Mary Curran-Downey

“I’ll have a cafe-mocha-vodka-Valium-latte to go, please.”

This cheery sign, complete with a picture of a 50s era smiling woman who looks like she just finished waxing the kitchen floor in her socks, keeps me company on my desk.

It’s one of the first things I think of when I’ve finished a big, honkin’ grant, as I have today.

What a job.

So glad it’s finished. Pass the latte and don’t spare the foam – or the add ins.

When you are working on a large project, many things take a back seat, like other clients, blogging (yes, yes, I’m aware of how long it’s been) and, well, let’s just say that Earthquake Preparedness Month is almost over and the only thing I’ve stockpiled is water, coffee and peanut butter – but only because it was on sale this week, not because I’m anticipating a caffeine and protein deficient Armageddon.

I’ve been thinking that I should plunge right in, finish up a few jobs that are in-process, prepare for tomorrow’s meetings, you know, the stuff of every day work life. But I know I won’t. I’ve pretty much learned from experience that once you get something cleared from your desk, you need (or rather, I need) a bit of time to clear the mind as well.

So, no guilt about not getting everything done today, just gratitude for finishing what was finished. And the blogging will resume. I hear that nonprofits are expected to be hiring again in 2010, anyone experience that? My clients seem to be using contractors, which is good news for me, but not so much for those looking for full-time positions. We will discuss. And has anyone heard from a foundation with the good news that since the market is moving upward – although not today, that’s for sure – investments are healthier and this will be a better year for grant seekers? Anyone at all?

See, lots to talk about. Tomorrow. Today – I’ll take a refill, my good barista.

The start of the New Year is a great time to update the info you use in your grants, the so-called boilerplate details that should be in your files and ready to access at a moment’s notice:

• Are your demographics current?
• Do you know how many people received services in the past year?
• Did you open (or close) any sites?
• Has a new program been added or has an existing program been eliminated?
• Has your mission changed in the past year? If so, make sure the new one is the one that will be used in all of your grants from now on.
• Have you checked your list of board members? Is there anyone new who needs a short bio written about them?
• Is your list of top staff members correct?

And while you’re at it, if you have been quoting from the same statistics, the same reports, and that information is more than a few year’s old, take the time to talk with your program people and get any new information that will help freshen your grants now. Read the information, ask the questions you need, and write up a single page for your files that explains the technical details in grant-friendly language. You’ll be patting yourself on the back for being so organized when the next grant deadline is hanging over your head.

It’s almost that time again.

If you are interested in signing up for the Grant Writing for Fundraising class at UCSD Extension, jump on-line ASAP. The class isn’t quite this crowded, but enrollment tops out at 20. And you wouldn’t want to miss out on six weeks of me telling you what to write, how to write, and why deadlines really do matter in the world of grants. Class begins on February 10 and runs through March 17.

http://extension.ucsd.edu

…another year is almost history.

Did a client receive a major – or even minor – grant this year? Count yourself among the lucky ones, and while you’re doing that, why not take the time to send an end of the year thank-you to the funder? Sure, you’ve already sent out the formal thank you letter. This is a different, more informal one that reminds them how grateful you are for their support. If you’ve begun the project or purchased the capital items that the grant funded, give an oh-so-brief update along with the holiday greetings. No one has ever complained that they’ve been thanked too much.

Speaking of thanks, mine goes out to Peter Kratochvl at  publicdomainpictures.net for the use of his beautiful photography.

For those working in the nonprofit arena, this is a crazy-busy time of year. There are holiday cards, holiday appeals, holiday thank yous, end of the year appeals, one last holiday event to shoehorn in – you get the idea. It’s enough to bring out the Grinch (or the Scrooge, if you’re not partial to green complexions) in all of us.

However, if you still need to send out one more eBlast, one more letter, before 2009 is history, may I suggest that you return to one of the basics that has served you all year – the power of story. Was there one particular client, one incident, that resonated with you and other colleagues? Even if you’ve shared it with donors and supporters, it may very well bear re-telling.  I can think of one moment that happened between the resident of a home for developmentally disabled adults and the woman who supervised their care. She is the consummate professional, but also a person of great warmth and caring, who sees dignity and promise where others often see only see the struggles and shortcomings. I’ve retold the story of an afternoon I spent with both of them to board members and donors to the organization, and a version appeared on the back of the holiday card sent out to several hundred supporters.

Rather than repeating the plea for donations to the organization to keep the programs running, the story tells it all in a much more individual,compelling way.

So instead of trying to highlight every honor, every milestone that occurred this past year in your holiday appeal, perhaps you will better serve your clients – make make a lasting impression with donors – by remembering that one special moment that sums up the crucial work your organization does, and what drives everyone to make it through the challenges of this year and the years to come.

It’s a balancing act.

At least that’s what I’m hearing from folks who have commented on the get paid/write for free issue. Katie Nava Ragazzi of the Escondido (CA) Education Foundation, and the brains behind the Escondido Children’s Museum had this to say:

“The way you voice that distinction is very clear on your blog. With much experience and reflection under our belts, standing up for commensurate pay actually elevates what the sector can offer to society, what our individual non-profits can accomplish, and indeed what we as professionals can offer…and yet, most of us do volunteer, too. The clarity of those roles makes all the difference, but many just discovering the world of grants have to lean that for themselves. On a related subject, we hear how non-profits have proliferated so much in recent decades, but not about the attrition that must also happen…”

Judi O’Boyle, who has written grants as a paid professional and a volunteer had this take: “I went to (Congresswoman)  Susan Davis’s grant writing meeting last month. There were so many people waiting in line to get in and the meeting space had to be changed. Some of the people in line were grumbling that they had paid grantwriters, but with little positive results. Forgive me for the comparison, that’s why I think that receiving compensation only if you’re successful would be good for non-profits and good for grantwriting professionals. (e.g., real estate agents get paid only if they sell)”

Mary again:

I think it’s important to keep in mind that when a grant is not funded, it often has nothing to do with the grant writing – but that the funder and the nonprofit asking for the funds were not a good fit, that the organization had funded a similar project and did not want to duplicate its efforts, that the organization had simply allocated all its funds, etc.

It’s an interesting topic, though, and one that every professional has to face and decide how they will proceed.

To charge or not to charge; that is the question. Several times lately, I’ve talked to newcomers to the grant and development writing field, and the question comes up: should someone just starting out work for free to build up a client base?

To that I say a resounding no.

And then yes.

Let me explain. I write for a living. Some people run companies, drive trucks, or pour espressos. But we all expect to be paid for our work. When it comes to writing, though, I sometimes encountered a hesitancy to pay for the service when I was first starting out. I think it has something to do with the fact that most people feel that given enough time, they could write that grant, or newsletter, or appeals letter. Everyone writes, right? From grocery lists to notes to our kids’ teachers, we write all day long. So what’s the big deal? Fact is, some – not all – people may be able to write a very serviceable grant. It could takes weeks or even months, but eventually, they may be able to turn one out. In the meantime, the rest of their work gathers dust, calls aren’t returned, donors are not cultivated, staff is ignored and the person tackling the grant wonders how everything got so crazy. That’s when a writer is a necessity, not a nice frill.

I don’t really encounter that too much any more, but if I do I’m very comfortable explaining what is it that I do, the service I provide for the nonprofit, and my fee schedule. I’m more direct, I don’t apologize for my (very reasonable) fees, and I make it clear that this is a professional relationship, with payment due at a certain date. I’m at ease and I put the client at ease.

Having said that, do I ever write for free? Why yes I do. I sit on boards and volunteer for organizations, and have provided writing services on a pro bono basis. I use my skill set – just as a carpenter would volunteer to frame a club house – to assist an organization. But I keep track of my pro bono hours, just as I do my billable hours. When an organization I know nothing about contacts me and asks if I would write for free, I reply that I do a certain amount of pro bono work, but that right now, I have allocated all of my pro bono hours, which is entirely true. And I also make sure that my volunteer work does not conflict with any work that I perform for paying clients.

So yes, there are times when I write and don’t expect to get paid. But writing is my job, a job I love – and a job I expect to get paid for when I complete my work.

What’s your take on the issue? To write for free or not?

I was just nagged gently prodded by a caring reader/dear friend/fellow writer that I have not updated this blog recently. This is a classic case of “do as I say, not as I do,” because I am known for nagging gently prodding students, colleages and anyone who asks that it’s important to come to the page or the screen consistently whether you feel like it or not.

I haven’t been writing about writing lately because I’ve been writing a lot lately. Or attending meetings about granting possibilities. Or listening to webinars about the necessity of adding social media to the fund raising mix. Or more writing.

And, truth be told, once I get out of the habit of doing something – be it writing a blog entry or walking a few miles every morning  – it takes an extreme effort of will to get back into the habit. Which is why I was so very grateful for the nag. I knew what I had to do, I was just hoping no one noticed that I wasn’t doing it.

So it’s time to pull up my socks, and as the sign on my desk says ” have a nice cafe-mocha-vodka-valium-latte to go” and get going.

Is it OK to write for free when you’re first starting out in the grant writing field? That will be the topic of tomorrow’s entry, which will indeed, show up here tomorrow.

As for that beautiful picture above? The Long and winding road leads me to this screen…..

I know, I know. This is supposed to be a paperless world. But you and I know that’s not true. I  may have a ton of backed-up, downloaded, zipped files on my computer, but I also have more than enough folders, brochures, notes and hard copies of grants in my file cabinet as well. Which means that I’m always searching for the best filing system, the nicest presentation folder, etc.

This is a perfect time of year for people like me: Back to school means back to my office supply store, where I stock up on a year’s worth of pens, paper, folders, yes, even pencils (I love a nice, sharp #2 Dixon Ticonderoga and a legal pad when I’m taking notes).  So if you need any kind of paper, now is the time to buy, when prices are at their best.  Remember those black and white composition books that were mandatory at a lot of schools? I snagged three for $1 yesterday. Such a deal. Were they necessary for my  business? Probably not. But what a cheap thrill for a paper person like me. If  you’re one, too, I’ll see you in the notebook isle.

Writing a good grant takes balance: you need to have the facts, of course, and you need to have enough heart so that the individual reading the grant is drawn into your story and wants to help you succeed. From time to time, I’ll interview different experts and they’ll share how they put together their grants from start to finish.

First up is Sharna Langlais, the Associate Director of the COMPASS Family Center -  www.compassfamilycenter.org -  a San Diego based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families with children with special needs navigate the often confusing array of services available to them. It also offers support to all members of the family – parents, siblings, and grandparents who are involved with that child’s care and growth. Its name says it all: COMPrehensive Access to Services and Support for families caring for a child or adult with special needs. Sharna is the organization’s chief grant writer, and has an interesting way of approaching the process. Here’s my interview with her. It’s all good, but there’s some very helpful information for those among us who need extra help with the budget process:

Question: How do you begin to write a grant?

Answer:

I begin conceptualizing, by thinking about what the particular program needs to look like.  Often I begin by looking at staffing needs. When an organization’s staff is looking at creating a new program or expanding an existing one, they need to decide if they will hire a new person, and what other expenses will be incurred as a result.  The budget helps me be realistic with what I can do. Usually, I start brainstorming with Moisés (Moisés Barón, Executive Director of COMPASS) to develop the budget and discuss the impact of the new or expanded program on the organization’s infrastructure.  Staff is one of the largest expenses when it comes to looking at new programs, so it’s helpful to look at these costs to map out what needs to be funded. I also take a look at how new programs will impact current operating costs. Often grantors will allow a certain percentage to be written into the grant for indirect costs.  This is an important way of capturing additional unrestricted funds, as most grantors understand that new programs impact and increase these “soft costs.”  For example, new programs often include an increase in electricity, postage, rent (i.e. new office space) and printing, so looking at all these items and figuring out how they will be funded is a vital part of the program development and, thusly, the grant writing process.

Question: What else do you want to make sure you include?

Answer:

For me, another item that a lot of organizations forget about is marketing, outreach and public relations.  Now that you’ve built a program, you want to make sure that you get the word out about it to the community.  This is also often an attractive component to funders (corporations in particular) that may be looking for ways to get their name out into the community.  So it’s important to ask questions like, are we going to want to advertize the program, do we need to print new brochures/fliers, will the new person need business cards, do we need to add new components to the website, etc.?

Another line item that I think many organizations forget is program evaluation.  As funding becomes more competitive, funders are really starting to take a look at what concrete outcomes their money is creating.  COMPASS utilizes an outside contractor to evaluate all of our programs, and it’s a fixed line item that we always include in funding requests (barring funder restrictions to that line item).  And even if your evaluation happens in-house, someone needs to oversee it and so that cost needs to be included in your program budget.

Another thing I take a look is the organizational budget and annual goals. Before even thinking about developing a new program it’s important to ask if we’re creating a program that is in line with what the annual goals are for the organization (and department if it’s a larger organization). A lot of places go after the money because it’s there, but if it doesn’t fall within the organization’s mission or isn’t in line with the strategic plan, then mission drift begins to rear its ugly head.

Regardless of the program, it’s important to sit down with the leadership (i.e. Executive Director and/or department head) to discuss the specifics of what a program is meant to accomplish. And if it’s a matter of writing a grant for operational support, it’s important to know what areas are in need of funding and how those costs support the overall mission of the organization.

Question: Do you have any tips for someone who isn’t necessarily a “money” person?

Answer: This is a little bit of a tough question for me since I usually go write for the budget spreadsheet.  But I guess I’d say that if you’re a “word” person, write the project description and then go back through the narrative and highlight each place where a cost is incurred. Say the project director needs some money for his/her salary, or that there are printing costs for handouts for a training, etc. Go through the proposal and highlight the areas where the costs are going to be. Then sit down with the program person and flesh out the details.

A budget can also help you to determine the “cost per person served,” which can be both a helpful way of understanding the cost-benefit of a program to the organization and may also be useful when figuring out and explaining to funders how many people are served by their grant. Again, during a time when people are really analyzing how their money is being spent and utilized, everyone, even program officers at foundations and corporations, have to show why it makes sense to “invest” their money in you and your organization.

Question: How important is it to list other sources of funding?

Answer:

In my opinion it’s very important. Most funders don’t want to be the sole contributor to a program as it shows issues with sustainability once their funding has lapsed.  (Of course many funders are willing to fund pilot programs, but still want to know how the program will be sustained in the future).

So I try to show what the full cost of the project cost is – not just the part that we’re asking to be funded.  Then I show where we are bringing in that other money – and don’t forget that in-kind support should be shown as well.  If you don’t pay rent at your current office, or have a program manager that is a volunteer, quantify these costs and show them coming in as in-kind support and going out in the budget.

Also, I try to detail out what other support is pending/submitted, what has been pledged and what is concretely available.  And don’t forget any income you might receive from fee for services, other grants and contracts.

As far as format for the budget, I’ll usually create 2 columns.  One showing the full project budget and the other showing the breakdown of what exactly we are asking the grantor to fund.  So say the full salary for the project lead is $30,000 – I may only be asking the grantor to fund $10,000 of that, so I detail that out for each line item.  This is particularly helpful if you know that a grantor doesn’t like to (or won’t) fund certain types of costs.  They are still a part of the full project budget, but by showing the funder that that’s not where their money is going you can waylay any issues that might come up around that.  And when in doubt, don’t be afraid to discuss the budget in the narrative (if a budget narrative isn’t required) and clarify how the money is going to be used.

Regardless of whether you are a consultant or employee, you should have access to the organizational budget. Even if you’re not a “numbers” person, you need to feel comfortable in your understanding of the fundraising goal(s) for grants and new projects. And if an organization doesn’t know the answers themselves then those questions need to be answered before you even start thinking about putting pen to paper.  By doing that, you’re also providing them with a perfect opportunity to figure out those answers so that they’re prepared if and when a funder asks.

If you’re not a “numbers” person, find someone within the organization that is that can help you develop the budget.  Most program directors should have a handle on their own program budget – ideally those program budgets have already been discussed and help form the overall organizational budget each year. They should know their own particular budget, what salaries need to be funded and where the gaps are in funding.  By understanding that, you can prioritize what program areas are in the highest level of need and chart your grant writing/fundraising plan accordingly