Grants Are Like Box Lunches

Have you ever received a box lunch at a conference? You file past tables stacked with boxes and with signs like “Ham and Cheese,” “Turkey,” or “Vegetarian.” You choose a box, a drink from an ice-filled tub, and then grab some plastic utensils and a napkin. It’s like a picnic for thousands of people.

I like box lunches because they’re like opening a present. Plus, I like to eat, and I especially like to eat things prepared for me by someone else. A box lunch usually has a sandwich, a salad like macaroni or potato, a treat like a cookie in a wrapper, maybe some kind of chips or other, and if you’re lucky you even get a pickle. Box lunches are good fun.

Grants are like box lunches because the funder gives you an empty box (RFP instructions) and you get to fill it with tasty goodies and hope someone chooses it off the table and wants to eat it. If you want your grant to be delectable, do the following things:

  1. Be sure to communicate what’s in the box effectively. Be creative and upbeat but use concise language. Don’t say “pig parts and coagulated milk” when you mean “ham and cheese.” That’s unappetizing writing.
  2. Be organized and complete. Give the readers everything they need from napkins to a fork for their potato salad. If it’s too hard to eat it, it won’t get eaten.
  3. Be sure you use the best ingredients, including a quality program with lots of specific details, a budget the reflects your program, and an evaluation that will ensure results are measured. You don’t want to say you’re selling turkey sandwiches and then have no turkey between the bread.

The key is to fill your grant with things that the funder is hungry to see in it. If they’re looking for a ham and cheese, don’t give them a turkey or a vegetarian or they will probably wind up throwing it away uneaten.

In order to build a grant that readers will want to eat, be sure to read the rfp and fill the box with what the hungry lunch crowd wants to eat. Give them a pickle and a cookie, and they’ll eat your grant up.

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This post was written by non-profit consultant and grant writing expert, Derek Link.

Related Posts:

Some Grants Are Like Peanut Butter

Grants Are Like Donuts

Grants Are Like Sausage

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Grants Are Like Box Lunches

Have you ever received a box lunch at a conference? You file past tables stacked with boxes and with signs like “Ham and Cheese,” “Turkey,” or “Vegetarian.” You choose a box, a drink from an ice-filled tub, and then grab some plastic utensils and a napkin. It’s like a picnic for thousands of people.

I like box lunches because they’re like opening a present. Plus, I like to eat, and I especially like to eat things prepared for me by someone else. A box lunch usually has a sandwich, a salad like macaroni or potato, a treat like a cookie in a wrapper, maybe some kind of chips or other, and if you’re lucky you even get a pickle. Box lunches are good fun.

Grants are like box lunches because the funder gives you an empty box (RFP instructions) and you get to fill it with tasty goodies and hope someone chooses it off the table and wants to eat it. If you want your grant to be delectable, do the following things:

  1. Be sure to communicate what’s in the box effectively. Be creative and upbeat but use concise language. Don’t say “pig parts and coagulated milk” when you mean “ham and cheese.” That’s unappetizing writing.
  2. Be organized and complete. Give the readers everything they need from napkins to a fork for their potato salad. If it’s too hard to eat it, it won’t get eaten.
  3. Be sure you use the best ingredients, including a quality program with lots of specific details, a budget the reflects your program, and an evaluation that will ensure results are measured. You don’t want to say you’re selling turkey sandwiches and then have no turkey between the bread.

The key is to fill your grant with things that the funder is hungry to see in it. If they’re looking for a ham and cheese, don’t give them a turkey or a vegetarian or they will probably wind up throwing it away uneaten.

In order to build a grant that readers will want to eat, be sure to read the rfp and fill the box with what the hungry lunch crowd wants to eat. Give them a pickle and a cookie, and they’ll eat your grant up.

—————–

This post was written by non-profit consultant and grant writing expert, Derek Link.

Related Posts:

Some Grants Are Like Peanut Butter

Grants Are Like Donuts

Grants Are Like Sausage

Rediscover the Joy in Writing

I have a son in kindergarten who is just learning to read and write.  In spite of his lack of technical skill, almost every evening he joyfully grabs some paper, pens, and colored pencils or crayons and sets out on the task of creating a book.  Lately, all his books are about Bakugon (a kids’ TV show), his current favorte obsession. He creates new characters, agnonizes over their characteristics, painstakingly “writes” his narrative, and creates elaborate illustrations to bring his ideas to life. Then he asks his father or me to staple or tape his book together.

No author on the New York Times Bestseller List is prouder than he is each time his new creation is complete.

Then he “reads” it to me (usually more than once) and he makes plans for how he’s going to share it with his class the next day. And his eyes gleam with excitement the whole time.

Now he’s after me to help him start a blog because he’s convinced that the whole world needs to hear what he has to say, and he has a neverending supply of imaginative stories to tell.

The sheer joy he experiences when he writes inspires me every day.

I wonder when that creative joy of writing turned into “work.” I think we rip the joy out of writing for children in school by constant focus on conventions and the writing process (including endless editing and rewriting),  rather than on content and creativity.  In his book, Readicide, Kelly Gallagher writes about how schools are killing reading through an over-focus on analysis.  I think we are doing the same thing to writing.

As adults, we have bought into the idea that writing has to be perfect or it’s bad, and that only those with a particular gift can or should write. Non-fiction and technical writing (including grant writing) have been relegated to a level below fiction and determined (by whom???) to be less creative, less deserving of praise than fiction.

I have already written about the real payoff to grant writing – the opportunity to see the grants you have written as they are brought to life and really change peoples’ lives. I have the honor of witnessing that over and over again.  I saw it again last night as I attended a public meeting and heard people talk about a very powerful program that made a difference in their lives – and I knew that two years ago, at about this time of year, it was all just a jumbled bunch of ideas in my head.  I put it on paper.  The government thought it was good enough to fund, and now it’s real. Wow!

But even for those that are not funded, is there value in their writing?  Absolutely!

My son has discovered the sheer joy that comes from having an idea and using writing as a means of preserving and sharing it. The idea of tempering that joy with criticism or correction never enters my mind when he is sharing.  There is a time for analysis, and focusing on the conventions of writing, but that time is not when an author is in the flow – or experiencing the joy of creatvity.

Can you remember that joy?  Did you lose it?  When? How about trying to get it back?

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Get some grant writing tips — GrantGoddess.com

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Rediscover the Joy in Writing

I have a son in kindergarten who is just learning to read and write.  In spite of his lack of technical skill, almost every evening he joyfully grabs some paper, pens, and colored pencils or crayons and sets out on the task of creating a book.  Lately, all his books are about Bakugon (a kids’ TV show), his current favorte obsession. He creates new characters, agnonizes over their characteristics, painstakingly “writes” his narrative, and creates elaborate illustrations to bring his ideas to life. Then he asks his father or me to staple or tape his book together.

No author on the New York Times Bestseller List is prouder than he is each time his new creation is complete.

Then he “reads” it to me (usually more than once) and he makes plans for how he’s going to share it with his class the next day. And his eyes gleam with excitement the whole time.

Now he’s after me to help him start a blog because he’s convinced that the whole world needs to hear what he has to say, and he has a neverending supply of imaginative stories to tell.

The sheer joy he experiences when he writes inspires me every day.

I wonder when that creative joy of writing turned into “work.” I think we rip the joy out of writing for children in school by constant focus on conventions and the writing process (including endless editing and rewriting),  rather than on content and creativity.  In his book, Readicide, Kelly Gallagher writes about how schools are killing reading through an over-focus on analysis.  I think we are doing the same thing to writing.

As adults, we have bought into the idea that writing has to be perfect or it’s bad, and that only those with a particular gift can or should write. Non-fiction and technical writing (including grant writing) have been relegated to a level below fiction and determined (by whom???) to be less creative, less deserving of praise than fiction.

I have already written about the real payoff to grant writing – the opportunity to see the grants you have written as they are brought to life and really change peoples’ lives. I have the honor of witnessing that over and over again.  I saw it again last night as I attended a public meeting and heard people talk about a very powerful program that made a difference in their lives – and I knew that two years ago, at about this time of year, it was all just a jumbled bunch of ideas in my head.  I put it on paper.  The government thought it was good enough to fund, and now it’s real. Wow!

But even for those that are not funded, is there value in their writing?  Absolutely!

My son has discovered the sheer joy that comes from having an idea and using writing as a means of preserving and sharing it. The idea of tempering that joy with criticism or correction never enters my mind when he is sharing.  There is a time for analysis, and focusing on the conventions of writing, but that time is not when an author is in the flow – or experiencing the joy of creatvity.

Can you remember that joy?  Did you lose it?  When? How about trying to get it back?

————————-

Get some grant writing tips — GrantGoddess.com

Where Do I Start? Advice for New Non-Profit Organizations

Here is some advice from non-profit consultant Derek Link for new non-profit organizations:

I get calls from leaders of new non-profit organizations periodically to help them raise money. Often these individuals have already gone through an awful lot of work to get their organization established. Usually they’ve already a) established a mission; b) written bylaws; c) established a board; and d) filed paperwork with their state and with the federal government to establish non-profit status.

They’re ready to find funds to get started and many think that foundations are the deep pockets they need to establish their services. Often at this point they’re a little frustrated because they’ve discovered that foundation grant seeking is difficult. They’ve probably written letters of inquiry with no return so they suspect they’re doing something wrong – because their mission is so worthy.

My guess is that what they’re doing wrong isn’t presenting the importance of their mission; it’s more likely to be that they haven’t built an internal case for funding – they very simply haven’t gotten started yet and foundations often see “start-ups” as risky investments.
Here is my advice to people wanting to start up a non-profit organization from scratch.

  1. Build a budget and strategic plan before filing your non-profit paperwork.
  2. Build an influential board that is willing to contribute financially or raise a percentage of the budget you need for year one.
  3. Build your local network with agencies that care about your mission, that may either have a budget for your services, or who may include you in future grant applications to provide services.
  4. Include other non-profits in your local network, including your local community foundation.

So, I suggest to you that you start your non-profit by building a local base of support before looking outside the community for funding. Foundations want to see that the local/impacted community is committed to your cause, and that you are doing a good job of establishing a solid business model for achieving your mission.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Where Do I Start? Advice for New Non-Profit Organizations

Here is some advice from non-profit consultant Derek Link for new non-profit organizations:

I get calls from leaders of new non-profit organizations periodically to help them raise money. Often these individuals have already gone through an awful lot of work to get their organization established. Usually they’ve already a) established a mission; b) written bylaws; c) established a board; and d) filed paperwork with their state and with the federal government to establish non-profit status.

They’re ready to find funds to get started and many think that foundations are the deep pockets they need to establish their services. Often at this point they’re a little frustrated because they’ve discovered that foundation grant seeking is difficult. They’ve probably written letters of inquiry with no return so they suspect they’re doing something wrong – because their mission is so worthy.

My guess is that what they’re doing wrong isn’t presenting the importance of their mission; it’s more likely to be that they haven’t built an internal case for funding – they very simply haven’t gotten started yet and foundations often see “start-ups” as risky investments.
Here is my advice to people wanting to start up a non-profit organization from scratch.

  1. Build a budget and strategic plan before filing your non-profit paperwork.
  2. Build an influential board that is willing to contribute financially or raise a percentage of the budget you need for year one.
  3. Build your local network with agencies that care about your mission, that may either have a budget for your services, or who may include you in future grant applications to provide services.
  4. Include other non-profits in your local network, including your local community foundation.

So, I suggest to you that you start your non-profit by building a local base of support before looking outside the community for funding. Foundations want to see that the local/impacted community is committed to your cause, and that you are doing a good job of establishing a solid business model for achieving your mission.

Find Happiness in the Midst of Deadlines

Spring! Does anyone have the time to stop and smell the roses? Amidst grant planning and deadlines, budget slashing and planning, state testing, and annual performance reports, stress takes center stage – zapping our energy and our health. MaryEllen Bergh, Grant Coach, shares some simple strategies to keep you happier and healthier this spring.
In an article in Prevention Magazine (May 2010), Alyssa Shaffer writes about 12 Power Health Moves that provide major benefits for our bodies and our minds. Here’s how 3 of these moves – holding hands, writing thank-you notes, and laughing – can keep you more relaxed and much happier.

  1. Hold hands and reduce stress by 200%! A little hug and a few minutes of holding hands with your partner, significant other, or friend can lower your blood pressure. A study conducted by researchers at the American Psychosomatic Society told two groups of partners that they were going to give a speech (an exercise that typically causes a spike in blood pressure). The first group sat holding hands for a short while and shared a hug for 20 seconds before the speech. The other group was separated (no hand holding or hugging allowed) shortly after the task was described. During the speech, the blood pressure and heart rate of the non-hand-holding/hugging group was more than double that of the people who held hands. Other research has demonstrated that a heartfelt hug (lasting at least 20 seconds) from a friend releases a bonding hormone called oxytocin which reduces stress, lowers heart rate, and improves your mood. Make sure you squeeze a little squeeze into your life today!
  2. Write a thank-you letter and feel 20% happier! Researchers at Kent State found that students who wrote letters expressing gratitude to someone special were happier and more satisfied with their lives. Through the process of writing a heartfelt sentiment, students had time to think about the connections between themselves and others and to count their blessings. There is one caveat, states researcher Steven Toepfer, “Dashing off a quick email or texting a pal might not have the same effect as taking the time to reflect and put pen to paper.” Put yourself in an attitude of gratitude and send a little thank-you to someone in your life.
  3. Laugh and improve blood flow by 21%! We all know that humor and laughter keep us balanced amid chaos but did you know that it is also good for your heart? A recent study from the University of Texas at Austin found that those who chuckled during a comedy increased the dilation of blood vessels by one-fifth for up to 24 hours; when they watched a serious documentary, the arteries constricted by 18%. Laughter releases feel-good neurochemicals that have numerous favorable effects on the body. Laugh long and prosper!

———————————–
 
Visit GrantGoddess.com for great grant writing and program evaluation tips!

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Find Happiness in the Midst of Deadlines

Spring! Does anyone have the time to stop and smell the roses? Amidst grant planning and deadlines, budget slashing and planning, state testing, and annual performance reports, stress takes center stage – zapping our energy and our health. MaryEllen Bergh, Grant Coach, shares some simple strategies to keep you happier and healthier this spring.
In an article in Prevention Magazine (May 2010), Alyssa Shaffer writes about 12 Power Health Moves that provide major benefits for our bodies and our minds. Here’s how 3 of these moves – holding hands, writing thank-you notes, and laughing – can keep you more relaxed and much happier.

  1. Hold hands and reduce stress by 200%! A little hug and a few minutes of holding hands with your partner, significant other, or friend can lower your blood pressure. A study conducted by researchers at the American Psychosomatic Society told two groups of partners that they were going to give a speech (an exercise that typically causes a spike in blood pressure). The first group sat holding hands for a short while and shared a hug for 20 seconds before the speech. The other group was separated (no hand holding or hugging allowed) shortly after the task was described. During the speech, the blood pressure and heart rate of the non-hand-holding/hugging group was more than double that of the people who held hands. Other research has demonstrated that a heartfelt hug (lasting at least 20 seconds) from a friend releases a bonding hormone called oxytocin which reduces stress, lowers heart rate, and improves your mood. Make sure you squeeze a little squeeze into your life today!
  2. Write a thank-you letter and feel 20% happier! Researchers at Kent State found that students who wrote letters expressing gratitude to someone special were happier and more satisfied with their lives. Through the process of writing a heartfelt sentiment, students had time to think about the connections between themselves and others and to count their blessings. There is one caveat, states researcher Steven Toepfer, “Dashing off a quick email or texting a pal might not have the same effect as taking the time to reflect and put pen to paper.” Put yourself in an attitude of gratitude and send a little thank-you to someone in your life.
  3. Laugh and improve blood flow by 21%! We all know that humor and laughter keep us balanced amid chaos but did you know that it is also good for your heart? A recent study from the University of Texas at Austin found that those who chuckled during a comedy increased the dilation of blood vessels by one-fifth for up to 24 hours; when they watched a serious documentary, the arteries constricted by 18%. Laughter releases feel-good neurochemicals that have numerous favorable effects on the body. Laugh long and prosper!

———————————–
 
Visit GrantGoddess.com for great grant writing and program evaluation tips!

What is a Non-Profit Organization? (Part 1)

Non-profit consultant Derek Link sheds some light on non-profit organizations eligible for non-profit status:

Around April 15 each year people think about non-profit organizations because they’re filling out tax forms. Most people think of a non-profit organization as one that gives them a benefit when they donate to it; that is, their donation is considered tax-deductible by the IRS. The organizations that are given tax deductible status are listed in IRS Publication 526.

Examples given in Publication 526 include:

  • Churches, a convention or association of churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, and other religious organizations.
  • Most nonprofit charitable organizations such as the Red Cross and the United Way.
  • Most nonprofit educational organizations, including the Boy (and Girl) Scouts of America, colleges, museums, and daycare centers if substantially all the childcare provided is to enable individuals (the parents) to be gainfully employed and the services are available to the general public. However, if your contribution is a substitute for tuition or other enrollment fee, it is not deductible as a charitable contribution, as explained later under Contributions You Cannot Deduct.
  • Nonprofit hospitals and medical research organizations.
  • Utility company emergency energy programs, if the utility company is an agent for a charitable organization that assists individuals with emergency energy needs.
  • Nonprofit volunteer fire companies.
  • Public parks and recreation facilities.
  • Civil defense organizations.

And something I didn’t know is that these may also be included for a tax deduction:

  • Canadian charities. You may be able to deduct contributions to certain Canadian charitable organizations covered under an income tax treaty with Canada. To deduct your contribution to a Canadian charity, you generally must have income from sources in Canada. See Publication 597, Information on the United States-Canada Income Tax Treaty, for information on how to figure your deduction.
  • Mexican charities. You may be able to deduct contributions to certain Mexican charitable organizations under an income tax treaty with Mexico.

————————————————

Become a member of GrantGoddess.com for tips and suggestions for non-profit fundraising and organizational development.
Have you purchased your copy of 101 Tips for Aspiring Grant Writers?

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

What is a Non-Profit Organization? (Part 1)

Non-profit consultant Derek Link sheds some light on non-profit organizations eligible for non-profit status:

Around April 15 each year people think about non-profit organizations because they’re filling out tax forms. Most people think of a non-profit organization as one that gives them a benefit when they donate to it; that is, their donation is considered tax-deductible by the IRS. The organizations that are given tax deductible status are listed in IRS Publication 526.

Examples given in Publication 526 include:

  • Churches, a convention or association of churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, and other religious organizations.
  • Most nonprofit charitable organizations such as the Red Cross and the United Way.
  • Most nonprofit educational organizations, including the Boy (and Girl) Scouts of America, colleges, museums, and daycare centers if substantially all the childcare provided is to enable individuals (the parents) to be gainfully employed and the services are available to the general public. However, if your contribution is a substitute for tuition or other enrollment fee, it is not deductible as a charitable contribution, as explained later under Contributions You Cannot Deduct.
  • Nonprofit hospitals and medical research organizations.
  • Utility company emergency energy programs, if the utility company is an agent for a charitable organization that assists individuals with emergency energy needs.
  • Nonprofit volunteer fire companies.
  • Public parks and recreation facilities.
  • Civil defense organizations.

And something I didn’t know is that these may also be included for a tax deduction:

  • Canadian charities. You may be able to deduct contributions to certain Canadian charitable organizations covered under an income tax treaty with Canada. To deduct your contribution to a Canadian charity, you generally must have income from sources in Canada. See Publication 597, Information on the United States-Canada Income Tax Treaty, for information on how to figure your deduction.
  • Mexican charities. You may be able to deduct contributions to certain Mexican charitable organizations under an income tax treaty with Mexico.

————————————————

Become a member of GrantGoddess.com for tips and suggestions for non-profit fundraising and organizational development.
Have you purchased your copy of 101 Tips for Aspiring Grant Writers?