Other School Funding Sources: Grant Proposal Writing 101

How to Obtain Funds for Your School with Grant Writing.

Are you looking for alternative options to fundraising to earn dollars for your school? Grant writing is a supplemental way to raise funds for non-profit organizations and schools. Both fundraising and grant writing takes time, resources, skill, and detailed planning and can lead to earning significant funding. However, that is the extent of the similarities. Grant writing and fundraising have differing pros, cons, methods, and outcomes. This article discusses defining and executing each and a detailed guide on grant proposal writing for schools.

Grant Writing Versus Fundraising

Grant writing and fundraising may have the same end goal, but their processes differ. Let's examine each.

Grant Writing

Grant writing is typically one person's job; you may outsource it to a professional. Grant writing consists of applying to award programs set up by foundations, corporations, government programs, and individuals. Applications are typically online but may be handwritten. To apply, schools provide organizational information, data, and details about the need and how funds will be used.

A grant award is a gift from the grantor; you don't need to pay it back. However, reporting is often a requirement and can require significant work and limit flexibility and change. Winning a grant is complex and may require many hours of applying to different programs before winning an award.

Fundraising

Fundraising involves internally launching a temporary program to earn capital to meet a need. It may consist of selling products, hosting an event, or posting a campaign online. Fundraising breeds quicker results than grant writing; however, the payout is likely smaller. Fundraising is most successful when the campaign has recruited many participants. Funds raised are donations and do not need to be paid back, and the need to report progress and outcomes is rare.

How To Write Grants

Below is a crash course in grant applications and inquiries.

Applications

Some grant contests only require a basic application, which may take anywhere from thirty minutes to a few hours to complete. Schools must input organization information, employee information, a project pitch, and often a budget. Most applications are often data entry, but some do require lengthy responses to questions about the organization's mission and the project's intent.

Letters of Inquiry

Some grant awards are by invitation only. In these cases, schools can send a letter of inquiry (LOI), a formal funding request. Depending on the grantor's preference, LOIs can be emailed or delivered by mail. An LOI contains a short organization description, a quick project pitch, and an invitation to apply.

Executive Summary

Some grantors may request an executive summary in place of an application. Even if the grantor isn't asking for the executive summary, it can be an excellent tool to have on hand to organize and flesh out your application answers, using the tool as a sort of template. Keep in mind writing an executive summary can take several hours. Executive summaries contain:

• organization description
• need a statement with statistics
• solution/project description
• team bios
• financial information/budgets
• goals and outcomes
• evaluation methods
• an official ask for funding

Government RFPs

Government RFPs, or requests for proposals, are government-managed grant award programs. To apply, organizations must tailor their program to match the desire of the government program. These applications can be lengthy and take hours to days to complete.

FAQ

Below are answers to common questions regarding grant writing and fundraising.

What's Better- Fundraising or Grant Writing?

Choosing a funding method depends on your school's specific circumstances. Grant writing may be the best way to earn a large sum, but fundraising is the best way to earn funds quickly. Our advice? Do both!

Who Writes Grant Proposals for Schools?

An administrator or principal may write grant proposals for schools. Another option is to outsource to a professional or grant writing organization.

How Do Schools Find Grants?

Schools can find grants through internet searches and by accessing grant writing databases through memberships to websites such as Grant Watch and Foundation Directory Online.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He's helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.