In GrantSuccess, the processes of high quality “continuous improvement” and efficient and effective “final editing” are directly related to the quality of the Grant Writing Guide and Key Vocabulary pre-writing documents. 

The Grant Writing Guide, as you have seen in previous columns, is a Word document that hosts all sections of the grant application narrative, related information for each section, and a place to start writing for each section. The Grant Writing Guide opens on your computer screen and gives you instant access to what you have already written and what you plan to write. I keep my grant project folder on my desktop with the Grant Writing Guide inside it.  I usually tape the Key Vocabulary document to the left of my workstation, so I can simply turn my head to see it. Your fingers stay on the keyboard as you compose and refer to both documents. You should be able to scroll up and down the Grant Writing Guide.

1. First, here is how I continuously improve the text of a grant application: Open the Grant Writing Guide. Pay close attention to the requirements and tips available for each narrative section. I try to integrate the language of the Key Vocabulary document as I write. The Grant Writing Guide lets me scroll up and down all the sections of the narrative. When I am done for the day, I know I have only created the first draft of the sections I wrote. I let the text “rest” overnight. I am always amazed at the mistakes I find in text when I give it a day to rest. I am actually the one resting.
2. I then open the Grant Writing Guide the next day and carefully reread what I wrote the day before. I am always amazed at how much improvement yesterday’s sections need. I write best in the morning. I review best in the morning. The need to “comb” the text from one section to the next increases as the number of narrative sections increases. I make sure I am using the same phrases, restating the goals with the same language, using the same indentations and generally reviewing style and substance for continuity.
3. Use short sentences to clarify. Edit out long sentences and construct shorter, higher impact sentences.
4. Use white space and graphics in text for clarity. A common mistake is to crowd text on to a page. Instead, indent for emphasis. Often, placing a reduced graphic within the text helps the visual reviewer to understand the vision of the project.
5. Connect goals with objectives, actions, tools, budget and evaluation.  Each goal has objectives. Objectives have actions. Actions require tools. The budget pays for the actions and tools.  The evaluation is organized around the objectives.  Make these connections very clear in the text.
6. “Comb the text” as new text is written to insure continuity and clarity. When the Grant Writing Guide is used to create the text, the author can review prior segments of the grant text to make sure one section connects with another.  Start a new writing session by reviewing what was written in the previous sections.
7. “Group edit” the text using a computer, large screen projection and individual laser pointers. Trust me.  What you want to avoid, at all costs, is the “small group of people in a room to ‘pencil edit’ application hardcopies so someone can go home and work on it” system.  This is a dated and inefficient system for continuous improvement and final text editing that does not take advantage of productive information age tools. 
8. Use your laptop and an LCD projector to cast your Grant Writing Guide on a screen or wall. Make sure everyone is comfortable. I like tables not desks. Invite reviewers into the room who have not been part of the writing process.  Find a compulsive grammarian and invite them to join you. Give everyone on the final editing team laser pointers. Start at the top. Invite reviewers to read the section related information that you used to create your text. Invite reviewers to point to areas for change and guide the person running the keyboard. Assign your best word processor the task of typing in changes. This is when you bring in your best secretary so changes can be made efficiently and effectively.  Make sure he or she is comfortable and can see their computer screen and projected Grant Writing Guide.

This “big screen laser pointing” editing strategy is amazing in its efficiency. Everyone can see the screen. The words and punctuation are BIG.  You get broad perspective on what has been written. You can easily experiment with new sentence structure, create new text or delete text. Once you are done final editing, the document is ready to go!  You make a copy of it. Take all the prompts and writing guides out of the second copy. Leave the narrative sections. Tidy up the appearance and print it out. You can move narrative section text to online application text boxes confident that it is the very best application that many talented people could produce. 

A systemic approach to writing, continuously improving and final text editing of grant applications saves time and energy. It encourages district personnel with specific skills make contributions to the text without resorting to time wasting, large group meetings. You have helped your team be efficient and effective. Everyone on your team will understand the grant. Because you took the time to construct the three pre-writing documents, and used your team to continuously improve and final edit your grant application, you have improved your chances of receiving funding!

Dr. Douglas Brooks  is a Professor in the School of Education, Health and Society at Miami University. He teaches graduate and online courses in grant writing and consults with school districts to build grant writing capacity.

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