WELCOME TO PROPOSAL DESIGNS FOR HUMAN

SERVICES

UNIT 5 SEMINAR

Dr. Bradley

Outline for Unit 5 Seminar

12 “Rules” to Follow When Writing Proposals

Hands On Activity

Outline to Describe Organizations

Outline to Describe Specific Programs

12 “Rules” to Follow When Writing Proposals

RULE 1: Create an outline RULE 2: Write as you speak (not too formal or

casual) RULE 3: Never use slang or insensitive terminology RULE 4: Don’t exaggerate RULE 5: Use a grammar book RULE 6: Use a dictionary and thesaurus RULE 7: Stick to active voice RULE 8: Keep value judgments out of grant

proposal RULE 9: Limit the adjectives RULE 10: Don’t use “I”, “We”, or “Our” RULE 11: Spell out acronyms if you are using them RULE 12: Don’t assume things are common

knowledge

Rule 1: Create an Outline

Follow funder’s outline to a T

Use subheads for each topic in the outline to make sure you don’t lose your way

Organize your material before you start filling in the outline

Rule 2: Write as You Speak

Don’t be overly formal or overly casual

TOO FORMAL: The executive director of the Meridian Mews Center, the delightful Ms. Jane Manning, is erudite, learned, and has never been known to bloviate when she addresses her comrades at worldwide conferences.

TOO CASUAL: The executive director of the Meridian Mews Center, Jane Manning, is way cool and all the kids at the center think she’s hot.

Rule 3: Never Use Slang or Insensitive Terminology

POOR STATEMENT: The cops think the Meridian Mews Center has helped the kids in the ‘hood stay out of the slammer/Kids in the program are really messed up.

BETTER STATEMENT: Children between the ages of 7 and 10 who have learning disabilities will be recruited by staff members to participate in all the activities at the Meridian Mews Center.

Rule 4: Don’t Exaggerate

Your agency probably isn’t doing the most cutting-edge, innovative work in the entire world.

POOR STATEMENT: The Meridian Mews Center offers cutting-edge basketball instruction to the children who participate in the program./The executive director of the Meridian Mews Center, Jane Manning, is a most brilliant scholar.

BETTER STATEMENT: The executive director of the Meridian Mews Center, Jane Manning, received her master’s degree in psychology with high honors from Metropolis City University. Her articles about children have appeared in Family and Youth, among other journals.

Rule 5: Use a Grammar Book

Poor grammar indicates to the funder that you are poorly educated, or did not spend the necessary time proofreading your grant proposal.

Funders do not want to give money to agencies that hand in proposals with poor grammar.

Rule 6: Use a Dictionary and Thesaurus

Use spell check. Do not misspell words. Proofread, use a dictionary, etc.

Funders do not want to give money to agencies that hand in proposals with typos, inappropriately used words, etc.

Rule 7: Stick to Active Voice

STATEMENTS NOT USING ACTIVE VOICE:Students will be recruited to participate in the Meridian Mews Center’s activities.

Parenting workshops will be conducted for parents…

BETTER STATEMENTS:The Meridian Mews Center’s outreach workers will recruit children to participate in the center’s activities.

Nurse-practitioners will conduct parenting workshops for parents…

Rule 8: Keep Value Judgments Out of Grant Proposal

STATEMENTS WITH VALUE JUDGMENTS:The Meridian Mews Center was created to counter the federal government’s shocking lack of interest in children.

The Meridian Mews Center staff thinks “children should be seen and not heard” and often punishes them for talking if they haven’t been spoken to.

BETTER STATEMENT:The Meridian Mews Center posts rules that explain to children how they are expected to behave when they participate in the program.

Rule 9: Limit the Adjectives

STATEMENTS WITH TOO MANY ADJECTIVES:The Meridian Mews Center runs high-quality, exhilarating, well-regarded programs for poor, disadvantaged, disabled children.

BETTER STATEMENT:The Meridian Mews Center runs four programs that have been cited for excellence by the National After-School and Weekend Program Society. Attendance at all four programs is over 90 percent. During the last year, parents have written more than 50 letters to the executive director praising the programs.

*2nd statement-not as many adjectives but very informative.

Rule 10: Don’t Use “I”, “We”, or “Our”

STATEMENTS USING I, WE, or OUR:We are located at 12 North Meridian Street…

We will conduct workshops…

Our executive director is Jane Manning.

BETTER STATEMENTS:The Meridian Mews Center is located at 12 North Meridian Street…

Staff psychologists will conduct workshops…

Jane Manning is the executive director of the Meridian Mews Center.

Rule 11: Spell Out Acronyms if You are Using Them

STATEMENT USING ACRONYMS INCORRECTLY:The Meridian Mews Center has collaborated for the last eight years with professors from the PE Department at MU. DOH has a branch at MU and works closely with the IT Department and the local Y.

BETTER STATEMENT:The Department of Health (DOH) has a staff of 450 physicians, nurses, and nonmedical personnel. Starting on January 4, 2010, DOH will begin offering free tuberculosis screening for children at the Meridian Mews Center.

Rule 12: Don’t Assume Things Are Common Knowledge-Prove It’s

True STATEMENTS NOT GIVING ANY PROOF:Everyone in the community thinks the Meridian Mews Center runs educational and enjoyable programs.

The police are excited about the Meridian Mews Center’s activities.

BETTER STATEMENTS:According to surveys that were conducted in two community churches and two schools, 60 percent of residents at Meridian Hills Mews think the programs offered at the Meridian Mews Center are educational and enjoyable.

According to interviews with police officers…

Hands On Activity

Read the Description of the Meridian Mews Center on pages 127-128.

Fill in the table on pages 129-130 indicating what “rules” were broken in the description, and a short correction.

Good Outline to Use to Describe Organization

History/location Programs Community/city demographics Participants Partners Facilities/resources Staffing Board of directors Budget Additional Information

Good Outline to Use to Go Into More Detail About a Specific

Program Need for Project Goals and Objectives Program Description Partnerships Evaluation Budget Narrative Capacity of Organization to Implement

Program

Good Outline to Use to Go Into More Detail About a Specific

Program (cont.) Need for Project

-Documented problem program will address-Research/statistics to back up why problem is so important-Absence of other programs to address problem

Goals and Objectives-Overall goal of project-Objectives-Expected outcome(s)-Date hope to achieve outcome(s)-How will you know outcome(s) is/are achieved?

Good Outline to Use to Go Into More Detail About a Specific

Program (cont.) Program Description

-Target population-Proposed activities-Staff for program

Partnerships-Name of each partnering organization-Specific involvement of each in project

Evaluation-Ongoing evaluation: How will you determine program is implemented as intended?-Final evaluation: How will you determine if you have met objectives?

Good Outline to Use to Go Into More Detail About a Specific

Program (cont.) Budget Narrative

-Personnel costs-Other costs-Other funding sources-In-kind contributions (donations in goods and services not in cash)-Sustainability

Capacity of Organization to Implement Program-Description of facilities and resources-Honors and awards-Results of past evaluations (by funders or external evaluators)

That’s it for tonight!

Any final thoughts or questions?