Successful Grant Writing Tips and Tactics Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD Nutrition Education & Training Nutrition Education & Training Program Coordinator Program Coordinator Massachusetts Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs
Mar 29, 2015
Successful Grant Writing Tips and Tactics
Barbara Ruhs, MS, RDBarbara Ruhs, MS, RDNutrition Education & Training Nutrition Education & Training
Program CoordinatorProgram Coordinator
Massachusetts Department of Education
Child Nutrition Programs
Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD [email protected] 2/1/00
Why am I doing this training?
Why should anyone apply for a grant?
Introductions
Program Need - Brief History of Nutrition Education• 1995 USDA and Congress pass “The School
Meals Initiative for Healthy School Meals” (Public Law 103-448)– Nutrition Education & Training Program (NET)
Funding Problems
– Competitive Grant Funding created (TNT)
– 1996 Massachusetts receives TNT Grant
– 1997 No Grant for MA , minimal NET Funds
– Nutrition Education Programs at riskCreated by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Purpose of this Workshop
To school foodservice and health education personnel to write successful grant applications.
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Tools for Schools
“Healthy Choices: A Guide for Designing School-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Programs”
Massachusetts Department of Public HealthContact: Julie Robarts, MPH, MS, RD
(617) 624 - 5492E-mail: [email protected]
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Dream about what you want…
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
First things First...
• This is the wrong place to start
Shift GEARS…
• Put yourself in the funders shoes…
Think about how things are NOW, how things OUGHT TO BE, in the funders view, and how YOU can FILL THE GAP
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Things to Consider
Identify a Need
Who is your Target Audience?
How will you accomplish your goals?
How will you evaluate? Benchmarks?
Sustainability and Reproducibility
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Objectives for Today…Objectives for Today…
• Identifying GOALS and setting OBJECTIVES
• Building TEAMS & Identifying Resources
• Strategies and Tactics to complete The Standard Grant Application
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Team Nutrition & Training Team Nutrition & Training Program GrantsProgram Grants
Purpose: To provide comprehensive nutrition education & training programs that support and enhance the implementation of the Healthy School Meals Initiative (SMI).
www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Goals of Team NutritionGoals of Team Nutrition
• To improve the health and education of children by creating innovative public and private partnerships that promote food choices for a healthful diet through the media, schools, families, and the community.
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Setting Setting GoalsGoals and and ObjectivesObjectives
• Goals of Team Nutrition - Personalize
– What do you hope to accomplish?
– Identify (Using Section A and B)
• Objectives state precisely what you will DO to accomplish specific goals
– Objectives are statements of end results, measurable statements of clients benefits from your work.
– How will you know if you accomplished what you set out to accomplish?
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Goals & Objectives - Cont’d•Goals are general and offer the evaluator an
understanding of the thrust of your program.
•Objectives are specific, measurable outcomes.
They should be realistic and attainable.
•Objectives help solve the problem or address
the issue.
•If your objectives make reference to a number
-- make sure it is do-able.
•Do not confuse objectives with methods.
•Be realistic.
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
For Example• Goal: To make cafeteria - classroom
connections to support nutrition education (Section A #4).
• Objective: Increase fruit and vegetable consumption in high school students.
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Activity #1: Choosing/Writing
Objectives
• Review Sections A and B from Grant RFP
• Choose one component from each section (A and B) - phrase this as your goal
• Write one objective for each component**
* Reference: “Healthy Choices Manual” Page 24
** Fund Code 720 requires 2 from each Section A, B
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Goals & Objectives Resources• Center’s For Disease Control “Guidelines
for School Health Programs to Promote Lifelong Healthy Eating (Section A, # 7)
– www.cdc.gov
• Massachusetts School Nutrition Task Force - Position Statement of Nutrition Programs & Services in Schools (Section A # 5)
– www.doe.mass.edu/cnpCreated by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Setting Yourself Apart• Be Original - show a connection between
what’s been tried before and your idea.
• Problem Solving - fresh solutions to the same old problems.
• Outreach - Ideas that affect large numbers of people.
• Timeliness - current events influence perceptions of problems or issues (national standards, budget cuts)
• Maximizing Resources - creating partnerships that are mutually beneficial.
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Building TEAMSBuilding TEAMS
Why is this a requirement to receive funding?
• Partners help you to achieve your goals!
• Provide different perspectives
• Enhance sustainability
• Utilize the resources available to youCreated by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Grant Requirement - Team Nutrition
“Must establish a school nutrition team consisting of a Team
Nutrition school leader, teachers, students, foodservice personnel
and the community.”
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Activity #2: Building the Team & Identifying Resources
• What are existing resources? Identify (column 1)
• Identify groups, individuals, organizations have similar goals/vision/interests? (column 2)
• Roles - “Healthy Choices” p. 29 - 38
Reference: “Healthy Choices Manual” Page 16, 22
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
How to Find and Complete the Standard Grant Application
• Consolidated Application Section, Parts I, II
• MA DOE Nutrition Website - Nutrition Grants
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Standard Things to Consider...• Due Date
• Page Limit
• Required Information
• Statistics
• attachments* (resumes, stats, letters)
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Consolidated Application Section Specific Instructions
• Fund Code 720 - Team Nutrition
Section Part II
• Budget
Section Part I
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Budget InformationTypically three parts:
• personnel (salaries, fringe benefits, contracts)
• non-personnel (space, rent of equipment, supplies)
• indirect cost (overhead)
– Should correlate to objectives and methods. Timelines are often found here, also
– Justify requests for salary (provide a rate hr/wk)
– If you plan to hire someone with the funding, include a position description. .
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Budgets - continued
• Standard grant application Part II B– make sure information is put in the
correct category
– Example #1: if you are hiring a person to work specifically on a grant-related project = contractual services.
– #2: Equipment <$5000 is put under “supplies and materials (M6)”
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Building Credible Budgets • Research actual and complete costs of
EVERYTHING in your proposal
• Provide documentation (price quotes, salaries, cost of materials)
• Cost-Benefit Analysis - show how many participants will be affected by your project and how much they will receive.
-consider additional funders
• Matching Funds or “In-Kind” - shows commitment on your part - Illustrate
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Activity #3: Budget Worksheet• Consider Goals & Objectives
• Estimate Budget
#1. For each item, provide one in-kind (or other possible source of funding)
#2. Perform cost-benefit analysis
* “Healthy Choices Manual,” page 58 worksheet #4
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Things to Remember…
• Spending your money - deadlines for encumbering costs $ - talk to your business manager
• Contracts & Bids - items exceeding $1000
• Grant Amendments
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
• Research what other States/schools/districts are doing
• Connecticut, Arkansas, Rhode Island, Wyoming
Examples - Do Your Homework!
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
QUESTIONS - Getting Started
• READ the grant application
• Identify Goals & Objectives - Personalize
• Build a Team - Share the Work!
• Create a Timeline
• Justify, Evaluate and SHARECreated by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD [email protected] 2/1/00
Team Nutrition Grants Team Nutrition Grants DueDue
To Be Announced - Fall 2000
Training & Educational Resources• Massachusetts Department of Education Home Page
www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/links/default.html
• John Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition, Framingham State College Contact: Carol Marrochello Phone: (508) 626 - 4756
• University of Massachusetts Extension - Nutrition Education Program Contact: Rita Brennan Olson Phone: (413) 545 -0552
• National School Foodservice Management Institute (NSFMI) www.nsfmi.org
• Massachusett Department of Public Health - School Nutrition Resource Guide
• Massachusetts Dietetic Association (MDA) www.eatright.orgCreated by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Internet Resources• Team Nutrition
– Team Nutrition - USDA www.fns.usda.gov/tn/
– USDA Healthy School Meals Resource Page schoolmeals.nal.usda.gov:8001/
• Grant Writing
– Centers for Disease Control Funding Database www2.cdc.gov/nccdphp/shpfp/index.asp
– Houghton - Mifflin Co. www.eduplace.com/math/mkeys/grants.html
– Utah State Department of Education www.uen.org/cgi-bin/subjects?resource=8
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Grant VocabularyGrant Vocabulary• In - Kind
• RFP
• AmendmentsCreated by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Created by: Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD MA Department of Education
Contact Information
Barbara Ruhs, MS, RDMassachusetts Department of Education
Nutrition Programs and Services
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
Phone: (781) 338 - 6452
Fax: (781) 338 - 3399
E-mail: [email protected]
www.doe.mass.edu/cnp