Grant Proposal
Kbanks
Developing_the_Methods.pptDEVELOPING THE PROPOSAL Methods or Program Description
Sections of the Grant Proposal
- Cover Letter
- Executive summary or proposal summary
- Need statement or statement of need or problem statement
- Goals and Objectives
- Methods or strategies – program description
- Evaluation
- Sustainability
The Methods Component of the Proposal
PURPOSE:
… systematically walks grant makers or funding sources through the process and activities the organization proposes to carry out in order to accomplish the objectives of the program
NOTE: Methods are also referred to as activities or strategies
Overview of the Methods Section
Basic Essentials Included The Methods Section:
Elements that are inflexible (such as date of completion, dollars available, staffing needs)
Activities needed to be carried out to meet the objectives
Starting and ending dates of the activities;
Individuals responsible for completing each activity
Criteria for selecting program participants;
Support /justification for using the approach or model
Contents of the Methods Section
- Description of the activities proposed for implementation to achieve the objectives
- Spell out the methods to be used in the program
- Give the reasons for choosing the specific methods
- Supporting information and data
Contents of the Methods Section
State whether the methods selected are already in place in the agency or new
Describe the staff who will administer the program and their qualifications
Describe the population to be served by the program and provide a justification for using this population
Define the Elements of the Program
The Systems Model:
Inputs
Throughputs
Outputs
(Excerpts extracted from Kettner, Moroney & Martin, 2008)
Elements of the Program
Inputs
Clients or consumers;
Staff;
Material resources
Facilities; and
Equipment, etc.
(Excerpts extracted from Kettner, Moroney & Martin, 2008)
Elements of the Program
Throughputs or Activities
Service Definition – the focus of the program; broadly defines the services proposed in the program;
Service Tasks – helps to define the activities that go into the provision of the service;
Method of Intervention – the ways in which the service may be delivered
(Excerpts extracted from Kettner, Moroney & Martin, 2008)
Elements of the Program
Outputs
Units of Service – usually measured in three ways a) episodes contact units; b) material units; or c) time units;
Service Completion – define the finished product or the service completion indicator; and
Quality - discuss the efforts to address the standards or specifications accepted by the recognized authorities (p. 163)
(Excerpts extracted from Kettner, Moroney & Martin, 2008)
Writing the Methods Section of the Proposal
- Sync the organization’s methods to the program’s objective and need statement;
- Demonstrate that the program methods are congruent with the program budget;
- Discuss the rationale for selecting the chosen methods;
- Detail the facilities and capital equipment available for the proposed project;
Writing the Methods Section of the Proposal
- Include a timeline – present activities in iterative phases that concludes with the desired results;
- Discuss who are the service recipients and how they will be selected to participate in the program
Management / Staffing Plan
Management and Staffing plans are closely related and usually appear together in a grant proposal
Management Plan – Lets the funder know that your organization has the capacity to implement/operate the proposed project
Staffing Plan - Provides detailed information about the key people (or positions) in your project
Begin with mission/history
Describe how project fits within organization
Include an Organizational Chart
Present the Project Director/Coordinator
Include key staff time (% or FTE)
Include volunteers
COLLABORATION IS IMPORTANT
Collaborative partners are individuals/organizations that will take an active role or contribute resources to your project.
Can be a strong advantage in attracting funding
- Collaborators with proven track record, etc.
Keep descriptions brief
Explain the purpose of each partnering agency/
organization and what they bring to the table
TOOLS THAT CAN HAVE USE IN DEVELOPING THE
METHODS SECTION
- LOGIC MODEL
- GANT CHART
- WORK PLAN
- TIMELINE
