Gina Wilson Beckles, Ph.D.
Program Evaluation Services, Inc.
Life is about opportunities. They are ever present and we must learn to
seize them as they present themselves. For instance, take the world of
grants. The opportunity to secure funding through grants is seemingly
boundless these days. First, there is ‘The Giving Pledge’, where some of the
richest people in the world, including Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, have
pledged to give away half of their fortunes. This single act is expected to
generate approximately $600 billion in charitable giving!
Now before you run off and start writing a grant proposal, consider the old
quote that states, “though many are called, few are chosen”. This is
definitely true when it comes to the “grantsmanship” process. Many
organizations are going to try to secure grant funding for their callings,
ideas, and visions but only a select few of these proposals will ever
actually be funded. Here are some of the top reasons why so many proposals
will fail to receive funding:
The first reason is that the person or persons preparing the proposal did
not explicitly follow the guidelines. Guidelines are presented for a reason
and agencies expect them to be strictly adhered to. They expect potential
grantees to meet all eligibility criteria. They expect them to be located in
the appropriate geographic regions. They expect them to have adequate
support personnel to operationalize the plans as set forth in their
proposals. Most importantly, before they even open a proposal, they expect
it to be submitted on time!
A second reason is that the proposal may be too vague. It does not clearly
outline the specifics that the granting agency or foundation is looking for.
Some of these include not clearly defining the target population, not
identifying the specific activities that will take place, or not specifying
how and where the recipients of the services will be served.
A third reason is that the focus of the proposal may be too narrow. The
population being targeted may be so narrow that the agency or foundation
feels that the services offered under the grant are not widespread enough to
make a significant, measurable impact. In other words, it does not touch
enough lives to really make a difference.
Alternatively, a fourth reason is that the proposal may be too broad. Yes,
we would all like to change the world by completely eliminating certain
societal ills such as hunger and poverty. However, these types of goals are
far too unrealistic to be either reasonable or practical and the granting
agency knows that their funds would be much better utilized elsewhere. So
the goals within grants must be achievable, reachable, doable, and
measurable.
A fifth reason is that the organization is a start up or does not have a
significant enough track record to be considered credible. Furthermore, the
organization has not taken the initiative to overcome this weakness by
partnering with other established, reputable organizations that can increase
their credibility. One must realize that, when a proposal is submitted, the
requestor is basically asking an agency or foundation to hand over thousands
or possibly millions of dollars. Especially during the tough times that we
are currently living in where headlines often read of fraud, scams, and
other forms of financial deceit, granting agencies want to know that their
funds are being distributed to credible, worthy organizations that take
their fiduciary responsibilities seriously and operate with high levels of
integrity. Furthermore, grantors want to know that grantees have the
necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to accomplish the goals as
stated in their grant proposals. In other words, they want to know that they
are going to get what they pay for!
A sixth reason is that the requesting organization has not presented a clear
evaluation plan. It is all about accountability. How is it going to be shown
that the goals were or were not accomplished, as stated in the proposal?
What kind of measures are going to be used? Are these measures going to be
generated and presented by an internal or external evaluator? Grantors
simply want to know that grantees have adequate systems in place to
accurately measure what is accomplished under these grants.
Finally, sometimes there are circumstances beyond our control that prevent
grants from being awarded and funded. Some of these circumstances include
budget cuts resulting in grants being withdrawn, changes in focus or
priorities, foundations that cease to exist, etc. So basically, a grant
proposal can be the best one ever prepared in the history of time and still
not get awarded or funded.
So be very cognizant of what granting agencies and foundations are looking
for when they make grants available and follow their solicitations
meticulously. Read over the proposal several times and pay close attention
to all relevant details. Remember, it is clear in your mind what you want to
do but the granting agency has no clue. It is your job to present your
thoughts and ideas in a clear, concise and logical way so that the granting
agency or foundation can have a thorough understanding as well. This will
ensure that both the grantor and the grantee are absolutely clear about the
expectations that they have for each other, thereby resulting in a win-win
situation where all involved parties are satisfied. Happy grant writing!
