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Time-Saving Tools and Resources
Part Two
We've already discussed how important it is to have the "big
picture" in mind as you pursue grant awards. Now, let's move
from the macro to the micro and discuss what tools and resources
you may already have that can help you become more
aggressive in your grantseeking.
Before you read much further, create a folder on your desktop
that you name Grant Support. You will be preparing numerous
templates, keeping copies of updated information, etc., in
this folder for easy access when you write a grant proposal.
Let's start by talking about what you might have on hand
that can help save time.
- Excel spreadsheets can be used for multiple grant writing
tasks - graphs, charts, budgets, and budget narratives.
Excel will allow you to color code tabs, so you can easily
identify information you may need (for example, keep all
of your budget-related items on a green tab). It is easy
to make changes on Excel, so you can continually update
any budgets, graphs, and charts.
- In your Word documents, always use the same font (size
and style) for every document you create or save that may
eventually be used (in part or in its entirety) in a grant
proposal.
- Make sure you remove all formatting when you download
or save a document or part of a document. Doing this up-front
becomes a huge time-saver when you start cutting and pasting
information into a grant proposal.
- Keep the "Auto Correct" mode "on" at all times. And make
corrections as you go.
- Use "Find and Replace" under "Edit" in
your Word program to make mass changes. And don't forget
to double-check these changes!
- Once you've written a full grant proposal, you can use "Auto
Summarize" in the "Tools" drop-down menu to help
write the Executive Summary. It can cut the time for writing
the summary in half.
- Build an outline for the proposal in RED (following
the application guidelines exactly) on your Word document
before you begin writing. This keeps you on track and helps
you write the sections in the right order.
- Set up a Table of Contents as soon as you get the proposal
outline created. There's a simple tutorial about how to
set up a Table of Contents on this website: http://mistupid.com/tutorials/word/.
Once you've set up the Table of Contents, you will be able
to navigate the proposal quickly.
- Choose a style manual and follow its instructions to
create a consistent format for your grant requests. Most
bookstores carry a variety of style manuals. Consistency
will make the writing process faster.
- Remember to review all of your documents before sending
them! Word can help you save time, but the human touch
is a necessary tool to catch any sneaky auto-generated
errors.
Please note: Although these tips are drawn from Microsoft
programs, comparable programs should have comparable features.
There are a number of resources that will help you design
different components of a grant request, such as the evaluation
section. You can download an Evaluation Matrix courtesy of
Georgia Tech at http://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/MM_Tools/EM.html.
Once you design your own Evaluation Matrix, you can keep
it in your Grant Support folder for easy reference.
There are also excellent resources available that can minimize
the time you spend researching potential grantmakers. Online
resources such as GrantStation can help you select the most
relevant grantmakers quickly. (The primary reason we launched
GrantStation was to help organizations cut down on the time
they spent trying to identify appropriate grantmakers for
any given program or project.)
If you have any time-saving tools and/or resources, please
send them to me (cadams@grantstation.com)
and we'll share them with our readers!
Next week, we'll talk about ways to organize so the grant
writing process is quick and easy. |
