Getting Your Share of the Pie: The Complete Guide to Finding Grants

Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 10
My Take on the Grant World Today......Page 16
Success vs. Failure......Page 18
What I Hope This Book Will Accomplish......Page 20
Everything Must Be Done in a Logical Sequence......Page 22
Types of Assistance—Grants, Low-Interest Loans, and In-Kind Contributions......Page 23
Government and Private Funding......Page 27
Professional Associations......Page 28
What You Are Getting Into—Obligations That Come with Grants......Page 29
Developing Critical and “Big Picture” Thinking......Page 32
The Importance of Looking at the Problem First......Page 34
The Perils of “Putting the Cart Before the Horse”......Page 35
Looking at Familiar Things with a Fresh Eye......Page 36
Common Rules That Apply to Most Grants......Page 38
Developing Activities That Directly and Clearly Meet the Identified Need......Page 39
Project Design and the Need to Demonstrate Sustainability......Page 40
Designing a Project That Can Be Easily Evaluated......Page 41
Beneficiary and Public Input......Page 42
Collaboration with Other Agencies......Page 43
A Quick Checklist to Determine the Chances of Getting Funding for a Project......Page 44
Search Techniques......Page 46
Federal Grants......Page 48
State Grants......Page 53
Foundations......Page 54
Banks and Corporations......Page 58
Service Clubs and Organizations......Page 60
Law Enforcement......Page 62
Fire Departments......Page 65
Economic Development......Page 67
Heritage Tourism and Historic Preservation......Page 72
Water and Sewer......Page 77
Individuals......Page 78
For-Profit Businesses......Page 80
Evaluation Process......Page 84
Developing a Strategy......Page 86
Being Realistic about Your Capacity to Carry Out a Funding Strategy......Page 89
Making the Best Use of Resources......Page 90
Taking Risks vs. Being Prudent with Resources......Page 91
Demographics and Other Research......Page 94
Documentation......Page 100
Grants.gov......Page 101
8. General Writing Tips......Page 104
Be Specific and Give Concrete Examples......Page 106
The Importance of Perfect Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation......Page 107
Writing Collaboratively......Page 108
Resources for Writers......Page 111
General Guidelines......Page 114
Letters of Inquiry to Foundations......Page 120
Cover Letter......Page 122
Abstract......Page 123
Statement of Need......Page 124
Project Description......Page 126
Goals and Objectives......Page 127
Administrative Capacity......Page 129
Budget......Page 130
Evaluation Plan......Page 133
How Hard Is This Going to Be?......Page 136
The Grant Agreement......Page 138
Environmental Review......Page 139
Financial Recordkeeping......Page 141
Labor Standards......Page 143
Performance Reports......Page 144
Retention of Records......Page 145
Monitoring Visits......Page 146
Requesting a Debriefing from the Funding Agency or Foundation......Page 150
Putting the Rejection into Perspective......Page 153
Understanding Success Ratios and How They Vary from Program to Program......Page 154
When You Should Find Other Potential Sources......Page 155
A. Glossary......Page 158
B. Do’s and Don’ts from the Funding Agencies......Page 166
Sample CDBG Application—Washington State; June 2009 Solicitation......Page 174
Washington (D.C.) Regional Association of Grant Makers Common Grant Application......Page 181
Application for Federal Assistance Standard Form 424 (cover sheet)......Page 186
Application for Federal Assistance Standard Form 424B— Assurances—Non-Construction Programs......Page 191
Form RD 1940–20—Request for Environmental Information......Page 195
Statutory Checklist—Environmental Review; Department of Housing and Urban Development, Region VI......Page 196
D. Grants.gov Step-by-Step Registration Process......Page 200
E. Sample Letter of Inquiry......Page 204
F. Sample Proposal......Page 206
G. Sample Budget......Page 212
H. Sample Budget Narrative......Page 216
C......Page 218
F......Page 219
K......Page 220
P......Page 221
S......Page 222
W......Page 223