Secure Funding Through Grants

To be successful in raising the funds your school needs, you must understand and master the grant-writing process. Literally thousands of organizations offer grants ranging from a few hundred dollars to six-figure amounts or even more, and many of these organizations never award all of the money they have to give. These donors are eager to find qualified recipients; therefore, you have a very good chance of receiving the funds you need for your important projects simply by throwing your hat in the ring.

Of course, there is a bit more to it than that. First, you must find the donors who offer grants for the types of projects you have planned. Then, you must submit a compelling application, in the format requested by the donor, that provides information about your project and solid reasons why you should receive a grant. The best applications convince donors of the positive results that will be achieved if the program is put into operation.

Research
The first thing you need to do is research what grants are available. There are numerous sources of such information, and your local librarian can help you find them. (For a list of grant resources, see the online version of this article, available at www.pta.org/fundraising.)

Approaching donors
During your research, obtain information regarding donors’ preferred methods of initial contact—then follow those directions to the letter. Increasingly, donors are requesting that applicants write a letter of inquiry that allows for evaluation how well the request for funds aligns with the donor’s funding objectives. If the donor believes there is a good fit, the applicant will be invited to submit a formal proposal.

A letter of inquiry should be brief—two pages at most—and should provide a basic outline of what the formal proposal will contain:

• The project for which funds are being requested

• The amount of the request

• A summary of your organization’s objectives

• The alignment of your project with the donor’s objectives

• Details of your follow-up plan for contacting the donor

• Be sure to perform your follow-up plan according to the timetable you set in your letter of inquiry.

• Be ready to answer any questions the donor may ask you during your follow-up conversation.

Writing a full proposal

Proposal components
If you are invited to submit a proposal, obtain the donor’s guidelines and follow them exactly. Individual donors may have special requirements, but, in general, the proposal should follow the structure below:

• Executive summary
• Organizational background
• Problem or need
• Project details
• Expected impact and measurement methods
• Budget
• Other funding

The executive summary should be a short paragraph that states the proposal clearly and forcefully. Include the name of your organization, the amount of the grant requested, and the purpose for which the funds are being sought. If the purpose sounds general, such as “extracurricular arts program,” specify exactly what the funds will purchase (e.g., computer graphic program licenses and the services of a trainer).

The organizational background should include the history, mission, and achievements of your school or PTA, as well as information about the populations served. Also list any current programs or mission-focused events. Include anything that will boost the credibility and reliability of your school or PTA in the eyes of donors.

The problem or need is what your project is designed to help solve or fill. Any statistics or supporting evidence you can gather that recognizes the problem or need (and identifies possible solutions that may include your project) should be included.

The project details should explain your work plan for executing the project. Detail what activities will make up the project, when and where the project will occur, who will be working on the project, and what participants you expect to attract.

You should be able to state what you expect to accomplish with your project. If at all possible, list expected outcomes (e.g., better test scores, increased parent participation) and specific measures of success (e.g., number of people served, feedback from evaluations).

Your project budget should be as complete as possible so that donors know how the money will be used. Your expense budget can be broken into personnel expenses (staff), direct project expenses (materials, printing, travel, rentals, etc.), and administrative or overhead expenses (office space, utilities, office supplies, etc.). Check that your figures add up properly. You may have an income budget as well. Earned income would be sales generated by the project, such as sales of student art pieces created using computer software purchased with the grant. Contributed income comprises cash and in-kind donations. In-kind income can show community support, further bolstering your case for funding.

Finally, all potential donors want to know if you already have other sources of funding. They need your entire financial profile to judge your need and the worthiness of your project.

Most proposals are accompanied by supplementary materials, such as a copy of your Internal Revenue Service tax-exempt letter, board of directors list, financial statements from the most recent fiscal year, current budget, and proposed budget for the next fiscal year, as well as a list of your current and past funders. You may also want to include materials that will give donors a fuller picture of your PTA or school, and magazine and newspaper articles that discuss the problem or need your project will address.

Writing style and presentation
To strengthen your message and aid readability, write your proposal in a direct, concise style in large, easy-to-read, black type. Avoid using jargon and acronyms; if they are unavoidable, be sure to define them. Break up text with subheads and bullet lists. To avoid overwhelming the donor, use only the most necessary attachments and appendices.

Many organizations apply to several donors for the same project. Customize the proposal for each donor by highlighting the donor’s specific areas of interest. A customized cover letter should accompany each proposal you submit, and should be addressed to a specific person to ensure proper delivery and further personalize your approach. If you do not know to whom to address the letter, call the funding organization and find out the name and title of the correct person.

Use paper clips or a loose-leaf binder for your proposal to make it easy for additional copies to be made. Number the pages, and include a table of contents for proposals longer than 10 pages.

Submitting your proposal
It is essential that you meet the application deadlines! You could be eliminated from consideration if your application is late.

The funding decision process usually takes at least a month. Consider submitting your proposal 6 to 9 months before you need the money so you can apply to a second donor if the first turns you down.

The time you put into researching and writing a grant proposal will enable you to realize your current plans—and will open doors to funding for future projects.

Marilyn Ferdinand is writer/editor for National PTA.