Grant writers often find themselves in the dual role of helping to apply for and manage grant reporting, while not directly managing the funded project. As an outsider, how can your perspective help teams design an effective program proposal that is easy to implement and manage, and minimizes back-end burdens and funder concerns? 

Build a grant application that sets a project up for success:

• Begin with the budget and the metrics - what is needed and what is accessible?
• Consider the funder - are they looking to grow with you, or more interested in deliverables?
• Post-award expectations - Plan ahead for meetings, deliverables, and reporting.
• What is the team that ensures this grant is successful?
• What policies and procedures are already in place and which ones are needed at the organization?
• Document, document, document. Help the team by keeping copies of pricing, data, and sources that were used in proposal creation.  

Presenter:

Aly Sanchez, MBA, has 24 years of grant writing experience. This includes 11 years with The Grant Plant, where she is Director of Strategy and Organizational Development. This consultancy has a team of 12 and has raised over $167M for non-profits and government agencies. She is also the Lead Educator for Pivotal New Mexico, the non-profit sister organization of The Grant Plant. In this role she creates learning materials, develops tools, and delivers training.

Cecily Peterson has worked as a consultant with The Grant Plant since 2015 and has over 20 years of diverse experience including grant management, individual and corporate fundraising, and marketing management, working for both nonprofit and for-profit companies. She holds an MBA in International Marketing Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management, and a BA in Political Science from DePauw University.

 
Skill Level:
Advanced-Career,Mid-Career

Learning Path: 
Proposal Development/Communication Strategies

GPC Competencies:
How to craft, construct, and submit an effective grant application

Strategies for effective program and project design and development Organizational development as it pertains to grant seeking

Organizational development as it pertains to grant seeking

Post-award grant management practices sufficient to inform effective grant design and development

Practices and services that raise the level of professionalism of grant developers