Journal #1

       My dream has always been to work with animals, and since I became vegetarian when I was twelve– and then vegan when I was 16– I’ve developed an interest in animal welfare, especially in terms of the cognitive and behavioral side of animals. At UNE, this led me to get involved in research with Dr. Brian Greco– an animal behavior professor specializing in animal welfare research– and I’ve been working with him since my first semester. This applies to proposal and grant writing because over winter break, Greco invited me to apply for a SURE (Summer Undergraduate Research Experience) grant to do research with him this coming summer. What that means is that I need to write a proposal for research funding this month (due the first week of February). Additionally, my long term dream is to open a rehabilitation sanctuary for abused and neglected animals (especially farm animals), which would realistically most likely function as a non-profit and therefore require proposals and grants to acquire funding. Therefore, from this class, I’m hoping to learn both how to write proposals and grants and how to apply them to my current and long-term goals of helping animals. 

Journal #2:

  1. Winning Grants Chapter One: 

       From this reading I found it interesting that, when writing proposals and grants, it’s like writing a persuasive piece. You don’t just state the facts and tell potential funders what you are doing and what you need. Instead, it is your job to convince them to care. As a STEM major, most of the writing for my classes is very cut-and-dry in the style of research articles. I don’t get the opportunity to add flourishes or personal sentiments to my writing. That being said, I tend to be very passionate about the work I do–I find it difficult to commit myself to work that I’m not passionate about– especially as it surrounds animal welfare. Therefore, I think that I will enjoy using the more argumentative, persuasive style of writing to craft proposals that make other people realize how important my work is. 

       Another striking point made in this chapter was that a vital part of receiving funding is building a relationship with the funder. In fact, the actual writing of the grant/proposal seems to be only a small step in receiving funding. You have to research all potential donors, narrow down the selection, build relationships with all of the donors, and follow up with the most promising of them. So much information needs to be compiled and acted upon– more than just simply writing a proposal that explains what you are interested in and why others should be too. In addition, the primary donors you should seek– according to the authors of this book– already care about the topic, so it becomes less a matter of convincing them to care, and more of getting them to give you money. 

  1. Guide to Proposal Writing:

The first piece of guidance that struck me as interesting was about what types of donors to search for in the investigation step of research. In this section, the author says to look for, “Funders that have not already committed their resources many years into the future and that do not appear simply to fund the same nonprofit groups year in and year out.” This stood out to me because, initially, it seems reasonable to look for donors that have proven to have a degree of loyalty to certain nonprofits. By doing so, you could land yourself a donor who will continue funding and supporting your group for years to come. However, in actuality as argued by this reading, it’s better to start with donors shown to fund a variety of grant-seekers as they are more likely to fund a new nonprofit, while those exhibiting loyalty are unlikely to stray from their usual recipients. 

The second thing I found interesting was the point in the Investigation section where grant-seekers are advised to compare mission statements (what the foundations say) to who and what they have awarded grants to (what they do). Not only can this highlight discrepancies that may provide insight into an opening for the grant-seeker’s research as mentioned by the author, but it can also help a grant-seeker see if the foundation is trustworthy in the way that it upholds its word and holds strong to its outward values. 

Journal #3:

  1. Develop a Do-able plan: Not only is it crucial to develop a plan for writing the proposal and create a goal to base the proposal around, but you must also make sure that the goal is achievable. According to this part of the book, people all too often create proposals centered around goals that they can’t actually achieve. This seems obvious, but when the process begins, I could see myself getting wrapped up in the details and reaching too far for success. For instance, in the proposal I am currently writing to get research funding, I did not start with a solid understanding of the goal, so I included as much information as I could and included goals that spanned several research projects. So, I know need to trim it down, and I better understand the need for specificity and achievability in order to effectively communicate through a proposal to actually receive the funding desired.
  2. Portioning out Time: Another thing that I made a mistake on when crafting the first draft of my proposal is that I did not spend nearly enough time planning. I talked with my research professor to get a solid starting point to branch ideas off of, but we only met twice to discuss it before I actually started writing. This meant that, when I actually drafted the proposal, it was not as well rounded as it should have been. Even though I have a strong foundation and starting point, the ideas branching off went in too many directions. Therefore, the point in this chapter regarding how you should spent 70% of time planning and only 30% crafting stood out to me.
  3. Use Shorthand: Usually, especially with formal writing like a proposal or grant, I err far on the side of caution. I very rarely use shorthand, especially in terms of writing the numerical sign for a number instead of the word or using symbols. However, the authors of this book actually advise to do the opposite. This is because, with online submissions, it is far more important to be concise and meet the word limit while still getting your point across. People understand numbers and symbols and shorthand, even if it doesn’t feel as formal as you may be aiming for. However, when the mission is to communicate effectively and concisely, the authors argue that this can be an effective way to do so.

Journal #4:

  1. Example 1: Unity Farm Sanctuary. This is an animal sanctuary (mainly for traditionally ‘farmed’ animals) in Sherborn, Massachusetts that I visited with my family near Thanksgiving one year. They provide lifetime care to animals that have been abused, neglected, rescued from slaughter, or that just otherwise need a place to go. In addition, it is run on the principle of vegan ethics (all animals should be treated humanely, all animals are seen as individuals, all animals deserve life and to be treated with kindness/respect). This is the type of sanctuary that I’ve always dreamed of running myself, and so I would definitely work with this kind of non-profit.
  2. Example 2: Horses for Mental Health. Mental health/abnormal psychology is an area that really hits home for me, as it is something that I myself as well as many of my friends and family members struggle with. So, I already have an interest in helping others that have similar difficulties. Personally, I’ve always grown up around animals– I even rode horses when I was younger and I have a horse at home now. I’ve seen how much they can help with mental health in terms of both short and long term effects. Due to this, working with a nonprofit such as Horses for Mental Health, which aims to help people struggling with mental health through equine-assisted therapies.
  3. Example 3: National Police Dog Foundation. Besides some of the ethical concerns that I have regarding putting dogs in potential harms’ way (i.e. using them in police or military forces), I have been interested in potentially working with K-9s in some way– whether it be training them, helping adopt them out after retirement, or in some other aspect. Therefore, this non-profit stuck out to me because it helps police forces raise funds in order to be able to purchase, train, and care for police dogs. So, not only do they help with preparations, but they also make sure that the dogs are taken care of (have access to vet care, etc.) while they are serving.

Journal #5:

  1. “Not all foundations are alike”: Even when multiple foundations or grant-seekers have similar missions, they are still very much different. They can have goals in the same vein, but each individual organization has different interests based on the people in charge and what individual sectors the group chooses to focus on. For instance, two foundations may focus on environmental issues and specifically go the route of fighting against deforestation. However, one may choose to go the activism route and gather money, people, and other resources to protest in-person, whereas another may choose to lobby the government for greater regulations on industries. So, really, every foundation is different and you need to take in to account what funders may be interested in your specific interests when searching for money.
  2. The different types of Private Foundations: This is something that I think is incredibly important to know because it plays a major role in figuring out where you can get funds from and who will be most likely to donate to your cause. First, there are independent foundations, which are the most common type, usually pretty small, and typically coincide with an individual, a single family, or a tight-knit group. Then, there are Company-sponsored foundations, which are very similar to independent foundations and tend to be run by an independent board, but with the key different that their funds/money come from a corporation. Finally, Operating Foundations are the least common type, and they usually stick to funding the organization they are directly tied to instead of giving out grants to others.
  3. Grant Writing is never about the need of your organization: When writing a proposal, you can’t focus on what you need or want. A funder has so many grants and proposals to read through that they have to decide which are most prominent and will do the greatest good– they have to be highly selective. On that note, most won’t give you money just for something you need if there is not an underlying reason. For instance, in the video Candid gave the example that you can’t ask for money for more trucks without explaining it. Instead, you have to tell them what the trucks are for and the benefit they will leave for the community. So, focus on the needs of the groups (people, community, animals, etc.) that you want to help, while also appealing to the interests of the funders you are trying to get money from.

Journal #6

The primary thing that struck me in this chapter was that the process of developing and maintaining a relationship with a funder feels almost manipulative in a way. Before the proposal is even written, the authors advise that you seek out potential funders for your project and then start trying to open the door to communicate with those funders. You can start small (emails, phone calls, or brief letters), and then build your way up to more extravagant methods like attending the same events (or even inviting the funder to an event your organization organizes). It feels kind of manipulative in a way because the starting point is that you want the donor’s money, so it is like you’re trying to get on their good side so they feel more inclined to donate the funds to your organization. That being said, however, it is important that the process functions both as a business and as a personal endeavor. Not only are you trying to acquire money, but you are trying to do so to help a cause that you–and hopefully the donor– truly care about, which can help it feel less manipulative and more collaborative. Another point I focused on was the duplicity of the Letter of Interests (LOI). On one hand, they are incredibly specific. There are specific rules each organization has as to what information they want included, how long the LOI should be, the submission process, whether or not they accept unsolicited LOIs, and several other features. On the other hand, though, they are also very brief and, therefore, somewhat general. With the very limited text or page limit enforced by each individual corporation, you can’t afford to be ultra-specific and you have to stay relatively broad. Instead of getting into all of the details of what your organization has done and plans to do, it is better to include some specifics and to generally stay broad except for the most important information (such as what you intend to propose, what you plan to do with the money, and proof of your organization’s mission and success handling such amounts of money).

Journal #7

My group (me, Jack, and Edward) decided to inhabit the non-profit organization called the Maine Conservation Alliance. When we started looking into different organizations, we were all coming from some different perspectives. I wanted to work on something revolving around animals/animal welfare or mental health, while Edward was primarily interested in environmental considerations and Jack wanted to focus on social justice issues. We had a couple ideas that cross-over a little bit into some of our shared interests, but it was really the Maine Conservation Alliance that struck all of us. On the homepage (protectmaine.org), it says, “Addressing the climate crisis, protecting the environment, & safeguarding our democracy in Maine”. It also says, “Maine Conservation Alliance convenes and facilitates Maine’s Environmental Priorities Coalition (EPC), an inclusive statewide alliance of 40 conservation, climate action, and public health organizations. Each year we collectively identify a slate of policy priorities to act on the climate crisis; further environmental justice; protect land, water, and wildlife; and cultivate healthy Maine communities.” I was fully on board with the idea of focusing on environmental issues as that was my third choice of topic, and Edward and Jack both had a similar view. However, Maine Conservation Alliance incorporated Edward’s environmental interests, Jack’s social justice interests, and my interest in animals and protecting wildlife, so once we found that organization it was really a no-brainer for all of us. We were all really interested in the mission of the non-profit overall and several of the specific projects, so we dove straight into researching it a bit further. Our choice was especially cemented when we found the “Environmental Priorities” page, and in particular the organization’s concern with “LD 646: Protect Waterways in Maine by Addressing Stormwater Pollution”. Stormwater pollution has obvious environmental impacts, but it also brings harm to wild animals (especially those that are aquatic) that inhabit the water in Maine and to the people that rely on clean water (especially impoverished or discriminated communities which often are struck with the harshest impacts of such issues). Therefore, all three of us were strongly interested in this non-profit and its specific projects, so we agreed pretty quickly on using it for our project. As a group, we are communicating through email– we also have a system for updating google documents and leaving comments for each other to talk in real-time or asynchronously. 

Journal #8:

In the chapter of this book called “Step 2: Write a Compelling Statement of Need”, the first thing that stuck out to me the most was the concept that a Statement of Need is kind of like a mission statement, just more specific. Pretty much any organization– especially non-profits– have a mission statement that tells outsiders what they aim to do. It’s often rather general, allowing for expansion into more niche sub-interests and projects that help to encompass the broad overarching goal. Meanwhile, a statement of need, according to the authors, “should answer the question, ‘What is the need or problem to be addressed?'” It is still general, but it is also meant to be more specific to the current proposal. Instead of framing the purpose, intentions, and motivations of the overall organization, it helps to describe exactly what facet is being directed to the project at hand.

I also focused on the part of this chapter that discussed balancing the motivation to attract a funder with your organization’s mission. It can be very tempting to take certain steps to get the money needed to fulfill a project. However, you still need to make sure that you are staying true to the mission. A statement of need is useful in this way because it conveys the impact that your organization intends to make with the project being proposed. It is definite, direct, and clear, and it can help a grant-seeker connect with a funder on the basis of matched interests. That being said, you must ensure that the statement of need is accurate. Even if it is altered for the purpose of attracting a funder, it still needs to be true to your organization. For instance, as proposed by the authors as an example, it may be a good idea to collaborate with other groups/non-profits with similar goals. This can make the proposal more robust as it adds more resources, people, and reach to the project. However, you cannot and should not just join forces for the sole purpose of gaining a funder because doing so may not bolster your progress, and at worst it may even hinder it.

Journal #9:

Skipped/Exempt– not supposed to do.

Journal #10:

The major challenge that I see moving forward in relation to this project has to do with time management and time commitment. So far this semester, I have been super busy– between my job on campus, research, all of my other classes, and other commitments (e.g. Honors college service initiative team). In addition, some personal issues and job-related incidents have popped up that have been making it particularly difficult to arrange my schedule. Due to this, I have even run into some challenges so far in the course of this project. Mainly, I am concerned that Edward and I have not been balancing the workload of the project equally– with Edward taking on more work than I have. I have put in a lot of effort and time into the work I have done for this course and project so far (ex. staying on top of journal entries, reading the textbook, writing one of the two program proposals along with the mission statements/background information on our organization), but there have been some communication break-downs and I still feel that Edward is being tasked with a disproportionate amount of the work. Since I’ve noticed this, though, I’ve been working on fixing the disparity. I sent Edward an email detailing some of my concerns and apologizing for the differences in commitment. In addition, I offered to discuss the issue with him in person to see what we can do about finding a solution. I am also in the process of strategizing and rearranging my schedule/workload to be able to spend more effort/time on this project and the collaborative aspects.

On a more technical note, another challenge I foresee with this project is the research and ultra-specific applications that will need to go into it. At least for me, personally, I don’t have a lot of background experience with or knowledge of either solar panels or electric vehicles. I have some baseline, foundational knowledge of them and some interest in how they work, but overall I don’t really know much about them. I care deeply about the environment and ways to help protect our natural world, so I still am invested in the project. I just personally tend to focus on the animal aspect when discussing the environment. Due to this, I will need to do a lot of research into exactly how electric vehicles work (as Edward and I have decided to focus on the EV-based proposal), what their benefits are, and feasible methods of application that may be used to effectively help members of Maine communities. Therefore, I foresee that this portion of the project will be a bit challenging. However, I think that with my interest in the topic and Edward’s background knowledge of it– along with both of our tendencies to be hard-working and put a lot of effort into projects like this– we will be able to put together a proposal both of us are proud of. 

Journal #11:

In reading Step 4: Define Clear Goals, Objectives, and Strategies from “Winning Proposals and Grants: Step by Step” I picked up on the idea that, within a proposal, it is vital to define your organization’s goals. Not only that, but it is also necessary to distinguish your goals from the overall mission. Every organization has a mission, which serves as its driving force. The mission is the reason for why the organization was created in the first place and why it continues to exist. Meanwhile, the goals will most likely change over time and should be more specific. They should explain exactly what the issue at hand is and what the organization plans to do about it. They must be far more narrow than the overall mission, and include explanations of why the organization is fit to do such a thing, including what resources they already have and will need in order to complete the project. 

Another part of this chapter that I focused on was the concept of a SMARTIE goal. I have heard of SMART goals before, and have had some practice with them (mainly in science and health classes throughout middle/high school). However, this was the first time I came across the term SMARTIE goal, which takes SMART goals and expands on them with the elements of inclusive and equitable. This is important to me because both concepts are ones that I personally feel strongly about. In addition, I think it ties really well into mine and Edward’s project, focused on providing EVs and sustainable energy to disadvantaged Maine community members. Our project’s goal is to create a system that provides affordable energy in the form of electric vehicles/EV charging ports to less fortunate Mainers, and so at the center of our idea is inclusivity and equity in terms of social justice. I care deeply about making sure that people have equal opportunities to succeed and equal access to basic needs, regardless of background, family wealth, race, or other sources of social disparities. Therefore, I appreciate the addition of inclusive and equitable to the concept of SMART(IE) goals.

Journal #12:

I really enjoyed hearing from Mya Hankes regarding the work she is doing with Our Place in Portland, as well as about her background in proposal and grant writing. Personally, I was really invested in her lecture because– for starters– working at a non-profit is something that I have always wanted to do. In my case, I’ve always wanted to open a non-profit rescue sanctuary for neglected and abused animals (especially animals traditionally listed under the “farm animal” or “livestock” labels). Therefore, it was invaluable for me to learn more about exactly what goes into working behind the scenes with a non-profit. This is especially true when it comes to knowing about how much writing, networking, planning, and other work occurs away from everything that happens front and center. Namely, I need to think about the kind of work it would take for me to run a non-profit, and how much time I would actually be able to dedicate to spending time with and rehabilitating the animals versus how much of my time would be taken up by the background work. 

Apart from the technicalities, I also just really enjoyed hearing about Mya’s background and the mission of Our Place. Even though I’m normally focused on helping animals and that’s where a large part of my passion lies, I also care greatly about people. Especially with everything going on in the U.S. right now (concerning politics, ICE, racial discrimination, etc.), being able to talk about what Our Place is doing feels really important. It’s a small organization doing invaluable work to help some of the most disadvantaged members of our southern Maine communities, even at a time when so many people seem to want to do the opposite. In addition, I could really tell how much Mya cares for it. She clearly loves the work she is doing and the people she works with, and I think that’s really important. You need to love what you do, and do what you love. 

Also, as an additional note, I actually went to see and talk with Mya Hankes at the Career Connection last Wednesday, after class. I had a couple questions that I either 1. didn’t feel comfortable bringing up in class or 2. came up with after class and wanted to ask about. So, I went to the Career Connection and had a really good, interesting conversation with Mya. We talked about both of our passions, what we want to do with them, and she gave me really good advice on how to get where I want to go. She also gave me answers to a lot of the questions I had been pondering for a while, especially about how non-profits function on a technical level (for instance, how people make money while working for a non-profit, where the money comes from, what exactly goes on behind the scenes, how much time you get to spend doing what you are passionate about versus the more ‘office’ type of work, etc.). 

Journal #13:

So far, Edward and I have made some progress on our LOI. Namely, we’ve composed the parts that serve as a sort of introduction to the Maine Conservation Alliance and state the mission of our organization. We have then also started to move into the issues and problems that Maine communities (with a focus on Androscoggin County) face. In addition, Edward has begun working on general details of how our project will be conducted and executed, as well as what exact type of funding we need– particularly in terms of budgeting. Among this progress, though, there are still some things that we need to add in and work on making more robust.

       In particular, we need to round out the part of the Letter of Intent that addresses the issue at hand, and what we are planning to do about it. Edward’s work on budgeting and general details will feed into this section of the LOI, but we still need to add in some more background information on what exactly the problem is and why we think it is important to be addressed. From there, we will move into more specifics regarding the project and what we aim to do to fix the existing problems (regarding social injustices and the climate crisis). Additionally, we will need to add in our section about project outcomes– i.e. how we expect to succeed, especially in terms of reducing environmental harm, initiating widespread reliance on more sustainable energy systems, and battling systemic social injustice. That all being said, I think we have a pretty strong start to our LOI.

Journal #14:

The people of Androscoggin County are severely underserved. Many of them, as per our research, live in poverty and struggle to afford basic necessities for survival. This forces many Mainers in this community to rely on traditional forms of energy, which have been linked with environmental harm through the worsening of the climate crisis. In particular, this forced reliance is seen with traditional vehicles, which run on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels, when combusted, create greenhouse gas emissions, which enter the atmosphere and contribute greatly to global warming. To combat these negative impacts on both the environment and the individuals subject to the current unjust state of our socioeconomic system, we aim to offer free Level 2 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations.

       These chargers will be installed, at no cost, to the households of impoverished Androscoggin county residents. These EV chargers– including the cost of materials and installation– will require about $500 worth of funding per unit. The Maine Conservation Alliance will partner with another organization (likely Sundog Solar) to acquire and install these charging station units to each interested household. Through offering these charging stations at a greatly reduced cost to Maine community members, we expect to see a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in quality of life for residents that take advantage of the offer. Free electric vehicle charging stations reduce the financial burden of investing in an electric vehicle, and additional education to the Androscoggin County community can further demonstrate the financial benefits of EVs over traditional fossil-fueled vehicles (e.g. recharging is much cheaper than refilling on gas). This incentive is further expected to enable more people to use sustainable forms of energy for transportation, allowing more residents opportunities they would not have without them (e.g. ability to go to work regularly). In addition, EV reliance greatly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, serving to prevent further negative impacts on the environment.

Journal #15:

Our project aims to provide sustainable, affordable energy to the residents of Androscoggin County, Maine. To complete this mission, we will partner with SunDog Solar to install level two electric vehicle chargers to disadvantaged members of the community. Recipients of these chargers will be chosen based on pre-defined criteria. For one, the individuals must be interested in and in want of the electric vehicle chargers, as they will be installed at the recipients’ homes. In addition, recipients must be classified as ALICE, which is an acronym standing for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed. These individuals make enough of an income to live and survive at around or above the poverty line, but struggle to afford basic necessities like energy for daily life. In providing these residents with level two electric vehicle chargers, we will be assisting them in prospering through daily life by supplying affordable energy to power their main modes of transportation. This will further enable them to travel reliably, such as to stores to acquire food and other basic necessities, as well as to attend school classes or jobs that will set them up for an even brighter future. In addition, supplying chargers for electric vehicles will provide a financial incentive for switching to electric vehicles from more traditional fossil-fueled models. Also, electric vehicles are linked with better environmental outcomes for the environment. Whereas fossil-fueled vehicles contribute to the climate crisis by emitting carbon dioxide– widely known to be a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming– electric vehicles are not linked to this harm. Rather, they are considered to be a much more sustainable, renewable, environmentally friendly source of energy. Therefore, by incentivizing Androscoggin County residents to switch to electric vehicles, this program will serve as a precedent for future programs to build off of. 

Specifically, our goals for this project begin with determining which residents fit the ALICE criteria for socioeconomic status. This will be accomplished through analysis of previous community and county census data, as well as thresholds previously established by past research. We have also established a working relationship with SunDog Solar through the Maine Conservation Alliance Environmental Priorities Coalition (EPC). This will enable us to form a partnership with SunDog Solar, an organization that is able to gather supplies for, produce, and install electric vehicle charging stations at reduced prices. Therefore, we will be able to use grant funding to pay $2,500 per unit to receive and install electric vehicle chargers. Our overarching goal is to provide forty of these charging units to individual households around Androscoggin County based on qualification criteria, need, and interest. This will result in a total cost of about $100,000. These goals fit the SMARTIE standard. In terms of being specific, we know the total distinct cost of each unit, the overall amount of funding we need, and how many people/households we aim to provide assistance to through the project. Additionally, it is measurable as we are able to track how many people are willing to switch over to electric vehicles and the number of people we directly assist. The Achievability and Realistic criteria are also fulfilled through this program because it is entirely theoretically feasible for the Maine Conservation Alliance to fulfill these promises of installing electric vehicle charging stations through a partnership with SunDog Solar. Finally, this program is also equitable as it serves to aid those who need it most, and time-bound because we aim to do this in a certain amount of limited time (probably around 1 year, although we need to decide on specifics).

Journal #16:

One of the major takeaways from this section of the textbook is that it is necessary to present your organization’s financial standings to your potential funder. This is because funders need to be safe and strategic with their money. They can’t just give out money all willy-nilly. Instead, they need to ensure that the money they hand out will be used effectively, sustainably, and responsibly. They also need to make sure that the receiving organization will use money in a way that fits the mission of the donor organization. In addition, another takeaway is that this process needs to be done in an argumentative, persuasive fashion. It’s not enough to just present the past history of money use, funding, and other financial situations. Instead, you must give a detailed description of your history, the strategies you use, your relationships with other funders, and other resources used to manage your organization’s financial situation. This provides the donor with a full background of your organization’s financials as well as a sense of trust that you will do the correct thing with the money and be able to handle it on the scale, or to the degree, that you are asking for funding. In addition, a third takeaway is that on top of an overall history of financials, you also need to consider the future. In the sustainability statement, it is crucial to provide a detailed plan of what you will do with the money. You have to have a plan of how much money you want, where the money will go, what the purpose is, and how you will stretch the money out. You also need to consider all potential confounds– including what will happen if the money doesn’t stretch far enough and how the program will be carried forward once the immediate funding no longer sustains it.

Journal #17

One main takeaway from this chapter is that, so far, much of what we have talked about in terms of establishing credibility for your non-profit organization has been in terms of financials. Obviously, it is important to show a funder that you are able to handle money responsibly as an organization so that they know they aren’t just throwing away their funds. However, there is more to it than that. For instance, you have to be able to effectively communicate “the mission, values, history, and other distinguishing characteristics” of your non-profit to show what makes it unique and why the funder should trust you with the project at hand. A second takeaway is that there are several specific points to hit on within the Organization Background Statement. Primarily, most non-profits and funders have certain interests. Particularly, these interests tend to revolve around community interests, so you have to show that your organization also takes the community perspective into account. This can be done in a number of ways, and the textbook focuses on meeting roles or needs that the community requires assistance with, providing services to the community, actually taking on the perspective of the community to understand it, including members of the community on the staff, and otherwise showing a deep involvement in and reverence for the community itself. A third point to be hit has to do with collaborative projects, since mine and Edward’s proposal involves collaborating with Sundog Solar. When involving an element of collaboration, you need to include certain elements within the organization background component, according to the textbook. Namely, you need to support your organization’s credibility in handling the project on a collaborative level, such as by offering examples of past collaborations and analyses of how the partnerships influenced the project outcomes. 

Journal #18:

  • As Edward and I have been working, we have compiled each individual section into one shared document with separate tabs for each part. This has enabled us to look at each other’s work and edit or comment our individual thoughts as we go. Currently, we have a running list of comments and suggested edits from each person. So, I think our first step in editing, revising, and improving our project is going to be to go through those comments to see which ones would be reasonable, beneficial changes and to implement them where applicable. 
  • In addition to considering edits we suggested while initially writing each section of the project application, we also need to go back and review word count. Edward and I agree on the vast majority of our fundamental ideas, and we have good evidence from The Maine Conservation Alliance website and other research to support those ideas. However, most of our project sections are over the word count. We have talked in class about how strict those limits can be at times– especially with digital submissions– so it’s important that we go back and edit down sentences, cut out extraneous phrases, and replace wording to be more concise where possible. 
  • One other thing that stuck out to me was that, as of now, our formatting is not uniform. For instance, some sections are single spaced while others are double spaced, some have headings and closings while others don’t, and there are quite a few differences in paragraph length (although we did keep paragraph structure relatively consistent between our different writing styles). So, before we submit the final application, we need to make sure we go back and generalize the structure/format of each section to ensure the entire project is cohesive. 

Journal #19

In step seven, “Develop the Proposal Budget”, the authors discuss a main point that the budget of the proposal should be highly digestible. This part stuck out to me because budgets are often considered one of the toughest or least digestible parts of any sort of proposal or project. This is because they are number-(and sometimes math-) heavy, and for a lot of people– or at least for me– that tends to make it a bit difficult. However, the authors say in this chapter that the opposite should actually be the case. In fact, you should essentially just be taking what you have already written out and explained, and putting it into exact numbers for the mere purpose of clarity and confirmation.

Another main takeaway I had from this chapter was that you can request money for different types of budgets, and the information you include in your proposal will likely differ based on which type of budget you are attempting to allocate for. In mine and Edward’s case, I believe we would be requesting a program (or project) budget because the money we need is for a specific initiative, rather than general operating expenses. This means that we will need to frame it as a budget in and of itself, while also seating it within the general support budget and making sure that it remains specific to the one project at hand without straying into any associated costs that could warrant an entirely separate project budget. 

A third thing that stuck out to me from this section was the idea that there is a lot of review and revision that goes into a budget. I think we are all familiar with the saying that “writing is rewriting”. Review and revision are so common in any style of writing that it basically makes up the entire process. This is especially true in the case of the budget because you can’t just start making up a budget and hope it is accurate. Instead, you need to start with review as the very first step. You have to look back at what your organization has (and what similar organizations have) done, as well as what materials/labor truly cost, in order to even begin formulating an idea of what the budget should look like. 

A fourth point that I fixated on was the idea of a budget narrative. The textbook frames this as an especially important aspect of public funding budgets, but I could also see it being highly impactful in proposals of the type that we are forming. These budget narratives explain not only what each item on the budget is, but also their importance to the project. They provide extra support as to why the money should be funded and allotted to each specific item but explaining what the money will be used for and how it serves to advance the goals and objectives of both the organization and the given initiative. In terms of our projects, I think this could be helpful (even if it’s just for planning purposes and not for submission) because it would give a more detailed overview of everything we need to consider, while also providing insight into what items may or may not be entirely necessary.