Section One: Volunteers

(Chapter 11, Section 1. Developing a Plan for Involving Volunteers, n.d.)
Volunteers are people who freely offer to do something to help in projects, enterprises, or tasks. Though they are not paid, they are critical to the success of most nonprofit groups and community programs. The jobs done by volunteers are many and varied and much appreciated by those that benefit from their services.

Some of the advantages of using volunteers instead of paid workers in public health programs are:

• Volunteers save money. Volunteers can help many organizations. Many organizations, such as hospitals, food pantries, and charity organizations rely on volunteers. The Red Cross functions almost entirely on volunteer labor--and by doing so, does a lot of very good work without a lot of money.
• Volunteers bring needed skills. Many volunteers have specialized knowledge such as computer programming, advertising, or conflict mediation that your organization occasionally needs but not often enough to hire someone to do the work full-time. A volunteer who donates their skills on an "as-needed" basis can complement your office staff perfectly.
• Volunteers bring renewed energy and excitement. Even the most dedicated people can get burnt out working on the same thing when doing it 40 (or more) hours a week. Volunteers can bring a fresh perspective and enthusiasm for the work. This can help refresh staff and may help move projects in exciting new directions.
• Volunteers increase community ownership. The more community members are involved in your project, the easier it will be to gain support for your work. Also, by using volunteers from throughout the community, you can ensure that your goals are "in tune" with what the community wants, not just what organization members think they want.

Your organization's plan for volunteer involvement will help many people, so it's often best to include many people when designing it. Some of the key players might include:

• Organizational leaders: The director or key board members.
• Staff members: These people know best what work needs to be done, so their involvement is vital. Also, by involving staff members in the planning process, you help to get rid of fears that volunteer workers might replace them.
• Prospective volunteers: If your organization already has volunteers, or you know whom you would like to recruit, ask them to help develop the plan. Your plan is sure to be developed in the volunteer’s best interest, as well as in the interest of agency staff.

Planning for Volunteers

As with anything else your organization does, planning your volunteer program will help it run more smoothly and easily. Additionally, a well-developed plan helps stop potential problems before they start. That way, you can have all the advantages of volunteer help with the least amount of issues.

If your organization doesn’t have a volunteer coordinator, you might consider appointing one. Volunteer coordinators can assist in developing your organization's plan and help with other tasks. Some tasks include recruiting new volunteers, interviewing and screening potential volunteers, and taking charge of volunteer training. They can communicate with different departments and other program coordinators to see what needs to be done. They can also educate the staff on the roles and responsibilities of the volunteers and express their opinions and ideas to staff members.  

Suppose your organization is not large enough to hire a volunteer coordinator. In that case, the duties can be divided up or split between other staff and members of the organization. 

Effective Volunteer Programs

Creating a volunteer program takes time and energy. Communities and organizations will benefit from these efforts if the programs are organized correctly. The following information can help you design an effective volunteer program.

ESSENTIAL STEPS OF AN EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM:

• Have reasons and a rationale for wanting volunteers
• Develop job descriptions
• Recruit volunteers
• Screen potential volunteers
• Conduct orientation of volunteers
• Train volunteers
• Supervise volunteers
• Retain volunteers
• Evaluate volunteers
• Recognize efforts and achievements

Rational and reasons for wanting volunteers
Determining a clear rationale and reasons for the program before getting started is essential to its success. A clear rationale helps determine the need for volunteers and their worth to the organization. It also helps determine what jobs the volunteers will do. Are volunteers needed to increase the quality or amount of services you provide? Are they there to increase community involvement? What are the most important tasks you need the volunteers to do? Answering these questions will help you determine a clear rationale for a volunteer program.

Job description
Once the volunteer responsibilities have been decided, a clear description may be needed. A job description may not be necessary for smaller temporary tasks, such as passing out flyers for an upcoming nutrition class. However, for larger, complex volunteer programs, such as organizing a blood drive, a description of each volunteer job is necessary. 

A volunteer job description, much like the description of a paid job, should include the following:

• Title - for each volunteer position
• Rationale and Purpose - reason the position is needed
• Nature of job and Responsibilities - description of the jobs/tasks expected to be done.
• Qualifications - experience needed for each position
• Time requirement - how much time will the jobs and tasks take to complete
• Proposed starting date (and, if applicable, end date)
• Boundaries: Authority invested in position, reporting relationships and supervision
• Benefits - explanation of what the person will receive from volunteering

Recruit volunteers

Sometimes the best way to recruit volunteers is to see what they need from you. Asking questions like, “What do volunteers want or need?” “How can we make it easier for them to volunteer?” What can we do to make our organization more attractive to them?” 

One excellent way to find this information is to conduct a needs assessment. You may find that some people want to volunteer, but they have children who would need to come with them. Your organization could consider creating childcare services for volunteers. You may discover that many people volunteer to meet social needs. Creating positions where volunteers interact with one another might be helpful. Perhaps transportation to your facility is difficult to find, and providing a transportation service might meet that need. Knowing these things can help you design a program that attracts volunteers because it meets their needs. 

Next, find ways to tell potential volunteers how helping your organization can give them what they want. Recruiting can take place in many different ways: volunteers can tell their friends about the organization; you can have informational meetings; ads can be placed in the local paper; and many other possibilities. You can also get referrals from other organizations that use volunteers. It's up to your organization to choose the recruitment strategy, or strategies, that make the most sense for your program, budget, and needs.

Screen potential volunteers

Some volunteers may not be suited for the job they apply for, and others may act as a threat to your agency. Additionally, as with paid staff members, your organization is legally responsible for what volunteers do while they are on the job. Organizations (and, in some states, individual executives and board members) are responsible for the actions committed by their volunteers while working.

For example, if the position involves a lot of driving, you might want to ask about a candidate's driving record. If it turns out she has had several speeding tickets in the last year, you might decide that a different job would be more appropriate. 

For any position which includes working with children, you do not want anyone with a record of harming children to work or interact with any children. A background check should always be run on volunteers working with children.
 
Screening volunteers with these tools is a good way to minimize these risks:

• A written application.
• An interview with organization staff members and volunteers.
• Letters of reference.
• Essay questions can tell you more about the person as well. These may be part of the written application form or offered individually. Some typical examples include, "Why do you want to work for our agency?" and "What are the values that guide what you do?".
• Criminal checks, which are done through the police department, are called for in some cases, such as when the volunteer will be working with children.
• Some organizations ask that the volunteer sign a work agreement, usually with the organization’s director or the volunteer's supervisor, which lays out what the volunteer will and will not do.

Conduct orientation of volunteers.

When you have chosen volunteers, the next thing to do is explain to them  the basics of the organization, its philosophy, and what they will be doing. For larger volunteer programs, those that require thorough training, or those that will include a long time commitment with the agency, this often takes the form of a formal orientation session. These generally last for an hour or two and include a tour of the facilities and an introduction to essential staff members. Volunteers are often given copies of written materials. For example, a volunteer may be given a training manual or brochures describing the group's work.
Someone in the agency might introduce a new volunteer to others in the office, show him around, get him started working, and answer questions as they arise.

Train volunteers.

More complex tasks may require thorough training of volunteers. For example, a crisis-counseling center may require over 100 hours of training before volunteers speak with clients. Other types of programs also might have long training programs before volunteers go into the field.

Supervise volunteers.

Even though volunteers do not get paid, you won't want to leave them to their own devices without supervision and direction. Many people look at their volunteer experience as a time to learn, and gently delivered constructive comments can help the volunteer to grow. Further, what your volunteers do will reflect your organization as a whole, so someone (the volunteer coordinator, if you have one, or perhaps the director in a smaller organization) should be observant of what people are doing.

Retain volunteers.

Once you have excellent people working with you, you want to keep them. Just having a well-run program will go a long way to keeping volunteers. People enjoy feeling like they are involved with something useful and not wasting their time.

There are also more specific things that an organization can do to make sure that volunteers want to stick around. These include:

• Paying special attention to the jobs that volunteers are given. The volunteers-tasks should include challenges that build on skills the volunteer already has while allowing him to learn even more. For example, if a volunteer is artistic, you might ask her to help design the agency brochure. That way, she can use her talent as an artist, and she also has the chance to learn about layout design.
• When trying to match jobs with volunteers, it might be a good idea to have a database with the names of all of the organization's volunteers, their availability, and their interests. That way, when a specific job comes up, you can see who might be available and interested in doing it before going outside your organization.
• Do not give a volunteer more work than they are able to do. Talk honestly with each volunteer and communicate how much work the volunteer will want to accomplish while still feeling satisfied and that their needs are being met.
• Recognizing and thanking volunteers is helpful in convincing people to stay. People are more likely to continue volunteering when they feel appreciated for the work they do. 

Evaluate your program.

In a comprehensive volunteer program, an organization should evaluate how well their volunteers perform. This includes how well they are meeting goals, and how well their work is helping to fulfill the agency’s mission. This may help increase volunteer productivity. It may also give you feedback on how they feel they are doing and what they like and don’t like about the position. Volunteers, like paid staff, are often evaluated every six months or year.

An essential part of the process is self-evaluation by the volunteer. How well does he feel he is doing? What would help him work more effectively? Are there other programs or projects at the organization in which he would like to participate? A self-evaluation is often helpful in answering these questions and ensuring volunteers are used effectively.

Recognize efforts and achievements.

This is one of the most important things you can do for your volunteers. It's always important to recognize the work of your employees, and this is especially true for volunteers who don't, after all, receive financial compensation for what they do. Everyone wants their efforts to be noticed. If someone feels vital to the organization, it's much more likely that they will remain an active member.

You can recognize the work of your volunteers in many different ways. Some of the more common possibilities include the following:

• Awards (for example, plaques and certificates). These can be program awards, or you might nominate your volunteers for other awards, such as city or statewide competitions.
• Celebrations. These can include lunches or award dinners.
• Media attention. You might have a "volunteer of the month" whom you write about in the organization's newsletter. Or, you might submit a story about an outstanding volunteer to the local newspaper or television station. Many local newspapers have regular columns celebrating the accomplishments of community volunteers.
• A personal touch. Greet volunteers by their name. People appreciate being remembered.
• Gratitude. Don't forget to smile and say thank you and say it often!
• More responsibility. Sometimes, you might ask an outstanding volunteer to take on more responsibility or offer him a paid position with the organization.

Summary

Volunteering can be a rewarding experience, for the individual who offers his time and for the organization to which he gives it. Many people are willing to help, if they feel that their contributions will be well-used and valuable. By developing a plan of action for involving volunteers, you will be better able to tap into this rich resource.

Section Two: Grants

(Chapter 42, Section 4. Applying for a Grant: The General Approach, n.d.; Chapter 42, Section 5. Writing a Grant, n.d.)

Grants are financial awards given to a group, organization, or individuals to carry out a community project or research proposed to benefit a need in the community. The written document that someone prepares to request or apply for this money, is a grant proposal. 

Sometimes, grants give or donate resources other than cash. For example, property, use of office space, travel expenses, or time off the job. The following information will focus more on grants that offer financial awards.  

Grants enable organizations and programs to do things they would not be able to do otherwise through their financial benefits. Grants are used to accomplish the applicant’s purpose, to serve their stated objectives, policies, and guidelines. Grants can be used to pay salaries and travel expenses, purchase equipment and supplies, and cover administrative costs, advertising expenses, and other things. Grants differ from contracts, which are legally binding and represent an arrangement in which contracting agencies buy services from organizations or individuals to fulfill jobs or responsibilities. 

The title, RFP, stands for “request for proposal” and is a common term in grant writing. 
The funder of the grant releases RFPs ahead of the grant submission deadline. RFPs 
contain everything an applicant needs to know about the grant opportunity, submission 
deadline, application guidelines, contact information, etc. Other terms that are commonly
used are RFA (Request For Application) and NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability), which 
are similar to RFP. 

Grants can be competitive and difficult to obtain. Many other organizations may apply for the same funds you would like to receive. Most competitive grant applications are not funded. You will need to prepare before jumping into the grant writing process. 

First, you need to find the right grant source - someone or an organization that is interested in funding your project. Second, you must write the grant proposal or fill out the paperwork needed to qualify. Both steps can be done with some training and effort. 

Although there are other ways to fund a community health program, there are certain times when applying for grants makes sense.

When Should You Apply For Grants?

• When you want to start a new project or expand an existing project, and financial costs are involved
• When your costs cannot be covered in your current budget
• When you know of a granting agency that makes awards to pay for the types of costs you expect
• When you know that you meet the eligibility standards for such awards
• When you can commit the needed time and energy to the grant-writing process

Where Can You Find Grant Funds?

Grant funds can be found in businesses, foundations, or government agencies. They are typically announced as calls for proposals, requests for proposals, requests for applications, notices of funding availability, or program announcements. Three main sources of grant funding are:

• Government. These include national, state, city, and local agencies.
• Private businesses and corporations. Often motivated by tax benefits, publicity, and a vision to return something to the public, businesses often have money set aside to help communities where they reside.
• Foundations. Many private and nonprofit organizations may have missions similar to yours.

An Internet search is the best place to start for each of the above. Check for funding sources that support the types of activities that your grant will provide. For more minor proposals, contacting nonprofits and businesses in your community might also prove successful as well. Other places to check for grant funding sources are libraries, newspapers, and newsletters from businesses and foundations.

How Should You Apply for Grants?

BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR REASONS FOR APPLYING

Before you begin, take a step back, and look at the larger picture. Why are you thinking about applying for a grant?

Ask yourself these questions, and check your answers:

• What are my actual long-term program goals here?
• Can I do the same work as well, or almost as well, without grant money?
• What will I use the dollars for?
• Am I planning to apply simply because grant funds are potentially available?
• Is a grant the only way (or best way) to do what I want to do?
• Are there other (and perhaps better) ways of getting the money I need?
• Am I clear on my realistic chances of success?
• Am I prepared to put in the work to produce a top-quality grant proposal?

Do some research

Find out what types of grants the businesses, government agencies, and foundations support. Narrow down your choices by finding out if they support similar projects to yours, and what size of grants they offer. Learn more about each entity by researching them on the internet. Only apply at those places that fully fit your funding requests.

Know the guidelines

Funding guidelines may vary with each organization. Some foundations will ask for a short one- or two-page letter describing your proposal and nothing else at the beginning. (The foundation will read these letters, screen out inappropriate inquiries, and request more information if it wants to know more.) Others prefer to get the whole application upfront. Some first want to know your credentials; others are primarily interested in your ideas. Some want detailed budgets; for others, money talk comes later.
The guidelines will tell you what the rules are 99% of the time.

Follow the guidelines

Now that you know what the guidelines are, follow them. If the foundation asks for an initial two-page letter, don't send 20. If they want proof of your tax-exempt status, include it. If their application deadline is June 1, don't wait till summer. If your case is an exception, this should be described in your application, most commonly in your cover letter. Grant applications could be thrown out without consideration if the applicant does not follow the guidelines.

Ask Questions, if needed, but think before asking

Even though foundation guidelines are usually clear, you may still have questions. The guidelines may not cover some points, or you may not be sure about a point. In those cases, it's perfectly okay to call and ask. Most foundations will have someone on staff to respond to calls like yours. And most foundations expect to receive such calls.
Think before calling, though. A call (or another contact) generally means you must  identify yourself. Since first impressions count, you want to present yourself in the best possible light.

Personal Contact

There are advantages to making personal contact with those who are responsible for the grant. First, when you meet, you may learn some information that is not written in the guidelines, which can help you. You may also ask questions or check on guidelines to ensure you are on the right track.
Guidelines for a funder or foundation can vary. Some discourage personal meetings; they simply don't have enough time available. Others are more open to them. If you see value in a pre-application meeting, and if the guidelines don't tell you otherwise, consider making the request. If you get a meeting, you can get your questions answered, which will either help you improve your application or prevent you from wasting your time.

Build community support

Most grant organizations will want to know that your ideas have community support. This is because a usual part of the funder's mission is to serve the community. So if you can build community support before you start looking for a grant, that can be a significant point in your favor.

How to build it? Sometimes the support will be there already, and you'll know it. Sometimes the whole community will be behind you from the get-go, waiting for you (or someone else) to step in. Other times, you'll need to ask for support and be direct about asking. Community support may need to be actively cultivated at other times, especially when you have a new or unfamiliar idea.

One way to build support for new ideas is to circulate the outlines of your ideas as a rough draft, or "concept paper," and ask for feedback.

This serves four distinct purposes:

• It validates (or occasionally fails to validate) community interest in the idea
• It gets some others actively interested
• It makes it easier to get formal letters of support in a full-scale application if they are needed
• It provides helpful corrective feedback about your idea itself (others may think of points you hadn't thought about before)

Form a working group

Most of the time, you'll want to gather the input of others in planning your grant application, so form a working group. Even if they aren't experts, others may have attractive content ideas, good strategic thoughts, and often bits of specialized knowledge that one person alone will rarely have. A group can give you the support 
you need to get the job done.

Get expert advice

When you have a proposal draft, perhaps you know of an expert (or experts) in the field who might be willing to review your draft and give advice. "Expert" here could mean either an expert in your grant content area, whatever that may be, or someone particularly knowledgeable about how foundations work, perhaps even about your chosen foundation in particular.

Use a successful model

Following a successful model can save time and resources. Suppose you can get hold of a winning application, particularly one funded by your chosen foundation. In that case, you are ahead of the game.
How can you do this? It might be easier than you think. If you have a list of grants previously made by that foundation, you can call up one of the awardees and politely ask to see a proposal copy. The next best alternative is to find a winning example on a related topic that your foundation selected. If you can't do that, there may be sources that have at least partial examples of successful grant applications.
Find out what the prior grant winners said in their applications.How did they say it? How was the application organized and packaged? How much detail and documentation, and what kind, went into each section? These are some points you can learn from examples. A model is not meant to be followed too closely and certainly not copied word for word. But using a model can certainly be one useful reference point when you're unsure on how to proceed in the grant writing process.

Learn from rejection

Most grant applications are not funded; yours may not be either. That's the cold reality of the grant-making world.
If you go ahead with your proposal, you want to be optimistic and give it your best shot. But even though you have done all your research and covered all the bases, even though you may truly have a great proposal in all possible respects, you may not get that hoped for phone call or award letter. The reasons may have little to do with your proposal at all; the foundation may have only a very limited amount of money to give; another application may have come closer to a foundation priority; political considerations may have intervened; you may have asked for too much money; or the foundation reviewers may simply have made a mistake.
Regardless, you can learn from rejection. If your application is rejected, you have the right to find out why. If your refusal is not made clear in your rejection letter, it is reasonable to call the foundation and politely get more feedback. You will want to keep good working relationships with the funding organization if you decide to ask for funding in the future. If your application was good, the foundation might even encourage you to make revisions and apply again.

Who Can Write a Grant Proposal?

Anyone can write a grant proposal. Do not be intimidated by Request for Proposal (RFP) rules and instructions. Simply read the RFP carefully. You might want to make a plan to stay organized. Highlight key or essential elements (such as the deadline for submission, mailing address, number of copies to be submitted, etc.) as you read through the RFP. You might also find a one-page checklist of all required items within an RFP. If you are intimidated by the writing element, ask for the help of a colleague or someone collaborating in your effort to secure funding. You can also contact the agency soliciting grant proposals and request some samples of previously funded proposals.

You do not need an English degree to put together an effective proposal. While grammar, spelling, and cohesion are important elements of a well-written proposal, substantive elements, such as identifying the need for funding for your topic or population of interest, are ones in which you can be creative in how you present the information. In fact, innovative or creative approaches may enhance a grant proposal's likelihood of success.

At the same time, because readers often have to read through many proposals, a well-written one can often receive more attention and even a higher rating. If there are no good writers within your organization, find someone willing to edit your proposal and turn it into elegant prose. Readers will thank you and you may be rewarded for your extra effort.

What are the Standard Components of a Grant Proposal?

While some Requests for Proposals may include unique requirements that you must read carefully and follow, many grant proposals follow a similar structure. The most common eight elements are listed below:

• Cover letter, title page, and abstract
• Statement of the Problem and Needs Statement
• Project Description (goals and objectives and methods/activities)
• Evaluation Plan
• Budget Request and Budget Justification
• Applicant Qualifications
• Future Funding Plans and Plans for Sustainability
• Appendices

COVER LETTER, TITLE PAGE, AND ABSTRACT

Instructions for the cover letter and title page will be included with the RFP. The appropriate organizational official should sign the cover letter on agency stationery.

The cover letter – usually limited to one page – should:

• Describe the agency's interest and capacity to implement the proposed project
• Have a positive tone that makes it stand out
• Summarize the project
• Designate a contact person for any questions about the project

Title page contents include:

• Project title
• Name of the agency submitting the grant
• Agency address
• Name of the prospective funder
• Beginning and ending project dates
• The total amount requested

Some RFPs may require a letter of intent that precedes the submission of a grant proposal. These can be challenging to write, as they are basically an abstract of the proposal. Therefore, it is helpful to have a clear purpose, identified need, and some idea for your strategy for addressing that need ahead of time. You should have those things in mind as you conduct research for RFPs to identify which agency missions and grant opportunities match your interests.

An abstract is related to, but different from, the letter of intent. The abstract includes a summary of the statement of the problem or need, comprehensive goals of the proposed project (but not the detailed objectives), a summary of the methods that will be used to implement and evaluate the project, and a final paragraph describing your group's or agency's capacity (expertise and resources) for carrying out the proposed project. An RFP may include a limitation on the number of pages an abstract can be, but a good rule of thumb is no more than two pages.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND NEEDS STATEMENT

The needs statement may be one of the most powerful components of your grant proposal. This is where you really grab the reviewer's attention and make your case for funding. So, do your research before writing this section. Know your community (for example, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics within the population), the extent of the problem, and whether or not any previous or existing efforts have targeted the same problem.

Your problem or needs statement should accomplish the following:

• Document the problem you want to address (use text, statistics, and graphs and charts)
• Describe the causes of the problem or the circumstances creating the need
• Identify approaches or solutions attempted to date, based on a review of the literature when possible

Use existing data sources when possible to document the problem. As you research the approaches or solutions implemented to date, think about whether your grant proposal will be building upon existing efforts, introducing a unique strategy, or some combination of both. Some reviewers may be searching for that fresh, innovative approach to a problem that has been well documented but not yet addressed effectively.

There is no right or wrong way to present the information within the standard grant proposal sections as long as it is in a logical order that is easy to read. Remember that your grant proposal is your first opportunity to effectively communicate the need for funding for your special interest or population to a specific foundation or other agency, so make it count. You want to keep the reviewer interested enough to read on and learn more about your important ideas.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Once you have captured the attention of the reviewers by clearly and effectively documenting the need for funding, you get to present the details of how you plan to implement your program. This section of your proposal should guide the reviewer step by step through all activities needed to accomplish your goal(s) in a way that will continue to engage the reviewer's interest and excitement. Furthermore, you will refer to it time and time again throughout the program implementation. Even if program staff changes over time, the project description should provide a road map for anyone to understand and follow.

The project description includes three main pieces of information:

• Goals and objectives
• Methods or activities for addressing the identified problem or need
• A timeline chart for the completion of each activity

Goals and Objectives

Goals and objectives are a very important piece of your grant proposal. Goals are broad statements with a long-term, satisfying outcome in mind. Most proposals do not have more than three goals.
For each goal, you might develop numerous corresponding objectives. Objectives are specific statements that will indicate exactly how you plan to achieve your goals to the reviewer. The best objectives have several characteristics in common.

Well-written objectives are SMART:

• Specific. They specifically identify what behavior or what outcome will occur and by when. For example, members of the community will increase their physical activity by 15 minutes each day for three months.
• Measurable. Information concerning the objective should be collected, detected, or obtained from records. (Community members will report their 15 minutes of activity on their calendar.)
• Achievable. Not only are the objectives themselves possible, it is likely that your organization will be able to pull them off. (Community members have agreed that 15 minutes of activity is something they can achieve.)
• Relevant to the mission. Your organization has a clear understanding of how these objectives fit in with the overall vision and mission of the group.( Regular exercise benefits community members with better health and well-being.)
• Time Based. Your organization has developed a timeline by which they will be achieved. (The community members will participate in this program for three months.) 

Once you feel comfortable drafting objectives, you should determine whether or not they are "process" or "outcome" objectives.

A process objective measures the accomplishment of tasks completed as part of the implementation of a program. An example of a process objective is “By June 2030, 500 copies of the patient education pamphlet, ‘HIV/AIDS Prevention’ pamphlets will be distributed out to women between the ages of 16 and 30 in Carbon City.”

An outcome objective measures long-term results or impact of a program. Using the same scenario in the process objective example above, an outcome objective might be: “By June 2030, decrease the number of women between the ages of 16 and 30 with HIV/AIDS in Carbon City by 15% from the 2020 rate of 40%.”

Methods

You will have a sense of clarity and specificity after drafting your proposal objectives. The next step in the proposal writing process will be to break down each objective into a series of activities needed to achieve it. The methods section describes in detail how you propose to carry out your goals and objectives throughout a project.

If you plan on distributing a pamphlet for an objective, discuss the details and activities needed to accomplish this objective. Then describe it in the methods section.

Activities and other details to discuss might include:

• Will you be using an existing pamphlet? If yes, briefly describe the credibility of the organization that developed it, and include a copy in your appendices.
• Do you need to develop a pamphlet? If yes, discuss who will be involved. An advisory board? Special committee? Consultants? Include their CVs in the appendices.
• Will the pamphlet be translated for bi-lingual distribution?
• How will you print, copy, and market the pamphlet (if applicable)?
• How will you reach your target population? Via physicians' offices? If yes, include a discussion about how you plan to request and involve local physicians in your effort. If no, describe all places for distribution.
• How will you document how many pamphlets have been distributed, and which staff will be responsible for that

When writing the methods section, be sure to:

• Keep the sequential order of tasks in mind.
• Make sure that the activities described are cohesive, so reviewers see that you know how all pieces of the puzzle fit into the "big picture."
• Include a flow chart of the sequence of events if applicable to your situation in addition to a timeline chart, which is usually required.
  
  

EVALUATION PLAN

The purpose of the evaluation plan is to show how you will measure the completion or success of process and outcome objectives. Be sure that your plan includes details about how information will be collected and analyzed. Also, describe how and when evaluation findings will be shared with the funder.
How and why is a program evaluation plan useful in a grant proposal?

From your perspective:

• The evaluation plan may help you clarify objectives so they are measurable.
• Evaluation helps you continually refine or revise program approaches in future years of funding.
• Evaluation data provide information about the relative costs and effort for tasks so activity and budget adjustments can be made in future years of funding.
• Evaluation plans are usually required and will be worth a specified number of points in the rating system when the proposal is reviewed.

From the funder's perspective:

• The funder will be able to see whether or not objectives have been met.
• The funder will be able to determine whether funds were used appropriately.
• The funder will be able to assess whether or not the program's benefits ( outcomes) justify the cost of implementation.

Evaluations can be complex, time-intensive aspects of a program. Unless you can afford to budget for an evaluation consultant, design the evaluation plan within the strengths and limitations of program and staff resources.

BUDGET REQUEST AND BUDGET JUSTIFICATION

Once you have drafted the detailed information for your goals and objectives, methods, and evaluation plan, you will have the foundation for your budget request. You will now need to assign corresponding dollar amounts to staff positions and activities.

Direct costs are those that are directly related to the project the grant is supporting. They may include labor costs, equipment, manufacturing supplies, printing costs.

Indirect costs are those that are not directly related to the project the grant is supporting. They may include the cost of electricity or janitorial services for a building, office supplies, salaries of administrators, communication costs, or office technology.

Common budget line items for the Budget Request include (details for each are provided below):

• Staff salaries - equivalent to a full-time salary position.
• Taxes - those that may be assessed during the grant program.
• Fringe benefits - benefits usually calculated into staff salaries.
• In-kind items - items that do not add costs to the project because they are paid by the agency applying for the grant. Clerical costs and paper are examples.
• Rent and utilities - costs for the use of the building hosting the project.
• Equipment and supplies - computers, signs, pens, and so on.
• Postage - the cost of mailings, packages, and so on,
• Travel - gasoline, rental car, airline tickets, and so on.
• Indirect costs - compensate the organization for hosting the project.

APPLICANT QUALIFICATIONS

Use this section of your proposal to convince the reviewers why you should be funded rather than someone else. You may request funding for a problem or need that is already well-documented. While reviewers may need no convincing that the issue is important or timely, they have limited funds to award. They will want to see that you followed the guidelines, stated the reasons you should be funded, and what makes your qualifications and approach or strategy better than the competitor.

You should include the following information in this section of the proposal:

• Describe your agency's (or your) mission, history, and existing experience.
• Emphasize agency strengths and current contributions to the field or community in the topic area for which you request funding.
• Highlight links to community collaborators and other resources. Obtain letters of support, or participation, for the proposal appendices from the collaborators you mention in this section.

FUTURE FUNDING PLANS AND PLANS FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Funders often want to see a long-term plan for the self-sustainability of a project. The reasons for this vary. Some initiatives will need to be in place for years to come if they are to have a long-term impact on outcomes such as health status indicators.
While you cannot guarantee that your proposed program will be self-sustainable, it is important to make your best case for sustainability and describe a plan.

Some things to consider:

• Will you be able to charge a fee for services provided?
• Can you market and sell any materials developed via the proposed funding?
• Will you institute membership dues?
• Can you develop new grants or contracts for funding?

While you cannot guarantee that your proposed program will be self-sustainable, it is important to make your best case for sustainability and describe a plan.

APPENDICES

Appendices are supplemental materials that do not belong in the body of the proposal. Nevertheless, they are important pieces of information, such as:

• A marketing or dissemination plan schematic.
• A project staffing flowchart.
• A timeline chart of proposed activities. You might include this in the body of the proposal instead of, or in addition to, here.
• An evaluation instrument (for example, a survey that will be used).
• Any existing educational or printed materials to be used.
• Biosketches or curriculum vitae of key project personnel, including Advisory Board members and any consultants already identified.
• Letters of support and participation.

In Summary

A grant is a sum of money given to an agency or individual to address a problem or need in the community. A grant proposal is the written document that one prepares to request or apply for this money (funding). Grants are funded by government agencies, private businesses, and private foundations and are used to fund projects and provide support and services for individuals and communities.

Anyone can write a grant, but it is generally better to have the support of a working group and any stakeholders that may be involved. Grants can be complicated and competitive, so it is essential to research, create a good proposal, and closely follow the application guidelines. 

References

Chapter 11, Section 1. Developing a Plan for Involving Volunteers. (n.d.). Community Tool Box. https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/structure/volunteers/involving/main

Chapter 42, Section 4. Applying for a Grant: The General Approach. (n.d.). Community Tool Box. https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/finances/grants-and-financial-resources/grant-application/main

Chapter 42, Section 5. Writing a Grant. (n.d.). Community Tool Box. https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/finances/grants-and-financial-resources/writing-a-grant/main