7 Steps to Effective Grant Pursuit!
IDENTIFY A CHAMPION – the individual in your department that can make a grant pursuit happen!
DEFINE YOUR NEEDS – putting that criteria “down on paper” first, will pay off time and time again throughout the whole process.
FIND THE RIGHT FUNDING SOURCE – no sense in chasing those that may not be interested in your needs. Focus on those that are obviously in line with your needs!
MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FUNDING SOURCE – they really are there to help, and this can make the whole process much more efficient (Virtually all of these grants and funds have websites)
OBTAIN AND UNDERSTAND THE GRANT APPLICATION AND REQUIREMENTS – you can’t play the game if you don’t know the game rules!
COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THE APPLICATION – the heart of the process; explaining your needs in their language!
FOLLOW UP! – you worked hard at this, and you deserve to know where you stand.
Your success at gaining grant related funding will not come casually – BUT YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL!
There are some basic steps you need to follow to be successful.
IDENTIFY A CHAMPION (back to top)
Grant pursuit is not for everyone. It takes persistence, patience, research, time, and follow through. If you are the person for the job, congratulations! Your grant acquiring success will make you a hero in your department and your community. If you happen to not be the person for the job, it is important to identify the right person, gain their “buy-in” and give them as much support as possible.
DEFINE WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE (back to top)
This is the “what” and “why” of your grant application.
The “what” is defining exactly what it is that your want to acquire via a grant. Is it equipment? Training? Exercises? What ever it is, define it carefully and completely.
Be sure that what you are requesting is “real”; not prototypes, experimental goods or services, nor non-commercially available goods or services.
Be sure that you include all of the details that will allow the grantor to fully understand what you are requesting funds for.
The “why” are the reasons that will make your request relevant.
What is the need in your department or community, or the problem / issue that the request will answer?
What is the benefit to your community and department?
By putting “pen to paper” (or keystroke to computer) first, on these fundamental grant request elements, you will have the advantage of good focus, and a lot of the information that you will need for various grant applications, will already be done!
This initial effort will also help you determine which grants to pursue; which grants are right for want you want and what you need!
FIND THE RIGHT FUNDING SOURCE (back to top)
The good news is that there is lots of grant money out there. The challenge is that there are lots of grant and fund structures to research.
Selecting the right grant or fund is essential!
Does it fund the equipment or services you are seeking?
Do the grant organization’s priorities match the needs of your department?
Are the grant funds available in the timeframe and the manner in which you need them?
Fund or grant identification and selection is the second big “research” project for the department grant champion, following that initial definition of need.
GRANT GUIDANCE
Virtually all of these grants and funds have websites that will make your research easier. Remember; picking the grant sources that most closely align with your needs and their priorities, will make your chances of success, better!
MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FUNDING SOURCE (back to top)
Don’t think that you have to grind through the grant process on your own! There’s lot’s of help out there, and the very first place to start can be with a project officer at the funding source; they are there to help! Before you make contact though, get your thoughts in order. Remember that definition of needs you did as your very first effort? That will help tremendously in your dialogue with the grant project officer. Make contact via email or phone. The grant / fund website will guide you as to how best make that contact!
OBTAIN AND UNDERSTAND THE GRANT APPLICATION AND REQUIREMENTS (back to top)
Not all grant applications are equal. Most likely, each grant source will have its own format and criteria to which you must respond, but generally, these are the requirements that you will find.
Statement of need describing the “what” and “why”
Goals and Objectives outlining what you intend to accomplish with the goods or services you are requesting to fund
A profile of your department, your community, and the “fit” of your request in improvement for both
Your plan for implementation. What will be the schedule for deployment? What will the steps be? Who will do what?
Your measures for success. How and when will you know that the goods or services you are funding, are actually working? A success? How will you know?
The funds needed. What will it cost for what you are requesting? When will the funds be needed?
Think through each of these requirements and of course, the others that will be specific to the grant request you are filing. Once you have drafted your responses, “gut-check” them with others in your department to ensure that they match expectations, and that they are clear and understandable.
COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THE APPLICATION. (back to top)
This of course is where “get it right” is the priority. Errors or omissions on a grant application cause delays or rejections ands you’ve done too much work up to this point to fall short of the mark now!
Refine that narrative. Remember the draft you did as you very first step? Polish it, hone it, and bring it to the state of compelling need that you want that grant officer to easily recognize. Here are some important tips.
Frame the language of your narrative to reflect the declaration of the grantor’s priorities. That makes it easier for the grant officer to connect his mission with yours.
Get that budget detail as accurate and complete as possible. That means exhibiting not only the cost of the equipment or services, but also administrative costs, training to use what you are acquiring, and all other direct and indirect costs.
Make sure you fully flesh out the derived benefit from your requested goods or services
Interoperability is a strong focus for grant supported requests. Will your request improve interoperability with other responder agencies in your community?
Will there be a change or improvement in overall community capabilities?
Will the grant acquisition improve response capabilities to emergencies such as terrorism, natural disasters, criminal acts, or other hazards?
Be specific. Provide examples of exactly how your requested goods or services will be used in the community and the direct benefit to the community.
Include detailed product or services specifications. The grantor will want to understand in detail what it is that you are requesting, and a solid technical, detailed specification will provide validity and support. Your supplier should be able to provide you that spec already fully completed and available for download. For the Bullard TACSIGHT specification, click here.
Include data sheets and relevant product or service brochures. Again, these should be readily available from your supplier. For the Bullard TACSIGHT data sheets, click here.
Got it done? Checked and double checked? Signed off? Time to submit! The grantor will have guidelines as to where, when and how to make your submittal. Follow these carefully!! Mistakes here can send you to the “penalty box” (returned for re-submittal) or thrown out of the game completely!
FOLLOW UP! (back to top)
Once again, the grantor calls the shots here. The grant instructions will guide you as to when and how to follow up as well as when and how you can expect responses.
Got questions? Need help? You have several options!
Contact other departments or agencies in your area that have been “grant successful”. Their “inside tips” can be invaluable
The Law Enforcement Thermographer’s Association (LETA) – formed specifically to provide standards, training and support to the use of thermal imaging in law enforcement – can be invaluable in answering your grant pursuing or grant writing questions. Contact them through their website at http://www.leta.org
Contact Bullard! Our experience in working with various agencies in their grant pursuits may help you! Contact us here
Check out our support and reference section for several web sites offering guidance, generic application forms, and more.