| Funding 101: Grant Prewriting |
 Novice grant writers usually charge into RFPs (Requests for Funding Proposals) with the naïve daring of a skydiver with no parachute. They jump in, not realizing how complicated RFPs can be or how much information needs to be managed in order to create a successful grant application. They think they can just memorize everything in the RFP and start writing their application. Big mistake. No way will they remember everything in the RFP, and a hasty start often results in an unsuccessful grant application. They miss little things that are really big things. For example, in a recent Ohio eTech RFP, each applying school district was required to send someone to evaluate the submitted grant applications. The applicants didn’t notice this requirement deep in the RFP; they were awarded over $100,000 only to have the award voided because they did not provide an evaluator. Oops!
I recommend first creating a new folder on your computer desktop, giving the folder a project name, and putting any digital district document resources into the new project folder. I know what you’re thinking: “Dr. Brooks, when are we going to start writing the grant? We are wasting time.” No, you’re not. In this column I will describe the heart of GrantSucces - the rationale and construction of three prewriting documents that will increase the quality of any grant application. GrantSuccess helps the novice applicant have a better shot at funding. GrantSuccess makes the experienced grant writer more efficient. First, create three new Word documents. Label them Action Summary, Grant Writing Guide and Key Vocabulary, respectively. Put them in the Project folder. Then, open the RFP and the Action Summary document on your desktop. In the case of all three documents, you will be taking text from the RFP and pasting it into the appropriate prewriting document. The Action SummaryAll RFPs have “actions” that need to be taken by applicants to successfully apply for funding. The Action Summary is the place where you list all these actions. The Action Summary includes information such as grant contacts, due date, page limits, font size and margins, letter of intent requirements, online application requirements, review dates, award dates etc. You read the RFP for anything that sounds like something you have to do. It all goes on this page. This document gives anyone on your team one place to find all the grant requirements. One person can construct this document. I put this document on the left hand side of my writing space. You aren’t grant writing yet. Slow down. The Grant Writing GuideSomewhere in the RFP is the “Grant Narrative.” The grant narrative is usually organized into sections and includes headings like abstract, vision, mission, need, goals, objectives, actions, action timeline, participant experience, budget, budget narrative, evaluation plan and summary. Once you find the narrative section, copy and paste it to the Grant Writing Guide document. Every RFP has guidelines, suggestions for content and, in some cases, even evaluation rubrics for sections of the narrative. Copy and paste any information that looks relevant to each section of the narrative under the narrative headings in your Grant Writing Guide. I once found the evaluation rubrics for narrative sections 74 pages deep in an RFP! The novice would have missed this. I found it and the language of the rubrics informed my writing. Put the phase WRITE TEXT HERE under the information found for each narrative section. This is where you will do your informed writing. The requirements for each section should be right above where you will be creating text. Now, you have a guide that you can circulate to everyone on your grant writing team. Key Vocabulary ListNovice grant writers use their own words. Experienced grant writers use RFP key words and phrases. As you review the RFP, copy and paste all-important words and phrases into one, easy-to-reference list. I enlarge and boldface these terms and phrases so they stand out as I am writing. If I need a word, I look at the Key Vocabulary List. If the phrase “systemic integration of technology” appears time and again in the RFP, then it should be on your Key Vocabulary List and appear, time and again, in your grant application. Evaluation rubrics are often constructed from the language of RFPs. I put this list on the right side of my writing space close to my computer. Imagine you are a symphony conductor (I always write to sounds of classical music). Your mouse and keyboard are your batons. Your project folder is in front of you (program). Your Grant Writing Guide is open on your screen (score). Your Action Summary is on your left (first and second violins). Key Vocabulary is on your right (cellos and violas). Now, you are ready to compose. Stay tuned for part three of Funding 101, which will focus on specific writing tips. Related Articles  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. POSTED ON HOTCHALK.COM
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