Post an introduction about yourself to your colleagues. Describe your previous grant-writing experiences and explain what, in your opinion, are the most challenging aspects of grant writing. If you have not had previous grant-writing experience, what are

Grant Writing without Blowing a Gasket By Alicia Vandenbroek

WHY SHOULD I FUNDRAISE? No one woke up this morning asking for a budget

cut, but the harsh reality is that in todays eœnomic

downturn it is becoming more and more common.

Even libraries seen as a vital pan of the educational

process are subject to reductions becatise districts are

suffering financially Just as you've been tightening

your personal finances, schools face the conundrum

of funding exceptional programs with inadequate

funding. The answer? Grants, They aren't a perfect

solution, but there is a lot of financial support

available for those who ask.

Besides the monetary gain, one commonly

overlooked reward of grant funding is campus

revitalization. This renewal comes in several forms.

Other teachers are encouraged by your success and

willing to take risks. Sometimes those risks involve

using the materials you've acquired through your

grant, and sometimes the risks involve funding

for their own creative projects. Grants typically

allow students access to a unique experience. This

experience makes them broader educationally

and usually involves a cross curricular project that

develops lifelong learning,

BEGINWITHTHEENDINMIND Beginning a grant can seem overwhelming if you

don't break it into manageable pieces. Always start

with the end in mind. In other words, what do you

want? This can be money, supplies, experiences, and

so on. Find the best deal by pricing these items in

advance. Be honest with vendors so they know you

might not actually place an order, but work out a deal

that gets you the most value.

After you know exacdy what you want, be creative

and find a way to use those items or experiences

in a student-friendly manner that direcdy supports

curricultun. For the most part grants are geared

toward directly impacting education; therefore, your

proposal must be educationally sound. Be careful not

to over commit yourself; this is the voice of grants

gone badly talking. You don't have to build the

space shutde, just engage and educate your students.

Sometimes less really is more. Focus on your strengths

or areas you would like to become your strengths. For

example, I'm kind of a tech nerd, so a lot of times

my grants focus on Web 2,0 tools and projects. If

technology scares you (yes, I know you are out there)

then focus on a different form of grant until you have

had time to increase your technology prowess and feel

comfortable taking on more challenging projects.

Check your progress:

O What supplies, projects, or experiences do you

hope to gain?

O What classroom/library goals do those supplies,

projects, or experiences support?

0 Does the grant provide opportunities to be

successful or highlight my skills?

THE PERFECT PAIR 1 wish I could tell you that diere is a m^ical grant

out there with your name on it already , , , but you

know that doesn't even happen in fairy tales. That

said the perfect paring of grant writer to grant flinder

is actually easier than you might expect. Once you

know what outcomes you hope to achieve then you

are ready to look for a perfect pannership.

Focus on grant flinders whose goals and programs

support your desired outcomes. For example, the

first grant I ever applied for was a science grant, I

submitted an innovative hands-on activity to a

company who prides themselves on being cutdng

edge in their field, I got the grant with no problems.

Of course no one is perfect, because recendy, I

applied for a grant to a very conservative library

supporter for a somewhat out-of-the-box after school

program, I didn't receive that grant because the

proposal did not support the private organization's

opinions of what constitutes a strong library program.

After you find a source learn a litde more about the

company behind the funding. Are they a company

with which you would feel proud to have your name/

your school's name linked? If not, perhaps you should

consider another funding source. All flinders evaluate

your program and ideas, so you should take time to

ensure this is a mutually beneficial partnership,

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS: O Is the grant proposal a good match for the place

that I'm applying?

O Is the company one of integrity and

financial responsibility?

A NAME SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOU Think about your own name. Few people are

ambivalent about their own name; it's usually either

love or hate. It's not quite the same with grants, but it

is pretty close, A grant proposal is only really as good

as it can be remembered; diis is where a catchy tide

comes into play, A simple yet unique tide will make

your grant memorable and can speak volumes about

the content of your grant before the reader even

begins consideration.

Some easy pitfalls include using tides that say

nothing (e,g. Grant Proposal), using dtles that say too

much (e,g. Grant Proposal to Use Digital Cameras to

Teach Habitats on Wikis with Student Involvement

and Corresponding Library Resources), or worse,

using titles that say something only to people in

your field (e,g. Region 11 NKLB Wiki Tide I Grant

Proposal), The latter is especially important because

frequendy people in other states or outside of your

educational venue view these grants, so bogging them

down in jargon distracts from the grant content.

Check your progress:

O Is your title creative (will it stand alone)?

O Is your tide clear of buzz words or

write expressions?

ESTABLISHING A BUDGET As you research the items for the grant, make sure

you are following district policy. Some items, like

technology, must be on an approved bid list, while

others need only be from an approved vendor. Keep

copies of quotes or catalogues so that when you

receive the funding you will know exactly where the

money goes. Work with vendors for discounts like

free processing or shipping. Buying in bulk often

means deeper discounts, so allow time to contact

vendors direcdy. Include an itemized budget in the

written proposal. If the grant is only one portion

of the funding, be sure to refiect where additional

funding sources are provided.

Check your progress:

O Have you followed district guidelines

for purchasing?

O Do you have clear records or quotes for

reference after you earn your grant?

CREATING A TIMELINE If you've ever been part of writing a campus plan

you understand the importance of an accurate

timeline. The timeline must be detailed but loose

enough to allow fiexibility. Always pad the time,

allowing for Mr, Murphy to make his presence

known. Build in time for processing, completion,

refiection, evaluation, and reporting.

2 8 • LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION May/June 2010

Your timeline should follow the S.M.A.R.T. principles:

Specific—detailed step by step

Measurable—results need to be quantifiable

Achievable—should be accomplished in the designated time

Realistic—clear expectations that are developmentally and academically appropriate

Time bound—succinct time structure, can be days or weeks but be consistent

Check your progress:

O Does your timeline cover every important part of the grant?

O Is the timeline flexible enough to allow for changes or difficulty?

O Does your timeline meet the S.M.A.R.T. principles?

WRITE, WRITE, WRITE If you spent time in the first stages, this should prove to be a fairly easy part of the process. Be sure to refer to the helpful sites listed below for suggestions about where to locate frequently needed information. If a template is provided, you are ready to start compiling the necessary

information. If no template is provided, start with subject headings.

To ensure you meet all the guidelines of the grant, look at the directions and write the requirements of each section under the subject heading. Include information relating to word limits, required detail, information of importance, and so on. Once you have this shell you are ready to write. These bullet points will help keep you from getting off track and ensure you address all required items.

There are two schools of thought on writing a grant. Some grant writers suggest you write one section at a time, perfecting it before you go on, and some suggest a more holistic approach to writing the entire grant and then going back to fine tune the details. My suggestion is to do what makes the most sense to you.

Check your progress:

O Have you located a copy of the template or created your own document with subheadings?

O Have you used the directions and rubrics to make notes under each subheading?

O Have you written the necessary narratives adequately answering each item?

TO RUBRIC OR NOT TO RUBRIC— THAT ISAN EASY QUESTION! Grants always come with a written set of directions and protocols for grant submission. Consider this your primary rubric. In addition to those directions, grants frequendy come with a rubric for scoring. If the company provides this type of rubric PLEASE use this valuable tool. Failure to use a rubric is no different than a student not utilizing a rubric you provide for a research paper and then failing because they didn't meet your expectations. Rubrics are the keys that set your grant apart from others and take your proposal from average to exemplary.

If a template is not provided, use the directions of the grant to structure the proposal. After you write the grant, proofread it several times. The first proofread is for grammar and spelling. Second, screen for conceptual problems, and lastly review your rubric and directions, ensuring that you've adequately met the requirements. If time permits, allow a day in between each reading. Mistakes are caught easier with a fresh eye. Ask a colleague to review your work and compare it against the rubric. Frequently, they will catch contextual issues potentially overlooked.

Age-Specific School References Designed to Meet State Educational Standards

NEW EDITION! Grades 3-5

©2009

COPYRIGHT! Grades 9-11

©2010

Merriam Webster's

jbitermediate Dictionary

Merriam Webster's

Elementary Dictionary Dictionary

COPYRIGHT! Grades 6-8

©2009

ISBN: 978-0-87779-579-7 • $17.95 ISBN: 978-0-87779-580-3 • $18.95 ISBN: 978-0-87779-675-6 • $17.95

AGE-APPROPRIATE WEB SITE WordCentral.com has the only fully searchable age-appropriate diaionary on the Web. Also interactive games. Dally Buzzword, and more! To see which titles are best for your classroom, please visit WordCentral.com/edu and browse our State Standards Alignments section.

M e r r i a m - W e b s t e r I n c . • 8 0 0 - 8 2 8 - 1 8 8 0 www.Merriam-Webster.com • www.WordCentral.com

May/June 2010 LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION 2 9

Check your progress:

O Have you located a copy of the complete directions?

O Does your grant provide a rubric? If not, have you created your own rubric?

O Have you checked your rough draft for spelling?

O Have you checked your rough draft for conceptual problems?

O Have you compared your rough draft to the rubric and directions and made the necessary changes?

O Are the word counts at or below the required number?

ADMINISTRATIVE MUSTS Make sure your principal supports your project. Without administrative support your funding will not be approved. If your project involves collaboration, be sure all parties involved are committed. This can be a double-edged sword. There is strength in numbers and often working with partners provides flexibility; however, there is nothing more frustrating than having participants back out at the very last minute or not carry their portion of the workload.

Every school district has slighdy different policies so it is important to adhere to the rules for your district. Typically, you will write a grant and submit it to the grants office for approval. After reviewing their suggestions, you submit the revised grant for the Pmal necessary board approvals.

Check your progress:

O Does your principal support your program?

O Have you determined if you will work alone or with a partner?

O Have you followed the school district

grant process?

AFTER THE CELEBRATION Take a moment to celebrate . . . you got grant funding! Remember this feeling, becatise this satisfaction fuels the desire for future success. But your work has only jtjst begun. This next stage is critical for compliance with grant guidelines. If you apply for more than one grant in a calendar year, consider tracking your commitments using a spreadsheet.

Write down the dates on the timeline on your personal calendar with reminders of due dates a few weeks before required. Also jot down notes about what sort of documentation you will need. Throughout the project take photos for school publicity and photos for funders. Be sure any

photos that leave the school do not have faces of students or faculty unless you have written permission from all parties involved. It is also helpful to keep copies of handouts or promodonal items. If possible highlight the project using Web 2.0 technology on your school website. Not only will this increase parent support of the library, but potential donors usually take time to preview a school website before donating, and it is an easy commercial for effective collaboration.

Check your progress:

O Did you actually celebrate?

O Does your calendar reflect important

upcoming events?

S U B M i n i N G A WRITTEN REPORT when you submit your report track, the items you said you wotild. With that in mind, think about confidentiality of students. Make sure the information collected is aggregated rather than tising individual student names. When sending the final report, a thank you goes a long way. This can be from students or just from you, but take a few minutes to thank the people who made your success possible. Before final submission, review the guidelines to ensure complete compliance.

Submit a duplicate copy of the written report to your principal, and set up a meedng to review the success of the grant. Not only will this confirm youve completed the grant requirements, but it also shows administration your commitment to the school's success. Favorable outcomes mean more principal support not only for future grants but good money/ supply management encourages the endowment of more funds when they become available.

The last copy goes in your personal portfolio. If you don't have a portfolio, start a simple three

ring binder with copies of reports. This is a great tool when showcasing your classroom or library or when trying to procure additional funding.

Check your progress:

O Have you confirmed your written report met all the requirements of the grant?

O Are photos of students clear of student faces or do you have appropriate permissions?

O Did you review the written report with the principal or other supervisors?

O Does your portfolio contain a copy of the final report?

O Have you included Web 2.0 representations of the project on the school website? • •

BIBLIOGRAPHY AISD. "Grant Application Procedures." [Online] 26 May 2009. www.aisd.net.

AISD. "Grant Process." [Online] 26 May 2009. www.aisd.net.

Browning, Bev. Grant Writing fir Dummies. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ; Wiley Publishing, 2005.

Karsh, Ellen, and Arlen Sue Fox. The Only Grant Writing Book You'll Ever Need. New York: Garroll & GrafF, 2003.

Susan M. Heathfield. "Beyond Traditional S.M.A.R.T. Goals." [Online] 26 May 2009. http://humanresources. about.com/cs/performancemanage/a/goalsetting.htm.

Alicia Vandenbroek is a library media specialist at

Shackelford Junior High in Arlington, Texas.

HELPFUL SITES (JUST A FEW TO GET YOU STARTED)

Grant Writing Sites

www.npguides.org

http://712educators.about.com/od/grantwriting/Grant_

Writing.htm

www.libraryspot.com/features/grantsfeature.htnn

http://foundationcenter.org

http://librarysupportstaff.com/find$.html

Grant Sites

www.ed.gov/fund/landing.jhtml

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/

business/grants, htmi

www.schoolgrants2009.com

www.grantwrangler.com

www.homeroomteacher.com/teacher_grants.htmi

vvvvw.donorschoose.org/homepage/main.html?zone=321

www.realschooigardens.org/en

http://iibrarygrants.blogspot.com

www.technologygrantnews.com

www.schoiastic.com/iibrarians/programs/grants.htm

General Information

Community Demographics http://factfinder.census.gov/ home/saff/main.htmi?Jang=en

Schooi Distria iD http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator

3 0 LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION May/June 2010

Copyright of Library Media Connection is the property of Linworth Publishing, Inc. and its content may not be

copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written

permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.