Writing Grants for Technology Projects Andrea Witthoft Dean of Special Programs Rend Lake College Ina, IL Let's be honest. We all want to have the newest, the fastest, and the coolest technology available in our classrooms and offices. When you write grants for technology projects, however, your goal is not simply to secure funds to purchase new equipment. Your goal should focus on using technology to solve a specific problem or issue. In educational institutions, the overall goal will often focus on improving teaching and learning. The first step in grant writing is to write a clear, concise definition of the problem or issue that you want to address. With the problem clearly defined, you can identify project goals, begin writing project objectives, and start thinking about the equipment, materials, and labor that you will need to address the problem. You will also begin to appreciate the scope of work that will be involved in carrying out your project. With the need, goal, and budget estimates in mind, you can begin searching for funding sources. Information about grants that are available through government agencies such as the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois State Library, or the Illinois Board of Higher Education can typically be found on the agency's web site. Information about federal grants can be found on the federal government's web site at http://www.grants.gov. You can also have your name added to an email list and receive information on every federal grant as soon as it hits the Federal Register. Government agencies will usually publish a RFP (Request for Proposal) to invite organizations to submit grant proposals. The RFP will include information on eligibility requirements, proposal components, and the grant due date. Other funding agencies, such as private or corporate foundations, may accept applications throughout the year. While it is possible to find information about funding opportunities from corporate web sites, the search may be a slow and frustrating process. An easier way to search for foundation dollars is to subscribe to a service such as The Foundation Directory http://www.fconline.fdncenter.org. The Foundation Directory provides a searchable database of private and corporate foundations that makes locating a partner for your project much easier. As you are searching for funding sources, begin gathering and organizing background information. Information such as your organization's mission statement, biographies of key staff members, demographics on your target audience and service area, and budget details is required for most grant applications. Focus your efforts on gathering data that will help demonstrate need for the project, familiarize the grant reader with your service area, and allow you to highlight accomplishments of your organization. The information you compile will probably include census data (i.e. population, race, income, poverty, and educational attainment), employment data, and other statistics such as the number of students participating in the National School Lunch Program. Gather state and national statistics as you go thorough this process so you can make appropriate comparisons for the readers. Consider including illustrations, examples, and quotes in the application. Your job is to tell your story in such a way that the reader will understand the problem and will be convinced that your project will successfully address the problem. After you have located potential funding sources, you are ready to develop your grant proposal. A typical grant proposal will include nine sections: (1) summary or abstract, (2) organization information, (3) statement of need, (4) project objectives, (5) project design, (6) evaluation plan, (7) sustainability, (8) project budget, and (9) appendices. A quick Google search will provide links to sites that describe the sections and provide general tips for grant writing. I think the following sites are good resources for new grant writers: http://www.epa.gov/seahome/grants/src/writting/write.htm http://fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop1.html http://fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop2.html http://www.npguides.org/guide/full_proposal.htm http://www.npguides.org/guide/basic_steps.htm http://www.npguides.org/guide/components.htm http://www.cpb.org/grants/grantwriting.html http://www.schoolgrants.org/tips/10_tips.htm The last step in grant writing is follow-up. Think of a granting agency as a partner in your endeavor, not merely as a source of funds. If you receive a grant, thank the granting agency. If your proposal is not funded, find out why. You can usually request a copy of the (grant) reader's comments from the funding agency. It is helpful to read the comments of people who reviewed your application whether or not you received the grant. Use all the feedback you receive to improve your future applications. One last piece of advice: if your application is not funded, don't give up. Even professional grant writers are not funded 100% of the time. Attend grant writing workshops, join professional organizations, read successful proposals, or volunteer to be a grant reader. You may also want to consider forming a partnership with another school or organization facing the same problem or issue. A partnership can help reduce the workload of proposal development and increase the impact of your program. Good luck in your grant writing endeavors! © The Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Board of Higher Education, and Illinois State Board of Education, in conjunction with a Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers To Use Technology (PT3) grant from the U.S. Department of Education, funded this project to infuse technology into the core curriculum at Illinois Community Colleges and Universities.