Distilled Wisdom from the PAPHTC Grant Writing Class

Map of the Foundation Center's
Funding Information Network

For a number of years I have team-taught a grant writing class sponsored by PAPHTC as well as classes on how to find grant funding opportunities for audiences at the University of Pittsburgh and around the state of Pennsylvania. As a librarian and public health informationist, I usually teach the sections on how to find funding and evaluation of the funded activities. My colleague Pat Murphy, with her years of experience in non-profit management and grant writing teaches the rest.

Here are a few of the most important bits of information distilled from those classes:

• Rather than reacting to funding opportunities that pop up, have a plan. What do you want to accomplish as a researcher, an institution, a nonprofit organization? Seek funding that supports those goals.
• Don’t assume that you will get all the funding you need for a project from one source.
• The role of a grant proposal is to answer the funder’s questions. Don’t stray from that purpose, you will lose them.
• Follow the directions precisely. If the directions aren’t clear, or contradict themselves, contact the funder and get clarification. You don’t want them to ignore your proposal because you used the wrong size font.
• Become familiar with who funds work similar to yours. Include state and federal government, foundations, public charities, community foundations, and corporate giving programs in the types of funders you evaluate. For a list of resources to consider, see http://hsls.libguides.com/grants.
• Once you know the funding landscape, automate the receipt of new funding opportunities as much as possible by using tools such as email alerts, RSS feeds, and organizational newsletters.
• When writing your proposal, eliminate jargon. Don’t assume the funder knows your field. Have someone outside your field read the proposal and evaluate its clarity.
• Need help with grant writing? There are many fine books on the topic available at public libraries with Foundation Center cooperating collections and in academic libraries.