Grant Checklist

Elements of a Grant Application

The following information provides an outline of the key components of a grant proposal.

Introduction of Organization

  • Clearly establishes who is applying for funds
  • Describes college's purpose and goals
  • Describes constituents
  • Provides evidence of accomplishment
  • Offers statistics to support credibility

Problem Statement/Needs Assessment

  • Related to the purposes and goals of the college
  • Supported by solid evidence-hard/soft credible data
  • Reasonable dimensions
  • Stated in terms of the students or beneficiaries of the grant
  • Answers the who, what, when, where, and so what
  • Not the lack of a service or a need of the college
  • Introduces the project that is proposed to address the issue

Objectives

  • Describes the problem-related outcomes (positive changes) of your program
  • Defines the population served
  • Stated in specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-referenced terms
  • Does not describe methods

Methods

  • Flows naturally from problems and objectives
  • Clearly describes program activities
  • States reasons for selection of proposed activities
  • Describes sequence of activities
  • Describes staffing of program
  • Describes client and client selection
  • Presents a reasonable scope of activities that can be accomplished within the time allotted for the program and within the resources of the college

Evaluation

  • Covers outcomes and process
  • Tells who will be performing evaluation and how evaluators will be selected
  • Defines evaluation criteria
  • Describes data gathering methods
  • Explains data collection tool to be used
  • Describes the process of data analysis
  • Shows how evaluation will be used for program improvements
  • Describes evaluation reports to be produced

Future Funding

  • Presents a plan for sustainability of the program, if program is to be continued
  • Discusses both maintenance and future program funding if program is for construction
  • Accounts for other needed expenditures if program includes purchase of equipment

Budget

  • Define how you calculated expenses
  • Expenses should be reasonable
  • Sources of matching funds and in-kind resources should be identified
  • Multiple years must be presented if requested
  • Check for accuracy

Related Links