BY KARA GUERRIERO, MPH – PRESIDENT
Many behavioral health organizations rely on grant funding to supplement their budgets. Preparing a grant application, especially for federal funding, can be a long and arduous process, requiring considerable human resources. Before embarking on this process, it is important to discern whether applying is worth the time and effort. Below is a checklist of questions we review with clients when they express interest in responding to a funding opportunity.
Is This Grant Opportunity a Good Fit?
- Does this funding opportunity align with the organization’s vision and mission?
- Will this project be sustained when the grant ends?
- Do the benefits of pursuing this funding opportunity outweigh potential challenges?
- Does the organization meet the grant eligibility requirements?
- Is there adequate time to respond?
- Would the organization explore other avenues to implement this project if funding is not awarded through this opportunity?
- Does the organization have the capacity to respond?
- Does the organization have the capacity to implement the grant (or the ability to build the capacity)?
When capacity to respond to an announcement is limited but the grant opportunity is a good fit for the organization, we work with clients to fill that need. The first thing we do is develop a solid grant writing plan. There are many moving parts when putting together an application; regardless of who takes the lead in the proposal development process, it’s important to come up with a strategy to stay on top of the process and avoid an 11th hour scramble. Some of the elements we consider when putting the plan together include:
- Identifying the primary grant writer(s).
- Reviewing the submission requirements, making note of items such as a letter of intent, letters of support/commitment, attachments, page limits, and system registrations.
- Creating a timeline for preparing the grant that includes time for draft reviews, data gathering, and collection of supplemental materials.
- Developing regular communications among relevant stakeholders.
- Outlining the narrative response based on evaluation criteria.
Having a roadmap to guide the grant writing process can go a long way to alleviating overwhelm and ensuring nothing gets overlooked or is rushed. If you’re interested in taking the next step in your grant writing, we would love to chat with you. Our team has over 20 years of experience with writing and reviewing local, foundation, state, and federal grant proposals, as well as grants management experience. Collectively, we have helped our clients secure over $15 million in grant funds. Learn more about how we can help you. And when you do get the grant, we have tips on getting started.
