The decision to pursue a grant is often a joint one among the grant professional, senior leaders, program and fiscal staff, and others. This team can change with each grant announcement and/or change in personnel with only the grant professional as the common factor. How can the grant professional lead a well-designed, informed, and thoughtful decision-making process that objectively assesses the quality of a match and determine grant readiness? The development and use of a Funding Opportunity Rubric aligned to an organization's mission, processes, and procedures help ensure a quality decision-making process that saves time and money, ensures readiness, and increases the likelihood of success.

Presenter:

Dr. Shileste Overton Morris, Director of the Center for Schools and Communities (CSC), also serves as the Chief Programs Officer at the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit. Dr. Overton Morris was instrumental in revising and updating the Funding Opportunities Rubric to help identify and procure more than $6 million annually in state, federal and private grant funding that aligns with the CSC mission and vision. Dr. Overton Morris has presented at several state and national conferences including at the annual Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) conference.

Skill Level:
All Career Levels

Learning Path: 
Proposal Development/Communication Strategies

GPC Competencies:
How to research, identify, and match funding resources to meet specific needs

Organizational development as it pertains to grant seeking