Download a copy of the grant funding application, gather the information that they require, do your due diligence and research and write out a hard copy draft. Please do not attempt to complete an online application before you have perfected your draft.
APPLICATION TEMPLATE Gather the basic data on your organization. You will probably be submitting several applications so this never changes. Demonstrate your passion and belief in the overall goals portion.
Read carefully the requirements, create a check list including deadlines. Customize each application to meet specific requirements. Make a strong individual case with each request knowing that one reviewer could be reading all of your submissions.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE The REVIEWER is distributing the funding TO THOSE WHO MEET THEIR CRITERIA. Pay attention to their purpose/mission. Address and answer the question of how your project will accomplish their focus. Write strategically: Highlight the strengths and possibilities of your project.
BE CONCISE and accurate. Have someone review what you have written. Make it relevant and eliminate extraneous information.
Good Example:This grant will make it possible for 100 children, many of which are low-income, immigrants, to explore all of their sense in the garden. From touching worms to smelling lemon verbena, to tasting produce and watching pollinators. There will be 14 classes throughout the year, which will cover the following topics:
· - Planning a garden for all seasons
· - Seed starting, propagation and planting
· - Harvesting and composting / Poor example(s):
1.
2.
We do have tools to garden, but we desperately need a safe place to store them. With the grant we can do that! Please help us have more time in the garden!
This grant will make it possible for city kids, many of which are apartment living, low-income, to touch, smell, taste, and understand the beauty of real life on a community farm.
ONCE SOURCE for funding is not advisable nor expected. To demonstrate that your project is sustainable, give assurance that support, expertise, financial aid, or in-kind donations of materials, along with community buy-in is secured. Communicate and don’t be shy about your plan to involve continued structural involvement and maintenance. Grantors like to know that their investment is long term.
BE REALISTIC Big is great but it’s not always better. Have clear objectives. Research resources. List measurable outcomes. Develop a time line. Recognize challenges and demonstrate ways to overcome them. Know and understand your project recipients and audience. Can your volunteers deliver? Identify your shareholders and partners.
Good Idea(s):We learned so much last summer when the volunteers we recruited couldn’t keep up with the needs of the garden. At the end of the season we developed a task force that researched and presented alternatives. This spring we will work on outreach to parents, partner organizations, and teachers living in the neighborhood through newsletters, social media and meetings to recruit volunteers. / Poor example:
Last summer we had a hard time getting reliable volunteers to water the garden and pull weeds. We’re hopeful that this year we’ll recruit more people to help.
Write notes/comment area:
THE PROJECT STATEMENT
“Let your words speak to the application reviewer.” Paint a clear picture on how the funds will support the growth and development of your project. When developing this project statement, here are some ideas.
1. Briefhistoryandbackgroundontheproject
2. How many volunteers are actively involved
3. What happens to the project’s product?
4. Who are your target audience to benefit from this project
5. Statistics and documentation – How information is collected and shared
Good Example:Our school garden hosts 50 students each week in 45 minute classes of 15 – 20 with 2 instructors (minimum) at each class. This is a total of 3 hours, per student each teaching cycle.
Produce from the garden, when available, is used in a meal in the cafeteria once a month. This is 9 meals a year.
We hope to improve our garden program by increasing our student participation to 100 students twice a week, instead of one a week. This would increase student participation to 6 hours a month.
We hope to use garden produce in 2 cafeteria meals a month, increasing garden meals to 18 a year. / Poor example(s):
1. Our garden coordinator, Mary Smith, spends much of her time working with children throughout the school.
2. EachclasscometotheFarmforforty-five minutes two times per month.
WHAT DO YOU NEED? “Need” is not limited to economics but may also include: Access to resources, meeting facilities, limiting administrative barriers and providing community history.
RESEARCH specific support resources.
1. If there are similar successful projects in place, discover and learn their best practices
2. Conduct a website search for publications, non-profit support organizations, youth groups,
4-H and Extension programs offering free services.
3. Curriculum and Lesson Plans that are already in place or can be adapted
4. Legal and Liability issues. Background checks and disclaimers
SCHOOL PROGRAMS are unique as they are an opportunity to educate young people about where their food comes from and yet incorporate many life learning concepts including: math, science, responsibility and social studies.
Tell the application reviewer “How I will accomplish this . . ” and be as specific as possible.
Good Example:As weather permits, instructors will teach all of these units in the garden to create a hands on learning environment. Our garden will be integrated into science class established curriculum for each grade.
First Grade will learn how different plants grow and which parts we eat for each vegetable. Second Grade will discover about seed sprouting.
Third Grade develop the concept of ecosystems. Fourth Grade expand their understanding about photosynthesis.
Fifth Grade does a project about environmental sustainability and the scientific method.
The Math curriculum similarly can be integrated in a variety of life-learning ways: calculations, area, and volume. / Inadequate example(s):
1. 2.
Our garden will be integrated in Science and Math curriculum.
Our garden will be integrated into Science class as we teach about plant cycles, photosynthesis, ecosystems and environmental sustainability. It will be integrated into Math class with lessons on area, volume, planning and adding/subtracting.
BUDGET – be specific when requesting money. Include a budget.
Good Example:GARDEN VERMICOMPOSTING PROJECT
Four 4’ x 8’ worm bins - $5,000.00 One cedar vermicompost holding bin - $120.00 100 lbs. of Eisenia fetida (red works) - $875.00
Soil tiller - Garden tools - Hanging scale - Wheelbarrow -
$200.00 $115.00 $90.00
$100.00 Total $2,000.00 / Poor example: The funds will be used to purchase supplies and supplement labor for our garden program.
Inadequate yet better: The funds will be used to buy potting soil, fertilizer, pots, labels, etc. for the greenhouse’ sprinklers, hoses, and lumber for garden beds in the garden; and cooking ingredients, utensils, and plates for the kitchen. The remainder will be used towards staff expenses. (no more than 1⁄4 of the grant funds).
*Research average pricing on items listed. The whole project may not be funded. Focus on elements of the bigger project. If this portion is nested within a larger project, break out the budget specifically.