If you are responsible for writing grant proposals, you no doubt know the feeling of constant deadlines. How do you keep your sanity while producing quality proposals worthy of funding?

The answer lies in developing a case statement that captures the important aspects of each of your programs. These elements include the need that your program addresses; target audiences; goals and quantifiable objectives; program details; timeline; evaluation method; and background on your organization, including a brief history with milestones and recent accomplishments.

Prepare for the onslaught of grant applications by reviewing your programs annually and developing or updating a case statement for each. This makes searching for funding opportunities and responding to requests for proposals much less stressful. A well-written case statement gives you an objective method for determining if the funding is appropriate for your agency or if going after the grant is simply "chasing the money."

Include the following elements in your case statement:

• Need. Why does your program exist? If your program ceased to exist, what effect would that have on the community or those you serve? Back up the need with data.
• Target audience. Whom does your program serve? Be as specific as possible, in terms of demographics and the number of people served.
• Goals and objectives. Program goals should relate directly to the needs that you have raised. Quantifiable objectives should flow from the goals. Objectives should be measurable so you can report resuls to funding sources and the community.
• Program details. Provide details about your program so proposal reviewers understand the importance of it. Be as specific as possible so your program sounds real.
• Timeline. Use the timeline as a tool to help you think through details. When you must assign dates to actual activities or milestones, you force yourself to move from general concepts to specifics. The timeline should provide a quick view of how your program will unfold.
• Evaluation method. Most funding sources want to know how you will determine if your program is successful. Devise a method that captures outcomes without getting overly complicated. For some programs, an evaluation method may be as simple as a pre- and post-test of participants.
• Organization background. Develop a description of your organization that can be expanded or shortened based on the request of the funder. Include major milestones and recent achievemens. If well written, this information can be used in a variety of contexts other than grant proposals, such as your website, agency brochure or a community presentation.

Be diligent as you develop a case statement. The stronger it is, the easier it will be to write a powerful grant proposal even when time is short.

©2010 Joan B. Marcus Communications LLC