Try a Change of Perspective

When faced with writer’s block or any challenge that gets us stuck, our certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh, always has some suggestions for getting un-stuck. One of her suggestions focuses on changing perspective. Here’s what she has to say:

Sometimes all you need is a fresh perspective. Try these 3 things to see things with new eyes:

1) Change your routines. It will very quickly open you to new perspectives. This can be as simple as changing the hand with which you hold your telephone or getting up on the opposite side of the bed.

2) Change your scenery. Take a few minutes to clean off your desk or bring in some fresh flowers.

3) Visualize yourself in someone else’s shoes. Step into the character of a mentor or someone you admire and see things for a moment through their eyes.

Become a member of grantgoddess.com to get more from the coach!

Nonverbal Communication Makes the Difference!

Some thoughts on communication from our certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh:

Good communication skills can help you in both your personal and professional life. While verbal and written communication skills are important, research has shown that nonverbal behaviors make up a large percentage of our daily interpersonal communication.

According to Albert Mehrabian’s research, 7% of what we communicate to others is the result of the words we say or the context of the communication; 38% of our communication to others is a result of verbal behavior which includes tone of voice, timbre, tempo and volume; 55% of our communication to others is a result of our nonverbal communication – our body posture, breathing, eye contact, facial expressions, and movement. The value of Mehrabian research relates to communications where emotional content is significant, and the need to understand it properly is high. This is often applicable in management and business, where motivation and attitude have a crucial effect on outcomes.

Try these three ways to improve communication:

1) Be aware of non verbal signals.Pay attention to body movements, gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These signals send important information not carried in the words said.
2) Pay attention if the words and nonverbal behaviors do not match. Research has shown that when words fail to match up with nonverbal signals, people tend to ignore what has been said and focus on nonverbal expressions of moods, thoughts, and emotions. For example, someone might tell you they are happy while frowning and staring at the ground. You are not likely to believe what was said!
3) Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you are confused by the words and signals.

Want more information and wisdom from the coach?  Become a member of grantgoddess.com!

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

Nonverbal Communication Makes the Difference!

Some thoughts on communication from our certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh:

Good communication skills can help you in both your personal and professional life. While verbal and written communication skills are important, research has shown that nonverbal behaviors make up a large percentage of our daily interpersonal communication.

According to Albert Mehrabian’s research, 7% of what we communicate to others is the result of the words we say or the context of the communication; 38% of our communication to others is a result of verbal behavior which includes tone of voice, timbre, tempo and volume; 55% of our communication to others is a result of our nonverbal communication – our body posture, breathing, eye contact, facial expressions, and movement. The value of Mehrabian research relates to communications where emotional content is significant, and the need to understand it properly is high. This is often applicable in management and business, where motivation and attitude have a crucial effect on outcomes.

Try these three ways to improve communication:

1) Be aware of non verbal signals.Pay attention to body movements, gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These signals send important information not carried in the words said.
2) Pay attention if the words and nonverbal behaviors do not match. Research has shown that when words fail to match up with nonverbal signals, people tend to ignore what has been said and focus on nonverbal expressions of moods, thoughts, and emotions. For example, someone might tell you they are happy while frowning and staring at the ground. You are not likely to believe what was said!
3) Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you are confused by the words and signals.

Want more information and wisdom from the coach?  Become a member of grantgoddess.com!

What do funders want?

When you start out on the path of grant writing, figuring out what funders want can seem very confusing.  Actually, it’s not as complicated as it seems. Here’s the answer to that elusive question, “What do funders want?”

  • They want to know they are funding an organization that has a vision that matches theirs. They don’t have time to mess around with folks who are just chasing money, and you don’t have time to chase the money at the expense of your organization’s mission and vision.  Look for and find funding sources that want to fund projects like yours.
  • They want to know that their money will be well spent and well managed.That’s why many foundations won’t fund organizations that have been in operation for less than three years.  That’s why they want to see your overall agency budget.  That’s why they often ask to see audit reports.Think about it.  When you donate money to a charity, don’t you want to know it will be well managed?
  • They want to fund organizations that have the capacity to implement the program they funded. If your overall budget is less than $1,000,000 a year, you will be unlikely to receive a grant for several million dollars.  Why?  Because you have not yet demonstrated the capacity to manage that amount of money successfully.  Even if you have a larger overall budget, if all of your programs have been local and small scale, you would be unlikely to receive a grant to implement a program nationally.  That doesn’t mean you can’t work up to it, but don’t underestimate the importance of capacity.
  • They want to to receive proposals that answer their questions directly and succinctly. Imagine that you had $10 to give to someone to start a lemonade stand, and you asked for essays describing how the recipient would use the money to start a lemonade stand. When the proposals roll in, half of them address the questions you ask clearly and directly . Some of the others make the case for why a hot chocolate stand would be better, or how they would like to expand their very successful muffin stand, or something else. Some of the others address the question, but they go on and on about how many soda stands they have implemented, and how many bike routes they have built, and….and…..and….Even though they all took the time and effort to put proposals together, the only ones who have a chance are those who directly and succinctly described how they would use the money to start a lemonade stand.
  • They want to make a difference in the world – just like you. Even though they may not say it, funders want to recognize and feel your passion for what you do.  Addressing the questions in the application directly is important.  Competence and capacity and good fiscal stewardship matter, to be sure, but make sure the funders know that you have a heart, that you care about the work you do, and that you are making a difference in the world.
Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

What do funders want?

When you start out on the path of grant writing, figuring out what funders want can seem very confusing.  Actually, it’s not as complicated as it seems. Here’s the answer to that elusive question, “What do funders want?”

  • They want to know they are funding an organization that has a vision that matches theirs. They don’t have time to mess around with folks who are just chasing money, and you don’t have time to chase the money at the expense of your organization’s mission and vision.  Look for and find funding sources that want to fund projects like yours.
  • They want to know that their money will be well spent and well managed.That’s why many foundations won’t fund organizations that have been in operation for less than three years.  That’s why they want to see your overall agency budget.  That’s why they often ask to see audit reports.Think about it.  When you donate money to a charity, don’t you want to know it will be well managed?
  • They want to fund organizations that have the capacity to implement the program they funded. If your overall budget is less than $1,000,000 a year, you will be unlikely to receive a grant for several million dollars.  Why?  Because you have not yet demonstrated the capacity to manage that amount of money successfully.  Even if you have a larger overall budget, if all of your programs have been local and small scale, you would be unlikely to receive a grant to implement a program nationally.  That doesn’t mean you can’t work up to it, but don’t underestimate the importance of capacity.
  • They want to to receive proposals that answer their questions directly and succinctly. Imagine that you had $10 to give to someone to start a lemonade stand, and you asked for essays describing how the recipient would use the money to start a lemonade stand. When the proposals roll in, half of them address the questions you ask clearly and directly . Some of the others make the case for why a hot chocolate stand would be better, or how they would like to expand their very successful muffin stand, or something else. Some of the others address the question, but they go on and on about how many soda stands they have implemented, and how many bike routes they have built, and….and…..and….Even though they all took the time and effort to put proposals together, the only ones who have a chance are those who directly and succinctly described how they would use the money to start a lemonade stand.
  • They want to make a difference in the world – just like you. Even though they may not say it, funders want to recognize and feel your passion for what you do.  Addressing the questions in the application directly is important.  Competence and capacity and good fiscal stewardship matter, to be sure, but make sure the funders know that you have a heart, that you care about the work you do, and that you are making a difference in the world.

Is There a Formula for Grant Writing Success?

Maybe I’m being more reflective that usual because of the new year, or maybe it’s because several  people have asked me about our success lately. The question on my mind is this:  What is the difference between super-successful grant writers like those at CRR (with funding success of over $100 million in less than 10 years) and those grant writers who struggle for every mini-grant or who spend decades writing and can’t get far passed the $10 million mark? It can’t just be luck. Is there a formula?

Well, yes and no. There is a certain amount of basic skill involved.  Good grant writers are, first and foremost, excellent writers. They are also excellent readers.  Reading an RFP (and reading between the lines of an RFP) is critical.

Good grant writers know how to follow the instructions, write succinctly, develop appropriate budgets, write good goals and objectives, build a compelling case for a project, write effective evaluation plans, and put together a comprehensive and complete proposal package. All of these skills can be taught and learned, but what separates the good grant writers from really great ones?

It’s about the things you can’t teach.

Great grant writers are extremely creative.  They can see connections between data and programs that others miss.

They are highly intuitive.  They have a sense for what a funder is really asking for, in spite of what is on the written page.

They are resilient. They handle failure and set-backs as well as success. And trust me on this– if you do a lot of grant writing, you will experience some failure – not as much as those who aren’t as good, but you don’t get to be among the best without taking those failures and learning from them.

They handle stress well.  Deadline stress is a particular kind of stress.  Every person I have ever interviewed for a job says they handle stress well.  Then they get to experience our kind of deadline stress.  Some rise to the occasion and do their best work.  Others fall apart. Also, it’s one thing being able to handle a single deadline for a single proposal, but it’s another thing entirely to handle the stress of 5 grants due on the same day, followed by another 3 grants due two days after that, and so on. That brings me to the next characteristic of really great grant writers….

They are experts at managing time and multitasking. Writing only one proposal at a time feels like a vacation.

Want to know more abut what makes the difference between good grant writers and the really successful ones (beyond what I have said here)?  Visit the CRR online store and take a look at the CD or cassette of 12 Secrets of Successful Grant Writers.

It’s not rocket science, but knowing the secrets can make the difference between being good and being GREAT.

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

Is There a Formula for Grant Writing Success?

Maybe I’m being more reflective that usual because of the new year, or maybe it’s because several  people have asked me about our success lately. The question on my mind is this:  What is the difference between super-successful grant writers like those at CRR (with funding success of over $100 million in less than 10 years) and those grant writers who struggle for every mini-grant or who spend decades writing and can’t get far passed the $10 million mark? It can’t just be luck. Is there a formula?

Well, yes and no. There is a certain amount of basic skill involved.  Good grant writers are, first and foremost, excellent writers. They are also excellent readers.  Reading an RFP (and reading between the lines of an RFP) is critical.

Good grant writers know how to follow the instructions, write succinctly, develop appropriate budgets, write good goals and objectives, build a compelling case for a project, write effective evaluation plans, and put together a comprehensive and complete proposal package. All of these skills can be taught and learned, but what separates the good grant writers from really great ones?

It’s about the things you can’t teach.

Great grant writers are extremely creative.  They can see connections between data and programs that others miss.

They are highly intuitive.  They have a sense for what a funder is really asking for, in spite of what is on the written page.

They are resilient. They handle failure and set-backs as well as success. And trust me on this– if you do a lot of grant writing, you will experience some failure – not as much as those who aren’t as good, but you don’t get to be among the best without taking those failures and learning from them.

They handle stress well.  Deadline stress is a particular kind of stress.  Every person I have ever interviewed for a job says they handle stress well.  Then they get to experience our kind of deadline stress.  Some rise to the occasion and do their best work.  Others fall apart. Also, it’s one thing being able to handle a single deadline for a single proposal, but it’s another thing entirely to handle the stress of 5 grants due on the same day, followed by another 3 grants due two days after that, and so on. That brings me to the next characteristic of really great grant writers….

They are experts at managing time and multitasking. Writing only one proposal at a time feels like a vacation.

Want to know more abut what makes the difference between good grant writers and the really successful ones (beyond what I have said here)?  Visit the CRR online store and take a look at the CD or cassette of 12 Secrets of Successful Grant Writers.

It’s not rocket science, but knowing the secrets can make the difference between being good and being GREAT.

Grant Writing Commitments for the New Year

Yes, I call them commitments, rather than resolutions. There’s something more permanent about a commitment. If you keep your commitments to yourself the way you should be keeping them with others, they will last long beyond January.  They will become part of you.

Here are several ideas for commitments for the new year to fire up your grant writing:

1) Make time for grant seeking. Grant seeking takes more time than you think, especially if you do it right. Doing a quick search at grants.gov or The Foundation Center is good (although that takes time, too), but the payoff really comes when you take the time to dig deeper. We have written a FREE white paper on grant seeking and grant research.  Send a message if you’d like to see it.  In any event, schedule some time at least several days a week to work on grant seeking.

2) Plan ahead for what you need. Take a look at your strategic plan and your organization’s needs and make some decisions about what you need and the next steps for you.  That will help target your search. You’ll also need to gather organizational data.  Start now.  Of course, what you’ll really need is time.  Schedule it.  Yes, put it in your calendar.  Time to look for grants.  Time to write.

3) Give yourself time to write.  If you’re working a full-time job, time is what you have the least of.  You’re busy doing your job.  However, if you don’t make time to write, you’ll never get the success you want.  Schedule the time.  Close your door.  Don’t take any calls.  Make it a priority.
4) Make the time to learn more about the art and the craft of grant writing. Read some books about grant writing (check out the sidebar for some of my suggestions).  Become a member of grantgoddess.com and take advantage of the many learning resources there. I don’t care how good you are or how successful you have been, the only way to get even better is to keep learning.
5) Go the extra mile.  When you’re working on a deadline, there’s the tendency to take short cuts here and there. You skip an explanation or two.  You don’t take the time to make that extra chart or graph.  You get by with one less revision. Unfortunately, in grant writing, that’s a recipe for failure.  This year, commit to yourself to go the extra mile with each and every project.  Treat each one like your livelihood depends on it (because it just might!).

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

Grant Writing Commitments for the New Year

Yes, I call them commitments, rather than resolutions. There’s something more permanent about a commitment. If you keep your commitments to yourself the way you should be keeping them with others, they will last long beyond January.  They will become part of you.

Here are several ideas for commitments for the new year to fire up your grant writing:

1) Make time for grant seeking. Grant seeking takes more time than you think, especially if you do it right. Doing a quick search at grants.gov or The Foundation Center is good (although that takes time, too), but the payoff really comes when you take the time to dig deeper. We have written a FREE white paper on grant seeking and grant research.  Send a message if you’d like to see it.  In any event, schedule some time at least several days a week to work on grant seeking.

2) Plan ahead for what you need. Take a look at your strategic plan and your organization’s needs and make some decisions about what you need and the next steps for you.  That will help target your search. You’ll also need to gather organizational data.  Start now.  Of course, what you’ll really need is time.  Schedule it.  Yes, put it in your calendar.  Time to look for grants.  Time to write.

3) Give yourself time to write.  If you’re working a full-time job, time is what you have the least of.  You’re busy doing your job.  However, if you don’t make time to write, you’ll never get the success you want.  Schedule the time.  Close your door.  Don’t take any calls.  Make it a priority.
4) Make the time to learn more about the art and the craft of grant writing. Read some books about grant writing (check out the sidebar for some of my suggestions).  Become a member of grantgoddess.com and take advantage of the many learning resources there. I don’t care how good you are or how successful you have been, the only way to get even better is to keep learning.
5) Go the extra mile.  When you’re working on a deadline, there’s the tendency to take short cuts here and there. You skip an explanation or two.  You don’t take the time to make that extra chart or graph.  You get by with one less revision. Unfortunately, in grant writing, that’s a recipe for failure.  This year, commit to yourself to go the extra mile with each and every project.  Treat each one like your livelihood depends on it (because it just might!).

Our Favorite Clients

We do a lot of grant writing and program evaluation work with many different kinds of clients. Many are schools and school districts. Others are non-profit organizations, county agencies, or municipalities. In spite of their many differences, they also have many things in common, including a commitment to the constituencies they serve.

I was involved in a phone conference a while ago with a potential new partner. It was an interview of sorts. They were interviewing me and I was interviewing them – which is the way it should go when you are considering establishing a new business relationship. One of the questions they asked me was, “What are the characteristics of your favorite clients?”

Wow. What a great question! I didn’t have to hesitate at all. In fact, I could immediately give an example of one of my favorite clients who happens to be a mutual acquaintance. Then I started to explain why that client ranks among my favorites.

Here are the characteristics of our favorite clients:

  • They have a clear vision. I really love folks who come to me with a clear vision of who they are, where they are going, and even an idea of how they plan to get there. The conversation starts with a great idea they have to meet an identified need for their organization. They have already charted out their ideas and they have at least the beginnings of a solid program design already in place. Let’s contrast this with people who come to me with a simple, “We need money” attitude. They usually have only the seed of an idea, if that. And they rarely have a vision. What they have is a desperation for cash. That rarely is enough to be successful securing grant funding, and it is almost never enough to successfully implement an effective program.
  • They are very well-organized. In the grant writing process, there is a certain amount of data gathering that takes place. My favorite clients have excellent data systems and clearly understood responsibilities so it’s easy to get the information we need quickly.
  • They understand that they have an important role to play in the grant writing process. They do not expect that since they have hired a grant writer, they are off the hook. Not only do they know there will be some work for them to do, but they want to be involved in the process.
  • They make time for their part in the grant writing process. My favorite clients make sure that, when we have am impending deadline, I am the call they take – no matter what. They allocate the time it takes to help me get the job done. And they don’t complain about it.
  • They assign a contact person to work with me directly on the project. My least favorite clients don’t assign a single contact person; they want me to communicate directly with four or five high level administrators – all of whom are usually too busy to really focus on the project. A single contact person makes it easier on everyone.
  • They are flexible. When we start a grant writing process, we establish a timeline. About half of the time, something happens to pull us off the timeline. Sometimes the client isn’t able to get us all the data on time. Sometimes we have several projects going at once and we fall a day or two behind. of course, we always stay on track to meet the final deadline, but our favorite clients remain flexible and don’t freak out if a draft shows up on Tuesday morning, rather than Monday afternoon – especially when the ultimate deadline is more than a week away.
  • They treat us as professional partners in the project. While we are really good at the actual grant writing work, our favorite clients understand that our real value to them comes in our experience – as grant writers and experts in education and social services. They are respectful of our experience and our time.
  • They have high expectations. This goes along with treating us as professionals. They expect good quality work and they are willing to call us out if we do not performs appropriately, for whatever reason (a rare occurrence). I have the utmost respect for those who expect excellence.
  • They take care of the business side of our business arrangement. They do what it takes to get a contractual agreement written and approved. They ensure that we are paid in a timely manner. Conversely, our least favorite clients never have time to get the contract taken care of and, after the grant is submitted, they seem to forget that we did anything for them that requires payment.

For any of our clients who are reading this, I hope you are smiling because you know you are our favorite. Yeah, you know who you are.

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