Don’t underestimate the value of a solid evaluation plan and a good project evaluator. No matter which grant you go after, there’ll be an evaluation component to it. Not only will you have your own program goals and objectives to measure, but you’ll also need to evaluate the funding agency’s mandatory performance measures. If you […]
If your organization is serious about pursuing federal grants, you need to check both the Federal Register and grants.gov every 2-3 days—preferably daily. With application windows shrinking from 60 days to 45 and in many cases 30, you need to be more aggressive with your searches. The Federal Register is published online first thing in […]
Be ready to get started on short notice. 30-day application windows are becoming the norm. Federal regulations recommend agencies provide organizations 60 days to submit their applications but, at the very least, no less than 30 days. A few departments that consistently provided 60 days have been shrinking that window. Now, it seems 40-45 days […]
Don’t miss deadlines. Ever. Short of a natural disaster or the grants.gov servers crashing, there’s no excuse you can use to get out of missing a deadline. If possible, plan to submit your proposals one or two days before deadlines so you’re never in that last-minute pressure cooker.
Always have a third party read your proposal before you submit. Try to pick someone with minimal knowledge of your organization and what your project is trying to accomplish. If they can understand the problem and how your proposed solution will address it, there’s a good chance the federal reviewers will also understand your message. […]
