#71: Simple checklists help grant writers save lives

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Okay, so a checklist won't help a grant writer save anyone's life, except maybe their own, but this article on the benefits of simple checklists saving lives in the surgical suite reminded me that I haven't shared with you the simple lists I use as templates at the beginning of every grant.

The Associated Press: Study: Basic checklist cut surgical deaths in half: "Scrawl on the patient with a permanent marker to show where the surgeon should cut. Ask the person's name to make sure you have the right patient. Count sponges to make sure you didn't leave any inside the body. Doctors worldwide who followed a checklist of steps like these cut the death rate from surgery almost in half and complications by more than a third in a large international study of how to avoid blatant operating room mistakes."

I've mentioned before that I use Basecamp as my collaboration site. I've set up templates of to-do lists there that I then tailor to each grant and client, adding who's responsible. They look like this (these are images, no time to retype):

So, if checklists work for surgeons, pilots, and astronauts, I guess they're good enough for me, too.

Do you have a checklist you use? Tell us about it and how you use it.

#67: A Checklist for Beginning a Grant Writing Assignment for a New Organization

Tara emailed me asking whether I have a form that I use when I go to see a new client. I don't. But, I jotted down a few things for her and then thought I'd share them with you, too.

When a new (to me) organization engages me to do a piece of work, here's how I get started.

Before my initial interview in person or on the phone:

• Review the organization's 990 and website
• Ask them to send me a packet of their PR materials, any boiler plate they have, and perhaps an earlier grant application they've submitted.
• Do a Google search on them including news and blogs
• Sometimes I'll review the research and best practices prior to the first meeting, sometimes later

Based on that, I usually go into the interview with a pretty good idea of the public face of the agency. Then, if the interview is for a specific grant, we discuss:

• Project orientation - how we'll work together, who's on the team, who's the agency's lead, what tools we'll use, time table, etc.
• What makes them want to apply for this grant? What are they currently doing makes them feel they have a good chance at receiving the funding?
• Review the grant requirements - assume they haven't read the details
• Walk through each section of the application and appendices discussing content, identifying what information is outstanding, determining who will get it, by when.

If they are asking for help to identify new funding opportunities we discuss

• Current operations
• Strategic direction
• Previous and current funders
• Applications submitted but not funded
• How we'll work together

Does this sound like what you do? Do you have additions?