Learning From Our Mistakes

Presented by

Linda Butler, MSW, ACSW, LISW-SDiane H. Leonard, GPC

Introduction• Diane H. Leonard, GPC, Owner,

DH Leonard Consulting & Grant Writing Services, LLC

• More than twelve years of professional experience in grant seeking and grant making

• Success percentage of 65% of proposals being funded - have raised millions of dollars for clients

Introduction• Linda Butler, MWS, ACSW, LISW-

S, Owner, Butler Consulting• 40 years of fundraising, clinical

and administrative experience• Helps organizations target

fundraising, grant seeking, training, managing and capacity building

• Served on the GPA Board from 2008 to 2013

• 2014 Social Worker of Year for Ohio’s Region 7

Check-in Question

• Let us know where you are from

• Click the box next to your answer for the poll on your screen

Agenda

• Webinar Objectives• Summary of 2013 Conference Panel• Discussion of Mistakes• Best Practices Identified• Tools to Prevent Mistakes• Next Steps• Questions

2013 GPA Conference Panelists

• Rena Beyer, MS• Margit Brazda Poirier• Linda Butler, MSW, ACSW, LISW-S• Jana Jane Hexter, GPC• Diane H. Leonard, GPC• Jo Miller, GPC• Heather Stombaugh, GPC

Webinar Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will have:• Increased their understanding of how communication among partners can be framed to avoid errors;• Increased their awareness of systems that can be put in place to ensure that proposal construction meets funders’ expectations; and• Increased their understanding of how honesty in working on proposals as outlined in GPA professional ethics can assist in remedying human errors.

Alignment with GPCI Validated Competencies & Skills

• Knowledge of how to craft, construct and submit an effective grant application

• Knowledge of strategies for effective program and project design and development

• Knowledge of how to research, identify and match funding resources to meet specific needs

Alignment with GPCI Validated Competencies & Skills

• Knowledge of organizational development as it pertains to grant seeking

• Knowledge of nationally recognized standards of ethical practice by grant developers

• Knowledge of methods and strategies that cultivate and maintain relationships between fund-seeking and recipient organizations and funders

Poll

What do you hope to learn today?

Panel Question #1

What was the worst avoidable error which cost your organization/client a grant?

Panel Question #1

Responses:• Butler Consulting worked with a client who rarely submitted federal grants….

Panel Question #1

Double & triple check budget formulas

Panel Question #2

What was the worst avoidable error which your organization/client received funding in spite of?

Panel Question #2

Responses:• Butler Consulting worked with a client providing ex-offender programs who was not “grant-ready” and who did not have the infrastructure to implement a state grant…

Panel Question #2

Panel Question #3

What personal grant writing practices and procedures have you changed as a result of mistakes?

Panel Question #3

• Butler Consulting has learned with our first client to raise the question of how a project can impact daily operations…

Panel Question #3

Establishing checks and balances

Panel Question #4

What are some foolish concepts you have seen with grant seekers/programs/clients in regards to their approach to grants?

Panel Question #4

• Butler Consulting has seen many foolish concepts such as: a) requests to work for a percentage or contingency; & b) lack of understanding re: project development, grants management, financial accountability

Panel Question #4

Overlooking power of funder relationships

Panel Question #5

Do you have any “anti-error” tools that you like to use? Paper/online/collaborative tools (aka Secret Weapons)?

Panel Question #5

• Butler Consulting’s “secret weapons” include: “CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESS!”; “Project Development Worksheet”; and organization development interview to screen for “grant-readiness”.

Panel Question #5

Best Practices Identified

Grant Funder Research & Relationship Building

• Confirm funder contact names and mailing information are consistent on all documents

• Confirm funder information matches most recently published guidelines

Grant Funder Research & Relationship Building

• Establishing relationships with potential funders is a critical first steps

• Relationships will vary based on funder• Be flexible and adapt to their preferred

communication capacity/preference

Time Management

Time Management

• Set appropriate timelines and provide yourself buffer space when possible for late items.

• Follow-up on late items, particularly early in the process, to show grant team members that you will hold everyone accountable to the timeline.

Time Management

• Submit at least 24 hours prior to a deadline whenever possible, if not sooner.

• For federal proposals understand if allowed to submit multiple packets with last reviewed or if only allowed one upload.

Time Management

• When still allowed to submit via hard copy, take human error or delay into account.

• Submit as far in advance of deadline as possible and require submission via a delivery receipt service (USPS, UPS, or Fed Ex).

Time Management

• Utilize a project management tool or communication system to most effectively handle grant application process, especially collaborative applications.

Time Management

• Utilize a document sharing tool (e.g., DROPBOX) to most effectively manage documents in collaborative applications.

• Determine how team wants to edit (WORD tracking, different colors or highlights for changes)

Grant Team Facilitation

Grant Team Facilitation

• Avoid designing the program for your organization or client since ownership is critical.

• It may help secure the award, but cause problems during implementation and management.

Grant Team Facilitation

• Ensure all key players are engaged in the process early on in the application design phase (e.g., Compression Planning or Storyboarding)

• When working with a collaborative proposal, be sure to confirm that the leadership of all collaborative partners are aware and on board with the application.

Editing

• Have a clear editing process in place • Incredibly important when using a grant

team approach internally or in a collaborative writing situation

• Use contractual editor on your team

Editing

• Make it clear early in the process who has the final say for any edits on a grant proposal or related document

• Clarify internal roles of review/feedback versus approval

Editing

• Have external editors (to team or even organization) read through grant proposals when possible

• Helps catch jargon or slang

Use Available Tools

Collaborative Tools

Source: http://www.damarque.com/blog/gianluigi-cuccureddu/online-collaboration-tools-increase-productivity-and-efficient-servicing

Communication Tools

• Standards (email, phone)• Text• Skype/Facetime• Google Hangout• Messaging

Writing/Document Sharing Tools

• Dropbox• The Box• Google Drive• NAS/Cloud-based Servers• Word tracking/comments

Time Tracking/Project Management

• Harvest Time Tracking (http://www.getharvest.com/)

• Base Camp (https://basecamp.com/)• Tom’s Planner (http://tomsplanner.com/)• Google Calendar (

www.google.com/calendar)

Apps

• VoX Mobile VoIP• Evernote

Custom Tools“Checklist for Success” and “Project Development Worksheet” from Butler Consulting (http://butlerconsulting.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/checklistforsuccess5-11rev.pdf)

“Grant Readiness Matrix” from Just Write Solutions (http://justwrite-solutions.com/wp-content/uploads/JWS-Targeted-Proposal-Decision-Making-Matrix-20121.pdf)

Next Steps

Source: http://miriadna.com/preview/autumn-steps

What Will Be Different?

What will YOU do differently during your next collaborative grant effort?

What/how will you share with members of your team?

Questions

Any additional questions?

Linda Butler, MSW, ACSW, LISW-Slbutler@butler-consulting.com

Diane H. Leonard, GPCdiane@dhleonardconsulting.com