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