Go Get That Grant!: A Practical Guide for Libraries and Nonprofit Organizations

by Gail M. Staines

Overview

In these tough economic times, funding opportunities have decreased, while competition for money has increased. Thus, this how-to guide is a must for anyone interested in writing, procuring, and implementing grants. Designed for libraries and nonprofit organizations, Go Get That Grant! includes information about the types of grants available through government agencies and foundations, as well as how to locate funding opportunities.

From gathering basic information about an organization through accepting and implementing grants, Gail Staines provides step-by-step expert advice, numerous examples, and proven writing strategies. She also explains the processes of identifying fundable projects and selecting potential sources of funding.

This volume also contains several appendixes with samples of strategic plans, narratives, budgets, needs assessments, evaluations, and much more. As securing funds becomes increasingly difficult, this current and effective book will prove enormously useful.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810874190
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	04/26/2010
Pages:	124
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Gail M. Staines is the dean of library services at the University of Central Missouri. Her previous positions include director of classroom services, Washington University in St. Louis; Grant Writer and External Funding Specialist for Aspect, Inc.; Sr. Fellow in the Office of Academic Affairs at Saint Louis University as well as the Assistant Vice President for University Libraries. She holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University at Buffalo where she was a visiting professor in the School of Informatics for many years. Dr. Staines served as the Executive Director of the Western New York Library Resources Council (a nonprofit consortium of all types of libraries). A very successful grant writer for over 20 years, Gail has written and procured 99% of the grant proposals she has submitted.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v

1 Introduction 1

2 Creating Your Toolkit 5

3 Identifying a Project 11

4 Types of Grants 17

5 Funding Sources 23

6 Select a Grant and Start Writing 31

7 Submitting Your Grant 53

8 Making the Grant Successful 59

9 Some Advice and Final Words 65

Appendices:

A Samples of a Three-Year Strategic Plan Outline 71

B Sample Entries for Government Grants 75

C Sample Query Letter 79

D Sample Entries for Foundations 81

E Sample Organizational Chart 85

F Grant-writing Worksheets 87

G Case Study #1: Sample Narrative of a Successful Grant 91

H Case Study #2: Sample Narrative from an Unsuccessful Grant 95

I Examples of Needs Assessments 97

J Example of an Unsuccessful Budget 99

K Example of a Successful Budget 101

L Examples of Evaluation Plans 103

M Sample Grant Application Form for a Foundation 105

References 109

Additional Resources 111

Index 115

About the Author 117

Editorial Reviews

Good things often come in small packages, as Gail M. Staines demonstrates with Go Get That Grant!: A Practical Guide for Libraries and Nonprofit Organizations. In nine short chapters, most averaging six pages in length, Staines has provided, as her subtitle indicates, a practical guide for seeking grants from foundations and government agencies....Staines has used a direct, spare style of writing and a no-frills manner of presentation. There is no fluff here, no jargon, no academic posturing, no belaboring the details. One could spend several days and several hundred dollars on a grant-writing course, or one could read this book and, following Staines’s guidance, “Go Get That Grant.

The Public Historian

This little book begins with a simple introduction to what grants are and what they are not, followed by a chapter on 'creating your toolkit' of what will be needed whenever an organization wants to apply for a grant, for example, a mission statement, a short history, a strategic plan, and a definition of the population served. The book continues with information about determining need, creating a budget, and identifying grants that may be good fits. The remainder of the book walks the reader through the various types of grants and tips for successful grant applications. More than a dozen appendixes offer examples of a strategic plan, sample query letters, sample grant-writing worksheets, case studies of successful grant proposals, and more. A wonderful guide for someone new to grant writing or someone wanting to be more successful at securing grants.

Booklist

This small readable book contains a wealth of well-organized information for grant writers, especially for those writing their first grants. It does an excellent job of defining the terminology of grant writing, and walks readers through the entire process. ‘Creating Your Toolkit’ instructs a writer in presenting their organization to its best advantage by improving basic information, such as the mission statement and utilizing data to its full potential. Websites for funding sources are included. Some tables, such as samples of budgets and timelines, are embedded in the text, and helpful appendixes include samples of strategic plan outlines, needs assessment, query letters, and evaluation plans. This book is quick and easy to read, yet packed with information that will assist both beginning grant writers and those looking to hone their grant writing skills.

American Reference Books Annual

This little book begins with a simple introduction to what grants are and what they are not, followed by a chapter on 'creating your toolkit' of what will be needed whenever an organization wants to apply for a grant, for example, a mission statement, a short history, a strategic plan, and a definition of the population served. The book continues with information about determining need, creating a budget, and identifying grants that may be good fits. The remainder of the book walks the reader through the various types of grants and tips for successful grant applications. More than a dozen appendixes offer examples of a strategic plan, sample query letters, sample grant-writing worksheets, case studies of successful grant proposals, and more. A wonderful guide for someone new to grant writing or someone wanting to be more successful at securing grants.

Booklist

This small readable book contains a wealth of well-organized information for grant writers, especially for those writing their first grants. It does an excellent job of defining the terminology of grant writing, and walks readers through the entire process. ‘Creating Your Toolkit’ instructs a writer in presenting their organization to its best advantage by improving basic information, such as the mission statement and utilizing data to its full potential. Websites for funding sources are included. Some tables, such as samples of budgets and timelines, are embedded in the text, and helpful appendixes include samples of strategic plan outlines, needs assessment, query letters, and evaluation plans. This book is quick and easy to read, yet packed with information that will assist both beginning grant writers and those looking to hone their grant writing skills.

American Reference Books Annual (ARBA)