# 38: CDC Stats for Grant Writers

The Center for Disease Control has introduced VitalStats, a site that will let you create your own tables from the information they collect. I haven't checked how local the reporting options are, but they offer a QuickGuide to walk you through the how-to.

Their description:

"Welcome to VitalStats, a collection of vital statistics products including tables, data files, and reports that allow users to access and examine vital statistics and population data interactively.

Use our prebuilt tables and reports for quick access to statistics. Or, you can use the data files to create your own tables--choosing from over 100 variables. Using the data files takes a little more time but gives you access to more data. You can customize the tables, and create charts, graphs, and maps. You can even export the data for use offline or in another format. Please see the Getting Started Quick Guide Graphic of P D F for more information. "

I find it interesting that they also provide a QuickGuide for calculating rates and percents. I could have used both the data and the guide when I wrote a grant last month that examined teen pregnancy figures from every conceivable direction.

Book mark this site for future use.

#37: Writing, Briefly

Paul Graham wrote one of the best essays on writing in March of 2005. I encourage you to read it. In fact, print it out, post it on your bulliten board, and read it every time you start a new writing project.

Writing, Briefly:

(In the process of answering an email, I accidentally wrote a tiny essay about writing. I usually spend weeks on an essay. This one took 67 minutes—23 of writing, and 44 of rewriting.)"

Whether it's a grant application or a novel, Paul's advice applies.

Follow the link to Paul's site.

#36: Picture the Grant Reviewer

Image via Wikipedia
Always write for your audience, not your client. And in the grant writing business, your audience is your review panel. Who are they? Your agencies' peers. People who research and consult in the area the grant addresses.

I write to a specific individual I picture with applications stacked up around him, late at night, eyes blurring. But here's Scott Adams' (of Dilbert fame) take on peer review. It's a bit different than mine.

The Dilbert Blog: Peer Review: "Peer Review

Peer review in science is a good thing, in the sense that it works better than any other process you can think of. But how well does it work? Dilbert Blog reader Jeff points to this link about the limits of peer review.

The article fits my preconceived notions quite well. Assuming scientists are human beings, it seems to me that most peer reviewers would fall into one of these categories:

1. Asshole
2. Biased egomaniac
3. Nice person who doesn’t want to make people feel bad
4. Too busy to put any quality thought into it
5. Person with low self-esteem who doesn’t want others to succeed in his or her field
6. Coward who doesn’t want to rock the boat

I suppose some scientists have plenty of free time, no biases, and would be happy to see colleagues succeed beyond their own careers. But seriously, how many of those scientists could there be? I don’t know any non-scientists who could fit that description."

Have you been a reviewer? Defend -- err, tell us about yourself.

Fake Grant Writer Admits Fraud

Here's a news item that caught my eye in the midst of my grant writing frenzy last month. Can you believe it?

Fake Grant Writer Admits Fraud: "TALLAHASSEE, FL – A Hillsborough County woman has been sentenced to five years in prison for committing organized fraud.

Karen Kiehl pled guilty to defrauding more than 60 victims in a grant acquisition scam that ran for approximately 13 months. She was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution. An investigation conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Kiehl, 50, falsely promoted herself as a grant writer. She claimed she could guarantee federal and state grants for anything from medical costs to home repair costs and charged approximately one percent of the requested grant amount for her grant writing services. More than 60 victims paid Kiehl approximately $195,000, but none of the grants were written and the victims received no money from Kiehl.

Kiehl was charged with one count of organized fraud, a first-degree felony. She pleaded guilty to the charge in April and was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by 10 years of probation. She must also make restitution to her victims. 6-04-07"

Photo by !Borghetti

#35: Speaking the Language of Grants

Kaylea Hascall at Educause Connect posted a piece recently on a grant writing course she attended. One of the things that caught her attention was the jargon. I try to avoid jargon so her list gave me pause.

How could anyone write a grant application without using most of these words? They're so integrated into RFPs and narratives that I assume everyone knows what they mean. And, of course, that's just what jargon is -- a word that has special meaning within a particular group.

So here, thanks to Kaylea, are some important terms that may be foreign to new grant writers.

"I noticed a number of terms came up again and again. Some of these are very familiar to the business world or the IT world, but they have a specific meaning in the context of dealing with funders.

capacity-building -- This is a particular category of grant, where the non-profit seeks funding which will expand their reach or make them more self-sustaining. One example of a capacity-building grant is obtaining funds for a development person who can raise money from other sources and move the organization toward being self-sustaining.

sustainability -- Once you get started, how will you continue this project or program? Will you be dependent on the funder for some time into the future? This is an important consideration for foundations in particular....

cost-sharing -- A popular term, if you can use it. Basically it means that someone else is putting up some of the money, and thus the foundation gets more bang for their buck.

dissemination -- How you will share the project with others. Will an article be published in the New York Times? Will you present results at conferences? Historically, this is of particular concern to agencies that fund basic research, but over time this is also more of a concern for foundations.

leverage -- Another popular term, if applicable. Will foundation money enable you to better use existing resources?

stewardship -- the process of taking care of a grant and its funder after the grant is made. Thank-you notes, progress reports, and invitations to view the results of the work are all appropriate. Getting a grant from a funder more than once is impossible without this.

Thanks, Kayla.

Photo by Jacobz against censorship

#34: Does Grant Writing Require Much Revision?

This morning a client called to ask me to send her a copy of a grant we wrote almost three years ago. They're renegotiating their contract with the County and the proposal has to be updated and attached to the contract. (Seems like clients keep paper copies but lose track of their digital copies -- but then, that's another posting.)

I opened the final narrative just to check and found all my revisions laid out for the world to see. Yes, I revise and revise and revise. And I didn't know then what I know now.

Always, always, always accept all changes in your document before sending it out into the world.

You don't use the Reviewing Tool Bar? Well, start now. It only take a few seconds, but it makes your work present professionally and can potentially save you embarrassment and/or protect agency secrets.

In case you need to know how here are the steps --

Select View > Tool Bars > Reviewing to open the Reviewing Tool Bar.


Then drop down the Accept Changes menu that the arrow points to. Next select Accept All Changes in Document.


If you follow these steps no one will ever know that you were going to provide the service for half the price or that you changed the funders name when you recycled the leadership biographies.

I make this my final step before saving for the last time. You should, too.

Oh, my! June is here.

Who was I kidding -- 79 resources by June! Ha!

I've just finished a major writing jag. One deadline after another. The phone ringing. Drafts moving back and forth across the ether. The clock ticking. Adrenalin pumping.

And suddenly it's quiet. Not a grant deadline in sight. What a nice way to spend the balance of June. Plenty of interesting work to address at a sane pace.

I have a long list of posts to polish for you. A client's and my own e-newsletter to publish. An annual report to finish up, and a search for private funding for some of my clients' dream projects.

My new summer office is almost ready. We've replaced the old screen house with a new screened gazebo. Glenn's added electricity and a ceiling fan. With a wireless internet connection, my laptop and a monitor, and a wireless phone I'm ready to spend the summer working outdoors.

Oh, I love summer.

Grant Writers' Proofreading and Copy-editing Test

If you're one of those people for whom test-taking is another way to prove how smart you are, here's one for you. How strong are your proofreading skills?

Freelance Proofreading and Copy-editing - Proofreading test:

"The following passage contains several common errors of the type you are likely to come across in a set of proofs (though not as closely clustered as here, I hope). This test should not be taken too seriously, but since you have nowhere better to be at 9:15 on a Thursday morning than here, I hope that you'll find it fun, at least."

Thanks to Visual Thesaurus for pointing me here. Yes, I took the test on a Thursday morning. I'm glad I have spell check, grammar resources, style guides, and good friends to edit my work.

How did you do?

#33: Eliminate the Dreadful 'his/her' from Your Grant Narrative

Don't you just hate to write sentences like "The most improved student will present a portfolio of his/her work?"


But, I'm a feminist. Gender neutrality matters. So, try out these techniques.

• Convert those sentences to the plural, if that will work
  
• Avoid the pronoun altogether -- "The most improved student will present a portfolio of work."
• Use the singular "their" -- "The most improved student will present a portfolio of their work."

I only recently read about the singular 'their' and intend to use it more often.

Yes, generally singular nouns take singular pronouns. But as you aptly note, 'his/her' is awkward and using only 'his' skews the meaning of a sentence. Using 'their' as a singular, inclusive pronoun has historical precedent and promotes the meaning better than those choices.

This choice has historical legitimacy, is acceptable for all informal writing and — if used consistently — for formal writing as well (though some will raise their eyebrows).

Sources: Professional Training Company: Communication Strategies for Scientists and Engineers and The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 3rd edition. NY:Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992

Photo by Henrik Ahlen

#32: Parent Engagement Strategies for Grant Writers

Grant writer, how will you engage the families of your young program participants?

This question, in one form or another, keeps popping up in grant applications these days. All the research shows kids do better when their parents participate in their world.

But, engaging parents challenges even the best programs. It's especially sticky for those designing programs for adolescents. Seems like the parents of adolescents just run out of energy.

And many at-risk kids wouldn't be 'at-risk' if their parents were involved.

I turn to the Harvard Family Research Project for up-to-date research on family engagement. You'll find a wealth of information, toolkits, publications, annotated bibliographies, and a monthly newsletter from FINE.

If you write grants to fund youth programs, this site deserves a place in your favorites. And do share it with the staff providing services to youth.

Welcome to FINE - Family Involvement Network of Educators - at the Harvard Family Research Project: "The Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE) is a national network of over 5,000 people who are interested in promoting strong partnerships between children's educators, their families, and their communities."

# 31: Look at your grant narrative with squinty eyes

From travel writer and humorist Stan Sinberg --

People tend to think of writers as having one job. But they really have two. I divvy it up this way: in my writing job I pour all my creativity and story-telling skills and wit down onto the page. Then "I" swivel completely around in my chair and return as a crusty, squinty-eyed editor wearing a little poker visor. At which point I look at the thing I just wrote, and harrumph, "Ok, what did that lunkhead Sinberg give me this time?"

Well, it's the same for grant writers. I get up and walk away. Until tomorrow, if possible. When I enter edit mode I'm a different person. Brutal.

Sometimes I have to trick myself. I save those sentences and paragraphs I'm in love with that just don't fit right. But, I paste them into a separate document. I tell myself I'll come back and use them later or elsewhere. I don't. I throw them away.

Nurture the crusty, old, squinty-eyed editor in you. Your writing will be stronger. Your wastebasket will be full.

Source: AWAI

Photo by Claude Covo-Farchi

My New Grant Writing Help Web Site

I've just published a new website - Grant-Writing-Help.com. A work in-progress to be sure, but fun to do. Take a look and tell me what you think.

I'm in the pause between intense grants. Trying to take a deep breath. Clear the brain. Get some fresh air. Think about other things.

I finished an application to provide transition services for soon-to-graduate high school students with disabilities. I'm picking up speed on two new ones -- a mentoring grant and a community drop-in center/after-school program.

I find that during these brief pauses I surf through craft sites, fashion sites, Flickr groups -- lots of pictures and no words. Lots of color -- no black and white.

Do you use color in your grant applications? I haven't, but I'd like to. It could make the pages more readable if carefully applied. The problem rests with the unknown. Will the evaluator read it on-line and with color? or print it out in black and white, anyhow?

Photo by Chris Gierszewski

#30: Can You Teach an Old Grant Writer New Tricks?

As a professional grant writer, I've evolved a system that works for me. But, I love finding new tools and new perspectives that will make my applications even more effective. That's what I found in The Complete Book of Grant Writing by Nancy Burke Smith & E. Gabriell Works.

Two things I especially liked -- the perspective of an experienced grant evaluator and the many useful templates. I've already incorporated the Team Review Rubric into my practice.

I'll write more about some of their tips in future posts. But for now--

This guide will stay in a prominent place on my reference shelf.

#29: Serial commas, grant writers, and proper punctuation

I can't tell you how often I find myself adding that last comma in a series - the one before the 'and' that so many people think you should omit. My proofreaders often want me to put them back in.

I thought the final comma was optional -- that the rule was either way, but be consistent. I plugged it in because I believe it facilitates clear communication.

Now I've learned that the only style guide that advocates leaving it out is the Associated Press Stylebook. The rule according to all other authorities requires that final comma.

We don't write newspaper articles. We write grant applications. So there! My instincts were right for a change. (Generally, I don't trust my grammar or punctuation. I'm forever looking things up.)

For a more authoritative discussion than this:

The Case of the Serial Comma--Solved!: "My original assertion stands, with minor qualifications: Except for journalists, all American authorities say to use the final serial comma: 'He went to the store to buy milk, butter, and eggs.'

The reason for the final serial comma is to prevent the last 2 items' being confused as a unit (butter-and-eggs)."

#28: How to Avoid Acronyms in Your Grant Applications

Remember that song from HAIR?

LBJ took the IRT down to 4th Street, USA. When he got there what did he see? The youth of America on LSD.

I recently came across this Acronyms.pdf on the Good Grammar, Good Style website. The author, Helen Moody, scolds us for using acronyms. She points out (in a most entertaining fashion) that acronyms are writer-centric. And we need to serve the reader, not ourselves.

I'm guilty! I admit it. And, I promise to do better. No more writing out the phrase once, with the abbreviation in parentheses. After all, I want them to remember my client's name.

Moody's pdf covers the whys and where-fors of acronyms and offers some good work-arounds to help avoid them. It's a quick and entertaining read.

Good Grammar, Good Style (tm): "The Good Grammar, Good Style™ Pages"

#27: The Easy Way to Prepare Diagrams for Your Grant

A picture is worth a thousand words. And when the funder has limited your proposal to 20 double spaced pages with a 12 point font, saving those thousand words is worth a diagram or two.

Putting a diagram together, especially when the clock was ticking closer to my deadline, gave me the hee-bee-gee-bees. Then I learned the easy way.

Forget about WORD -- go straight to PowerPoint. Design your diagram there. You'll find you have much more control. The tools are plentiful and easy to master. The end product will look much more professional.

Once you're happy with it, just copy and paste it into your WORD document. Great diagram, no grief.

Want a little inspiration?

This essay by a 14 year old Chinese adoptee is an example of why I'm in this business.

Elizabeth Li-Anna Qiuju Gaeta Holmes won 2nd prize (I would have given her first prize) in the essay contest my client, the NY Center for Interpersonal Development, sponsored for their Celebrate Diversity event.

It will only take you a minute to read. It will warm you for days.

About This Blog

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Ruth Wahtera. I love my job, which is -- whatever I make it! In 2001, after years working in large organizations, I set out to be my own boss. I have no desire to build a huge company. I just want to use my talents to help people I enjoy make great things happen.

More often than not, that means that I'm helping people and organizations translate their dreams into language others will understand and support.


Strategic plans, business plans, grant applications, web sites, blogs.... I write a lot. I also facilitate conversations and planning sessions. I consult. I work on special projects. I serve as a sounding board.

And, I love to explore and test new tools and techniques for working efficiently and managing projects.

One day I started thinking about how my clients could use blogs. That made me think that I better start blogging myself. After all, there's nothing worse than a consultant preaching about something they've never experienced. So, I thought, hmmm -- grant writing tips.

Every non-profit, many individuals, every school, and some businesses submit grant applications. And, we're all struggling with the same issues. Some involve nuts and bolts. Some present ethical or philosophical. Some are pure resource needs -- where can I find statistics about the number of xyz's in my state?

So, this blog was born. It provides me with experience blogging. It helps me think about the process of writing good grants, and that helps me improve my craft. And, I can share what I've learned with others.

If you find value in what I offer, I hope you'll encourage me by posting comments and offering your own tips and resources. Knowing you've found something useful will keep me writing. And when you share something that works for you, you make me very happy.

I hope you'll subscribe by RSS or, if you prefer updates by email, by Feedblitz. You'll find the subscription information at the bottom of the sidebar. I also publish a periodic enewsletter about whatever I find interesting -- the epitome of arrogance. But you may find some of it interesting, too.

Post a comment to let me know you're there.

All the best,

New Look

They finally moved my blogs to the new-out-of-beta Blogger, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to change the look of the blog. Do you like it?

What I like best is the ability to label each post.

#26: Grant Writers, More White Space, Please!

Alison Snyder reminded scientists of some basic tenets of grant writing in a recent article in The Scientist. One of her points was that aesthetics count. In addition reminding them to follow directions about font size, margins, and spacing, she encouraged them to pay attention to how the page as a whole looks. Add space between paragraphs. Use headings and sub-headings.

This point prompted the following great comment about white space.

Applicants generally do not appreciate the importance of [white space]. "White space" in a proposal allows a reviewer to annotate the document while reading, instead of jotting comments on a note pad, which can be missplaced prior to writing a formal critique. In addition, white space "lightens" the document in a reviewer-friendly way. Applicants should consider that their proposal may be read by a reviewer late at night when a baby is crying or on an airplane travelling to a meeting. The more reviewer-friendly, the better.

Robert B. Trimble, PhD, Director, NIH Office of Research

I try to put myself in the readers shoes, and I'm very conscious of white space from an aesthetic perspective. I want my proposal to be a pleasure to read when the reviewer pulls it out of the stack. But I have to admit, I never thought about making it easy for the reviewer to make notes directly on the document. Thanks for the insight, Dr. Trimble.

#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.

#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.

#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

KISS Me Again, Grant Writer!

I'm not giving this post a number because it's really a repeat of #14: Apply the KISS Principle to Grant Writing. But, I came accross this quote tonight and I just couldn't resist using it to reinforce one of the most important things any successful grant writer must learn.

"As our friend and author Andy Goodman spoofed:

If Nike were a nonprofit, its 'Just do it' campaign would be 'While an occasional disinclination to exercise is exhibited by all age cohorts, the likelihood of positive health outcomes makes even mildly strenuous physical activity all the more imperative.'"

Don't fall into that trap. Just say what you have to say. Say it clearly. Say it simply. Say it passionately. But, just say it.

By the way, I found the quote in an article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review. The author was discussing the importance of researching your target audience before investing in non-profit marketing and fundraising communications.

It's good stuff, if you want to take a look. But, I won't discuss it here.
Stanford Social Innovation Review : Articles : Research Rules (December 1, 2005):

Photo by Paulo Sacramento, Creative Commons - some rights reserved

#22 - The FBI - a Grant Writer's Friend

Need local crime stats? Start by contacting your local police department. They may post stats on their website, or you may have to ask for them. But they'll give them to you, often by neighborhood.

But if time is short, or you want city-wide stats, the FBI is your best friend. Local law enforcement must report periodically, and all that data is available on line at the FBI Crime in the United States site.

Note the link to Table 8 - How many crimes were reported in my city in 2005? in the lower left corner next to Quick Finds. It takes you to a table where you can find the stats for your city.

Crime in the United States 2005: "About Crime In the United States"

Photo thanks to Malingering - Creative Commons, some rights reserved

#21: Grant Writing Guidance From the Horse's Mouth

HHS' SAMHSA issues RFP after RFP. Seems like it should be easy to capture some of their funding, doesn't it? But the competition is fierce.

I'd written more than one SAMHSA grant application before I discovered this manual. What more could a grant writer want than the funder providing the skinny on just what matters to them? Here it is, straight from the horse's mouth.

You'll also find links to grant opportunities, statistics, news... a site worth visiting periodically if you provide services or write grants for the substance abuse, mental health, or prevention fields.

Developing Competitive SAMHSA Grant Applications - Table of contents: "Developing Competitive SAMHSA Grant Applications Participants Manual"

Where did that expression "straight from the horse's mouth" come from. by the way???

# 20: Grant Resources from the White House

The White House has pushed faith-based initiatives. Part of that push includes a site loaded with resources designed to help faith-based and small community-based organizations find money to support the White House goals. It's worth some time, some rainy afternoon when you need a break.

And, you never know what tips you'll find. For example, it never occurred to me to ask for copies of winning applications through Freedom of Information until I read it here.

Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: Grant Opportunities: "White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives --Federal Funds for Organizations That Help Those in Need"

# 19: Know your funder - Advice from Donor Power Blog

Jeff Brooks, Donor PowerBlog, has some advice in his post The Secret of Non-Profit Branding that grant writers should keep in mind. When you read it, just substitute 'funders' for 'donors.'

"Put it this way: Your donors are giving to you because of what that giving says about them -- to themselves or to others.

They aren't giving because your programs are so brilliant.

They aren't giving because you're so smart (or strategic, or any other great attribute).

They aren't giving because of your long history or superior achievement."

When you write a grant application you tell the funder 'you'll be happy to have your money and your name associated with this program and this agency. We will represent you well.'

Pay attention to what they want their funding to say about them -- for example: Do they want to be seen as a funder for projects staffed by highly professional, credentialed staff or are they self-help or peer oriented? Are they interested in agencies with a track record of sucesses or in nurturing start-ups. Do they like risk-taking and funding innovations or do they want projects based on model programs? Are they consumer or community-oriented or research-based?

You can tell a lot from the RFP itself, but I also like to see who they've previously funded, and how they describe those projects. What image do they project in their newsletters and conferences? Anything I can learn about the face they present to the world will inform my narrative strategy.

Jeff says "So ask yourself: What about our brand feeds the unique aspirations of our donors? What is it about giving to you that makes them feel proud or happy or cool or validated?"

Read Jeff's post. In fact, read his blog regularly. I do. As a grant writer, it will broaden your perspective. As a non-profit marketer and fundraiser, you'll find something relevant in every post.

#18: How Can You Prove Your Outcomes Are Worth the Money?

Oh, finally someone has said something sensible about outcome measurement. What do they say? You can't prove it -- and, it can be counter productive to try.

Stanford Social Innovation Review : Articles : Drowning in Data (August 30, 2006): "The only surefire way to show that a program is helping people more than they could have helped themselves is to conduct expensive and lengthy studies involving control groups. Because so many people underestimate the difficulty and cost of demonstrating impact, nonprofits often collect reams of data that are not only useless, but also misleading. As a result, evaluation is failing to help make the social sector more effective."

Yes, the team needs to have a logic model and identify goals. But, my money is on program improvement, not long term outcomes.

Read this article. Pass it along. It's important!

#17: OJJDP Provides Updated Juvenile Statistics

Writing a grant that targets at-risk youth? Any youth, for that matter. Need statistics? This OJJDP report deserves your attention.

"Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report"

The report offers a wealth of statistics on juveniles. The first chapter sets the stage with a good overview of all children and adolescents including state comparisons.

You can use it to put together a good baseline to compare with your target population.

# 16: Does Anyone Around Here Read?

Long ago, I gave up expecting grant prep team members to read the RFP. Yes, some conscientious individuals will. But most won't. They're busy running programs, as they should be. Grant applications get sandwiched in. Why be disappointed or frustrated with them? Compensate.

I start the grant writing process with a 1 or 2 page (max) summary which includes the funders goals and requirements followed by bulleted questions for the team to consider, or the program content already under discussion. I aim to make the document one someone can scan in less than five minutes.

It's worth the effort. It helps fix the funder's agenda in my mind. It guarantees we have easily referenced requirements in front of everyone as we plan. And it serves as the basis of the background material we provide to people who agree to provide letters of support. (More about those letters another time.)

Does Anyone Around Here Read? Not the RFPs! But why worry?

# 15: 'To Be or Not ...' - How to Avoid 'To Be'

I always learn a lot I can apply to grant writing when I read Daphne Gray-Grant's e-newsletters. Avoiding forms of 'to be' has been etched on my brain, but I never thought to use this editing technique she recommends.

I use "control + F" to help me find BAD things in my writing, and eliminate them. For example, I go on a search and destroy mission for all forms of the verb "to be." To do this, I hit "control + F" and type the word "is" in the handy-dandy little box. Then I hit, "find next." The software then takes me methodically through my story or article, highlighting every time I've used the word "is." One by one, I then try to replace each "is" with a more interesting verb. And then, if I'm feeling energetic, I do exactly the same thing with: were, was, are, will be.

If you're interested in subscribing to her newsletter, you'll find it here. She sends short, useful tips wrapped in good stories.

# 14: Apply the KISS Principle to Grant Writing

It's a great temptation to reach for long, scholarly words to impress grant evaluators. Anything to prove our clients are smart and worthy. But, STOP!

Daniel Oppenheimer, at Princeton, says,

"Anything that makes a text hard to read and understand, such as unnecessarily long words or complicated fonts, will lower readers' evaluations of the text and its author."

His research, Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly, found people rated the intelligentce of authors who wrote in simpler language, using an easy to read font, as higher than those inserting unnecessary complexity. The study was published in the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology 2005

His conclusion-

"One thing seems certain: write as simply and plainly as possible and it's more likely you'll be thought of as intelligent."

So, colleagues, Keep It Simple, Smarty!

'ScienceDaily: The Secret Of Impressive Writing? Keep It Plain And Simple:

#13 Neighborhood level census data for grant applications

I love finding new, easier resources.  I'm always challenged when I have to locate census data that's not readily available on the Quick Facts Census reports.  Oh, I find it...eventually.  But I waste time going in circles.

This little census tutorial highlighted a great tool - enter the address, then choose the level report you want - census tract, city, county, etc.  You can map your choices, too.  Especially helpful when working at the census tract level.

FASTEN Network

Neighborhood Data

Want to explore some more? You can also retrieve a lot of information about your city or even your neighborhood from the Census web page. To do this go to http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html and find the picture of the street sign followed by the words "Enter a street address to find Census 2000 data." (It's in the section between the red lines near the top of the page.) Click on the highlighted words "street address."

#12 Grant Writers Need Fresh Statistics

I hate using old statistics when I'm making a case for funding.  Makes me feel like we haven't done our homework.  So, I'm always on the lookout for good sources.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation publishes an annual database - Kids Count.  This year they've added some great bells and whistles.  Take a look.  And order a hard copy of the book -- it's free.

KIDS COUNT State-Level Data Online

Data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2006 KIDS COUNT Data Book are now available in our easy-to-use, powerful online database, "State Level Data Online", that allows you to generate custom graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state-by-state profiles; or, download the entire data set as delimited text files.

#11: Grant Writing and Client Feedback

When do you ask your client to read your draft grant application? And what kind of feedback do you want, when?

Working with short deadlines forces me to share drafts sooner than I'd like. My client often sees a draft that looks nothing like the finished product. But I need feedback on the content.  Are the facts right? Am I emphasizing the right points in the evidence?

Seth Godin's blog entry about giving good feedback is useful in thinking through how to ask your client for feedback on that early draft. 

Seth's Blog

In the interest of promoting your career, making your day at work more fun, improving the work life of your colleagues, and generally making my life a whole lot better, I'd like to give you some feedback on giving feedback. As usual, the ideas are simple--it's doing them that's tricky.

#10 Saving Time Using Two Screens

If you aren't using two screens, start now. I know it seems like an indulgence, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. Besides, you probably have an old monitor sitting unused in a corner.

Glenn bugged me for months. "Ruth, you really should add a second monitor." I thought he was being silly and I resisted. But grant writing involves pulling together information from multiple documents and so much cutting and pasting.

Having a second screen makes it possible to keep my draft on the main screen and my source documents and the RFP on the second. I usually keep my email open on the second screen, as well, so I can see the answers to those time-critical questions as they come in.

Technically it's pretty simple, especially if you're using a laptop. Just connect the monitor and change a few settings. Voila! your desktop stretches across two screens.

I really recommend it. Your IT guru can help you set it up, if you're not adventurous. Save yourself time, stay more organized, keep what's important in front of you.

Thanks for pushing me, Glenn.

#9 Google Government Search, Now With State Filtering

Google Government Search, Now With State Filtering

One of the most useful blogs I follow is ResearchBuzz. She keeps track of resources and tools for researching on the web.

Now she's gone a step further. She's improving the tools out there. I was delighted when Google introduced Government Search. But the addition of state filtering makes it perfect. WOW!

And thanks, ResearchBuzz.

Any advice?

When I realized I hadn't posted here since mid-May I thought back over the month. It's been difficult. We spent much of the month away from home. Glenn's brother died - a blessing, but none-the-less a loss. Since working efficiently while traveling has been a goal, I thought my systems and tools were in pretty good shape.

But I wasn't very productive this time. I've had a tough time refocusing, too.

Any recommendations for how to be productive on the road?

#8 Use Strong Language

Which is stronger?

In our youth work we try to draw upon proven
models...

In our youth work we draw up proven
models...

Of course, it's the second one.

But this week I reviewed a grant application written in house for a client. It was rife with wishy-washy words that communicated a lack of confidence in their ability to successfully implement their proposal.

I didn't have time to write the application for them but agreed to review what the
staff wrote and offer some suggestions. I've worked with them long enough to know they are extremely competent and manage several effective youth programs.

So why the weak language?

Humility. They thought they should be humble. It's a problem that plagues us all when we begin marketing our services to potential clients or funders. We're shy about saying we're good at what we do.

Unfortunately, it weakens the proposal.

You have to go for strength. Take out the passive tense. Eliminate the we try's and we believe's and we want to's -- go for strength, action, confidence.

Prove you're worthy of the money you're asking for.

What do I look like?

Someone asked what I look like. This will give you an idea!

#7: Who Proofreads Your Stuff?

When I'm finishing up a grant I can't find my typos, misspellings, or grammar errors. I see words that aren't there and miss words that fail the spellchecker. My punctuation deteriorates into scattered dashes and dots.

I never was much good at grammar. And my spelling -- well, some people find it entertaining.

So before I put an application to bed it's time for someone else to take a look.

I always ask my team to read the grant for content and clarity, but it's rare that they're any good at proofreading. But when someone shows a penchant for editing, I ask them to do a careful reading for me.

One person is good; two is better.

Now I have a handful of people I ask to proofread for me. Some, like Candace, enjoy doing it and will squeeze me in whenever I need them. My errors jump out at her. And its a break from her usual people-problems work.

If you don't have a sharp reader you might want to try a service like www.ProofreadNow.com They're professional, painless, and fast.

They also publish a neat weekly newsletter that focuses on one grammar tip a week. I read it religiously.

It's brief (takes about three minutes to read) and entertaining (can you imagine entertaining grammar?). And I find that these tidbits tend to stick in my mind as I write.

So who's proofing your work? Tip #7 - find someone. Don't do it yourself.

ProofreadNOW.com, Inc.

#6: Survey your clients -- how are you doing?

I once had a new client tell me I was the first grantwriter who hadn't yelled at her and lost my cool at some point during the process. She wanted me to know she really appreciated it, and she's become a regular customer.

While clients won't use a grantwriter who can't bring in the awards, they'll also shy away from one that is tempermental, disorganized or difficult to deal with. But when the deadline is staring us in the face, we grantwriters don't always know we're being difficult. We're just getting the job done.

So I've found it's wise to ask for feedback from my clients.

About once a quarter I put together a simple on-line survey asking them to rate my service and comment on what they like and what can be improved. (I use www.surveymonkey.com -- it's free for surveys under 100 responses.) Sometimes I get surprised. It's always instructive. And when the comments are positive, it feels really good.

So don't be shy. Ask. And don't just ask the boss. Whether you freelance or have a position on staff, it's a good habit to periodically survey all the people who work with you preparing applications and proposals.

Resource # 5: Checking the Latest Research

Foundation Center - Research Studies - Regional Trends

I always want to know the latest research published on my topic before I start writing an application. It helps inform the proposal - everything from the field's buzz words to the design of the program.

The Foundation Center's PubHub is a good place to start that research. It's a repository of reports created with foundation money, so you know the content reflects funders' agenda. You can search by subject, keyword, publisher, foundation - and a mix of all of these.

Happy reading.

#4 ReadPlease

ReadPlease - Downloads - Text-to-speech software that lets your computer talk

When you write a grant you are having a conversation with the evaluators. You want to talk with them, not write at them. It's easy, but disastrous, to fall into bureaucrat-speak.

I find that the best way to check myself is to have someone else read my copy outloud. (When I read it I can put the inflection just where I want it to go, so it's not a real test.)

Unfortunately, I don't always have someone handy who can drop everything to read to me. So I use ReadPlease.

ReadPlease has a free version that does just fine for me. The voice may be flat, but I can hear what is awkward or muddled. Or pompous. It's great for comparing versions, too.

Check it out.

Resource #3 - I'm from the government and I'm...

Grants.gov - Get Started

Well, this time it's true. They are here to help us.

If you're interested in Federal grants this is the place to start. You can sign up for their daily email of newly issued RFP's, browse and access RFP's for open requests, and get lost as you wander through a world of government sponsored resources.

This is also the site to start your treacherous journey to on-line grant submission. Did I ever tell you about the time... well, we've all played beat the clock to submit our applications. We'll all trade war stories someday.

I must admit I prefer on-line submissions to handling all that paper. But I'm getting pretty annoyed when we have to do both.

But this, too will pass.

Resource #2: Basecamp

My friend Tom told me about this collaboration software and after two days I don't know how I managed putting together a grant without it. Tom works for a start-up company that has a handful of employees seldom in the same place at the same time. Things change rapidly and everyone needs to be in the loop on decisions. As he described how they use basecamp I realized its value to me.

Putting together a grant requires input from a team of people, all busy with their real jobs. And when the grant is for a coalition...well, you know how complex the communication becomes. Keeping track of who's providing what and making sure they know when you need it. Keeping everyone apprised of the program changes (oh, no, that component got dropped 3 days ago. The budget wouldn't stretch that far.)

Well, Basecamp has messages, to-do's, milestones, writeboards for brainstorming and drafting. It's web based so you can access it from anywhere. There's a free version that handles one project at a time. That's what I thought I'd use but I quickly realized the benefit of having several seperate projects going. And my clients have found it simple to use and really seem to appreciate it. (Do any of you want to comment from the client side?)

Take some time to look at it. Read the case studies. Sign up for the free level to try it out. You'll like it, too. It's worth five, maybe even ten, resource entries.

Why 79?

I know. It's rather cheeky of me to name this site 79 Grant Writing Resources You Can't Live Without when I've only listed one so far. The operative words in that sentence are "so far." I've got at least 79. Probably 179. And you probably have that many more to share.

But I can't stop what I'm doing to add all 79 at once. And if I wait, I might never get it done. It will become like the piano lessons I've promised myself I'd take and never have.

So, I thought I'd start. And maybe some of you will find the resources useful. And maybe you'll be inspired to share some of your resources. And day by day the list will grow -- way past 79.

Resource #1: CareerZone

Career Zone is on my mind because I happen to be working on a grant to prepare young people for the world of work. This is a pretty neat site where young people can explore careers that match up with their personal interests. CareerZone

Career Zone can be a useful tool in any youth development program that has a component focusing on work and careers.

Test Post for 79 Grant Writing Resources

I've wanted to start this blog for quite some time. I finally carved out some time this afternoon. It's a break between taxes, a bidders conference, and settling down to write this next grant.

So this post will test all the settings and give me a look at the template.