June 23, 2005 | Read Time: 1 minute
Models of Proposal Planning & Writing, Third Edition
by Jeremy T. Miner and Lynn E. Miner
Why do some grant proposals win over foundation leaders, while others fail to garner any cash? This guide provides proposal writers with analysis, sample proposals, and insights from grant makers to help determine what makes a successful pitch.
Jeremy T. Miner, director of sponsored programs at St. Norbert College, and Lynn E. Miner, a principal at Miner and Associates, a consulting group, say that competitive grant proposals establish the “credibility” of the group asking for money and play to the psychological, as well as practical, factors behind a grant maker’s support for a project.
To be successful, proposal writers should understand the values and interests of the organization from which they are seeking support, and should convey their trustworthiness, as well as their energy and passion to strengthen their case, the authors write.
The book includes a rubric for analyzing requests for proposals and determining if a group’s needs are a good fit with the foundation giving money. The guide also describes the key features of a grant application—the cover letter, application forms, project summary, proposal narrative, budget, and appendices—and gives advice on shaping each piece of the package.
The bulk of the authors’ advice, meanwhile, is conveyed through three model proposals that won grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Emory T. Clark Family Charitable Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education. The authors guide the reader through the process of preparing those proposals and analyze why they stood out from the competition.
Publisher: Praeger Publishers, 88 Post Road West, Westport, Conn. 06881; (203) 226-3571; http://www.praeger.com; 253 pages; $39.95; ISBN 0-275-98696-9.
