Southeastern News Online July, 2004 Vol. 2  No. 2

Grant Research & Writing Program in July

On Monday, July 12 and 19th, sixteen people attended a two-part program at SENYLRC on Grant Research & Writing. Participants were from academic, public, special libraries and SENYLRC. The trainer for the program was Esther Odescalchi, who was recommended to SENYLRC from Dutchess Community College for this class and a former employee of IBM. Esther shared her experience with us and taught the group a considerable amount of information about grants. Esther is also a ballroom dancer and offered to give lessons!

This class was a great opportunity for anyone interested in applying for a foundation grant. Esther taught us about the foundation world: how foundations make grants, how the proposals are judged by foundations and what it takes to write and submit a successful grant to a foundation that will be funded. We learned the components of an effective grant application, what to include in each component and what information to provide a foundation. Esther also taught us how to plan a program that will be successful with clear, measurable goals.

The participants in the class had some homework between sessions. We were asked to come back to the second session with a draft of several parts of a grant application. During the second session we poured over Foundation Directories looking for foundations that were appropriate for the grants that participants drafted.

Here are a few principles of “grantsmenship” that Esther made sure that all participants knew by the end of the program:

• The proposal is part of a larger process. Create the program first, then research foundations that will fund it.
• A proposal should be brief, clearly written, jargon free, interesting to read. Each component of the applications should lead logically to the next component.
• Always write your grant from the point of view of who will benefit from the program.
• Be through out the proposal (no begging or ask them to feel sorry for us).
• Don't speak in terms of unnecessary assumptions; speak in terms of numbers and statistical figures.
• Include quotations for credibility to the organization.
• Follow the foundation guidelines and deadlines/timetable exactly.

By Tessa Killian, Member Services Librarian

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