2016 Q4 ISSUE COSTTREE CAPTURE. 29
Is there anything you miss about applying for grants the “old school" way?
Other than meeting some great people at the library, the overwhelming response was no! (“Not” or “As if” to stay true to the nineties theme.)
Is anything more difficult now than when you started?
This question received insightful answers about how the nature of applying for grants and what funders are looking for has changed. The biggest factor seems to be that there is much more competition now, especially for federal applications. Grant guru Beverly Browning (“Dr. Bev”), who also serves as a peer reviewer, recalls that back in the nineties, one could score 35 or 40 points and be in the running. Now, one can score a 95 and still not be funded. According to her, there is not necessarily less money available, but there are far more seekers going after government grants. Mediocre applications stand a slim chance of netting results.
Data seems to be an area of particular concern, because awards are increasingly data driven. More and more, federal agencies are turning to evidence-based practices, because they want to fund programs that produce results. They are also looking for collaboration and cooperation among government agencies and stakeholders in the community. Both the application itself and the program that requires funding need to stand above the rest.
This intense competition is one reason the process is more political than ever. Some municipalities utilize the services of lobbyists. Dr. Bev suggests that, at the very least, for the highly sought after federal awards, it might be wise to let your congressional representative know you are going after a particular grant, and how receiving it could benefit the constituents of their district. She has also long advocated establishing a relationship with any foundation you are seeking funds from.
In conclusion it appears that, increased competition aside, applying for grants in the twenty-first century is all that and a bag of chips compared to days gone by. Yet, one thing remains consistent. Grant professionals are highly skilled, hardworking, committed individuals who endure all the quirks and challenges of the industry for one reason. At the end of the day, they know that what they are doing makes a difference to their communities. That we predict, is one thing that will never change!
We do need to point out that uploading your application and then clicking submit is not a pass for procrastinators. One of the most truly heartbreaking stories we heard involved an applicant missing a deadline by ONE MINUTE, because her version of Adobe Acrobat was not the same as the funders. She tried to install their earlier version, but she was simply too late. Hard work lost is hard work lost, whether it is because of a missing page in a manual application or a computer glitch! It is still never a good idea to wait until the last minute.