Preparing Your Proposal: Steps for Faculty & Staff

Step 1 - Develop a Concept

What is the problem or research question you hope to solve?  Who is your audience or target population?  What outcomes do you hope to achieve?  How long will the project take?  When will you start (keep in mind that the grant proposal and decision process may take many months)?  How much will it cost?  Most of all, why should a grantor care about your project? 

Step 2 - Contact the Grants Office

Discuss your project with the Director of Coporate and Foundation Relations.  All Stetson University faculty and staff seeking external funding must complete the External Funding Application form at least two weeks before submitting a grant proposal.  Why?  Some agencies may fund both faculty/staff and institutional projects.  We need to know if any applications may overlap.  Also, the Finance office and your dean will want to know whether your project involves the commitment of University resources. 

Even if your project does not directly require University funds, indirect costs may still apply.  Many funding agencies will also send grant awards through the University rather than the principal investigator, so we need to know what projects may be funded and who is applying to which agency. 

Step 3 - Guidelines & Deadlines

Before you start writing, make sure you have the most up-to-date application information, including the deadlines and the application requirements.  Check to see if the deadlines are “postmarked by,” “received by,” or ongoing.  For applications accepted on an ongoing basis, consider the average time for application review and plan your proposal submission date accordingly.  Call the program director when in doubt. 

Next, make sure your project truly fits the funder’s guidelines.  Do they give to individuals?  Do they give in your geographic area?  What types of activities do they support?  What is the first line of approach (e.g., letter of inquiry, full proposal, email to the program officer)? 

The Grants Office’s FC Search database provides information on funding priorities, limitations, and contacting funders, and researching potential funders is one of the services we provide to Stetson faculty and staff members.

Step 4 - Start Writing

The tone of grant proposals will vary according to the agency, but two tips apply universally:  follow the guidelines and write clearly.  Follow directions meticulously and remember that grant reviewers may face stacks of worthy proposals.  Do not assume that reviewers will have the time to decipher your meaning or look up trendy phrases exclusive to your field.  Program officers will usually assist you with the process if you have any questions. 

As a starting point, consider basic elements of many (but certainly not all) proposals:

v      Summary/abstract

v      Introduction/background—introduce your project goals and establish your credibility

v      Need/problem statement—why does this project/research need to be done?  Why should you do it?  Why should the grantor care?

v      Project objectives—be as specific as possible about what you hope to achieve

v      Project method or design—e.g., key staff, activities, and research methods

v      Evaluation—how will you measure the success of your project?  Not sure you will have measurable data?  Links 8 and 9 below offer evaluation tips.

v      Future funding/sustainability—will you be seeking future funds or additional, concurrent funding? 

v      Budget—some reviewers read this section first, and it is certainly one of the most important parts of your application. (Make sure your budget fits the project you outline in your proposal.)

v      Attachments

The Office of Coporate and Foundation Relations has sample proposals and will assist in editing your proposal.  The links below provide proposal-writing tips.  Also, refer to our FAQ page for Stetson-specific information.

Step 5 - Submitting Your Proposal & Waiting

Before mailing your proposal, check the guidelines one more time.  Do you need a signature from an institutional representative (your department chair, dean, or the president)?  Have you made enough copies and attached the correct forms?  A post office tracking slip or express mailing will let you know that your proposal has actually reached its destination.

Waiting for decisions can be difficult, but try to resist calling the program officer to ask about the status of your proposal.  Most agencies have guidelines telling you when you can expect a decision; if not, program officers can give you general guidelines.  While you wait, keep searching for other possible grants to fund either your entire project or portions of it. 

Step 6 - Award & Post-Award Management

Congratulations!  If you received an award, your project will be underway.  However, your responsibilities to the grantor are not yet complete.  Send a thank-you letter upon receipt of your funding, and carefully manage this money according to the funding agency’s guidelines.  Keep meticulous records of how you spent the funds and be prepared to send any required follow-up reports.  Even if reporting is not required by the funding agency, it is always a good idea to send an update on the status/success of your project.

If you did not get this grant, do not despair.  Some agencies will provide reviewer comments that will help for future grant proposals.  You can also modify your project and/or your proposal and approach another funding agency. 

Grant Writing Links

1. The Foundation Center Web site has information on foundations and corporate donors and links to non-profits’ 990 tax forms, which show previous funding activities  (The Grants Office has the 2004 version of the Foundation Center’s FC Search database)

2. A quick, online tutorial designed by the Environmental Protection Agency but relevant for all sorts of grant proposals

3. From the Catalog of Federal and Domestic Assistance, this site offers tips on constructing a proposal that is “well-prepared, thoughtfully planned, and concisely packaged”

4. A concise, clearly written guide by the Corporation from Public Broadcasting

5. Getting Funded: It takes more than just a good idea, by Liane Reif-Lehrer, The Scientist, 9[14]: Aug. 21, 1995

6. For science projects (and good advice in general): How to wow a study section: A grantsmanship lesson, by Karen Hopkins, The Scientist, 12[5]:11, Mar. 02, 1998:

7. The Art of Grantsmanship by Jacob Kraicer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto; a very detailed guide (and timeline) for obtaining a research grant

8. Measuring Joy: Evaluation at Baltimore Clayworks, Deborah Bedwell, on the National Endowment for the Arts “Outcome-Based Evaluation: A Working Model for Arts Projects” Web site

9. Using Logic Models in Grant Development, Michael Wells, Nov 12, 2003, 13:37 PST, Charity Channel