Applying for government aid can be a daunting task, but taking the process one step at a time can help even the most harried applicant.
Speaking during the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International Fundraising Conference, Cathy D. Cessna of Ingleside Homes and Charles B. Vincent of Innovincent presented a step-by-step primer on how to obtain large government grants.
The steps are these:
* Step 1. Proof of organizational capacity. This is a conceptual approach to development that focuses on understanding the obstacles that inhibit people, governments, organizations and nongovernmental organizations from realizing their developmental goals.
* Step 2. Research. Researching potential funders is important, but the step considered here is concerning learning about a community’s need, demand and competition, and finding out whether there are collaborative partnerships in the area.
* Step 3. Writing the case statement. This should have a background section, a project description, opportunities, financing, outcomes and a restated executive summary.
* Step 4. Writing the application. Review prerequisites, contact the agency, create an internal working timeline, assign tasks, begin writing the grant.
* Step 5. Logic models. A logic model describes how a program or project is supposed to work.
* Step 6. The budget. This requires critical thought and internal evaluation.
* Step 7. Reporting. Generally, the type of reporting is consistent with the type of grant that has been awarded.
