like a Sweepstakes – Based on Luck2. A Grant Proposal can be Prepared in One or Two Days3. Persons Receiving a Grant will Make More Money4. Persons with Grants Work Less5. Ask for More Funding Than Needed to Leave Room to

Negotiate6. Funding from Multiple Sources for the Same Proposed

Project is Available

MORE MYTHS7. Hiring a Grant Writer is Unethical

8. There is No Grant Funding Available for Physical Educators

FINDING FUNDING SOURCESWeb Searches

• Can google: “Wellness”, “Physical Education” “Obesity”, “Fitness” grants

• Vendors• Other Companies: • South Dakota Department of Education Website

Center for Health and Health Cares in Schools (www.healthinschools.org)

www.healthinschools.org/News-Room/Grants-Alert.aspx

FUNDING SOURCES CONT….Listservs

• Department of Education• Health and Human Services• SAMSHA• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency

and Prevention (OJJDP)

EVALUATION POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES

Learn the funder’s grant making philosophy, program interests, and criteria

Check the purpose of the grants offered: seed money, direct service, equipment, capital expenses, etc….

Check the size of the grant offered: minimum and maximum

Determine whether you will need to apply for multiple grants and is this allowable under guidelines

Other Restrictions: geographic focus or preferences, priority issues, type of organizations that can apply

Number and kind of past awards

Do you have the time, energy, knowledge, resources to apply?

Have a pre-application meeting with all potential partners

UNDERSTANDING THE RFPDates

Fonts, Spacing, Letter Size

Auxiliary material

Letter of Intent or Not

How to submit and what info is needed or do you need to be able to login somewhere

Electronic only?

What are the Reviewer’s Criteria?

• As you write and develop your proposal – think like a reviewerWrite down questions and then send questions to the competition contact person if allowed

DEVELOP YOUR PROPOSAL WRITING PLAN OF ATTACKGenerate a list of tasks

Place the tasks in order

Gather external items early

Delegation

What contacts need to be made

Mini-goals in the writing process and progressive due dates

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A WINNING GRANT PROPOSAL1. The Grant Proposal is Written Exactly According to Grant

Guidelines2. The Proposal Identifies an Important Need or Research Question

and/or an Innovative Solution or Design.3. The Project is Cost-Effective4. The Proposal is Well Organized and Clearly Written5. The Proposal is Concisely Written and Looks Professional6. Goals and objectives align with the funding agency

LEVERAGING YOUR CURRENT GRANTUse same project title for continuity and building upon

Grant as matching/in-kind funds for future grants

Use your data, evaluations, and assessments

PROPOSAL WRITING PROCESS --- START EARLY!!!!!!!1. Read The Proposal Guidelines Carefully

a. Follow Explicitly and have Someone Proof Readb. Carefully examine the RFP/Call for Proposalsc. Goals and objectives of the specific grant

2. Do the Necessary Preliminary Worka. Outline the objectives of your projectb. Identify potential resources c. Make Contact with key people in supporting agencies,

collaborative efforts, baseline and background data-ethnicity breakdown, free-reduced lunches, weaknesses in meeting standards, financial status of program,

PROPOSAL WRITING PROCESS CONT.3. Discuss the Proposal with the Various Local

People and Agencies that will be Involved in the Project. Get their Reactions and Approval

• Develop partnerships that strengthen your weaknesses

• that may add to your matching/in-kind funding• that align to the projects goals• Be clear in explaining each partners role

4. Make Early Contact with the Office/Department in Your Agency that will be Responsible for the Administrative Details of the Proposal Submission and Project Fund Management

PROPOSAL WRITING PROCESS CONT.5. Begin by Making an Outline of the Overall Proposal Components

6. Get the Proposal Reviewed at Various Stages

• Draft, Review, Edit, and Repeat• Utilize proper headings and subheadings• Make sure that our data is current • Feedback and comments must be candid

7. If Various Sections of Your Proposal are to be Written by Different People or Departments, Identify One Person to take Responsibility for Integration

8. If Letter of Support are Required – Be Specific in Telling the Individual What You Need

PROPOSAL WRITING PROCESS CONT.5. Begin by Making an Outline of the Overall Proposal Components

6. Get the Proposal Reviewed at Various Stages

• Draft, Review, Edit, and Repeat• Utilize proper headings and subheadings• Make sure that our data is current • Feedback and comments must be candid

7. If Various Sections of Your Proposal are to be Written by Different People or Departments, Identify One Person to take Responsibility for Integration

8. If Letter of Support are Required – Be Specific in Telling the Individual What You Need

DEVELOPING THE BUDGETCrucial part of any proposal

Be sure to satisfy all the criteria

Understand what is allowable and non-allowable expenses

Costs are reasonable and calculated/estimated

Reviews understand that money must be spent—do not feel like apologizing if the included costs are fair

Follow specific format for budget if requested/required

Understand matching/in-kind funds

Is there a Budget Narrative required

• Keep it succinct and to the point

BUDGET FORMATION CONT.

Consider all forms of potential revenue: other grants, in-kind, donations, contracts, local funding, memberships, partnerships, current budgetary expenses, booster style clubs

Include all forms of expenses and in specific categories when requested

• Salaries• Equipment• Contractual• Travel• Supplies• Benefits• In-Direct Costs

DEVELOPING PLAN FOR SUSTAINABILITY

How will the project will be maintained beyond the funding period?

Develop a Business Plan of Sorts• What resources will be necessary to maintain the

project• Identify specific tactics to obtain sustainability• Be as specific as possible• How did you choose your equipment?• Train-the-Trainer format of professional development• Professional Learning Communities• Wellness Committee

DEVELOPING THE PROPOSAL NARRATIVE

Prepare and present the final proposal in a reader friendly format that will make scoring easy for the grant reviewers ---- think like a reviewer with limited knowledge!!!

1. Develop a strong Statement of the Problem or Goal2. Describe the active involvement of the community in defining

the problem and the planning3. Provide documented evidence, scope and level of the problem4. Community assessments, school assessments, HECAT,

PECAT, FitnessGram, etc…5. How is the problem related to other issues6. Description of the Community

PROPOSAL NARRATIVE CONT.Mission, Objectives, and Capacity

1. State your vision in relation to the project/problem2. State the mission of the project or initiative3. What are the overall objectives for the project4. Describe the organization’s capacity to conduct the project5. Describe the community’s capacity to address the

problem/goal

METHODS SECTION (BE DETAILED AND CLEAR)1. Identify the beneficiaries and how to reach them

2. Describe the universal approaches to be used

3. Describe the targeted approaches to be used

4. How will you modify access, barriers, and opportunities

5. Identify Community Assets and Resources

1. People2. Stakeholder3. Material Resources4. Any potential resistance

6. Proposed Project Activities

1. Action Plan2. Action Steps

EVALUATION SECTION

Developing the Overall Evaluation

1. Introduction to the Evaluation2. Framework for Program Evaluation3. Lots of Detail4. Timelines5. Connections between goals/objectives and evaluation

strategies and steps6. How and who will gather evaluation data7. How will the data be disseminated8. Required assessments and program specific assessments

PUTTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER

Table of Contents

Abstract

Narrative

Budget

Budget Narrative

Appendixes

All Additional Forms• Partner commitments• Letters of Support• etc……

Triple Check the Application Package Checklist!!!!!!!!!!!

Be prepared to submit a couple of days early

EXAMPLE PLAN OF ATTACKTask Responsible Due Completed

Review the Call for Proposals John and Jane Doe January 1

Develop or Review Application Checklist

Sally and Mike January 10

Identify and Contact Appropriate Partners

John and Jane January 15

Prepare Questions and Contact the Grant Person

Sally January 15

Draft, Review, Edit, and Repeat Entire Team Jan. 20, Feb. 20, March 20

Develop Budget John and Jane Feb. 20

Collect Letters of Support John and Jane March 1

Finalize TextEnsure all additional forms are completed

Entire Team

Sally and Mike

April 1

April 1

Make Final Copies and Submit 3 Days in Advance of April 15

John and Jane April 12

EXAMPLE OF AGENCIES GOALS AND FUNDING DETAILSGranting Agencies

GoalsWhere and When You Found Out About this

Goal

Describe How Your Proposal Contributes

to this GoalTo support and promote high quality health and physical education.

Carol M. White PEP Grant --- US Department of Education – typically announce in Jan/Feb

------------

SAMPLES OF EVALUATION CRITERIA TEMPLATEEvaluation

CriteriaPoints Describe How

Your Proposal Matches This

Criteria

Rating

Abstract 0-10

Definition of Need 0-10

Target Audience 0-10

Overall Narrative 0-25

Methods 0-15

Evaluation Plan 0-20

Budget 0-25

LETTERS OF SUPPORT OR OUTSIDE DOCUMENTATION PLANOrganization &

Contact Information

Objective Letter Requested Letter Received

Community Education Program

Partnership for after-school programming

1/18/13 2/15/13

TEN GRANT WRITING NO NO’SDon’t Forget To Get Permission and Input

Don’t Look Stupid by Making Errors

Don’t Overlook the Importance of Stakeholder’s Input

Don’t Include Audio or Video Attachments

Don’t Do a Show and Tell Too Soon

Don’t Submit a Rejected Grant Application without making Major Changes

Don’t Assume the Funder Has No Changes from Year to Year

Don’t Ignore the Printer

Don’t Get Caught by Murphy’s Law – if It Can Happen, It Will

Don’t Celebrate for Too Long; The Funding Ends Soon

REASONS FOR LOW REVIEW RATINGS1. Project of little or no relevance to mission and/or program

priorities

2. Insufficient preliminary data or evidence from literature

3. Exceeds page limit, poorly written, unclear objectives or hypotheses

4. Poor record of results from previous funding

5. Plan of action or objectives no cohesive, different functions aren’t integrated

6. Low scientific merit, basic flaws in logic

7. Lack solid research questions or learning objectives

8. Not innovative

9. Lacks references to content standards

10. Project Director (Management Plan) not qualified

QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, ITEMS TO SHARE

TO SHARE