Tips on Receiving Federal Dollars

Most nonprofit agencies have a difficult time figuring out the murky and complex process of obtaining federal grants and do not want to spend the time deciphering the process only to be overwhelmed by the prospect.

The key to success in obtaining federal money is to break the process down into steps that can be reasonably handled and understood by those in your agency responsible for obtaining support dollars.   Ask yourself questions as you read through the announcement.   Before you decide whether or not it is a good idea to take the time and effort that will be necessary to apply for federal money, you must figure out which grants you have the best chance of receiving.   Here are a few suggestions that may help you through the process:

1. Check the federal websites that support the mission of your program.   Usually there will be a link to current grant announcements.
2. Check the Federal Register  ( http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html or http://www.grants.gov/ ) daily.   Announcements are printed every day and one of them may be right for you.
3. Make sure that what you are reading is some type of a notice of funding , not a rule, a meeting, a collection notice or some other federal business that required publication.  
4. Read the eligibility requirements carefully to make sure you are an eligible entity.
5. Read the due date.   If you cannot get all the information together to be submitted by the due date, do not apply.
6. Look at the amount of funding that will be given for the average grant.   Is it likely that your program can meet the scope that is required?
7. Are you part of a coalition or partnership that might have a better chance of getting federal funding?   Can you apply as a coalition or partnership?
8. Read the summary carefully.   Grants will be given to exactly the programs that are being described.   Close is not good enough.
9. Get any political support that you can.
10. Do not give up.   Most grants are not funded on the first try.   You may ask for comments back on your application to help you understand what to change for the next funding cycle.   The more you apply for federal grants, the easier and less confusing it gets.

One of our readers, Michael Bullis, of Baltimore, Maryland has some additional tips on writing federal grant proposals:

1. Pay close attention to the details. They either want every form they ask for or want (and need) an explanation of why it doesn't apply to you. Don't be afraid to call the federal office soliciting the applications and ask questions if you're not sure. Even if you are sure, it doesn't hurt to build name familiarity with you and your organization in their minds.

2. If there have been grants of the type you're looking for in the past, get copies of them. It will help you to know what they're looking for.

3. If they say the maximum dollar amount is $220,000, they mean it.

4. Don't ask for more. If they say they want twenty-five pages, including narrative and budget, they mean it. Don't send twenty-six pages.

5. If the grant says it should take twenty-four hours to write, multiply by three if you haven't done it before.

6. If you're going to hire a grant writer, make sure he/she has written grants for the particular agency in question. Writing private grants is different than writing those for government agencies and, writing a grant for the Department of Education is different than a grant for the Department of Labor. Your grant writer should be familiar with the language they use, the underlying rules that need to be followed, and where to go for help.