From Tech Transfer Newsletter, Spring 2009 » printer-friendly

Grant Writing Tips for Success

By Teresa McCallion, Freelance Public Safety Writer

Money may not grow on trees, but with a little diligence, you may be able to secure grants. Nearly $450 billion in federal assistance is awarded every year. Much of this funding is distributed through state and local agencies, and many private companies provide grants as well. Grant-writing does not need to be difficult; the key to successful grant writing is to convince grantors to fund your agency's projects. Below are tips on how to do so.

• Identify the Grant, Then the Need. Like dating, successful grant writing is about finding the right match. Instead of looking for grants to fund a particular project, look at grants and see if there's anything the agency needs.
• Find the Money. With the advent of the Internet, locating grants has never been easier. The secret is in diligent searches. Use keywords that will get the information and eliminate a lot of the useless Web sites.
• Ask Your Legislator. Ask about pending legislation or make a suggestion for a competitive grant.
• Follow the Grant Guidance. Because most grants are competitive, it's important to make a good case for why your agency deserves funding. Knowing what the grantor is looking for and aligning your agency's needs with the grantor's priorities improves your chances of landing the grant.
• Assemble the Right People. Agencies should assign more than one person to the responsibility of applying for grants. Instead, once a grant has been identified, agencies should assemble a team of subject matter experts to help write and review the grant's narrative.
• Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions. If you have questions, call the grant sponsor for clarification.
• Edit Your Application. Ask someone who's a particularly strong editor to review the final document. Misspellings, awkward sentence structure and poor grammar can torpedo even the most admirable project.
• Avoid Excessive Formatting. Just because your computer can produce "word art," doesn't mean it's appropriate for a grant proposal. Limit fancy typefaces, keep the use of bold and italic typefaces to a minimum and avoid exclamation points at all costs. Clear and professional is your goal.
• Ask Around. Look for tips from agencies that have already been awarded grants. Most agencies are willing to share their grant-writing success stories. Use the Internet to search for agencies that have applied for similar grants and ask for suggestions.

Reprinted with permission from the April 2008 issue of Public Safety Communications, the magazine of the Association of Public Safety Professionals. The magazine is available online at www.apcointl.org.

California Funding Resources

Looking to fund a transportation project in California? Below are several resources that might help.

California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS)

OTS administers traffic safety grant funds to reduce traffic deaths, injuries and economic losses. Examples of OTS-funded programs include DUI-reduction programs, pedestrian and bicycle safety programs for children, occupant protection, including child passenger safety outreach, and support for increased law enforcement services and resources. Local agencies in California are eligible to apply for OTS grants.

Caltrans Division of Local Assistance

Caltrans' Local Assistance Program oversees more than one billion dollars annually available to over 600 cities, counties and regional agencies in California for the purpose of improving transportation infrastructure or providing transportation services. This funding comes from various federal and state programs specifically designed to assist the transportation needs of local agencies. Annually, over 1,200 new projects are authorized through the Local Assistance Program of which approximately 700 are construction projects.

3M Sign Grant Program

3M offers a sign grant program to help local agencies upgrade their signs in accordance with new federal retroreflectivity requirements. The purpose of the grant is to assist agencies in replacing underperforming signs with ones made from higher performance prismatic reflective sheeting at lower cost.

Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)

Check your local MPO's website for information about funding availability. Caltrans maintains information about state MPOs at the URL above.

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