[dms-discuss] Grant Writing Workshop

[Sarah Schrupp]

Greetings


Just wanted to know if anyone else had a chance to attend the Grant Writing Workshop for Non Profits last week.  There were some 25 people there, so I wasn't sure if Suzie, or anyone else, joined us.
Presenter was Dr. Ronda Adams, Yolo County Department of Education, who has distilled her grant-writing strategies to a 38-page PowerPoint (se attached file), teeming with tips, imperatives and checklists.

The Take Home - Grants are neither easy to obtain, nor in some cases, easy to administer; they result from hard work, preparedness, creativity, partnership, persistence and luck, as well as, in most cases, adherence to the rules of the grant, application process.

Immediate Steps for DMS to prepare for grants -

1) Start Collecting data on how community/members use DMS - log book, sign in register, anecdotal, whatever - you will need data to demonstrate how services (what) are being delivered over time (date/hours) and to whom they are being served (user zip code?).
2) Conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats - Presentation Slide #4) - Develop program purpose, goals and objectives, timeline for implementation and define the significance and overall effect that DMS does/could have on the community, as well as, identifies community partners; all are necessary for grant applications.
3) Develop/update ancillary support materials that would be needed for a grant, such as budgets, objectives, policies, board members bios, etc.  Have as much information ready and current so applications can be written quickly should a funding opportunity arise (Intel?).

Okay, I took lots of notes about consideration for the grant application process, but I think this might be a little premature. Let me know what you think, especially if you attended the workshop and have anything else to contribute/refute, whatever.

Sarah

P.S. Can anyone provide a successful model of an organization that is doing what DMS hopes to do?  I recently discovered Noisebridge (https://noisebridge.net/) in SF.  Is this closer to the vision than the tool lending library in Oakland/Berkeley or the Crucible models?
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