Who is
the Principal Grantwriter/Administrator?
Michelle S. Mazzola has written many successful grant proposals,
and then administered them, for a variety of community-based
organizations. She has also successfully implemented fundraising
programs that included soliciting individual, business and
corporate contributions, implemented planned giving programs, as
well as conducting grantwriting activities. Ms. Mazzola can help
you identify funding sources, prioritize grant prospects,
prepare letters of inquiry, write grant proposals, conduct
program evaluations, and administer your funded projects.
What are the major types of grants that are available?
Government: The federal government administers 1,000
grant programs offered by the 26 federal grant making agencies
within its jurisdiction. These grants are designed to accomplish
many different purposes, such as delivering services to a
specific population, or conducting scientific research. These
are advertised in the form of RFP’s (Request for Proposals) or
RFA’s (Request for Applications) and generally have very rigid
formats, specific purposes, and strict deadlines. Sometimes
formula grants are awarded by federal agencies based on a
criterion prescribed in legislation or regulations. Often this
is federal money that is passed through to the state, which is
then re-distributed on a competitive basis to nonprofit
entities. The State of Washington also administers a significant
number of grant programs. Applications are generally accepted
once per year by each funding entity for a wide variety of
community-based projects.
Foundations & Corporations: Many large foundations and
corporations look for projects which have national impact. Most
foundations restrict their giving to projects within a specific
geographic area and for very specific content areas.
Community Foundation – foundations involved in grant
giving within a specific community or region, (e.g. Community
Foundation of North Central Washington).
o Corporate Foundation: foundations which receive contributions
from a profit-making entity, such as a corporation (e.g.
Citigroup Foundation). Many corporate foundations fund programs
which directly impact communities located near their company
operations-only.
o Private Foundation – foundations which receive income from an
individual, family, or group of individuals. Funding priorities
of private foundations are usually based on the personal
philosophies of the founding members.
How do
we find grant funding opportunities?
Identifying potential funders whose interests match yours can be
very challenging. Resource Solutions, LLC LLC can research
prospective funders for your organization, then provide you with
a comprehensive listing of the funders, their deadlines and
method of initial approach, and average size of grant awards. We
will also rank funders as to their likelihood of funding your
organization.
How long
does it take to write a grant?
Grant applications can range from two pages to 85+ pages,
depending on the funding entity’s requirements. It can take
anywhere from two hours to 100+ hours to write these grant
proposals. In addition, a great deal of research must be
conducted in compiling data, statistics and “story” for the
first grant application. It will, therefore, generally take
longer and cost more to write the first grant proposal than
subsequent applications. Once a specific grant has been
identified we can provide you a timeline and price estimate for
writing and submitting a specific grant to that funding entity.
What does the grant seeker need to do before a grant is written?
Often it is essential for nonprofits and governmental entities
to be organized and ready to write a grant proposal as soon as
(or before) it is advertised. Grant funding agencies usually
have specific deadlines and by the time a new grant is
advertised, there is often not enough time to come up to speed
and still write the grant. Ideally, grant seekers should have
their own house in order – mission, vision, matching funding,
strategic plan and partners identified beforehand. Matching
funds usually take the form of cash or in-kind support
(nonmonetary contributions made by the grantee representing such
items as equipment, supplies, services or technical expertise,
or volunteer hours).
How involved does the grant seeking entity need to be in the
proposal development process?
Resource Solutions, LLC LLC staff needs significant input from the
grant seeker in order to write a successful proposal. Your
active assistance in providing data to us also helps to contain
costs. We need to have detailed knowledge of your organization,
your community, and your compelling story in order to craft a
winning grant narrative. In addition, you need to be actively
involved in reviewing written drafts to ensure that the specific
project that you want funded is what is being proposed. We view
our work with you as a partnership. Together we can achieve your
organization’s goals efficiently and effectively.
What is the likelihood of our grant proposal being funded?
Grant writing is a difficult and competitive process. Just
filling out the forms and answering the questions is rarely
enough. You need to set your organization apart from all of the
other applicants. Resource Solutions, LLC LLC is skilled in helping
you accomplish this task. We have a proven track record, we are
good listeners, and we know how to tell a compelling story that
will grab the attention of funding agencies. Our principal
grantwriter has a 95% grantwriting success rate in past staff
positions and specializes in community-based projects. Whereas
we cannot guarantee that your grant proposal will be funded, we
can give you better than average odds that proposals submitted
on behalf of your organization will be successful.
Once
an application has been submitted how long do we have to wait
before we get our money?
Generally it takes a minimum of
six months after your application is submitted before you are
notified of success and the money starts flowing to your
organization from government grants. Sometimes this money will
come up-front as a large check, and other times you will need to
spend the money first, then obtain reimbursement.
What does
the funding agency expect from us?
Once a project has been accepted for funding a contract is
usually signed between the funder and the grantee. Generally
these clearly outline a list of “deliverables.” In addition the
funding agency will very likely ask for written quarterly budget
& accomplishment reports, annual progress descriptions, and a
final project report. Resource Solutions, LLC, LLC is adept at
administering funded projects.
