ERIC Identifier: ED353004
Publication Date: 1981-07-00
Author: Not Listed
Source: ERIC Clearinghouse for Junior Colleges Los
Proposal Writing for Two-Year Colleges. ERIC Fact Sheet, No. 2.
Faced with reduced public funding, many two-year colleges are seeking money
from government agencies and private foundations to change procedures or develop
materials in areas that would otherwise be neglected. Simultaneously, several of
the most well-known public and private funding sources are becoming increasingly
receptive to proposals submitted by community colleges. Examples of federal
programs that fund projects in particular areas of interest are the National
Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, the Department of
Energy, and such Department of Education programs as the Fund for the
Improvement of Postsecondary Education and the Strengthening Developing
Institutions Program (Title III). Private foundations like the Kellogg
Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Mott Foundation are also possible
sources of funds for two-year colleges. In addition, local businesses and
industries are worth investigating as potential funders of projects for their
nearby community college.
The many agencies that provide funds for projects cover a vast variety of
interests, but an individual funding source may have a very limited scope of
concern. Further, while the total resources available are large, they are
certainly not sufficient to fund all of the worthwhile proposals that are
prepared. Receiving funding requires identifying an important problem, locating
an appropriate funding source for the topic, and presenting the idea
effectively. This fact sheet offers a brief outline of the major steps required
to secure funding.
HOW IS THE PROJECT PLANNED?
First, identify the
institution's need and develop an idea of how the need can be met. The idea
should be practical and of real importance in strengthening education at the
institution. Next, discuss the idea with the individuals who will be involved in
implementing the project. If sufficient interest is expressed and support seems
to be forthcoming from the administration and faculty, locate a source of
HOW DO I LOOK FOR A FUNDING SOURCE?
Finding a possible
funding source is primarily a process of identifying a foundation or agency that
has a history of funding projects in the same subject area or with a similar
purpose. Consult your college or district development officer for information
about public and private funding programs or investigate the resource
organizations described below. Contact your state education agency as well,
since a number of federal programs allocate funds to the states for use in
supporting local projects in specific areas.
Most sources, especially government programs, have a pamphlet or booklet that
describes their areas of interest and requirements in detail. Carefully examine
the scope of concern and requirements of the possible sources of funds. Then
send a brief (no more than two pages long) description of the project, including
the objectives, to agencies and foundations which seem to be interested in
similar projects. A program representative will be able to determine whether the
project is appropriate.
WHERE CAN I OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FUNDING SOURCES?
The following institutions and publications constitute a sample
of the sources of valuable information about grantsmanship and public and
private sources of assistance:
Foundation Center, 888 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019
Foundation Center is a nonprofit organization which collects and disseminates
information about foundation grants through the "Foundation Directory", the
computer-searchable Foundation Grants Index, and regional library collections.
Information System (GIS), 2214 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004
is a printed catalog of grants available from federal, state, and local
government, and from public and private foundations and non-foundation
corporations. In addition, the catalog is computer-searchable through the System
Development Corporation and through Dialog.
Grantsmanship Center, 1031 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90015
nonprofit, educational institution, the Grantsmanship Center holds workshops,
publishes guides, and produces the bimonthly "Grantsmanship Center News."
Council on Resource Development (NCRD), 1875 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite
1013, Washington, DC 20009
affiliate council of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges,
NCRD publishes a series of resource papers on aspects of grantsmanship and
offers other membership services, such as an annual membership directory.
of Federal Domestic Assistance"
annually by the Office of Management and Budget, the catalog provides
information about federal programs, including the objective of the program, how
funds may be used, the activities which have been funded, eligibility
requirements, and the application and award process.
of Higher Education"
weekly "Chronicle of Higher Education" includes regular columns announcing the
deadlines occurring in the following three months for grant programs and listing
information about grants recently awarded, including the awarder, the recipient,
the purpose, and the amount of the award.
HOW IS THE PROPOSAL WRITING PROCESS ORGANIZED?
with deadlines for each section of the proposal should be developed to ensure
that all requirements are met by the time the proposal is due to the agency or
foundation. The deadlines should be circulated to everyone involved in planning
the project. Keep in touch with the agency or foundation representative so that
any problems or questions can be resolved as quickly as possible.
WHAT ARE THE SECTIONS OF A PROPOSAL?
differ, most proposals have these common features: 1) a project summary, 2) a
narrative, 3) a budget statement and justification, and 4) appendices.
*Project Summary. The project summary, as well as the rest of the proposal,
should be written in clear, precise language without the use of obscuring
jargon. An accurate and complete description of the project objectives and
procedures should be given with as much detail as possible in the length
specified in the proposal guidelines.
*Narrative. The following points are usually addressed in the narrative: 1) a
statement of the problem, 2) a review of the literature, 3) the project
objectives, 4) the procedures, 5) the significance, 6) the evaluation method, 7)
dissemination, 8) staff qualifications, and 9) the schedule of activities.
of the Problem. A description of the topic addressed and an explanation of both
the institutional and societal needs for the project should be provided.
Relevant information about the institution can be used to demonstrate that the
project is needed.
of the Literature. The literature review both supports the need for the project
and shows evidence that the project planners have made a detailed investigation
of prior attempts to meet the need. A search of the Educational Resources
Information Center (ERIC) database can simplify this research by providing a
comprehensive view of the documents and journal articles on the subject. Many
items that are especially useful for supporting proposals, such as final reports
of federally funded projects and extensive government research reports on
specific topics, are submitted to ERIC automatically.
An explanation of what the project will accomplish should be provided in the
narrative. These objectives should be realistic and follow directly from the
statement of the problem.
The procedures to be followed in conducting the project and the reasons for
choosing these procedures should be explained in detail. The population
involved, the methods used, and the materials developed are a few of the factors
that should be discussed in this section.
A statement of what the project will add to existing knowledge or how the
project will improve current practices is included in the narrative to emphasize
the importance of the project.
Most funding sources require some form of evaluation, usually external, to
objectively determine what the project achieved and to ensure that any
recommendations made as a result of the project follow from what actually took
place. The evaluation should include both formative and summative components. In
this section of the report, describe the evaluation process and identify the
external evaluators either generally or, if possible, by name and title.
The process of disseminating the project findings or outcomes is described with
the purpose of demonstrating the project's usefulness outside the originating
institution. Include a statement that a description of the project or the final
project report was submitted to ERIC.
Qualifications. A paragraph should be included for each principal staff member
detailing his or her educational background and relevant experience or
expertise. The complete vitae of staff members can be included in the
of Activities. Frequently, the funding source requires the completion of a
comprehensive schedule form showing an exact deadline for the accomplishment of
each part of the project. If a form is not provided, this timeline should be
included in the narrative.
Statement and Justification. The budget should be accurate and realistic. Most
funding sources have a detailed budget form with spaces for each category of
expense that should be addressed. Categories that are usually included are
personnel costs, including benefits; equipment costs; supply expenses; travel
expenses; consultant fees; other expenses, including utilities, computer time,
publication expenses, or other miscellaneous costs; and indirect costs, such as
overhead. If you intend to use your college campus, find out if the college has
a set overhead cost. The budget justification should support the budget figures
and explain fully how the estimates were made in each category. The credibility
of the budget can often add to the authority of the entire proposal.
The appendices should contain any additional supporting material, such as the
vitae of key personnel, background material on the institution, and letters of
recommendation from community members or involved individuals. Be careful not to
double the size of proposals with supporting material.
THE PROPOSAL IS WRITTEN, WHAT NEXT?
After the proposal is
completed, an individual who has been closely involved in the planning process
should read over the entire proposal carefully checking for consistency and
continuity throughout the sections. The reader should also confirm that all the
funding agency's and the college's requirements have been met. After any
corrections have been made, and, if necessary, the proposal has been reviewed by
the college's development office, the proposal is ready for submission to the
agency or foundation where it will undergo the usual review and evaluation
procedure of the funding source. Competition for funding is often very stiff.
The thoroughness and care that went into the proposal can make it stand out from
the hundreds that the evaluators receive.
WHAT IF THE PROPOSAL IS NOT FUNDED?
Many agencies and
foundations will release a copy of the evaluators' comments to the submitters of
unsuccessful proposals. These comments can provide valuable feedback and
suggestions for improvement. Find out from a representative of the funding
source whether the proposal can be revised and resubmitted. If so, look ahead to
next year's competition.