anybody know any good books pertaining to non profit grants? Not necessarily how to write grants, but more about what organizations out there have grant money avaliable? Thanks!
Please visit the following sites
www.Servenet.org
www.guidestar.org
www.managementhelp.org/fndrsng/np_raise/np_raise.htm – 27k -
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I ‘d like to be my own boss and I’m not sure where to get started?
Not necessarily. Grant writing is not a profession like doctors where you need certain type of education to be licensed to practice as a doctor. You can take any degrees you want in college and be a grant writer. As a grant writer, you need to have:
Excellent writing skills. You need not only know how to write, but you need to write extremely well. Your client’s success in obtaining the grant hinges in large part on the quality of your written proposal. Whether you are writing for a request of $1,000 for a community activity or a $5 million research project, you must be able to clearly communicate how the funds will be effectively used to reach a worthwhile goal. Write, write and write constantly to practice and improve your writing skills.
Clear understanding of the project process. Your role as a grant writer is to convert your clients’ ideas and concepts into a workable and concrete program. You will serve as the bridge between the grant applicant and the grant provider, where your role is to put into writing the clients’ concepts and transform it into a project that the funding institution will support. Your document must assure the funding institutions that their funds will be put to the best possible uses. You must have also loads of imagination. Part of your work will be to visualize how a $75,000 project, for example, is going to play out over three-year project duration.
Strong research skills. More than just providing a well-written document, you need to possess strong research skills. Part of the work of the grant writer is the identification and selection of appropriate potential donors. You will research grant-making organizations and analyze them to identify likely funding sources for specific projects and programs. A philanthropic organization focusing on children’s education is not likely to approve an application for a tree-planting project. Or an organization that funds medical research projects may not support a diversity project. You will increase the chances of getting the funds if you submit the proposal to the right institution.
Discipline and organization. A grant writer must be able to keep track of grant application deadlines and follow-up on submitted applications. It is also essential to keep track of trends in the field and be aware of changes in the priorities of funding institutions, as well as new funding sources.
I suggest you check out the following resources:
- Teaching Yourself to be a Grantwriter http://www.grantproposal.com/starting_inner.html
- Minnesota Council on Foundations Writing a Successful Grant Proposal http://www.mcf.org/mcf/grant/writing.htm
- American Association of Grant Professionals http://www.grantprofessionals.org
- Non profit Guides http://www.npguides.org/
- GrantExperts.com http://www.grantexperts.com
- Association of Fund Raising Professionals http://www.afpnet.org/
- Foundation Center http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/learnabout/proposalwriting.html
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The Art and Science of Grantsmanship is a comprehensive, easy to use guide to the world of “Grants” for non-profit organizations. It is easy to read and follow, with many concrete examples and suggestions. It offers advice on how and where to find grant opportunities, including a section of “Grants on the Internet.” The book guides the reader on crafting a winning grant proposal and has detailed instructions, with examples, on developing a grant budget. There is a complete chapter on managing the grant within your organization and what to do when the grant project is completed.
Your philanthropic dreams may be as grand as hoping to end world hunger or bring the light of education to the furthest reaches of the planet. Or your dreams may be as simple as opening a free day-care and recreation center for your community. You?re still going to need money to do that. And one of the most practical ways to go about this is to get a grant proposal from a funding party. You should have an idea of what non profit grants are by now: to cut a long story short, they’re financial grants to help achieve the objectives of your non profit organization.
But of course, you can’t just go up to someone’s door, knock twice, hold out your hands and say “trick or treat.”
No person would succumb to a sob story or lofty ideal if there’s no solid basis for doing so. That’s why you have to know how to write up good grant proposals if you want to convince anyone to hand you their hard-earned cash for you to use. Here are the basics:
This is the wrapping on a Christmas present that’s below a Christmas tree. Even if the contents are absolutely fascinating and essential, if the cover letter is dull, uninspired and outright boring, you’ll be sure that it’ll be the last gift that gets picked up in the pile. Make it powerful, attractive and thought-provoking and you’ll be sure to pique the interest of your funder enough to continue reading and consider you for a non profit grant.
This is a short summary of everything you plan to do. It can range from a few sentences to a maximum of one page. For the lack of a better term, it’s your entire proposal “in a nutshell.”
This is the part of your proposal where you get to strut your stuff by showing the urgency and importance of your own organization’s purpose, and that a non profit grant would aid greatly in reaching that purpose.
You’ve got your ultimate purpose for your organization, your “goal,” and the outcomes you expect, your “objectives.” Both fit into this part of your proposal.
How exactly will you go about accomplishing your objectives to reach your goal? List them down here.
Your funder will want to know where his or her money is going. Do this by writing up ways to keep record, manage information, and ultimately assess your organization’s progress in the short and long run.
Speaking of long run, you’ll need to show your funder that your organization will know how to keep itself alive over time. Other non profit grants, fund-raising activities and donations that will help assure your funder that your organization won’t flounder in just under twelve months.
Share with your funder the history and other little bits of information about your organization. How did you come about? Why do you do this? Who do you plan to serve? These are just a few questions you can answer in this part.
Of course, show your funder what expenses you plan to incur and how you’ll manage them. Non profit grants without proper budgets will lose money faster than you can say “what.”
Legal documents, proof of certifications and accreditation, previous and projected fiscal reports are some other extras you can add at the end of your proposal for a little extra “oomph” in convincing the funder that you’re not a waste of time and money.
I would like to start a non-profit horse ranch for at risk youth in Southern Illinois. I personally have no funds and my credit sucks. I would like to get a government grant to do this but I don’t know where to start and can’t afford to hire a company to help me. If I could figure out where to start I know I could gather some people along the way who would work with me towards this goal. There is nothing like this in this area.
Start with your local library. Get Leskos big book of government grants. Find what is out there for funding. Most grants have specific requirements on HOW to write for them and WHAT the money is to go to. Hire a grant writer. Research, research, research. A non-profit business is still a business. You must have a business plan, a location, a list of items to be used at the location, a list of who is in charge and what each will do, a tax-exempt I.D. number filed with your State Corporation Commission for 501C status, ratification from your local city commission to start your business at your location, proper zoning, and of coarse, funding. Produce fund-raisers, ask other non-profit groups (Masons, Shriners, Firefighters, Police, AARP Committees, DHS, ETC) for their opinions and ask for their help…then go to the businesses in your area for sponsorship. Get used to the concept of BEG, BORROW, AND STEAL.
Then Hire on your staff and get started.
Contact me for further help. But first use your library resources.
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Are you spending more time focused on getting funded at the expense of the programs and people you serve? Learn to easily set up a system to get five to ten proposals out the door every week.
