March 30, 2022

Evaluating the Evaluation Component In Step 6 o

PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT A BID IF YOU DO NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH GRADUATE-LEVEL WRITING. MUST FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED, AND NO PLAGIARISM. USE THE SOURCES INCLUDED.

Week 5 – Discussion

Evaluating the Evaluation Component

In Step 6 of the text, you learned about the importance of the evaluation component to both the grant-seeking organization and the funder. There is some debate as to whether the evaluation function is better performed by the grant-seeking organization (i.e., internal evaluation), or by an external evaluator.

Search the Internet and/or the online library for articles about the pros and cons of using internal versus external evaluators. In your discussion response, share your thoughts on which you think is more appropriate (internal or external evaluation), and include an advantage and disadvantage for each. Be sure to make reference(s) to the article(s) or website(s) you identify to support your points. Identify which type of evaluation you would recommend for your grant proposal and why

Week 5 – Assignment

Summary

Download Worksheet 10.1: Summary Questionnaire. Once you have opened Worksheet 10.1, select “save as,” and save it to your own computer as a Word document. Answer each question on the questionnaire (2-3 sentences each) by typing your responses directly into the worksheet, and upload the completed worksheet as part of your written assignment.

Note: You will use this paper and completed questionnaire to craft the summary component that will be included in your grant proposal/final project due in Week Six (a Sample Summary is included on p. 88 of the text).

Resources

Required Text

O'Neal-McElrath, T. (2013). Winning grants step by step: The complete workbook for planning, developing and writing successful proposals (Links to an external site.) (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: ISBN: 978-1-118-37834-2

· Step 8: Preparing the Program Budget

· Step 10: Writing the Proposal Summary

· Worksheets

Kids In Distress

http://www.kidinc.org/

Step 10 Writing the Proposal Summary

THE PROPOSAL IS NOW NEARLY COMPLETE. The proposal summary does what its title suggests—it summarizes the entire proposal. In this step grantseekers learn the basics of constructing a solid and compelling sum- mary. Using a worksheet and following examples, grantseekers also write a summary for their own proposals.

Purpose and Content of the Summary

A proposal summary (also referred to as an executive summary) is a clear, one- or two-page abstract of the full proposal. Its purpose is to encapsulate the strongest key elements of the grantseeker’s proposal, which will then lead the funder to engage in reading the full proposal.

All proposals of more than fi ve pages in length should contain a sum- mary, and in most cases funders require a summary as a part of the proposal. Positioned as the opening element of the proposal, it is typically the section written last to ensure that all critical proposal elements are incorporated. A proposal summary should contain the following elements:

• Identifi cation of the applicant (the organization)

• The specifi c purpose of the grant

• The applicant’s qualifi cations to carry out this purpose (the program)

• The anticipated end result

• The total program or project budget and how much the applicant is requesting from the grantmaker to be used toward that amount

Grantseekers should endeavor to include each of the elements outlined in the previous section in short paragraphs.

A crisp and well-articulated summary assists the funder in understand- ing the need for the program, its goals, and objectives. A good proposal summary paints a picture of the full proposal and successfully entices the

O'Neal-McElrath, Tori, and Mim Carlson. Winning Grants Step by Step : The Complete Workbook for Planning, Developing and Writing Successful Proposals, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ashford-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1469450. Created from ashford-ebooks on 2022-03-29 23:41:12.

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Winning Grants Step by Step92

funder to read more. Grantseekers should always keep in mind that funders receive dozens—and in many cases hundreds—of grant proposals to review during any given funding cycle.

There are many different approaches to employ when writing the pro- posal summary. Some will start with the compelling problem the program is designed to address, whereas others will start by introducing the organi- zation, highlighting its reputation and standing, and presenting its overall qualifi cations. When in doubt, consider following the same order used in the proposal.

If writing the proposal summary is a struggle, know that even the most seasoned grantwriters sometimes struggle with this section because it demands brevity. It requires the writer to capture the most essential elements of each component of the proposal, in a condensed style—yet in a way that will capture the reader’s attention and distinguish this proposal from the rest.

Tips for Writing the Summary

• Decide what the key points are in each section of the proposal’s com- ponents. Include only those key points in the summary.

• Stress the key points important to the funder. Make sure the summary highlights the potential funder’s priorities.

Study the following Sample Summary for the Swim 4 Life. Then com- plete Worksheet 10.1 to pull together the material for the summary. Finally, review the work by asking the Summary Review Questions. Grantseekers should be able to answer yes to each question.

Sample Summary Swim 4 Life was established as a 501(c) nonprofi t organization in 2008 by 2000 Olympic swimming hopeful Jane Swimmer, who emerged as one of the brightest female swim stars in the United States at the 2000 Games. The mission of the Swim 4 Life program is to empower youth in the underserved communities throughout King County, through high-quality programs, to utilize the discipline of swimming to improve physical fi tness, nurture self-esteem, and acquire the confi dence to advance their lives. This mission is fulfi lled through programs currently operated at Arthur Schomburg Middle School in South Spring and the Rockmore Education Complex high school near downtown Abbington. More than 450 youth have participated since operations began in 2007.

The overall goal of the program is to empower children in disadvantaged neighborhoods through swimming with the confi dence and baseline skills to save their lives, improve their academic performance, and increase the potential for an improved quality of life. One of the program’s primary objectives to achieve the goal is to teach a minimum of 150 children to swim every year so that they

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Step 10—Writing the Proposal Summar y 93

have the opportunity to enjoy the sport and be “water-safe,” thus gaining a much needed confi dence boost. More than 450 youth have participated in the program’s short history, and 85 percent of those children passed a water safety survival test. Programs are delivered by two full-time and seven part-time employees, with a seven-member board of directors providing oversight and governance.

The Rockmore Education Complex is located in the city of Abbington, the most densely populated city in the state, with 8,552 people occupying every square mile, compared with a state average of 2,093 people per square mile. It has the highest crime rate in the state, and the poverty rate is 46 percent, nearly twice that of all other cities in the state, with the exception of South Spring, which has a 31 percent crime rate. Fifty-one percent of children under the age of eighteen live in poverty, compared with 31 percent in the rest of the city. Young people in this community clearly live under stressful conditions and could benefi t greatly from structured and supervised physical activity, as well as safe opportunities for fun and positive engagement.

The Swim 4 Life program currently operates programs at one middle school (Schomberg); in Fall 2008 it began regular programs at one high school (RLC), while a third program started at both sites in the Fall of 2009. The goal of the program is to expand to one additional school in 2012: Cooperville Middle School, which is also located in Abbington. Our program at one school even provides swim instruction specifi cally for students with disabilities. Through our partnership with the Gathenton School District, we are off ered the opportunity to replicate the programs throughout the cities of Rockmore and South Spring in King County, contributing to improved health and fi tness of thousands of youth who have been excluded from learning the sport of swimming because of limited access to safe pools.

The entire Swim 4 Life Program budget is $468,800, of which $150,000 remains to be raised. Your gift of $25,000 will go a long way toward helping us meet our objective of program expansion, thus serving 25 percent more kids. Thank you for your consideration of our request.

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Winning Grants Step by Step94

WORKSHEET 10.1:

Summary Questionnaire

1. What is the identity of the organization, and what is its mission?

2. What is the proposed program or project (title, purpose, target population)?

3. Why is the proposed program or project important?

4. What will be accomplished by this program or project during the time period of the grant?

5. Why should the organization do the program or project (credibility statement)?

6. How much will the program or project cost during the grant time period? How much is being requested from this funder?

On the Web

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Step 10—Writing the Proposal Summar y 95

Summary Review Questions

1. Does the summary clearly identify the applicant(s)?

2. Does it describe the specifi c need to be addressed and the specifi c objectives to be achieved?

3. Does it mention the total program or project cost and the amount of funding requested?

4. Is it brief (no more than two pages maximum)?

5. Does it thank the funder for considering the applicant’s request for funding?

It is now time to assemble the entire proposal package, which is Step Eleven.

Helpful Hint Be consistent. Now is not the time to intro- duce new information. Everything in this section should already be part of the full proposal.

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WORKSHEET 10.1A: Summary Questionnaire

Use the filled-out Worksheet 10.1B in the book as an example to follow as you complete this questionnaire.

1. What is the indentify of your organization, and what is its mission?

2. What is the proposed project (title, purpose, target population)?

3. Why is the proposed project important?

4. What will be accomplished by this program or project during the time period of the grant?

5. Why should your organization do the project (credibility statement)?

6. How much will the project cost during the grant time period? How much is being requested from this funder?

Step 8 Developing the Program Budget

THIS STEP PROVIDES THE BASIC TOOLS to develop an effective pro- gram budget. It also introduces key terms and defi nitions that will help in understanding the various elements of a budget. Finally, there are a number of examples and tools included both here and online that will be helpful in creating a program budget.

General Budget Overview

When applying for grants typically two types of budgets may be requested— an organizational operating budget and a program budget.

An organizational operating budget details the income and expenses for the fi scal year for the grantseeking organization. An organization may have several projects or programs that it is responsible for implementing and managing throughout the year. A program budget would essentially fall under the purview of the organizational operating budget.

The program budget is one of the most important components of a grant proposal. It provides insight into how a single program plan will be fi nancially executed during the life of the grant or program. The budget also gives funders the opportunity to understand the depth and breadth of the pro- grammatic effort from a fi nancial perspective. One of the fi rst things that funders want to know is what the budget entails and how its money will make an impact if it funds the program or organization. While many organizations have the skills to implement the program plan, it may not necessarily know how to fi nancially explain or manage its program.

Helpful Hint Be sure to research what an acceptable in- direct cost rate should be. Some funders have already established their allowable indirect cost rate for any grants they fund. For instance, if a funder will only allow an indirect cost rate of 12 percent, but the organization’s indirect cost rate is 20 per- cent, the program will have to off -set the 8 percent loss in overhead costs in other areas of the budget.

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72 Winning Grants Step by Step

For the purpose of this workbook, only the program budget will be spe- cifi cally addressed.

Basics of a Program Budget

Developing a budget for a grant proposal can be somewhat similar to developing a personal budget. For instance, while personal expenses might include mortgage or rent, utility bills and personal loans, the program budget includes expenses such as salaries, marketing, and other cost items necessary to successfully run the program.

The following is a list of simple stages that are necessary to develop a program budget.

Stage 1: Review, research, and organize budget requirements and information

Stage 2: Develop and document the program budget

Stage 3: Review, update, and review again

Stage 4: Develop the budget justifi cation

Incorporating these specifi c stages into a budget development process will ensure a comprehensive budget that is refl ective of thoughtfulness and planning. Funders will pay close attention to a grantseeker’s efforts to adhere to their budget requirements, document projected revenues, and research relevant expenses for their proposed program.

Stage 1: Review, Research, and Organize

The fi rst stage is a two-part process that starts the budget formulation pro- cess. The fi rst part involves reading the grant application for understanding and clarity, while the second part demonstrates how to research and organize the information to be included in the budget. Let’s begin by understanding the grant application budget review process.

Review the Grant Application for Specifi c Budget

Requirements

Before investing too much time in developing the budget and selecting a budget tool, it is important to read through the grant application and deter- mine what is required. Funders often provide or specify a document or tool that should be used to capture the budget, as well as identify or list specifi c information to be included. As a potential grantee, it is important to follow the specifi c instructions provided in the grant application, supplementing

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Step 8—Developing the Program Budget 73

it with any information (if allowed by the funder) that will make the orga- nization’s fi nancial needs more clear.

Important items to consider in the grant application guidelines before developing the budget may include

• A budget template with instructions including whether or not it is mandatory to use the form

• Instructions on the specifi c budget categories or level of the budget details and how those details should be recorded

• Items that should not be included in the budget

• If a budget narrative should be included and in what format

• Clarity around the percentage of “indirect” or “overhead” an organi- zation is allowed to include in the budget. This will vary greatly from funder to funder, as well as for public funding at the local, state, and federal levels.

While this stage might appear tedious for some, it is absolutely neces- sary to get a funder’s attention, as well as to demonstrate an organization’s understanding of the importance of having its fi nancial house in order. By following directions, an organization further demonstrates its level of com- mitment to its program.

Now that the budget instructions and specifi c requirements have been properly read and digested, it’s time to begin researching and organizing specifi c budget details.

Research and Organize Budget Information

The process of researching, collecting, and organizing the budget data is often underestimated when developing the budget. What if an organization has never used the services of a printer for printing marketing material?

How does the organization know how much it will cost to perform that task? This stage demonstrates the process to collect the information required to determine revenue and expense estimates that will be included in the budget.

Before actually beginning to develop the budget, there are several actions that should occur:

• Identifying the types of revenues and expenses that are included in the organization’s budget

• Researching, developing, or collecting estimates for revenues and expenses

Helpful Hint Using a spreadsheet to document the in- formation researched will help to track and organize the information collected.

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Winning Grants Step by Step74

• Organizing the data to easily facilitate the budget development pro- cess (next step)

• Remembering that budgets consist of good faith estimates—a best guess based on solid research.

Thinking that perhaps this process is time consuming? That would be a correct assumption. It typically is, but organizations that invest in this stage will be one step closer to presenting a budget that is fair and reasonable and a step closer to winning the grant!

Stage 2: Develop the Budget

Now that understanding the budget requirements for the grant proposal is in hand and budget information is organized, it is time to actually develop the budget. The initial action here is to select spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel, to document the budget items. The next step is to fi ll in the budget using the information gathered from Stage 1. It is more likely than not that the funder will provide an online proposal budget spreadsheet, so the more organizations are familiar with spreadsheet software, the easier it will be to navigate the online (and paper) budget spreadsheets.

Selecting a Spreadsheet Software Tool

A number of electronic tools are available to document a budget. The tool selected should be based on the complexity of the budget in addition to long- term needs in terms of compatibility with other software tools. While word processing software like Microsoft Word and WordPerfect can assist with documenting the budget, they do not have the same fl exibility as spread- sheet software like Microsoft Excel and Lotus, as two examples. Spreadsheet software allows the documenting of the data, the application of formulas to the numbers, and the creation of fi gures and graphs using the data in the spreadsheet. Finally, for those who are not “numbers” people, spreadsheet software will help in quickly checking for errors in math.

Establish the Budget Period

Every budget has to have a beginning and ending period called the budget period. This budget period for a program will be one of these three: (1) the

organization’s fi scal year, (2) the program year, or (3) the grant period. For instance, the budget period may cover January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2012.This information should be clearly stated on the budget spreadsheet. Also,

Key Note For general operating grant requests, the pro- gram year and fi scal year will be the same.

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Step 8—Developing the Program Budget 75

be sure to note whether the budget covers multiple years (based on the grantee request).

Estimate Revenues and Expenses

In Stage 1, all revenues and expenses that should be included in the budget should be identifi ed. At this point, most revenues and expenses will be esti- mates and should be documented as such. There are instances when actual revenue and expense amounts

are known and, if so, those should be included as actuals. Revenue is income identifi ed and/or already committed for the program

such as memberships, fee-for-service, other grants, and other fundraising endeavors such as special events and individual giving. Depending on the program, your budget may contain several different revenue streams. A list of potential revenue sources includes other foundation support, government funding, and individual funds. In addition, items like in-kind donations of supplies, services, and human capital and other volunteer services should also be listed as revenue sources.

The revenue sources included in the budget will be based on the program and should be estimated according to the expected or known revenue stream. For instance, if the revenue is based on memberships or fee-for-service, the amount can be calculated as follows:

Revenue = quantity of the memberships/fee-for-service × price of membership/fee-for-service or

Revenue = Amount assessed for membership fees and/or services rendered

Example: Revenue Budget Table for Swim 4 Life

Revenues Projected

Individual Fundraising $60,000

Corporate Funding $45,000

Some City School Program Funding $45,000

YWCA $45,000

In-Kind Goods $60,000

In-Kind Services $55,000

Interest $800

Total $310,800

Expenses are the costs of those items required to sustain the program. They are a critical piece of the budget because they identify the costs

Helpful Hint Keep in mind that some grants may cover multiple years, thus the need for a mul- tiyear budget. Make sure the budget is consistent from year to year and includes adjustments, like cost-of-living, general service, and product increases.

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Winning Grants Step by Step76

necessary to manage and sustain a program. Expenses can be recorded in two categories—direct and indirect costs.

Direct Costs

According to the Nonprofi t and Philanthropy Good Practice guide from the Johnson Center at Grand Valley State University, direct cost: “Includes all items that can be categorically identifi ed and charged to the specifi c proj- ect, such as personnel, fringe benefi ts, consultants, subcontractors, travel, equipment, supplies and materials, communications, computer time, and publication charges.”

They are typically itemized and can be traced directly to the project they support. In Stage 1, we discussed researching, developing, and collecting revenue and expense estimates. This section further highlights why this stage is necessary.

Since these costs are directly related to the project, they should be easy to identify. Here is a short list of potential expenses that may be listed as direct costs or expenses:

• Staff and travel

• Supplies and materials

• Equipment

Calculating direct costs should be kept fairly simple, especially if develop- ing program budgets is a new experience for the organization. For instance, Swim 4 Life employs nine people: one director, one program assistant, and seven part-time staff. For simplicity, all of the employees are salaried. After salaries are researched in the market for the different roles, documentation may look like the following table:

Example: Estimated Salary Table for Swim 4 Life

Role # of Staff Monthly Wages Yearly Total*

Executive Director 1 $4,500 $40,000

Program Assistant 1 $3,125 $25,000

Half-time staff 7 $2,208 (cumulative) $26,500

Total $91,500

*Yearly total calculation = # Staff × Monthly Wages × 12 Months. Salary information should be collected from some market research database.

The “Total” amount listed in the table is the number that will be included in the Salary row of the budget spreadsheet.

In general, this is the process that should be followed when estimating all direct costs associated with a program. While the actual ba

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Evaluating the Evaluation Component In Step 6 o

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