[nabentre] Grant Writers

Tue Sep 20 13:15:37 UTC 2011

Dear Albert,

You can check with your local state college or university's Department of 
Sponsored Research, or who ever writes their research grants or maybe your 
local Community Foundation or even your library.  Very often they will at 
least look your grant over, make suggestions or advise you as to what to do 
and how to do it in writing a grant.    They may even be able to put you in 
contact with a local grant writer that will advise you or help you.
There are many guides available to show you how to write a grant.  It is 
mostly collecting certain pieces of paper work and then basically laying out 
what it is you want, why you want it, what benefits will it provide and how 
much will it cost.
Most grants either have an application that the grant maker provides a with 
a format and list of required paper work you must provide or you might have 
a grant that just ask you for some basic info or to describe the project or 
program.
I have had grants that took as little as 3 pieces of paper and some that you 
needed to kill a couple of trees for.  It can vary.
Pro grant writers normally get anywhere from about $250 to write a grant, 
win or lose, to a percentage of the total grant award.  There was a guy who 
wrote a grant for a construction company where he got 3% of the total grant 
award for a grant funding a 11 million dollar project.  You do the math.
You don't have to have a pro write most grants for you and the experience 
will be great for you to learn.
Anyone who runs a non-profit organization needs to know this stuff.  It is 
not that hard to figure out, it just takes some reading, some writing and 
some paper work gathering.
Once you have all of this paper work gathered, you will already have most of 
it together for your next grant.

Your community Foundation and sometimes local non-profits have local 
training classes that you can go to and learn some of the finer points of 
grant writing.  There is also the Gransmanship Foundation( 
www.grantsmanshipfoundation.org),, that conducts training classes around the 
country.  Some of these classes cost and some do not.  Your non-profit 
should cover the cost.
I have learned to include a line item in my budget page, of grants I write 
that allows me the flexibility to pay for such things as classes, 
educational and research materials or memberships that help me get the 
information or services to help me write my next grant.
I believe in the axiom of "give a man a fish, feed him for a day.  Teach a 
man how to fish and feed him for a lifetime."
You can do this stuff, just give it a try.
When I got my first note taker for example.  I photocopied 2 pages from the 
Blazie catalog that showed a picture of the Type-N-Speak and then a page 
that wrote about the unit , what it could do and how much it cost, 
$1,410.00.  I then wrote a one page statement as to why I wanted this unit, 
what I felt it could do for me and submitted the 3 pages to the grant maker 
and got the max award of $1,000.00.  I added $410.00 of my own money and got 
the unit which I still use today 17 years later.

David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NFBnet NAB Entrepreneurs Mailing List'" <nabentre at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 2:56 PM
Subject: Re: [nabentre] Grant Writers

> David,
>
> If one were to want to retain or perhaps inquire into the services of a
> grant writer for a startup 501c3 would you have any suggestions as to 
> where
> to find writers? Schools that train in this, for perhaps  an internship?
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of David Evans
> Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 2:38 PM
> To: NFBnet NAB Entrepreneurs Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nabentre] Grant Writers
>
>
> Dear Jim and All,
>
> If you are an individual seeking a grant, for yourself or someone else, 
> and
> are not part of a non-profit 501-(C)(3) organization.  There is a 
> foundation
>
> directory called, "Foundations that give to Individuals," in the 
> Foundations
>
> Center data base that may have a grant that you can apply for.
> It is mostly for individuals seeking scholarships and help with attending
> college, studying abroad or for funding Master's and PHD projects, but 
> there
>
> are a number of grants just to help the average Joe or Jane.
> There are other private and family foundations that do give to individuals
> and even some federally assisted agencies such as (CIL) Centers for
> Independent Living that sometimes give grants to aid and assist 
> individuals.
> I got one of these grants years ago that helped me buy my first electronic
> note taker, a Blazie Type-N-Speak, which I still have and use.
> Grants are mostly for non-profits and organizations and agencies.
> I have used grants to fund equipment purchases mostly, but have used them 
> to
>
> also pay for transportation, vehicle rentals, lodgings, space rentals and
> services supporting special events for my NFB chapter and State Affiliate.
>
> I learned to write grants by accident.  I made an off handed comment one 
> day
>
> to a guy at a Cub Scout meeting I was running and he responded that he 
> could
>
> help me as it was his job with the local university to write grants for
> research projects there.  We talked and he agreed to show me how to do it.
> It turns out that at most every state college and university, there is a
> department called" Sponsored Research."  This guy was the prof in charge 
> of
> that department.
> He and I sat down and knocked out a grant in about 2 hours and he made up 
> a
> list of paper work I needed to collect and turn in with the grant.  I did
> this.  He told me that once I wrote my first grant, I would have most of 
> the
>
> paper work together for my next grant too.
> I had a computer, a Tandy 80 with 2 5.3 inch floppy drives.  I was already
> out growing this machine and it had no access software at all.
> The grant I wrote took advantage of the IBM funds for Community Service 
> and
> let me get a newer IBM desk top and a copy of "Word Perfect and a copy of 
> FS
>
> "Magic for DOS and a IBM dot matrix printer.
> I wrote the grant for all of this to start a monthly newsletter for the
> Chapter in my area and used the "Free Matter" mailing  method to send it 
> out
>
> to all Blind people I could.
> I got to use the equipment and learned how to use the access software and
> computer at the same time as producing the newsletter and other paperwork
> the chapter needed.
> I then wrote a grant that let me step up our newsletter by also producing
> the newsletter on audio tape and computer disc.  We purchased a good tape
> recorder and a high speed tape duplicator along with mailers, labels and a
> large stock of blank tapes.  I also got a Blazie Blazer Braille embosser 
> for
>
> producing a Braille edition and a box of Braille paper.
> We also covered Internet services and long distance phone calls for me and
> other chapter officers to help us do our work for the chapter.
> All of this ability to communicate and organize helped my chapter to grow
> into the largest chapter in the state and helped to improve our ability to
> fund raise and fund the chapter's and organization's activities.
> Because of all of the grants I wrote, our fund raising was enhanced and
> allowed us to put more time and money into chapter projects including
> sending members to Washington for the Seminar, National Convention and 
> other
>
> special events.
> Grant writing can pay great dividends, but there are some hoops and 
> hurdles
> to go over and through.Some of the regulations and restrictions on the use
> of the 501-(C)(3) status has changed and you must keep good records in 
> case
> the IRS wants to check up on you and your dealings.
> I hope that what I have said helps.
> Please let me know what you are thinking ?
>
> David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Homme, James" <james.homme at highmark.com>
> To: "NFBnet NAB Entrepreneurs Mailing List" <nabentre at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 6:48 AM
> Subject: Re: [nabentre] Grant Writers
>
>
>> Hi,
>> That's a good idea.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of David Andrews
>> Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2011 9:33 PM
>> To: NFBnet NAB Entrepreneurs Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [nabentre] Grant Writers
>>
>> What David tells you is good advice.  I would add that there is a
>> place called the "grantsmanship Center" I believe, if memory
>> serves.  They conduct grant writing workshops all over the
>> country.  They aren't cheap, but good.
>>
>> I have worked as a fund-raiser, writing lots of grants, and even
>> getting a few (smile.)  The hardest parts of grant writing aren't the
>> actual writing, assuming you are at least an ok writer, but the
>> research, and knowing how and what to ask for -- crafting the
>> grant.  The actual writing is only a minor part of the whole process.
>>
>> You could probably find a local nonprofit for whom you could
>> volunteer and get some experience.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> At 11:52 AM 9/16/2011, you wrote:
>>
>>>Dear Jim,
>>>
>>>I am a grant writer and have written grantsfor the NFB , myself and
>>>other individuals.
>>>If you want to write grants, educate yourself.
>>>Go to the Foundations Center web site, www.foundationscenter.org and
>>>you can see some of the information that is put out by grant making
>>>foundations.
>>>There are many grant instruction web sites and you can even go to
>>>your local library or Community Foundation HQ and get instructions
>>>on how to write them.
>>>For individuals it is harder as most grants are for agencies,
>>>organizations and government agencies.
>>>Individuals can apply for some grants, but it is limited.  It comes
>>>down to what it is you are looking for.
>>>
>>>Normally you will want to start with a foundation directory that
>>>list the names, locations and contact info for the foundations and
>>>also gives you information such as what areas of Interest they give
>>>grants in, What their "Mean" grant is, they IRS 990 forms, Who they
>>>gave grants to last year, What geographical area they serve, How to
>>>contact them and what dates begin and end their grant cycles.
>>>
>>>If you have questions, I will try to answer as time permits me.
>>>By the way, you can go to your local library or Community Foundation
>>>and look at many foundation directories and instructions on how to
>>>write grants right there.
>>>Let me know what you have in mind and I can advise you.
>>>
>>>David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
>>>I-mail: drevans at bellsouth.net
>>>
>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Homme, James"
>>><james.homme at highmark.com>
>>>To: "NFBnet NAB Entrepreneurs Mailing List" <nabentre at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Friday, September 09, 2011 7:25 AM
>>>Subject: [nabentre] Grant Writers
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hi,
>>>>Does anyone here know any grant writers? I want to learn about the
>>>>process of grant writing.
>>>>
>>>>Thanks.
>>>>
>>>>Jim
>>>>
>>>>Jim Homme,
>>>>Usability Services,
>>>>Phone: 412-544-1810.
>>
>>
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