Some important points to bear in mind.

Funding Sources. Learn what's available. Read the news and professional literature looking for announcements of successful grants and grant initiatives. Use formal sources like the annual Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance and the Foundation Center's publications and web site as well as others and target 2-3 public and private sources. Establish and maintain contact.

Vision. Develop a strategic plan for your organization. Think big. Define broad visionary goals. Translate that vision into doable projects, that is projects that will have tangible, beneficial results. Capture each idea in a one-page concept paper.

Proposal Writing. Pay attention to each of the following elements whether you write a one page letter proposal or a longer, more detailed one.

Statement of the Problem or Need. This should discuss "the ways things are, the way things ought to be" and the gap that exists between the two. Make your arguments compelling. Emphasize the urgency. Use research literature, statistics, and anecdotes to support your arguments.

Your Solution. Know what to ask for. Look for what's hot. Find a new and creative way to provide or enhance services.

Goals and Objectives. Don't confuse objectives with activities. Statements of objectives should include what, who, method of measure, performance criteria, when, where.

Method. Define your plan of work. Describe how you will accomplish your objectives. State what will happen, when, and who is responsible for each step. Include a graphic time schedule or milestone chart that lists action steps, who is responsible, and completion dates.

Evaluation. Report how you will "test" the success of your project. Identify what will be evaluated, determine what information will be needed to make your evaluation, describe where the information will be obtained, indicate what instruments will be used to get the information, specify the intended analysis, summarize the intended data analysis and use. You may also want to describe what corrective steps will be taken if the project is not meeting its objectives.

Dissemination. Know who to tell about your success. Consider all possibilities of getting the word about your project out, including newsletters, conferences, site visits, demonstrations, working papers, convention papers, journal articles, pamphlets, manuals, post displays, audiovisual materials, press releases, in-service workshops, the Internet, and telling other people (word-of-mouth).

Budget. If you want to create some new function or service and use the grant as seed or start-up money, then you want to decrease dependency on the sponsor as the years go by. Sponsors want to pour money into a cup, not a funnel. Read the instructions about what the sponsor refuses to cover. Make realistic estimates and Include the basis for your figures (formulas and calculations). Indicate amount requested, amount of cost you are contributing, and total. Include a budget narrative in order to clarify points.

Qualification. State why your organization is the best (or at least, an excellent) place in which to carry our this project. Indicate any special resources, local expertise, unique population. Describe the qualifications of key personnel. Describe the duties and qualifications of those who will direct and work on the project.

Editing for Clarity. Get someone else to read the finished proposal critically to assure it is clearly written, that sentences, paragraphs and sections flow logically, that there is an appropriate amount of detail and it can be understood by a person outside your field. Make sure the document is free of jargon and that processes are clearly and simply explained.

Editing for Completeness. Make sure you have followed precisely any application form or suggested outline provided by the funding agency. Make sure the budget is complete and detailed and that all budgeted items are described in the method section. Re-check the math.

Appearance of Proposal. A neat and attractive proposal helps but don't go overboard with fancy formatting. Simple and straightforward is usually best.