I am applying for a technology grant for my school.  Can COMPUTER EXPLORERS help me?

A professional grant writer told me that any grant proposal can be in the top 10 percent of the applicants … because 90 percent of the proposals are thrown out before they are even read! 

To write a grant that is likely to be accepted:

1.      Become a grant reader first.  You won’t take long to learn which grants grab your attention and which are uninspired.  Being a grant reader will make you a better grant writer.

2.      Follow the directions exactly!  The first step in grant- winnowing is to get rid of the chaff. If a reader has 500 applications to review, he/she has to determine which ones are worth his time. If you are supposed to use a specific type font or margin size, do it!  If you are supposed to limit your descriptions to 200 words, don’t write 220!  By following directions, you gain credibility in being able to follow through on the project. 

3.      Target your funding source. Your need must match the goals of the grant.  If a grant specifically targets professional development in school, be sure that YOUR main focus is professional development.  You may need to get hardware and software (resources) in order to offer quality professional development, but the hardware and software are the means to the end, not the end in itself.

4.      Include measureable outcomes.  Include pre/post testing of technology skills, the development of classroom teaching tools which can be shared with other staff members, or the ability to replicate or expand this training across the entire district.

Avoid the term “learn to” – be specific and use active verbs. The teachers should not “learn to use wikis,” but teachers will “create grade-level wikis to allow student/parent participation in interactive learning.”

5.      Establish a team:  You may be the lead writer, but input from administrators, peers and students will strengthen the quality of your proposal.  Each person will give input from his unique perspective. You may choose to ignore some of their suggestions, but you will have a stronger proposal than one you developed in isolation.  

“Grant writing is the ART of storytelling and…  the SCIENCE of telling it well to the right audience!”  Nancy Fisher, The Sage Team, July, 2006.

Comments: