Grant Writing Tips

Grant Writing Tips Grant Writing Tips Grant Writing Tips By Guest Author This is a guest post by Cristy Rodriguez. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. A grant is a simple request for funds that entails a description of a specific need and the proposed program that will fill that need. It is the applicant’s responsibility and goal to present a strong enough case to convince a possible funder that they are worthy of receiving a grant. There is a basic format that can be followed and used as an outline when putting a grant together. Many funding organizations and foundations have different sets of guidelines that should be followed. It is important that you carefully research each foundation’s mission, area of interests and grant guidelines. Look to answer these questions and any others that seem relevant to your search. What is their sole basis for setting funds aside for this call for proposals? What program areas are they looking to fund? Are they only considering awarding funds to certain entities (non-profits, schools, churches, etc.), certain geographic areas or populations? Do not overlook their funding restrictions, some foundations list what they do not accept and or fund. Make sure your program and needs match with the foundations scope. You must also gather information from the organization (who you are writing for) to help put the grant together. Meet with the organization’s key contacts to plan out a program design. Find out what kind of grant they are looking for, what important needs need to be met. What do they hope to accomplish through this proposed program? Discuss what their plans for sustainability are. The feedback you receive is quite vital to the grant layout and presentation. Gather materials on the organization’s background, mission and list of past and former programs and activities. Once you have chosen a foundation and have gathered all your research materials, you are now ready to begin writing a grant. Most of what is detailed here is what foundations are looking for in a grant. The following can be used as a guide to get you started on the grant writing process. 1. Executive Summary- Usually one page Proposed program summary Solution- What the program will accomplish Program cost Organization experience and capacity- Brief statements to establish credibility with similar programs 2. Statement of Need- Two pages Reason(s) proposed program is needed, supported with statistical information Reasons the organization is the right candidate to fulfill those need(s) 3. Program Description- Three pages Program design and implementation Goals and Objectives Methods- Steps taken to accomplish program objectives Program Evaluation- The methods for reporting program results, by whom and when. How will you measure success? What are your plans for improvement? Plan for sustainability- How will the program continue once funding is gone? Program staff 4. Organizational Information- One page Mission and History Summary of past and former programs Accomplishments 5. Program Budget- One page Provide an outline of all program costs and expenses. Be sure to review their guidelines on what they do not fund. 6. Attachments- Varies 501 Â © 3- Tax exemption letter Organization Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation List of Board members Financial Statements Letters of support When you have compiled all these elements you will now have a basic draft or model to use for future grant writing projects. Of course, this is to give you an idea of what most foundations ask for. You should always follow their grant guidelines and instructions. About the author: Cristy Rodriguez, former grant writer and a regular contributor to Associated Content. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Types of RhymeComma Before ButStarting a Business Letter with Dear Mr.

The Connotations of 30 Synonyms for Cheat and Fool

The Connotations of 30 Synonyms for Cheat and Fool The Connotations of 30 Synonyms for Cheat and Fool The Connotations of 30 Synonyms for Cheat and Fool By Mark Nichol Numerous terms, many of them derived from colorful underworld slang, exist to refer to the action of cheating or fooling someone. This post describes the connotation inherent in some of these words and phrases. 1–2. The implication of the nonsense words bamboozle and hornswoggle is that the perpetrator sets out to confuse the mark, or victim. 3. Beguile suggests that the mark is lulled into a false sense of security. 4. Bluff implies that the perpetrator is boasting or making false claims, as someone would to gain an advantage in a card game. 5. Buffalo alludes to the stolid strength of an animal, appropriate to refer to the perpetrator’s efforts to overcome the mark’s caution or reluctance by sheer determination. 6–7. Bleed suggests slowly draining the mark of his or her wealth; squeeze has the same implication. 8. Burn implies that the mark has been damaged by the perpetrator, as if exposed to flame. 9. Chisel suggests that the perpetrator is whittling away at the mark’s defenses to achieve the desired outcome. 10. Con, a truncation of confidence, alludes to the perpetrator’s efforts to gain the mark’s trust so that the person is vulnerable to the persuasion necessary to cheat him or her. 11. Cozen suggests coaxing or trickery. 12. Euchre refers to the act of preventing someone from winning in the game of that name and, by extension, means â€Å"cheat† or, because the game rounds are called tricks, â€Å"trick.† 13–14. Fleece and skin allude to the idea of being deprived of one’s protection. 15. The origins of gaff are obscure, but the word was once slang for a music hall or theater, so the implication may allude to the deceitful promise of an entertainment that was falsely advertised as being worth the admission price. 16–17. Game- and gammon, perhaps derived in Middle English from game- connote both the playful and strategic aspects of cheating, as if the perpetrator is not only toying with the mark but has also carefully planned the ruse. 18. Gyp derives from the widespread association of the nomadic Romani people, long called gypsies (from the mistaken belief that they originated in Egypt, though the ethnic origins of the Romani are in India), with deceitfulness and thievery. (The terms are now widely considered offensive.) 19. Hoodwink originally meant â€Å"blindfold,† so the connotation is of the perpetrator blinding the mark about the truth. 20. Hoax implies an elaborate scheme to persuade the mark that something false is true. 21. Hustle conjures an image of someone being pushed and prodded along toward an outcome advantageous to the perpetrator and detrimental to the mark. 22. Juggle suggests manipulating the mark by constantly keeping him or her off balance as if the mark were being thrown about without a chance to ground himself or herself. 23. Mulct originally meant â€Å"fine,† but its meaning was extended to â€Å"defraud.† 24. Shortchange refers to the literal act of giving someone less money than he or she is owed. 25. Snooker may come from the name of the variation of the game of pool, perhaps from the notion that the mark is tricked into betting that he or she can defeat the perpetrator. 26. Snow compares the perpetrator’s effort to the blinding quality of a snowstorm, preventing the mark from seeing the trick. 27–28. Stick and sting, like burn, allude to the pain that the deception causes the mark. 29. â€Å"String along† implies that the mark is being led to perform an action that will be to his or her detriment. The perpetrator figurative pulls the mark along, but not so heavy-handedly that the mark is dragged; the suggestion is that the leading occurs subtly, little by little, encouraging the mark to do what the perpetrator wants of his or her own volition, with a minimum of provocation. 30. Swindle, which comes from a German word meaning â€Å"dizzy,† connotes disorientation of the mark. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to Avoid50 Diminutive Suffixes (and a Cute Little Prefix)Bail Out vs. Bale Out