When I wrote my first grant proposals, I sat in my classroom brainstorming-- alone. I'd peruse the latest grant application and dream up appropriate, but complicated, enrichment activities for our students. Saturday programs, life skills sessions, and excursions to Broadway would be the panaceas to transform the lives of young adults with disabilities.
When I won grants for such projects, I became a one-woman show. I had to figure out all the details required to pull it off. At times I had to cajole my peers-- New York City schoolteachers, to take on yet another project. The principal was capable, committed, over-extended, and knew how to delegate. She respected our ability to get it done. This increased my personal responsibility for implementing winning grants with integrity. When good ideas are valued and supported with foundation, corporate, or government funds, you have an obligation to spend the money well.
Therein lies a valuable lesson. Grant money puts you under contract to:
* Deliver what you've promised on time;
* Maintain a high quality of service;
* Track occurrences and document the process;
* Spend the money as outlined, and
* Make formal requests to modify the budget, if necessary.
Winning a grant is a natural high, but that's when the real work begins. Grants transform vision into reality. If you're working and writing for an organization, you're part of a team. Grant writers must get buy-in from a team or group of supporters from the onset. Whether the team is comprised of staff members, a Board of Directors, a volunteer advisory committee, or community residents, engage these stakeholders in your planning process. That way, when you win the grant, you'll have a cheering section and foot soldiers to carry out the tasks. This will, without doubt, boost your chances of meeting your goals and objectives. It will also conserve your energy-- enabling you to write and win grants without succumbing to burnout.
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