Grant Writing: How to Keep Collaboration from Derailing Your Grant Proposal
Written by Joan Marcus
Collaboration is a key concept in developing a wining grant proposal. Funders often require it and even if they don't, working with other organizations whenever possible makes a lot of sense. Collaboration helps to avoid duplication of effort among area agencies. It provides a way to leverage resources, financial and otherwise. It also helps to ensure the sustainability of a new program.
As valuable as collaboration is, writing collaboratively, or by committee, can spell doom for even the most innovative program ideas. Consider two typical scenarios.
Scenario 1: A coalition has been pulled together quickly to answer a request for proposal. After a brief planning session and with a deadline looming, the group decides to divide and conquer, assigning each section of the proposal to a different writer. The end result is a patchwork of ideas, several different writing styles woven throughout the proposal, conflicting information and a proposal that is difficult to follow.
Scenario 2: A proposal is drafted by a grant writer and then presented to the members of the coalition to review. It is picked apart, with each person adding his or her often conflicting changes. The result is stilted writing, mixed messages, a loss of theme and a weak proposal.
Here are five tips to help you develop a strong proposal that embraces collaboration:
Involve the grant writer in the process. Include the grant writer in as many planning sessions as possible so he or she can understand the thought process behind the collaborative program and include pertinent input from each person at the table.
Assemble your team as early in the process as possible. This allows you to carefully consider who should be at the table and ensure their participation and buy-in of the final product.
Engage everyone in a brainstorming session. During the brainstorming session, every idea should be considered. Allow each person to contribute to the discussion, not allowing anyone in the group to overshadow anyone else.
Allow feedback. All parties involved in the collaborative process should have an opportunity to provide feedback. Establish a deadline for comments and stick to it so that the writing process does not get derailed.
Designate one person as the final arbiter. It is not unusual for agencies or individuals involved in collaborative programs to want to protect their own turf. Designate one person as the final arbiter of program content. This person should work closely with the grant writer to ensure that the proposal flows well and can be understood by reviewers.
