Abstract CL

ABSTRACT AND COVER LETTER

Many grant applications require an abstract and a cover letter. The cover letter is your first opportunity to form a first impression with your potential funder and show that you understand their “philanthropic mission” (Grantspace.gov, n.d.). While the cover letter is ideally brief and succinct, it is not an executive summary. There are specific strategies used to write the cover letter. Using the template below, you will draft a cover letter.

Another important document that is a part of the grant process is the abstract. This narrowly focused document provides the grant reviewer with a summary of your proposal contents. Abstracts are generally constrained to a specific word count. Please use the template below to draft your abstract.

In preparation for this Assignment:

· Review the Gitlin & Lyons textbook pp. 107–108 for information on abstracts.

· Review the cover letter template in the Module 5 Learning Resources.

· Review the grant application abstract template Module 5 Learning Resources

In 1–2 pages, address the following:

· Submit a cover letter to be included in your grant application.

· Submit an abstract of no more than 500 words of your grant application.

1

Final Project: Writing The Grant Part 1: Needs Statement, Goals, and Objectives

Miatta Teasley

Walden University

Grant Writing-Fall 2024- HUMN-6207-1 (08/26/2024-11/10/2024)-PT27

Dr. Mills

September 18, 2024

Needs Statement, Goals, and Objectives

Needs Statement

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic and genetic blood disorder initially diagnosed mainly in African Americans and other groups of people of color. Nonetheless, patients with SCD have many challenges connected with the total utilization of healthcare, which can be partly attributed to providers’ ignorance of the disease and its management, inadequate access to specialized providers, and poor patient counseling (Yuen et al., 2013). All these barriers result in increased morbidity and mortality among the SCD patients. This information highlights the pressing need for developing healthcare providers’ knowledge level regarding SCD and increasing patient’s accessibility to proper care and knowledge. Meeting these needs will contribute to a decrease in the health gap and an enhancement of the well-being of patients with SCD.

Goals, Objectives, and Evaluation Criteria

Goal 1: Implement the “Comprehensive SCD Education for Providers” program to enhance healthcare providers’ awareness of Sickle Cell Disease in the target communities.

· Objective 1A: Target: 200 practitioners in SCD-HC in 200 communities across rural CA will finish a CME-certified education program on SCD by 12/31/2024; providers’ knowledge on SCD management and treatment options from 50% to 90%.

· Evaluation Criteria 1A: Determine the extent or percentage of gain in new knowledge from the quiz before and after the program among the target healthcare providers (Hug & Aeschbach, 2020).

· Objective 1B: PSM In another course of the implementation, all the healthcare providers shall have displayed a higher level of confidence in the management of the SCD patient by 06/30/2025 as demonstrated by the pre- and post-program questionnaires.

· Evaluation Criteria 1B: Pre and post level of confidence by means of survey data analysis within the context of education program.

Goal 2: Increase the scope of available services in sickle cell disease for the low-income population through the “Patient Access Initiative.”

· Objective 2A: In low-income populations, 300 SCD patients will have a plan of care and educational materials provided and available by 12/31/2024, thus the increased SCD patients’ compliance to the plan from 30% to a higher 70%.

· Evaluation Criteria 2A: Oversee the contingency conformities by conducting follow up surveys of the patients and reviewing healthcare records which measure the patients’ enhanced compliance scores according to the care plans (Hug & Aeschbach, 2020).

· Objective 2B: Develop partnership with 5 local healthcare facilities by 06/30/2025 to conduct SCD clinics on a regular basis and raise SCD patients’ access to proper care by at least fifty percent.

· Evaluation Criteria 2B: Determine the number of partnerships that have been formed and the number of clinics conducted and analyze the patient visit rates before and after the initiation of the programs.

Goal 3: Promote and advance policies that enhance SCD treatment and eliminate any existing gaps for the affected patients.

· Objective 3A: By December 31, 2024, develop and submit three new policies to the local and state health care authorities to enhance the treatment of SCD.

· Evaluation Criteria 3A: Follow plans all the way from its formulation and prepare to check on the status of bill movement and actions.

· Objective 3B: The second goal: Before 06/30/2025, holding of two advocacy campaigns aiming at increasing public understanding of the SCD patients’ needs and the role of supportive policies in a chosen country.

· Evaluation Criteria 3B: Assess the turnout of the event, the coverage done by the media as well as the subsequent debates focused on the policy or the action that was taken regarding the advocacy done (Hug & Aeschbach, 2020).

The mentioned goals, objectives, and evaluation criteria are relevant to the aforementioned needs statement and are scientifically formulated with reference to the SMART criterion, which notably defines specificity, measurability, attainability, relevancy, and time limits (O'Neal-McElrath et al., 2019). Provider education, patient access programs, and institutional-level policy change target the various aspects of the SCD patient’s overall healthcare needs and are critical for the sustainability of positive change.

References

Hug, S. E., & Aeschbach, M. (2020). Criteria for assessing grant applications: A systematic review.  Palgrave Communications,  6(1), 1-15.

O'Neal-McElrath, T., Kanter, L., & English, L. J. (2019).  Winning grants step by step: The complete workbook for planning, developing, and writing successful proposals. John Wiley & Sons.

Yuen, F. K., Terao, K. L., & Schmidt, A. M. (2013).  Effective grant writing and program evaluation for human service professionals. John Wiley & Sons.

2

Budget, Budget Justification/Narrative, & Sustainability Plan

Miatta Teasley

Walden University

Grant Writing-Fall 2024- HUMN-6207-1 (08/26/2024-11/10/2024)-PT27

Dr. Mills

October 10, 2024

Budget, Budget Justification/Narrative, & Sustainability Plan

The budget for the project: “Enhancing Sickle Cell Disease Care through Comprehensive Provider Education and Patient Access Initiatives” needs to be clearly justified to allow for sufficient funding. Below is a breakdown of the budget, explanations for the allocations, and a plan for sustaining the project’s impact over the long term.

Budget Overview

a. Personnel – $235,000

i. Project Manager – $75,000

ii. Two Healthcare Educators – $120,000

iii. Administrative Assistant – $40,000

b. Fringe Benefits (25% of personnel costs) – $58,750

i. Project Manager – $18,750

ii. Healthcare Educators – $30,000

iii. Administrative Assistant – $10,000

c. Travel – $21,000

i. Local Travel for Clinics – $12,000

ii. Conference Travel – $9,000

d. Supplies – $15,000

i. Educational Materials – $10,000

ii. Office Supplies – $5,000

e. Training and Workshops – $30,000

i. Provider Training – $20,000

ii. Patient Education – $10,000

f. Other Direct Costs – $30,000

i. Facility Rentals, Marketing, Technology – $30,000

g. Indirect Costs (10% of total direct costs) – $38,785

Total Project Cost – $428,535

Description/Budget Justification

Personnel

The project manager will be responsible for all the program activities to keep it on track for target attainment. Two healthcare educators are also needed for provider training and patient education. An administrative assistant will be required to perform specific functions that will facilitate the proper running of the projects as planned. These roles are crucial to the achievement of the project goals, and the allocations are consistent with prevailing market rates.

Fringe Benefits

Operating costs include fringe benefits, which will cost 25% of personnel expenses and will include other necessary expenses such as employees’ health insurance, retirement plans, and other standard expenses that an employer is obligated to meet.

Travel

Local travel expenses are included for healthcare educators who are expected to move to and from clinics in underserved regions once per month. This movement is critical for offering practical practice and consultancy services at those locations. Additionally, two national conferences are proposed for three staff members to attend to keep them updated on what is new and best in SCD care.

Supplies

Books, pamphlets, and online articles need to be developed in the project’s duration for training and educational activities. Office supplies are also necessary in an organization for daily use and, thus, must be provided.

Training and Workshops

This allocation will cover expenses related to healthcare provider certification through CME-accredited programs and patient education workshops. These programs are crucial to expanding staff capacity in clinical knowledge and care management competencies as well as enhancing consumer health literacy.

Other Direct Costs

Some of the expenses under this category are costs incurred in hiring facilities for the workshops or sessions, costs incurred in marketing and sensitizing people to the programs, costs incurred in procuring or hiring equipment for use in delivering virtual training, and technology expenses associated with patient tracking. These are important for popularizing the project and making it work. Further, they will guarantee seamless implementation of the project.

Indirect Costs

These additional costs can reach a maximum of 10% of total direct costs and are not eligible to be directly associated with the project. Examples include electricity costs and organization overheads.

Sustainability Plan

The following sustainability strategy is recommended to ensure the project’s longevity beyond the grant funding period.

Partnerships

To sustain this program and its activities, good relationships and partnerships with other healthcare facilities, learning institutions, and non-governmental organizations in the community must be developed to ensure continued support beyond the project’s duration.

Additional Funding

More grants from foundations and agencies will be pursued alongside corporate sponsorships and fundraising campaigns to serve as supplementation sources. This will allow the project to be extended beyond the grant funding period.

Fee-for-Service Model

A token charge may be levied on a few of the training programs, creating the capital base for financing some aspects of the project or sustaining them for longer than would otherwise be possible.

Volunteer Programs

To cut long-term personnel costs, medical students and retired healthcare professionals will be contracted on a voluntary basis to train healthcare providers and provide patient education. This will also help overcome the challenge of training employees over a long period.

Leveraging Technology

When people and trainers connect through online platforms for training and education, physical spaces will no longer be needed. This will also help the project be more effective and efficient in the long run in terms of scalability while also lowering running costs so that grant money and other funds can last longer.

These seemingly minor cost savings from different aspects of this plan will help sustain the project benefits beyond the grant funding period. Partnerships, for example, with NGOs will be emphasized because they can go a long way in maintaining SCD care in the underserved population for many years post the project duration.