Steps to Writing a Grant Proposal
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Brandy D
HSM/270
September 16, 2014
Instructor: Bonita Comer

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One of the most important tasks of a successful program planning process is to know exactly what is needed and clear, concise grant writing is the way to achieve this. A grant proposal is a written program plan aimed at obtaining financial assistance from a funding source. Understanding the programs target population and that populations needs are a vital part of a successful grant proposal. “In writing a grant proposal, the applicant agency is making an argument that it has the understanding of the identified problems and knows how to address the problems. The grant proposal is then the agency’s plan of intervention that follows the argument Moore (1998)” (Chapter 2, Practical Grant Writing and Program Evaluation, Yuen/Terao - © 2003 Brooks/Cole).
A grant proposal consists of three parts: 1. a group of premises. 2. a conclusion. 3. An implicit claim. The premises are the beliefs that support the program proposal. The conclusion is the services the program intends to offer and the claim is the expected outcome of the services provided by the program. Usually the first step in grant writing is a needs assessment. Qualitative and quantitative are both ways to identify the needs of the program and those that should be expressed in the grant proposal.
The grant proposal process normally begins with a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Applications (RFA) announcement from funding agencies. Dates and due dates, focus of funding, eligibility, and what type of program the funding is for will usually be included in the RFA. The applicant agency should have a clear understanding of the requirements of a particular RFA they are responding to, as well as any expectations or limitations the RFA may have.
Major sections of a grant proposal
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An abstract; this is the summary of a proposal, usually 45 lines or one page in length. An abstract may be the shortest, but also the most important and most read section of a proposal. The abstract is one of the first things to be read and it will form the important first impression. It is important to make sure your abstract is well written and clearly outlines your proposal effectively.
Table of Contents; this provides a map for readers to understand the structure of the proposal. It should be clear, simple to use, and assist your reader to find the information they want. The table of contents also serves as a framework to guide the development of the proposal.
Specific aims; provides the basis for development. It also provides a brief overview of the proposed project. The focal point here is to show you, the applicant, know the and why of doing what you are proposing.
Needs/ Problem statement; this section should be used to highlight their situation, their unique insight of the situation, and in what ways will they address the problem. The applicant agency should focus the needs/problem statement on its objectives and expected outcomes.” Coley and Scheinberg (1990) assert that the applicant should attempt to show he or she has a complete understanding, and the best intervention model, of the problem that the funder seeks to address” (Chapter 3, Practical Grant Writing and Program Evaluation, Yuen/Terao - © 2003 Brooks/Cole). The needs/problem statement outlines the general belief that steers the project proposal’s development. A proposal writer should look into the five As when addressing barriers to service. The five As are: accessibility, availability, awareness, appropriateness, and acculturation. According to Yuen (1999), “accessibility refers to both geographical and cultural
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relevance as well as difficulties in service delivery. . . . Availability refers to the existence, recruitment, and retention of service, clients, and qualified service provider” (p. 109). Awareness refers to the target population’s knowledge about the identified issues and the available services. Appropriateness is about suitability and acceptability of the services that are developmentally and culturally competent. Finally, “[a]cculturation refers to the quality and extent of expose to the dominant American culture and the degree of functioning within the dominant culture” (p. 110). Ideally, culturally competent service programs are available to meet the identified needs in an appropriate manner. Target populations are aware of the service, and they can geographically and culturally access the services (Chapter 3, Practical Grant Writing and Program Evaluation, Yuen/Terao - © 2003 Brooks/Cole).
Literature review; provides support data and rationales for the proposal. It covers academic, professional, and documentary materials. The literature review is a review of credible information that support the approaches of the proposal. It is also used to validate the quality of the proposal.
Target population; this is where the applicant makes their case that the target population is at risk and needs to be served with urgency. Be sure to write more than just statistics and cite credible sources.
Approaches and methods; this section details the proposed solutions or interventions the applicant intends to implement to serve the target population.
Mission statement; “Mission statements are relatively permanent expressions of the reason for existence of an organization, and they are not expected to change unless the fundamental reason
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for existence of the organization changes” (Netting, Kettner, & McMurtry, 1993, p. 174). Practical Grant Writing and Program Evaluation, Yuen/Terao - © 2003 Brooks/Cole. The mission statement lists the goals and objectives of the applicant agency.
Evaluation plan; an evaluation plan is used to assess the results and progress of the proposed program. Program evaluation has three basic objectives and three types of data. 1. Documentation of program implementation strategies, intervention models, and other process information (process data). 2. Measurement of program outcomes and results (outcome data). 3. Assessment of overall impact and success of the program (impact data).
Budget and budget justification; the budget is the applicants financial plan, estimating costs of the program. A well-developed budget is crucial in grant proposal writing.
Proposal review; once the grant proposal is developed it is sent for review to the funding source. Needs and problem statement
The city of Portland is a large metropolitan area that has seen a significant rise in domestic violence as well as youth violence in the last five years. Reports of child abuse and sexual assault have also increased in recent years. Societal norms and beliefs that condone and perpetuate violence in the community need to be addressed. PEACE Domestic Violence Agency is committed to reducing the incidence of sexual assault and domestic violence through education and community outreach. Our agency is also dedicated to helping victims of violence and providing services for families affected by domestic violence.

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Reference
Practical Grant Writing and Program Evaluation, Yuen/Terao - © 2003 Brooks