Department of Social Work

Department of Social Work

University of Minnesota, Duluth

SW 5111, Grant Writing in the Human Services

Summer 2007

June 18-21: M,T, W,TH, 1:00 to 4:45 p.m.

July 23-26: M,T, W,TH, 1:00 to 4:45 p.m.

SpHC 210

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Anne Tellett

OFFICE: 166 E Kirby Plaza

PHONE: 726-7679

E-MAIL:

FAX: 218-726-7185

Website: www.d.umn.edu/~atellett

Grant planning and writing are “political” endeavors, requiring proficiency in speaking, writing, research and teamwork. This course is an introduction to developmental grant planning and writing. Participants will learn about sources of grant funding both public and private. Needs assessment methodologies, planning and budgeting will be examined, as they form the foundation of effective grant proposals. The course also offers participants the opportunity to enhance their web-based research and communication skills. Participants will be able to apply the planning and project management proficiencies developed in this course. They are expected to write a grant proposal for an agency or community-based program and are encouraged to find grant-writing opportunities which support the empowerment and self-determination of vulnerable regional groups. The learning opportunities offered in this course can assist participants in acting as “advanced generalists” in their agencies and communities, as the course has been designed to complement learning germane to the mezzo and macro levels of practice.

Goal of the Course:

To equip students with the necessary skills to develop grants in support of human service projects.

Objectives of the Course: At the end of the course, each student will be able to:

1. Describe the grant planning and writing processes, as well as the kinds of technical terminology encountered in the grant making universe

2. Approach the grant seeking and writing processes positively and confidently

3. Identify and approach funding sources, both public and private

4. Design a community-based needs assessment to support the grant seeking and writing process

5. Draft a proposal letter integrating all elements of a proposal

6. Produce a grant proposal which integrates need, narrative justification, project plan, and budget plan elements

7. Learn how to critique a proposal and provide suggestions for improvement, using funders’ criteria

8. Develop effective collaboration skills in working with a partner.

Reading Material:

Kiritz, N.J. (1980). Program planning and proposal writing (expanded version). Los Angeles, CA: The Grantsmanship Center.

Electronic Reserve Readings:

Hummel, J.M. (1996). Starting and running a non-profit organization (2nd ed.). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.

Lauffer, A. (1997). Grants, etc. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Robinson, Andy ( 2004). Grassroots grants: An activist’s guide to grantseeking (2nd ed.). San Francisco CA: Jossey – Bass.

Additional readings may be assigned

TEACHING METHODOLOGIES:

The course will employ lectures, small group exercises and discussions, and guest speakers. Class time will be spent on processing potential proposals and learning the steps to successful grant writing.

Disabilities

My highest priority is for our classroom and course work to facilitate participation and exchange. I am eager to make accommodations to guarantee to students with disabilities access to class sessions, course materials, and the activities of the class. You are encouraged to contact the Access Center-Disability Services to discuss and arrange reasonable accommodations (102 Kirby Center, tel. 726-8217).

In addition, please let me know as soon as possible if you have a disability for which accommodations will be requested. Note: you are under no obligation to disclose the nature of your disability to me or other faculty.

Ground Rules for Class Discussion

We can assume that discrimination exists in many forms (e.g. sexism, racism, classism, ageism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism, etc.). Any critical understanding of these various "isms" means that we need to recognize that we have been taught misinformation about our own group as well as about members of other groups. This is true for dominant (e.g., white, male, upper class, heterosexual, able-bodied, etc.) and subordinated (e.g., people of color, women, poor, working class, gay/lesbian, disabled, Jew, etc.) group members. Based on these assumptions, then, let us agree that we cannot be blamed for misinformation we have learned, but we will be held accountable for repeating information after we have learned otherwise. People and groups are not to be blamed for their subordinate positions. Let us assume that people are always doing the best they can. Let us actively pursue information about our own groups and those of others. Let us share information about our own group with other members of the class but never demean, devalue, or in any other way put down people for their own experiences. We each have an obligation to actively combat myths and stereotypes about our own groups so that we can break down the walls which prohibit group cooperation and group gain. Let us create a safe environment for open discussion.

EVALUATION OF STUDENTS:

Students will be evaluated through the successful completion of the learning activities noted in the next section, using the following 100 point grading scale:

90-100

80-89

70-79

60-69

59 or less

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS:

Attendance and Class Participation

Class participation is important because the exchange of ideas is necessary in the quest for knowledge. Active class participation facilitates learning not only for the individual participating but for the other class members as well. In order to obtain full credit for participation students need to attend all classes. Each class period a sign-in sheet will be passed around. It is your responsibility to sign this attendance sheet.

Developing the ability to participate in a group discussion is essential in the social work field. In class students are expected at all times to demonstrate courteous listening skills. In other words, when someone is speaking, others are quiet and attentive.

Preparatory Assignments: 5 points each, 35 points

These are series of assignments which will be due throughout the summer. These will start with the identification of the project you will work on and will include weekly installments addressing: identifying potential funding sources, identifying need; establishing a problem statement, writing goals and objectives including establishing a time line and work plan, establishing a budget, developing an evaluation plan, and developing a sustainability plan. Specific deadlines are listed after the course schedule.

In-Class Critique of an Existing Grant: 10 points

For this assignment, you will be given an actual grant proposal to rework. You must have this proposal read, as well as all of the course readings read, by this date, as you will need this material to do the assignment. First, you will develop evaluation criteria for your small group to employ in critiquing the grant; secondly, you will then critique the grant; finally, you will rework the grant to improve it using your critique to guide the choices you make.

Quizzes on Readings: 10 points

The questions for the two quizzes will be primarily short answer, with some open-ended questions which will pose problems often encountered in grant-writing which participants will be expected to solve. Content will come from class discussion and lecture material, speaker material, and readings.

Completion of Grant Application: 35 points

To finish this assignment successfully, each participant must first turn in the participatory assignments leading up to this grant application; the final completed grant application must include an appropriate cover letter and it will be graded using the proposal checklist and evaluation form from the Grantsmanship Center (will be posted on my website). The grants are expected to have the following sections clearly present in them: a concise summary statement; an introduction; a problem statement based upon a needs assessment; written goals and objects; a methods section including time line and work plan; an evaluation plan; a plan for future funding and sustainability; and a budget.

COURSE / CALENDAR:
Date / Overview / Due
*********************************** / JUNE / *********************************
Monday
June 18th / Overview of course; summary of grant writing process discussion of your grant proposal possibilities
Tuesday
June 19th / The funding environment / Reserve reading:
Hummel p.83-99
Robinson, ch.3, p.22-32
Why funders give money away
Robinson, ch.5, p.55-66 Finding a funder
Wednesday
June 20th / Establishing the problem statement and needs assessment; / Kiritz, p.1-27
Reserve reading:
Robinson, ch.4, p.33-54
The proposal
Thursday
June 21st / Writing goals and objectives, methods.
Quiz
Speaker
Projects identified / Signed contract to instructor.
*********************************** / JULY / *********************************
Monday
July 23rd / Developing the evaluation plan; sustaining the project
Check in on how grant project is coming / Kiritz, p.28-47
Reserve reading:
Tuesday
July 24th / Budgeting processes in grant writing.
Government and other types of grants / Reserve reading:
Ellias
Wednesday
July 25th / Critiquing and improving an existing grant (in-class small group exercise) / Reserve reading:
Thursday
July 26th / Questions, additional topics
Final quiz

Assignments due:

Tuesday

June 26th

Potential funding sources;

identification of need due.

Tuesday

July 3rd

Problem statement due.

Tuesday

July 10th

Written goals and objectives including a timeline and workplan due.

Tuesday

July 31st

Budget, evaluation plan, and sustainability plan due

Friday

August 10th

*You may turn in these assignments earlier than the due date, however late assignments will have points deducted.
Hard copy completed grant due.

Reference List

Bauer, D.G. (1995). The “how to” grant manual: Successful grantseeking techniques for obtaining public and private grant (3rd ed.). Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.

Blum, L. (1996). The complete guide to getting a grant: How to turn your ideas into dollars. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Gajda, R. and Tulikangas, R. ( 2005). Getting the grant :How educators can write winning proposals and manage successful projects. Alexandria, Va.:Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Geever, J. ( 2004). The Foundation Center’s guide to proposal writing. New York, NY:Foundation Center.

Hall, M. and Howlett, S. (2003). Getting funded:The complete guide to writing grant proposals. Portland, OR:Continuing Education Press, Portland State University.

Karsh, E. ( 2006). The only grant-writing book you’ll ever need. New York :Carroll & Graf

Miner, J. and Miner, L. (2005). Models of proposal planning and writing. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Reis, J.B., & Leukefeld, C.G. (1998).The research funding guidebook: Getting it, managing it, and renewing it. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Directories of Funding Sources

The reference section of any good sized public or university library will contain titles such as these:

The foundation directory

The foundation 1000, in depth profile of the 1000 largest U.S. foundations

The handbook on private foundations

National data book of foundations.

Beginning a Funding Search on the Web

UMD Library grant and funding sources web page. <http://www.d.umn.edu/~meberhar/ref/edu/grants.htm>

http://www.mplib.org/grants.asp (library data base with links to federal register etc)

MN common grant form

<http://www.mcf.org/mcf/grant/applicat.htm>