|
Here's another question we've received through the
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
:
Q: I have been put in charge of writing a grant for my organization. Am I on my own, or should I bring in the help of others?
As much as you can, bring in the help of others! You should never be completely “alone” on a grant. While you may be alone in writing the grant (after all, one human brain provides one consistent, coherent voice), you are not the sole content provider. Getting the grant out the door will take the help of many other people and partners.
The following people and organizations should be consulted when writing a grant:
Project staff: The staff specific to the project will know the details of the program that you plan to operate. They can probably best share the project or organization’s goals, objectives and activities. You should work closely with project staff throughout the duration of the writing process. If no project staff will be hired until after the grant is received, consult internal staff for these details.
Internal staff: Often, a grant will require you to have consulted with administrative staff and to submit an approved budget. Internal staff members are familiar with the administrative pieces necessary for the grant submission to go off without a hitch. This includes your organization’s human resources department and accounting department. These staff members should be consulted throughout the grant writing process.
Partners and Collaborators: If you are submitting a grant where collaborative partners are required, you will want to consult with them early and often. I recommend meeting with them early in the grant writing process so that they can prepare their letter of support of MOUs that will aid in your detailing what they will do. Understanding their role in the program, including what resources and expertise they bring to the table, will benefit your proposal.
Evaluators: Some grants require an external evaluator to assess the program’s success at meeting its goals. The evaluators and your project staff should be in communication to ensure the program has measurable components. In fact, you might even have the evaluator write up the evaluation plan. Most will usually do this for free in exchange for being the evaluators if the project is funded.
Each of these groups has information and background knowledge crucial to completing all grant components. However, there is one other important item to consider. While these other people and organizations will have a lot of information, everything they offer might not be relevant to the grant. Consult the RFP for the information that will be used in scoring the grant. This is the information that you should seek from the above partners, and it should be the only information that makes its way into the narrative.
Want to learn more about the Novice Grant Writer? Click here. Have a questions about grant writing you would like answered right here on the blog? E-mail thenovicegrantwriter@smartgrantwriting.com to submit your questions today!
|
