“Agency announces $1 Billion in Federal Funding…”
“Governor Announces $150 Million for Communities…”
The announcements are enticing and the pots of money are significant, but hopes can be dashed quickly when the grant guidelines reveal a lengthy and confusing application process, seemingly filled with “gotcha” fine print to knock your project out of the running.
Organizing resources and constructing a game plan are necessary to land a share of the bounty. Pennoni grant services is here to lead you through the steps from “Can I do this?” to “Congrats on the award!”
Here are four sets of questions to consider that can set you up for grant application success.
Step 1. Grant Readiness
· What’s in your capital budget and your strategic plan? What is your scope of operations?
· Does your staff have adequate capacity for proposal development and post-award management? Is training needed?
· Do you have sufficient resources for the cost match and ineligible costs not covered by the grant?
· What are your existing relationships with stakeholders and partners?
Step 2. Research & Scheduling
· Where to even look? Which federal or state agencies? What else is available?
· Have you thoroughly vetted potential grants? (The devil is in the details, as they say.)
· Do you have a pursuit plan that targets multiple grants and/or grant cycles?
Step 3. Applying
· Who will coordinate meeting the application requirements and enforce milestone deadlines? (Hint, Pennoni can)
· Is your submission competitive, with strong answers that stand out from the crowd?
· Are the correct team members engaged to efficiently gather data and respond to the grant criteria?
Step 4. Grant Management
· Are there any surprises in the grant contract?
· Is data organized for easy reporting?
· Who on staff is knowledgeable about CFR 200 regulations?
· Who is responsible for meeting reporting deadlines?
For more detailed assistance, contact Pennoni grant services at grants@pennoni.com.