Saturday, December 30, 2006

#25 - 2006: The Year in Research from RWJF



Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has published their ten best 2006 research findings. These can be invaluable resources for grant writers if the projects you're seeking funds for fall into any of their categories. At their site, each links to a summary of the research and information about how to access the full study.

RWJF - Newsroom - Features - 2006: The Year in Research:
  1. U.S. children and teens consume more daily calories than they need to support normal growth, physical activity and body function, leading to excess weight gain.
  2. New evidence shows the potential for Cash & Counseling, a consumer-direction model, to reduce dependence on nursing home admissions.
  3. Despite substantial investments by the tobacco industry in smoking prevention, their ads are shown to have no effect at best and may actually increase the likelihood of teen smoking.
  4. One economist is convinced that with a reinsurance program, the federal government can help lower the number of uninsured by one-third.
  5. Substance abuse treatment may be a wise investment when one considers the decrease in costs to society and the increase in productivity that is associated with such treatment.
  6. The many drawbacks of the medical tort system are stimulating interest in health courts as a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to the current medical malpractice claims system.
  7. Translating effective programs into practice is always a challenge; two Active for Life programs have proven successful in encouraging physical activity in older adults.
  8. While some disparities in care exist, due to characteristics such as race and insurance status, they are small compared to the gap in care between what everyone should get and what they are receiving.
  9. The cumulative effect of mental health disorders, substance use and domestic violence increases a child's risk of social and emotional behavior problems.
  10. An examination of chronic care management among the elderly uncovers waste, inequality and inefficiencies and highlights areas for improvement.
If you aren't familiar with RWJF, take some time to browse their site and sign up for their announcements for the topics relevant to your clients. They provide great information and solicit applications in the broadly defined healthcare arena.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

#24: DOJ Reports on Crime in Schools - Stats for Grant Writers

Another useful source for statistics - this time dealing with school violence. I'm glad to hear it's decreasing, but always amazed at how widespread it is.

Bureau of Justice Statistics Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2006
Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2006 Presents data on crime and safety at school from the perspectives of students, teachers, principals, and the general population. A joint effort by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics, this annual report examines crime occurring in school as well as on the way to and from school. It also provides the most current detailed statistical information on the nature of crime in schools, school environments, and responses to violence and crime at school. Data are drawn from several federally funded collections including the National Crime Victimization Survey, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, School Survey on Crime and Safety, and School and Staffing Survey.

Monday, December 04, 2006

#23: When Grant Writing, Use Those Easy Pieces Wisely

Today's Non-Profit Times e-newsletter had a brief article on grant writing. Their advice --

Grants ...Start the process with the easy sections You've done the research, found grants to apply for, assessed your organization's ability to complete a competitive proposal. Now it's time to actually start writing your grant proposal. What's the first thing you should do? Don't panic,according to Alexis Carter-Black, author of "Getting Grants: The Complete Manual of Proposal Development and Administration.

...She suggests breaking up the proposal into smaller sections and writing one section at a time, starting with the one you find easiest -- it doesn't even have to be in order until you send it in.

It's good advice to break the proposal into smaller sections. Then, find the strategy that works best for you.

Rather than do all the easy stuff first, I like to spread it throughout the writing process. I write an easy section whenever I need a break. I may need to let a more challenging section percolate a bit, or just have a hard time getting started one morning.

Whether you do the easy stuff first, spread it around, save it for last, do an easy piece every morning, or write them on those nights you have insomnia, think through what works best for you. The easy pieces are gifts. Treasure them and plan accordingly.

Photo by dcJohn, CC some rights reserved