Grant Writing for GIS Development

Grant Writing for GIS Grant Writing for GIS DevelopmentDevelopment

or or

How to Squeeze Blood From a How to Squeeze Blood From a Rock… Rock…

presented by:Mark DuewellUniversity of MissouriColumbia

GIS Development?GIS Development?

1.1. Getting started – get your feet Getting started – get your feet wet…wet…

2.2. Creating additional capacityCreating additional capacity

3.3. Develop advanced systemsDevelop advanced systems

Needs Assessment…Needs Assessment…

Problem or Issue to be solved with GISProblem or Issue to be solved with GIS Stakeholders, Partners and ChampionsStakeholders, Partners and Champions Goals and ObjectivesGoals and Objectives GIS Application/s to be builtGIS Application/s to be built Staff – GIS or otherwiseStaff – GIS or otherwise Budget – hardware, software, training, Budget – hardware, software, training,

maintenancemaintenance TimelineTimeline Management supportManagement support

Typical Components of a Typical Components of a ProposalProposal

1.1. Executive SummaryExecutive Summary2.2. Statement of Problem / NeedStatement of Problem / Need3.3. Project DescriptionProject Description4.4. BudgetBudget5.5. Budget Narrative – IMPORTANT!Budget Narrative – IMPORTANT!6.6. Organization InformationOrganization Information7.7. ConclusionConclusion8.8. Cover letterCover letter9.9. Cover and title pageCover and title page10.10. Table of ContentsTable of Contents11.11. AppendixAppendix

Locating FundsLocating Funds

Actively research - Know where to look for grant Actively research - Know where to look for grant offerings.offerings.

Build relationships with others with like missions.Build relationships with others with like missions.

Establish grant file for correspondence.Establish grant file for correspondence.

Professional correspondence, magazines, mailing.Professional correspondence, magazines, mailing.

Ask other agencies and orgs – State GIS Committee, Ask other agencies and orgs – State GIS Committee, clearinghouse, COGs, RPCsclearinghouse, COGs, RPCs

Internet - email notifications – Internet - email notifications –

Conferences (MAGIC, NSGIC, URISA), workshops.Conferences (MAGIC, NSGIC, URISA), workshops.

Grant Sources –Grant Sources –“Show me the money…”“Show me the money…”

FederalFederal StateState FoundationsFoundations CorporateCorporate Others?Others?

IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - Download or secure Download or secure a copy of the grant a copy of the grant instructions!instructions!

Proposal Follow-UpProposal Follow-Up

Contact potential sponsor.Contact potential sponsor.

Be prepared to answer questions and Be prepared to answer questions and provide additional information.provide additional information.

Personalize follow-up.Personalize follow-up.

What to do when unsuccessful.What to do when unsuccessful.

Sponsor follow-upsSponsor follow-ups

Within limits of professionalism – take Within limits of professionalism – take advantage of personal contacts.advantage of personal contacts.

Understand that collaboration is paramount to Understand that collaboration is paramount to many of the sponsors – explore the possibility many of the sponsors – explore the possibility of working with a potential competitor.of working with a potential competitor.

Avoid the pitfalls of arguing, anger, arrogance, Avoid the pitfalls of arguing, anger, arrogance, frustration and criticizing others supporting frustration and criticizing others supporting similarsimilar projects.projects.

Tips for Successful Grant Tips for Successful Grant WritingWriting

1.1. Your budget should be concise and specific.Your budget should be concise and specific.

2.2. Demonstrate a clear and justifiable plan.Demonstrate a clear and justifiable plan.

3.3. Collaboration is the name of the game – Collaboration is the name of the game – find enthusiastic partners - get letters of find enthusiastic partners - get letters of support.support.

4.4. Follow-up with sponsor.Follow-up with sponsor.

Tips for Getting More Grants - Tips for Getting More Grants - contcont

5.5. Generate management support and Generate management support and commitment.commitment.

6.6. Research your project.Research your project.

7.7. Don’t provide more information Don’t provide more information than sponsor requires.than sponsor requires.

8.8. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Rejected! Why?Rejected! Why?

Unsubstantiated Unsubstantiated claimsclaims

Poor or no response Poor or no response to sponsor’s to sponsor’s questionsquestions

Unenthusiastic Unenthusiastic Negative attitudeNegative attitude And… Yes… a poorly And… Yes… a poorly

written grant written grant proposal proposal

Rejected! Why?Rejected! Why?

Unsubstantiated claimsUnsubstantiated claims Poor or no response to sponsor’s Poor or no response to sponsor’s

questionsquestions Unenthusiastic Unenthusiastic Negative attitudeNegative attitude And… Yes… a poorly written grant And… Yes… a poorly written grant

proposal proposal

Rejected! - cont…Rejected! - cont…

Other problems to avoid:Other problems to avoid:

don’t ask rhetorical questionsdon’t ask rhetorical questions skip high tech lingo – write as you would skip high tech lingo – write as you would

speakspeak match scope of work to the budgetmatch scope of work to the budget don’t assume that the reviewers know don’t assume that the reviewers know

anything about your entity or about your anything about your entity or about your problemsproblems

don’t use jargon, clichés, or redundanciesdon’t use jargon, clichés, or redundancies

Potential grant funding Potential grant funding sources…sources…

Federal grant email “notifier” –Federal grant email “notifier” –http://fedgrants.gov/ApplicantRegistration.htmlhttp://fedgrants.gov/ApplicantRegistration.html

Grants “How To” – Grants “How To” – http://www.federalfundingsources.com/http://www.federalfundingsources.com/

General GIS grants – General GIS grants – http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-index-http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-index-

by-type/federal-grants.htmlby-type/federal-grants.html

http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-index-http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-index-by-type/city-grants.htmlby-type/city-grants.html

Potential grant funding Potential grant funding sources…sources…

http://www.esri.com/grants/index.htmlhttp://www.esri.com/grants/index.html

http://www.fema.govhttp://www.fema.gov

http://www.fgdc.gov/funding/funding.htmlhttp://www.fgdc.gov/funding/funding.html

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/index.htmlindex.html

http://www.nationalmap.usgs.govhttp://www.nationalmap.usgs.gov

Summary…Summary…

Grant writing is a process.Grant writing is a process.

Beneficial to involve other partners.Beneficial to involve other partners.

Know your project before trying to obtain Know your project before trying to obtain funding.funding.

Match the project to the mission or Match the project to the mission or purpose of the sponsor.purpose of the sponsor.

Summary - cont…Summary - cont… Don’t give the sponsor a reason to throw Don’t give the sponsor a reason to throw

your proposal out.your proposal out.

Be clear, honest, and concise in the proposal.Be clear, honest, and concise in the proposal.

Develop relationship with the funding source.Develop relationship with the funding source.

Ask if you are unsure of somethingAsk if you are unsure of something..

Don’t give up! Practice makes perfect!Don’t give up! Practice makes perfect!

Credit for assistance….Credit for assistance….

Tim Haithcoat (UMC)Tim Haithcoat (UMC)

Sonny Sanders (ESRI)Sonny Sanders (ESRI)

Shirley Frederiksen, (Coordinator -Golden Hills RC&D, Shirley Frederiksen, (Coordinator -Golden Hills RC&D, Iowa)Iowa)

Warren Johnson, (Coordinator - Limestone Bluffs RC&D, Warren Johnson, (Coordinator - Limestone Bluffs RC&D, Iowa) Iowa)

Brad Cutler, (GIS Project Specialist - Golden Hills RC&D)Brad Cutler, (GIS Project Specialist - Golden Hills RC&D)

Thank you…Thank you…

Questions?Questions?

Contact InformationContact Information

Mark DuewellMark DuewellMSDIS Program ManagerMSDIS Program Manager

[email protected]@missouri.edu(573) 882-6734(573) 882-6734