[dms-discuss] Grant Writing Workshop

[suzie]

Sarah, thank you for sharing your notes. I did not make the workshop, 
but I attended a different one a few months ago with comparable 
information. This grant writer cautioned that there are more 
organizations after fewer available grants than even five years ago, so 
the grant applications have to be very thorough with every i dotted and 
t crossed.

We were told (as you were) that concrete, measurable data and goals are 
very important, as are plans for evaluation, collaboration within the 
community, and a strong story that is able to show a population being 
served in a specific way.

Because each grant application takes hours, if not days, to complete; it 
may be wise to be sure we have all of the recommendations from both 
workshops in place before we begin the process. I would also echo 
Sarah's question in asking what the vision for the makerspace is, 
because the mission has to be very clear on grant proposals. My 
understanding is that a makerspace can provide shared access to tools, 
space and learning opportunities, but I'm not sure if this is what you 
all have in mind or if the greater Davis community is aware of this.

Suzie

On 4/15/14, 9:31 AM, Sarah Schrupp wrote:
> 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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