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Grant Writing Resources
FEDERAL GRANT WRITING
FEDERAL FUNDING REGISTRATION
To apply for a federal grant, your organization must have completed the Grants.gov registration process. This can take as little as 3-5 business days, or as long as four weeks if all steps are not completed in a timely manner. Please register early! A web based tutorial and checklist are available on the registration website.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Federal funding announcements can be full of unfamiliar terms and acronyms. Use this glossary to understand the meaning of common terms used by federal funders.
TYPES OF FEDERAL FUNDING
There are several different types of federal grants available. Refer to this Types of Federal Funding table for a brief definition of funding categories and implications for implementation.
GRANT PROPOSAL CHECKLIST
MoCAP staff created this grant proposal checklist based on the experiences of our customers and consultants as well as input from federal staff. MoCAP recommends looking over this checklist several times throughout the grant production process.
OVERVIEW OF FEDERAL GRANT WRITING
This web portal, created by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), is widely considered one of the best resources on understanding the federal grant process. While specific to DOJ programs and funding areas, much of the content is universal for federal funding opportunities.
FEDERAL FUNDING RECIPIENTS
Use RePorter to see grantees of federal funders. You can search by keyword, geographic location, institution, etc. Participating administrations include: all NIH Institutes and Centers (NIH), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Veterans Affairs (VA), and all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) also allows you to search for grantees for Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) operating divisions.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) also provides a search engine for grant awardees by program and state.
BEST PRACTICES AND SUPPORTING DATA
BEST PRACTICES: The following documents are high quality, widely respected and accepted national resources that should be considered when designing your program and writing your grant narrative. References to any of these documents would be recognized by federal funders.
- Healthy People 2020: Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving the health of Americans. Healthy People establishes benchmarks and monitors progress over time in order to encourage cross-sector collaborations, guide individuals in making informed health decisions and measure the impact of prevention activities.
- The National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy: The National Prevention and Health Promotion Council (convened by the Surgeon General) will use this framework to develop the National Prevention Strategy. The framework gives insights into possible future funding streams and strategies preferred by federal funders.
- Find Programs and Policies that Work Finding programs and policies that work in real life will maximize your chances of success.
- The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health: This report and related articles will be of most relevance to projects related to health care workforce. The report is a product of a two year joint initiative between the Institute of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with the purpose of making recommendations for an action-oriented blueprint for the future of nursing.
SUPPORTING DATA: The following publicly available data-sets should be used to find community level statistics demonstrating the need for specific services in your catchment area.
- Missouri Community Data Profiles: In 2007 the Missouri Foundation for Health funded the Missouri County-level Study (CLS), the largest special survey ever undertaken by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), with a total of 49,513 Missouri adults interviewed. The study was designed to produce county-level prevalence of behavioral risk factors, chronic diseases and conditions, and preventive practices among adults age 18 and older in Missouri. The Foundation is funding this study again in 2011 with data anticipated summer 2012.
- State and County QuickFacts: Published by the U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts tables are summary profiles showing frequently requested data items from various Census Bureau Programs. Profiles are available for the nation, states, counties and large cities.
- Health Indicators Website: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a new website that provides national, state and county level data along with evidence-based interventions for each indicator listed.
- Community Issues Management: This website provides data, mapping tools, and other resources to aid organizations in understanding complex social issues. Please note: registration is free, but required for access to certain information.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPT PAPERS
A concept paper is a brief, two-page document used to outline the type of program(s) that your organization would like to fund. Drafting concept papers ahead of time will help you develop clarity regarding the initiatives you're committed to advancing so you do not risk going in directions beyond your mission just to pursue federal funds. Completed concept papers can also be used to engage potential partners in discussions prior to funding being announced. When a funding opportunity is announced the concept paper document should be used to engage the targeted funder and as a starting point for your grant application. MoCAP asks that organizations seeking assistance provide a draft concept paper at the onset of our work together. This suggested outline for a concept paper can be used to begin drafting your ideas.
ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION
In addition to having concept papers prepared on your proposed programs, it is important to have compiled specific information about your organization. There are certain sections required in almost every federal grant that can be written ahead of time. This suggested list details those sections.
CAPACITY BUILDING RESOURCES
Capacity building is important for developing and enhancing your organization's ability to secure funding. The Department of Health & Human Services provides these resources for community organizations seeking to improve their programs and services.
BUDGET PROPOSAL PREPARATION
CDC has provided a template for preparing a federal grant budget proposal. This document should serve as an example of what to include in a budget. Although most budget requests will follow these guidelines, grant submitters should follow the instructions of the opportunity to which they are applying.
GRANT PRODUCTION TIMELINE
MoCAP staff developed this timeline for grant application submission that includes generalized grant production activities and recommended target dates that can be used as a guide for most proposals.
GRANT MANAGEMENT
Federal grantees must adhere to the provisions set forth by the government. The Office of Management and Budgets (OMB)circulars provide detailed information on what is considered lobbying and non-lobbying activity. In general, grantee organizations can engage in advocacy for policy change and address public education, mobilization, and outreach without violating any requirements. For more details, see this factsheet from NonprofitAction.org.