Due Sunday !!!!

Summarize the steps to writing a grant proposal for the scenario you chose from Appendix B:

IMPORTANT NOTE: THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THIS ASSIGNMENT: You should devote approximately 80% of your paper to Part 1, and 20% to Part 2:

PART 1: (Approximately 80% of your assignment)

Outline the grant proposal writing process from beginning to end.

Address how you would complete all the components (sections) in a grant proposal, using the list of components found in Chapter 3, page 19 of our text from Week 2 readings.

Note: You do not have to actually complete all these sections as you would in a grant application – just state how you would complete them if you were writing an actual grant application.

Below are the sections that must be included in your paper.

Please Note: YOU MUST USE THESE HEADINGS IN YOUR PAPER TO DENOTE EACH SECTION:

Abstract
Table of contents
Specific aims/background and significance/needs and problem statement
Target populations
Approaches and methods
Long- and short-term goals
Process, outcome, and impact objectives
Activity plans and scheduling (timeline)
Evaluation plan
Agency capacity and project management
Budget and budget justifications

PART 2: (Approximately 20% of your assignment)

· Create a needs and problem statement for the scenario.

Write an actual Needs and Problem Statement for your selected scenario from Appendix B.

Please note: You must complete this section as you would in an actual grant proposal.

Ensure the entire summary (paper) consists of 1,050 to 1,700 words and is in paragraph form.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines

Appendix B

HSM/270 Version 3

Associate Level Material

Appendix B

Program Scenario One

Far West Elementary School

Organization Mission

As a team, parents and staff are dedicated to creating a caring, exciting environment that promotes responsibility, self-esteem, and academic achievement where differences are valued and learning is a lifelong goal. Our goal is to maintain a safe and caring public school for children, staff, and community by teaching skills that promote responsible, respectful behavior to self and others.

Brief Community Description

The community of Far West is a suburb of New Hampshire, which is a large metropolitan area with 2 million residents. Far West has a population of 30,000. Far West Elementary School has a student population of 700, 30% of the student having relocated from Asian countries within the last 2 years. Many of these students’ families are moving into the community to take advantage of the low cost of housing and are comforted by the presence of similar cultures. Many of the new residents have limited English writing, reading, and speaking skills.

Funding Opportunity

This funding opportunity provides professional development activities intended to improve instruction for students with limited English proficiency (LEP) and assists educational personnel working with these students to meet high professional standards. Projects should increase the pool of highly qualified teachers prepared to serve LEP students and increase the skills of teachers already serving them.

Authorized activities include

· Upgrade qualifications and skills of personnel who are not certified or licensed.

· Develop program curricula.

· Support for tuition, fees, and books.

Areas of focus may include but are not limited to

· Alternative certification programs

· Career ladder programs for paraprofessionals

· Bilingual Education/ESL (BE/ESL) certification for regular classroom teachers

· Special support for new teachers

· Improving the skills of higher education faculty

· Preparation of bilingual counselors, school psychologists, and other educational personnel

Program Scenario Two

Continental Senior Center

Organization Mission

Continental Senior Center, a City of Westminster agency, involves older adults in their community and in the senior center as leaders, teachers, and learners. It provides a balanced, diverse, and coordinated program and promotes the senior center as a model for the aging and aged. Continental Senior Center promotes successful aging. The organization’s tagline, “In the Heart of Things,” not only refers to its downtown location, but also emphasizes that the senior center is actively involved in community activities, especially those geared toward seniors. It provides information and referral services for those seeking help with taxes, health, housing, and other concerns; as well as case management services 3 days per week; and computerized information assistance to help seniors and family members access available area services.

Brief Community Description

The community of Westminster is a historically rich community founded nearly 200 years ago. Approximately 60% of the population of Westminster is over the age of 60 and have lived in Westminster all of their lives. Of these senior residents, approximately 50% have a poverty-level income. Within the past 5 years, the community of Westminster has begun to expand with the building of new homes attracting younger families, all following the technology firms that have recently located to the community.

Funding Opportunity

The Wesley Foundation supports multi-issue community organizing groups that work in low-income neighborhoods that are accountable to neighborhood residents, and through which people are empowered to have a major voice in shaping decisions that affect their lives.

The foundation supports organizations that

· Organize by enlisting and nurturing participation of a large number of neighborhood residents, organizations, and institutions.

· Recruit and formally develop local leadership.

· Enable local citizens, including youth, families, and seniors, to develop an agenda, to devise strategies, and to carry out action effectively to address issues.

· Demonstrate innovative strategies or create new local institutions that strengthen local community capacity.

· Show evidence of significant local fundraising.

Program Scenario Three

PEACE Domestic Violence Agency

Organization Mission

PEACE’s mission is to reduce victim trauma, empower survivors, and promote recovery through direct services. PEACE is committed to reducing the incidence of sexual assault and domestic violence through education and strives to challenge societal norms and beliefs that condone and perpetuate violence in the community.

Brief Community Description

The city of Portland is similar to many other communities throughout the country. As a large metropolitan city, the region has experienced increasing reports of domestic and youth violence, spousal and child abuse, assault, and incidents of road rage over the last 5 years.

Funding Opportunity

The National Foundation’s funding program, Supporting Families, strives to fulfill the following objectives:

· Promote the well-being of young men, women, and children whose lives have been affected by domestic violence, and to reduce the prevalence of domestic violence through increased service provision, education, and awareness.

· Improve the quality of life of families with a member or members in prison, through the provision of services responsive to their needs.

· Provide young people who are or have been involved with the criminal justice system with a rehabilitation program designed to obtain the skills, confidence, and personal support networks to enable them to lead fulfilled and successful lives.

The foundation has two grant programs under which it provides funding to nonprofits:

· The Small Grants Program offers one-time grants of up to $5,000 to registered charities with an annual budget under $500,000.

· The Investor Program is an innovative funding program designed to support six organizations under each of the objectives of the Supporting Families program, with up to $150,000 a year for up to 3 years.

Program Scenario Four

Madison Children’s Hospital

Organization Mission

The mission of the Madison Children’s Hospital is to be the worldwide leader in improving children’s health by providing the highest quality health care:

· Be the leading source of research and discovery.

· Educate the next generation of leaders in child health.

· Enhance the health and well-being of children and families in our local community.

Strategic objectives include quality and safety, leadership of tomorrow, state-of-the-art facilities, workplace of choice, financial strength, healthy neighborhoods and community, and pioneering new frontiers of knowledge.

Brief Community Description

Over the last 5 years, Madison Children’s Hospital has recorded an increasing number of children with chronic illnesses. With increasing concern, the hospital understands that these chronic illnesses are affecting school attendance and the overarching academic success of children, in addition to the income levels and career advancement of their parents. Researchers suspect the unmanaged status of the children’s chronic illnesses is strongly related to this concern. The hospital and schools are very interested in addressing this concern.

Funding Opportunity

The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) issued by the National Institute of Health Care is to solicit research to improve self-management and quality of life in children and adolescents with chronic illnesses. Biobehavioral studies of children in the context of family and family-community dynamics are encouraged. Children diagnosed with chronic illness and their families have a long-term responsibility for self-management. A child with chronic illness will have a life-long responsibility to maintain and promote health and prevent complications. Research related to biological and technological factors, as well as sociocultural, environmental, and behavioral mechanisms that contribute to successful and ongoing self-management of chronic illnesses in children is also encouraged. This FOA is restricted to studies of chronic illnesses in children and adolescents ages 8 to 21, grouped by developmental stages left to the discretion of the investigator. Studies of chronic mental illness or serious cognitive disability are beyond the scope of this FOA. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding opportunity may not exceed 2 years. Direct costs are limited to $275,000 over a 2-year period, with no more than $200,000 in direct costs allowed in any single year. The funding is not renewable.

Program Scenario Five

Santa Rosa Philharmonic Youth Symphony

Organization Mission

The Santa Rosa Philharmonic Youth Symphony’s mission is to educate and advance the skills of young musicians, enabling them to reach their highest potential. The repertoire is often difficult and always challenging, and the young musicians are selected by open auditions held in June of each year.

Values

· Transforming youth and building capable young citizens with a love of music

· Excellence in musicianship and scholarship through challenging and attractive musical opportunities

· Excellence in leadership training and skill development—professionalism, education, integrity, and preparation

· Music education

· Appreciation and mutual respect

· Financial soundness

The Santa Rosa Philharmonic Youth Symphony (SRPYS) strongly encourages its young musicians to participate in their school music programs. SRPYS schedules events to avoid conflicts with school activities, and excuses absences resulting from a school music program. In addition, SRPYS works with local and regional music and arts organizations in strategic efforts to emphasize the important role of music and arts in education and society at all levels of education and government.

Brief Community Description

The community of Santa Rosa loves its music; due to education funding cuts, however, music programs have been eliminated from the public elementary and middle school education programs. Parents and educators alike are concerned that, without this music experience, Santa Rosa youth will lose their appreciation, enjoyment, and participation in music programs within the near future as music education is now limited to the high school and college levels.

Funding Opportunity

This funding opportunity provides unrestricted operating grants to large and medium-sized performing arts organizations that present live performances, exhibitions, or screenings in the visual, performing, and literary arts. Grants are open to nonprofit performing arts programs that: engage at least three touring companies, artists, or exhibitions per year; pay a fee for these activities; and manage local presentations. Qualifying organizations must be 2 years or older and have at least one professional staff person.

GRANT PROPOSAL:
A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN

Through a step-by-step process with examples, and by following a logic model, this chapter will
present a grant writing process that is also a program planning process. The end of the chapter
includes a sample proposal review report, to illustrate the fact that there is always room for
improvement for any proposals. This grant writing and program planning process will include:
defining the purpose and the importance of the program, describing the service environment and
needs addressed, identifying target populations, defining measurable and attainable goals and
objectives, scheduling activities and time lines, detailing staffing and management issues, devel-
oping an appropriate budget, recognizing an agency’s capacity, and developing an evaluation plan.

Before we get into the “nuts and bolts” of grant writing, we would like to share with readers
two practical observations.

The chance of whether a grant proposal is funded or not rests on 50% quality, 25% luck, and
25% connections. Quality proposal writing will put the proposal ahead of the crowd and make it
competitive. However, the political and social status of both the organization and the grant
writer, as well as the level of connection to the decision makers, amounts to a considerable por-
tion of the funding determination. The sheer luck or being in the right place at the right time
also makes the world of difference. Consequently, new grant writers should not be disappoint-
ed when they are not able to land a successful major grant in the first trial. It may need several
trials to improve the writing skills, continued development of connections, and luck!

Writing is a passion that comes naturally for some. It is a drag and a cause for anxiety for
others. Grant proposal writing requires a different kind of writing skill than that of writing nov-
els. It is, however, learnable and requires practice. Even a good writer encounters writing block,
or has trouble parsing what he or she wrote the day before. One of our colleagues, who is a
scholar and a fine writer, declares that he routinely needs to write the same sentence seven times
before it is to his liking and becomes understandable to others. In grant writing, it is not uncom-
mon for writers to come across writing blocks, to not understand or like what they wrote. Some
were surprised to learn that their readers failed to understand the meaning of a paragraph that
is perfectly clear to the writers. We have found that it’s helpful when you: (a) organize materi-
als, (b) show willingness to revise many times, and (c) keep someone who has no knowledge of
your program close at hand to proofread and provide commentary of your draft proposal.

Request for Proposal

Funding agencies usually announce the availability of funding through the issuing of a Request
for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Applications (RFA). A notice to the public will generally be
distributed and followed by the release and availability of the RFA. Applicant agencies usually
have about 6 to 8 weeks to respond to the RFA. The RFA details the major and important infor-
mation for the proposal application. Usually, it includes all the important dates and due dates.
It also highlights the focus of the funding, eligibility of applicants, and what kind of program

C H A P T E R

that it is looking to fund. Some of the federal or major funding foundations will issue a batch of
RFAs together as a booklet, while some will only issue individual RFAs. For funding sources that
have more rigorous requirements, such as the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, their RFAs can be quite lengthy and detailed. Some
other RFAs for smaller funding are relatively shorter. No matter how long or short the RFA is,
the applicant agency should dissect and study the document to gain a fine understanding of the
requirements, expectations, and limitations of that particular RFA. Box 3.1 portrays a sample of
a condensed RFA announcement.

Logic Model for Program Development

The logic model is a program design approach that emphasizes logical connections between
causes or contributing factors to the program objectives, activities, and outcomes. For more than
a decade, various federal offices adopted and used the logic model, including the former Office
of Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), and
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). The logic model starts off by thoroughly
reviewing the literature and identifying causes such as risk and protective factors. Next, the
development of specific and measurable program objectives occurs, along with the design of
coordinated intervention activities to fulfill the stated objectives. Finally, the model incorporates
a detailed and rigorous evaluation component, in order to assess and document process and out-
comes of the attainment of the specified objectives (OSAP, 1992).

Using logic model is a rational problem solving approach to program planning. The planning
process is, however, not necessarily a linear sequential and rigid one. In an ever-changing envi-
ronment, factors including the political economy, availability of resources, and timing make a
step-by-step straight-line approach impossible and infeasible to map. Program planning process
is more of a circular and spiral process; each step will be taken, evaluated, revisited, and refined.
The logic model provides a framework to include all the necessary steps for a planning process
that leads to the attainment of the desirable program results. Figure 3.1 provides a simple exam-
ple of a logic model.

Writing a Grant Proposal

A grant proposal for human services is a written presentation of a program plan. This plan details
how the applicant will approach the identified needs or problem with their proposed course of
actions. Usually, the narrative portion of a grant proposal includes the following major sections:

Abstract

Table of contents
Specific aims/background and significance/needs and problem statement
Target populations
Approaches and methods
Long- and short-term goals
Process, outcome, and impact objectives
Activity plans and scheduling (timeline)
Evaluation plan
Agency capacity and project management
Budget and budget justifications

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 19

Abstract

An abstract is a summary of the proposal. About 45 single-spaced lines or one page is usually the
recommended length. It is among the first few pages of a big proposal, as well as one of the last
things—but not a last-minute task—that a grant writer will prepare before the proposal is sent
out to the funding organization. An abstract may be the shortest section of a proposal; it is, how-
ever, the most read and most important section of a proposal. It is among the first few pages that
the proposal readers would read and form the important first impression. For busy readers or
readers who are not main reviewers for your proposal, this may be the only page they use to
know your proposal. Their understanding of your proposal from this abstract may be the basis

20 CHAPTER THREE

BOX

3.1 DHHS GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT #911

Request for Proposal (RFP)

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announces the availability of support for new ser-
vice projects that address the critical needs of the low-income, underserved or at-risk population in the
United States. The funding is authorized under Section 123 of the 2002 Public Well-Being Act. A total of ten
million dollars ($10,000,000.00) is earmarked for FY2003/2004.

The DHHS is interested in receiving applications for projects that are innovative and well developed in
addressing critical needs of the targeted communities. All funded projects should begin no earlier than
July 2003 and be completed no later than June 30, 2004. Both local government and private nonprofit
human service agencies are eligible to apply for funding support. Applications under this announcement
must be received at DHHS Grant Management Office no later than 4:00 p.m. on January 15, 2003.
Absolutely no late applications will be accepted after the deadline.

All applications should include the following sections:

1. Abstract—45 lines max.
2. Table of Contents—2 pages max.
3. Specific Aims (Needs/Problems, Working Hypothesis, Objectives, Interventions, etc.)—3 pages max.
4. Target Populations—2 pages max.
5. Approaches and Methods (Project Goals and Objectives, Activities, Time Line, etc.)—6 pages max.
6. Evaluation Plan—3 pages max.
7. Agency Capacity and Project Management—3 pages max.
9. Budget and Budget Justification—3 pages max.

10. Community Support—no page limit.
11. References and Appendices—no page limit.

Agencies that are interested in applying for the funding support must submit a letter of intent to DHHS no
later than September 30, 2002. The letter should briefly describe the proposed project, including project
goals, target population(s), proposed activities and location(s), and the name of a contact person. Only
applicants who have submitted a letter of intent on time will be eligible to apply. Applicants are encouraged
to attend the technical assistance workshop held in Washington, DC on November 20, 2002 and then in
Sacramento, CA on November 22, 2002. Detailed instructions for preparing proposals for this announce-
ment will be given in these technical assistance workshops. DHHS program staff will also be available to
answer questions.

For further information, please write or call DHHS.

they use for deciding their ranking of your proposal. It is important to make sure this is well writ-
ten and that it represents your proposal effectively and succinctly.

An abstract is also used as the project’s summary for the various reports of the funding
sources, such as the report to the community and to the board of directors. Internally, applicant
agencies often use project abstracts for their own reporting and orientation for various con-
stituencies. A proposal abstract (see Box 3.2 for a sample) is a short but important document
with multiple functions. Typically, it includes the following information:

Name of agency
Type of organization
Purpose and objectives of the project
Specific interventions for the project
Target population: demographic, age, race, gender, SES, special needs, etc.
Location(s) and setting(s) of project
Relevance of the proposed project to the funding intentions.

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 21

FIGURE 3.1 Sample logic model

Family Domain

● Poor family
management skills

● Lower family
income

● Single parenthood
● Social isolation and

lack of social
activities

● Strong family
bonding

Family Life Education
and Case Management

● Sister-to-Sister: Single
moms club

● Family Together:
Ongoing organized
parent–child activities

● Clinical case
management: family-
centered clinical
interventions and
case management.

● Promote positive
family management
and interaction
skills

● Provide peer
support to female
single parents

● Develop family
resiliency and
opportunities to
succeed through
clinical and case
management
interventions.

Promote
protective
factors and
decrease
risk factors
for alcohol
and drug
abuse.

Risk/Protective Factors Interventions Outcome Objectives Project Goal

Logic Model for an Alcohol and Drug Prevention Project for High Risk Youth

Individual Domain

● Low self-image
● Poor academic

performance
● Favorable attitude

toward drug use
● Lack of life skills
● Ambition to become

successful
● Have interests in

sport and leadership
activities

Psychosocial
Education and

Community
Involvement

● Individual tutoring
program

● Life skills develop-
ment activities

● Positive alternative
activities

● Community service
opportunities

● Improve self-image
through perform-
ance and service.

● Improve academic
performance.

● Increase com-
munity attatchment
through service.

Table of Contents

The table of contents provides the road map for your readers to understand the structure of the
applicant proposal and assists them to find the information they want. It should be a clear and
uncomplicated list that is simple to use, while detailed enough to refer to the right place for
information. During the proposal writing process, the table of contents also serves as a checklist
and framework to guide the development of the proposal. After the proposal is done, correct
headings and page numbers will then be transferred to the working contents. It is one of the first
sections to develop and the last section to complete.

For example, a Center for Substance Abuse Prevention demonstration project, which
requires a detailed program plan, an evaluation, and proper government forms and documents,
will have a table of contents as displayed in Box 3.3.

Specific Aims

This section presents the rationale and basis for the development, and possibly the approval for
funding for this grant proposal. It also provides a brief overview of the proposed project.

22 CHAPTER THREE

BOX

3.2 SAMPLE ABSTRACT

Asian Americans Service Agency (AASA) is a private, nonprofit, community-based organization located in
Kingstown, Santa Maria County, California. Since 1976, AASA has been serving the Asian American com-
munities, advocating on behalf of the needs and interests of Santa Maria County’s diverse Asian American
populations; helping new immigrants and refugees to adjust to a multicultural society and to improve their
overall quality of life.

Santa Maria County has the tenth largest Asian refugee population in the United States with 100,000 in 2000.
That is an increase of 160% since 1990. The growth is associated with the expansion of several meatpacking
plants in the area. Asian Americans make up 15% of the county population and mostly live in east Acetown,
according to the 2000 Census. Contrary to the myth of the model minority, Asian Americans in the County, par-
ticularly youth, have experienced drastic increases in school drop-outs, emotional and conduct disorders, and
delinquency. Substance abuse and gang violence particularly concern the parents, teachers, and local law
enforcement agencies of the community. Social services to this population, however, is rather limited.

Consistent with the funding requirements, AASA is proposing the New Generation program, a five-year
demonstration project providing culturally competent substance abuse prevention services to high-risk
Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese youth and their families. Although many of these youth are American
born and live in the contemporary American culture in schools, they also live in their native culture at home.
The logic model for the project is based on the working hypothesis that Southeast Asian refugee youth, who
do not have positive cultural identities or experiences and have little opportunities for achievement according
to their cultural norms, have lower self-image and are at high risk for alcohol and drug abuse and other dys-
functional behaviors.

The New Generation project will provide three areas of services. First, a Youth Cultural Center will be estab-
lished in east Acetown, providing a focal point for cultural, social, and educational activities for the target pop-
ulation and their families. Second, a school-based program will provide for two Weekend Cultural and
Language Schools for Vietnamese and Laotian children, six support groups for the target teens in three local
middle schools, and counseling and referral services for the children and their families. Third, to complement
the youth center components and to strengthen family relations, the project will organize a Family Ties com-
ponent. This will involve and empower parents by connecting them with the project as volunteers, instructors,
storytellers, advisory board members, and participants with their children. It is expected that this project will
serve about 1,500 target youth and their families.

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 23

Different funding announcements refer to this section with different names: needs and problem
statement, the background and significance, or the literature review. In fact, this section often
includes all of the aforementioned elements as subsections.

The main concern here is to present the case that you, the applicant agency, know what you
are doing and why you are doing what you are proposing to do. It will also show your proposed
interventions are guided by sound theoretical models and supported by all concerned con-
stituencies. The applicant agency knows the theoretical models well, receives input from clients
and community, and has developed a set of coordinated programs both theoretically sound and
operationally feasible.

BOX

3.3 SAMPLE TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Application for Federal Assistance (Form 424)
2. Budget: Nonconstruction Program (Form 424A)

Letter of Intent for Indirect Cost
3. Abstract
4. Table of Contents
5. Narrative

A. Specific Aims
B. Specific Outcome Objectives
C.

Target Populations

D. Approach and Methods
E.

Evaluation Plan

F. Project Management/Implementation Plan
G. Project Staff and Organization
H. Budget Justification and Existing Resources
I. Confidentiality/Participant Protection

6. Checklist (PHS-5161-1, p. 18)
7. Certifications and Assurances

A. Assurances: Nonconstruction Programs (Form 424B)
B. Certification
C. Civil Right Assurance (45CFR80)
D. Assurance Concerning the Handicapped (45CFR84)
E. Assurance Concerning Sex Discrimination (45CFR86)
F. Assurance Concerning Age Discrimination (45CFR90&91)
G. Letters from IRS and State Franchise Tax Board

8. Appendices
Appendix 1: Resumes/Job Descriptions
Appendix 2: Other Support
Appendix 3: Letter to/from Single State Agency
Appendix 4: Letters of Commitment from Collaborating Organizations/Individuals
Appendix 5: Statement of Commitment to National/Cross-Site Evaluation
Appendix 6: Organizational and Project Structures
Appendix 7: Certification Concerning Supplantation of Funds
Appendix 8: Data Collection Instruments and Scales: Violence Index . . .
Appendix 9: Sample Consent Forms
Appendix 10: Activities Gantt Chart
Appendix 11: References
Appendix 12: Board of Directors List
Appendix 13: Curricular Outlines: ATOD Prevention Class, Feel Good Program . . .
Appendix 14: Letters of Support

24 CHAPTER THREE

This section is like saying: “This is the current condition: We understand the dynamics of the
situation in our target areas and how they affect our target populations. Based on the objective
information, professional knowledge, practice experience, and support from the affected popu-
lation, we propose the following promising interventions.” The writing of this section, like the
rest of the proposal, has to be logical and succinct. Since detailed information on intervention is
provided later on in the approaches and methods section, you only need a summary or preview
of program objectives and interventions in this section.

Needs/Problem Statement

Many agencies spend tremendous amounts of time writing up the case justifying an urgent situa-
tion or problem that needs to be addressed. Meanwhile they are minimal in writing how they are
going to address the problems they identified. Most of the time, the funding agency has a fairly
good idea of the identified problem. Otherwise they would not allocate funding to support ser-
vice projects that address the problem. If the funding source is already well aware of the situation,
the applicant agencies may not need to spend too much time “preaching to the choir.” They should
use this section to highlight the uniqueness of their situation, their unique insight of the situation,
and their innovative approaches that address the problem. Instead of telling the funding source
excessively where the agency is coming from (the known needs and problems), the agency may
want to tell the funding source where it is going (objectives, interventions, and outcomes).

Coley and Scheinberg (1990) provide a useful outline for the write-up of a needs/problem
statement: “The needs/problem statement examines what is happening that requires attention,
attempts to explain why it is happening, and discusses what currently is being done to address
it” (p. 40). The conceptual framework for development of a needs/problem statement (see Box
3.4 as well) can be described as:

Clients with “A” characteristics and background live in “B” conditions/environments and have
“C” problems/needs that are caused by “D”. Clients are blocked from solving these problems
because of “E”. This problem is related to other problems “F” and [have] “G” short- and long-
term impact if not addressed. The impact of their needs/problems on the community is “H.”
Others have addressed their needs/problems by doing “I”; the results of their interventions have
been “J.” The most promising strategy for interventions is “K” (p. 41).

In this example, “A,” “B,” “C,” and “D” are the characteristics, risk/protective factors, and
presenting problems. The “E,” “F,” “G,” and “H” are barriers, causes, consequences, and the
working hypothesis. The “I” and “J” are the successful experience. This conceptual framework
also forms the basic working hypothesis for the project and its interventions “K.”

Coley and Scheinberg (1990) assert that the applicant should attempt to show he or she has
a complete understanding, and the best intervention model, of the problem that the funder
seeks to address. Based on the guideline proposed by Coley and Scheinberg, Box 3.5 on page 26
shows a simplified outline for the write up of the needs and problem statement.

The needs/problem statement frames the working hypothesis that is the general belief that
guides the development of a project proposal. This belief could be based on the applicants’ the-
oretical orientation, philosophical position, practice experience, agency mission, and other
assumptions. It is not a research hypothesis, waiting to be validated. It is, however, a hunch or
an educated speculation of what could be done to address the identified needs or problems. For
example, most mentoring programs for at-risk children believe that positive role modeling and
guidance from mature individuals (mentors) who care and maintain constant and purposive

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 25

contacts with their assigned children (mentees) will bring about desirable changes and benefits
to the children.

While writing the needs/problem statement, one should avoid the mistakes of circular rea-
soning or tautology. Circular reasoning is like a dog chasing its own tail: it will go round and
round in a circle. For example, one may argue the reason for having the proposed senior com-
munity center is because there is none in the target community. Conversely, one may also argue
that since there is not a senior center in the community, therefore it should develop one. The
argument has no end and no beginning. The best way to spot and to get out of a circular rea-
soning is to accept that the argument of “lacking what’s proposed” is not a good argument. Start
thinking about exactly why the community needs the proposed intervention. Without a senior
center, what would happen to the older adult population in the community? What can be
accomplished in the senior center, if it were established? A strong statement focuses on why the
intervention is needed, and what would happen if the implementation of the intervention goes
through or not—but not on the intervention itself. The intervention is proposed to meet clients’
or community needs; it is not proposed for its own existence.

In addressing the issues of barriers to service, particularly those related to cultural com-
petency, a proposal writer may wish to look into the five As: accessibility, availability, aware-
ness, appropriateness, and acculturation. The applicant agency should assess these five areas as

BOX

3.4 SAMPLE NEEDS AND PROBLEM STATEMENT

The 650 students aged 12 to 15, who come from mostly low-income families in the inner city of Springfield,
are attending the neighborhood ABC middle school. They have a 50% dropout rate associated with poor
academic performances and behavioral problems. Their last year statewide standardized math and reading
test scores ranked at the bottom of the thirtieth percentile. Substance abuse, gang violence, and truancy
are frequent problems that draw serious concerns from parents, school authorities, law enforcement agen-
cies, and child welfare professionals.

A systematic survey of teachers, parents, and the targeted students last semester reveals that many of
these students are academically underprepared. Many suggest that a one-to-one tutoring program, along
with enrichment activities during after-school hours that involves parents, is an effective approach to
address the problem. Currently no such service is available to these students either in school or in the
community.

The continuation of students failing from school is believed to have high correlations to the increase of gang
activities in the communities. These situations have brought about the high crime rate in the community and
an increased number of youth not prepared for gainful employments. Recently, the only grocery store and
the only bank in the community have decided to close down their operations in this community. The long-
term economic, educational, and human impacts of these situations not only affect the target community
but also the surrounding neighborhoods.

The local police and PTA have tried to bring in the DARE program to address the substance abuse prob-
lems. The Boys and Girls Club has also started a small after-school recreation program. These programs
have gained positive feedback from parents and teachers; however, due to transportation and staffing
issues, only 30 students have been able to participate in these programs annually.

The applicant, ABC agency, is proposing a comprehensive intervention program titled Kids Success . . .

26 CHAPTER THREE

they relate to the proposed services. It is particularly important when the proposed services
target a cultural or ethnic population. Cultural factors become both the barriers and the facil-
itators. The degree of acculturation of service recipients plays a vital role in the design of the
services.

According to Yuen (1999), “accessibility refers to both geographical and cultural relevance
as well as difficulties in service delivery. . . . Availability refers to the existence, recruitment, and
retention of service, clients, and qualified service provider” (p. 109). Awareness refers to the tar-
get population’s knowledge about the identified issues and the available services.
Appropriateness is about suitability and acceptability of the services that are developmentally
and culturally competent. Finally, “[a]cculturation refers to the quality and extent of expose to
the dominant American culture and the degree of functioning within the dominant culture” (p.
110). Ideally, culturally competent service programs are available to meet the identified needs
in an appropriate manner. Target populations are aware of the service, and they can geographi-
cally and culturally access the services.

Coley and Scheinberg (1990) suggest some strategies that applicants can use to strengthen
their rationales to support their proposed program:

Clearly identifies the target group
Meets a client/community needs
Is cost effective
Is a novel approach
Builds upon the work of others
Uses existing resources
Promotes interagency cooperation
Fits with the funder’s mandate/mission
Has the potential of being replicated (p. 48)

Literature Review

The review of literature provides objective support data and rationales for the arguments in the
proposal and the development of the interventions. It covers both professional, academic, as well
as documentary materials. It reports both the historical account of the identified needs or prob-
lems, as well as the most current thinking on the issue. This is not a collection of cut-and-pasted

BOX

3.5 SIMPLIFIED OUTLINE FOR WRITE-UP OF NEEDS AND PROBLEM STATEMENT

Each year, (# of people) experience or are affected by (the problem). The situation has (gotten better,
worse, or unchanged) over the (period of time). According to (professional and academic based objective
data, and the subjective but compassionate data), (the identified contributing and causal factors) are the
main reasons for the current conditions in the target area and/or of the target populations. These factors
are (similar to or different from) the (national, state, or regional data). The consequences for not addressing
the problem are _____. The benefits of taking appropriate actions to address the problem are _____. There
have been some successful and effective intervention strategies. They include _______. Given the unique
local situation, demands, and barriers, the most promising interventions are _______.

information from unverified sources or personal beliefs. It is a well-developed review of relevant
information from creditable sources to lean support to the approaches presented in the proposal.
It helps establish and explain the theoretical foundation of the development of the proposal and
its interventions. It should not be a “social problem” paper that explores the various aspects of an
identified problem or provides a laundry list of needs and problems. It is a write-up that helps
readers to have a better understanding and appreciation of the identified problems. It also vali-
dates the appropriateness and the quality of the proposal.

Box 3.6 provides a framework that a program planner or grant writer can use to develop the
Specific Aims section of the proposal. The client systems can be the multiple target populations
that the proposed intervention will affect. They may be the students who are substance abusers,
their parents, their schools, and neighborhoods. The identified needs and problems for each of
the target population should then be discussed with support data from professional literature,
creditable reports from various sources, and experience from the very people who are affected.
Based on this information, proper objectives will be developed with detailed intervention activ-
ities. The reasons and the appropriateness for the choices of intervention activities should also
be considered. These reasons may include cultural, developmental, social, and other factors that
make the interventions appropriate and effective in achieve the intended outcomes. Box 3.7 on
page 29 provides an example of the specific Aim information.

Target Populations

The applicant needs to make a case here that the target population is especially at risk or in an
urgent situation and needs to be served. Briefly, justify why this particular group and not the
other groups who may be equally in need of services should be funded; for example, timing,
recent successful experience, or recommendations according to local private and government
reports. Write more than just plain statistical descriptions. Cite creditable sources of informa-
tion to support the claims. Box 3.8 is a sample outline for describing target populations.

Approaches and Methods

Many years ago, in a hamburger chain commercial, an older lady asked a famous question:
“Where’s the beef?” In proposal writing, approaches and methods section is the “beef” for the
proposal. This section will lay out the proposed interventions or solutions that are intending to
bring about changes on issues identified in the previous sections. Some funding sources refer to
this section as goals and objectives, and activities and timelines.

Since this section can be rather extensive and detailed, it is a good idea to start it off with an
introduction or summary of the proposed project goals and plan. To reiterate the appropriate-
ness and the feasibility of the proposed intervention and activities, the applicant may wish to dis-
cuss its abilities to gain support and access to the target population. A well-designed intervention
program is worthless if it fails to reach the intended population.

From Vision to Mission, Goals, Objectives, and Activities Vision, mission, purpose,
direction, goals, objectives, activities, and tasks are terms that proposal writers and program
planners use. They are also terms that confuse the users and readers alike. Each organization,
or its program, has an ultimate ideal state that it wishes to achieve. It is like the beautiful view
that rests beyond the horizon, or a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This view or “vision” is
rather far away and out-of-reach, but is a fascinating and desirable state. When you put this

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 27

28 CHAPTER THREE

BOX

3.6 SSPPEECCIIFFIICC AAIIMMSS DDEEVVEELLOOPPMMEENNTT FFRRAAMMEEWWOORRKK

Client
systems

Needs or
problems

Information
sources:
literature, key
informants, etc. Objectives

Interventions
and activities

Why these
interventions?

BOX

3.7 SSAAMMPPLLEE OOUUTTLLIINNEE FFOORR WWRRIITTIINNGG SSPPEECCIIFFIICC AAIIMMSS

1. Statement of Problems / Issues to be addressed by the project

● Identify only those problem areas, needs, risk/protective factors, or behavioral and social indicators
that will be addressed by the project’s interventions. There may be many important factors that are
related to the identified problems and needs. However, the proposed project may not and should
not be a for-all and cure-all program. It has a limited scope, focus, and boundary.

● Indicate processes used to select these factors, such as (a) clients and community’s input, (b) liter-
ature, and (c) agency experience.

2. Working Hypothesis for the project
● Each program carries a particular belief or philosophy that motivates and guides the development

of the program. This belief or hunch is the program philosophy that can be a statement in the form
of a working hypothesis.

● e.g., Young students who attend supervised recreational activities after school are less likely to
become school dropouts.

● e.g., Supervised after-school recreational activities will increase the target students’ likelihood of
doing well in school and staying in school.

3. Briefly describe the expected outcomes, and interventions proposed to achieve these
outcomes

● Briefly indicate the (a) outcome objectives and (b) intervention strategies used to address the
problems/needs with a particular client system.

● e.g., To improve the parenting skills of teen fathers through an 8-week peer-training program in
school.

● Describe the theoretical basis, process, and rationale for selecting these interventions.

● Discuss the effectiveness and relevance of interventions: (a) applicant’s experience, (b) relevant lit-
erature, and (c) community input.

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 29

vision into words, it becomes a mission statement. An agency’s mission statement describes the
reasons and the framework for the being of the agency and what the agency is intending to
achieve. “Mission statements are relatively permanent expressions of the reason for existence of
an organization, and they are not expected to change unless the fundamental reason for exis-
tence of the organization changes” (Netting, Kettner, & McMurtry, 1993, p. 174).

A vision or a mission statement, however, is a rather abstract and distant concept.To bring this
mission into a more manageable level, an agency will derive from the mission statement a list of
major “goals” that are appropriate at that time for the agency. Goals are long-term destinations
that are general. They are not necessarily measurable or achievable in the short run. They help
limit the scope, however, and operationalize the abstract mission statement. Netting and associ-
ates (1993) describe goals as “general statements of expected outcome” (p. 240), “statement(s) of
hopes or expectations” (p. 242). They are generally brief , e.g., to improve clients’ quality of life.

As goals are not yet concrete and measurable, “objectives” are comparatively short term,
measurable, and achievable. Objectives set the parameter and the mechanism of how and what
interventions are to be provided. “Objectives spell out the details for each goal in measurable
terms, including expected outcomes and the processes to achieve them” (Netting, et al., 1993,
p. 240). Objective is defined as a statement of measurable and directional change for a specific
population in a specific time period. Gabor, Unrau, and Grinnell (1998) further assert that in
addition to being specific, measurable, and directional, an objective has to be meaningful. “A
program objective is meaningful when it bears a sensible relationship to the longer-term result
to be achieved—the program goal” (p. 88). There has to be a logical and meaningful linkage
between program goals and objectives.

Basically, there are three major types of objectives: process, outcome, and impact. Netting
and associates (1993) characterize outcome objective as that “specifies the results or outcome to
be achieved” and then the process objective “specifies the process to be followed in order to
achieve the result” (p. 242). Process objectives describe what activities are to be carried out to

BOX

3.8 SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR WRITING TARGET POPULATIONS

1. Describe the target environment such as the community, neighborhood, city, district, etc.

Describe the socioeconomic status (SES), race and ethnicity distribution, and other urban/rural/
suburban classification of the target environment.

2. Describe the population(s) to be served

Provide and describe the basic demographic data about the target population, such as race/ethnicity,
age, gender, urban/rural/suburban, and SES.

3. Whether members of particular groups that have recognized great needs

Discuss whether the target population are from special high-risk groups such as latchkey children,
abused youth, court referrals, homeless families, victims of violence, individuals with physical or mental
disabilities, low-income families, and other disadvantaged groups.

4. Who and how many will participate or be served

Discuss the types and number of target clients, family members, and service providers involved. Who
and how many will be served each year? How many will be served during the whole project period?
Who and how many will be served in each of the proposed intervention or activity?

30 CHAPTER THREE

achieve the planned result. It answers the questions “Did we do what we set out to do?” and
“What happens?” Outcome objectives focus the result of the interventions. For program evalu-
ation, it answers the question of “How well did we do?” Impact objectives are the most abstract
and difficult objectives. They identify the collective and accumulative results of the intervention.
Impact objectives aim to answer the question of “So what?” Objective is linkage between the
program mission and goals and its activities and task. Each goal can have several objectives and,
conversely, each objective can have several activities and their associated tasks.

Objectives can be formulated and stated as process, outcome, and impact objectives. In
many situations, an objective statement can include both process and outcome (e.g., “To provide
100 units of case management service to at least 20 welfare to work clients resulting in half of
the them steadily employed in part-time or full-time positions at the end of the program year.”)

For programs that have many objectives, it is a good idea to have a good mix of process and
outcome objectives. Certain programs may also require impact objectives. More detailed dis-
cussions on varies types of objectives are included in the Evaluation section later in this chapter.

“Activities are lists of tasks that must be undertaken and completed in order to achieve each
objective. . . . Activities specify precisely what to be done, by whom, and within what time
frame” (Netting, et al., 1993, p. 240). Activities are the implementation and delivery of the actu-
al intervention actions. Activities actualize the objectives and often are the only thing recognized
by service recipients. As many activities lead to objectives, which in turn link to the goals and
mission, they form a shape similar to that of a triangle. All activities, objectives, and goals point
together toward the mission statement on the top of the triangle. This orientation toward the
mission statement forms the “direction” or “purpose” of the organization. Figure 3.2 displays
these linkages and relationships.

Box 3.9 and 3.10 beginning on page 32 provide two frameworks for writing the approaches
and methods section, and one tool to help write better objectives, respectively. The first sample
outline lists the basic components for this section. The second and more detailed example
includes several objectives and their associated activities. In this example, main objectives are
further broken down and organized into subobjectives. A numbering system is used to identify
the linkages among objectives and activities.

As the program is writing its program objectives, it is also preparing for the evaluation strate-
gies that go with each of the objectives. There are many ways to develop an evaluation plan. The
following Objective and Evaluation Plan Development Form (see Box 3.11 on page 35) provides
an example of using a structure to write objective as well as plan to evaluate the objective. This
form is based on a worksheet used by Project STAR of Aguirre International, a technical assis-
tance project for AmeriCorps Project of the Corporation for National Service. Program staff can
use this form to refine each objective and develop its associated evaluation plan. By completing
this form for each objective and attach each objective’s data collection instruments for its eval-
uation strategies, program staff will have an organized operating evaluation manual.

Evaluation Plan

Program evaluation is a type of evaluation research that systematically assesses the achievement
of a specific program (Barker, 1999). It is an effort for practical purposes. It is not intended to
generate scientific knowledge for theory building or academic accomplishments (Royse, Thyer,
Padgett, & Logan, 2001). Program evaluation as an ongoing process is an integral part of the
program and is detailed in the form of an evaluation plan.

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 31

An evaluation plan is like a design or a map that the program staffs and evaluators will fol-
low to assess the progress and results of the program. It employs many of the basic social
research methodologies, designs, and statistics, driven by the goals and objectives of the pro-
gram that it intends to evaluate. Therefore, an evaluation plan should be developed, along with
the formulation of program goals, objectivities, and activities at the beginning of the program. It
is not a last-minute write-up or an afterthought at the end of the program year when reports are
due. It is an ongoing process that is an integral part of the program.

Program managers should become knowledgeable about the evaluation process and the uti-
lization of findings from program evaluation. Some human service agencies have internal pro-
gram evaluators to assess the results of their programs. Certain program situations, however,
may call for the use of outside evaluators. When the program managers are not familiar with the
work of evaluation or fail to develop the working relations with the evaluators, the benefits of
the cooperation between the program and the evaluation will not be maximized. In some situa-
tions, when the evaluators are academically more educated and have strong opinions, the eval-
uation tasks may end up driving the program. Consequently, program activities are done first to
produce results for evaluation, but not to serve the clients that it intends to serve. It then is a
case of “goal displacement.”

Program evaluation for a project intends to achieve three basic objectives and produce three
basic types of data:

1. Documentation of program implementation strategies, intervention models, and other
process information (process data)

2. Measurement of program outcomes and results (outcome data)
3. Assessment of overall impact and success of the program (impact data).

FIGURE 3.2 Linkages and relationships of goals and objectives

Vision,
mission statement

Goal Goal Goal

Objectives Objectives Objectives

Activities Activities ActivitiesActivities

Purpose and direction

32 CHAPTER THREE

BOX

3.9 SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR WRITING APPROACHES AND METHODS SECTION

1. Introduction/Summary and Goals
● What do you try to achieve (goal), and why are your approaches so unique and appropriate?

● e.g., The proposed new project aims to reduce violence and substance abuse related problems,
and to promote positive functioning of families through educational, social, and recreational
prevention and intervention activities, which are specific to the culture, gender, and age of the tar
get population.

● Present a simplified implementation plan or summary that includes: who (target population), whom
(staff), what (programs/activities), where (sites/settings), when (time line) and how (intensity and
frequency).

2. Recruitment, Retention, and Community Support
● Detail procedures for identifying, gaining access to, recruiting, retaining, and following up the target

groups, as well as other related people and organizations.

● Discuss anticipated problems for recruitment and retention of clients.

● Develop plans for culturally and developmentally appropriate interventions.

● If multiple sites are used, describe and justify.

● Present plans for coordination with other related programs in the organization and in the community.
Indicate evidence of commitment or support from these organizations and individuals.

3. Objectives and Activities
● Objective is defined as a measurable and directional change for a specific population in a specific

time period.

● e.g., To achieve a 10% (measurable) increase (directional) in grade averages (measurable) for
targeted youth (specific population) after (specific time) their completion of the 6-month Dare To
Study tutoring program (the intervention).

● Interventions/Activities need to be (a) related to the project theoretical mode, (b) fulfill specified
objectives, and (c) developmentally and culturally appropriate.

4. Time Line
● Expected schedule for activities by each component. In addition to general narrative description,

attach a graphic presentation such as Gantt Chart as an appendix to show activity schedules
under each objectivity.

● Time line also helps grant writer to realize the program’s time limitations and the need to plan well
for the distribution and implementation of program activities.

Process data documents what happened for the program. They concern the question: “Did
the program do what it set out to do?” Outcome data report the extent of which the program
achieves or fail to achieve the intended to unintended results. They concern the question: “How
well did the program do?” Impact data judge the long-term and sometime transcendental or
philosophical consequences of the program. They concern the question: “So what?” Process
objectives generate process data for evaluation. It is the same for outcome objectives to provide
outcome data and impact objectives gather impact data.

To further illustrate these three types of objectives and data, consider Susan who grew tired
and frustrated about her job as a child welfare social worker. She decided to take a weeklong
getaway trip to the mountain, staying in a monastery. It was not a party and fun type pleasure
trip; instead, it was more or less a personal retreat. Susan wanted to be in peaceful and serene
environments to reflect and to think about life in general. She brought along a camera and a

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 33

BOX

3.10 DETAILED SAMPLE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND ACTIVITIES

Project Goal:

The goal of the Can Do project is to prevent the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
(ATOD)—and associated violence—among high-risk children and adolescents from low-income families in
the Sunny City, by reducing associated high-risk factors and promoting positive protective factors. There
are three main components of the project: 1. Youth Center, 2. School, and 3. Family.

Component 1—Youth Center

Objective 1

Provide ATOD intervention services to 400 adolescents through the Community Youth Center. Or:

In comparison to the adolescents of the control group in the same school, 25% more of the adolescents
who regularly participate in Community Youth Center activities will have a negative attitude toward ATOD
use (or will improve school performance by 10%, report a significant increase in their self-image, etc.). Or:

Develop a new community youth center (CYC) service in the Southside of the Sunny City to provide ATOD
intervention services to 400 target children and adolescents annually to reduce risk factors that contribute
to substance abuse and gang violence.

Objective 1.1

Develop year-round social, recreation, and educational alternative activities after school hours (3:00 PM to
6:00 PM) in CYC for 150 target children, adolescents, and their families beginning month 3 to promote pro-
tective factors.

Activities:

1.1.1 Organize one 15 boys soccer team and one 15 girls soccer team, recruit 10 parents and
college youth as coaches, get sponsorship from local business, participate in at least one local
tournament.

1.1.2 Organize 4 interest classes (skateboarding, arts and craft, music, and gardening) for 40
boys and girls. Each class will have 10–15 members and meet weekly for 2 hours on either
Wednesday or Friday afternoon.

1.1.3 Organize a homework-tutoring program for 50 boys and girls. Eight (8) volunteer-tutors will
staff the program. It operates daily during school year from 3–6 P.M. at the study hall.

Objective 1. 2

Develop the community support network (community leaders, business, schools, and government) that
includes at least 10 target organizations to provide support and advice to the project.

Activities:

1.2.1 Develop the project Advisory Board within the first 8 months of the project. The Board will
meet bi-monthly and should have 6–8 members, including: parents, school representatives, law
enforcement officials, and other community members.

1.2.2 A memorandum of agreement (MOU) will be developed between Ozark Health Awareness
Council (OHAC), the Noo Mooney School Board, the XYZ agency, and other participating organi-
zations to formalize the cooperative relationship.

Objective 1.3

Establish the CYC within the first 2 months of the project in the neighborhood of the target population to
serve as the base for activities and gathering.

Activities:

1.3.1 Locate the facility, complete lease agreement and tenant improvement by the end of the first
month.

1.3.2 Recruit Advisory Board members to assist the development of the program.

1.3.3 Recruit project staff; project director by the beginning of the project, administrative assistant
and project coordinators by the second month, other project staff by the third month.

(continued)

34 CHAPTER THREE

BOX

3.10 DETAILED SAMPLE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

Component 2—School
Objective 2
Implement a school based ATOD prevention curriculum (Careful Steps) (curriculum included as attachment)
for 100 5th and 6th graders in two primary schools (Powell Rangers School and Pokemount School) of the
Noo Mooney School District to facilitate the healthy development of their positive self-identity and social
skills. Pre- and posttests with SSDI (the Self-Identity and Social Development Index, designed specifically
for this project) and the State Children Self-Assessment Scale (SCAS) will measure the effectiveness of the
program and children’s development in the areas of self-identity and social skills.

Objective 2.1
Revised the “Careful Steps” curriculum within the first 6 month of the project to make it more culturally
appropriate to the local population, shortening it from a 24-week curriculum to a 12-week curriculum.

Activities:
2.1.1 Address copyright issues and secure proper approval from authors.
2.1.2 Revise the curriculum by the project evaluator and director, to be completed by the end of
the fourth month.

Objective 2.2
Implement the curriculum to 100 5th and 6th graders in two partner schools to significantly improve their
self-identity and social skills.

Activities:
2.2.1 Organize students who are referred to the program by teachers into groups of 10 to 15 stu-
dents from the same grade in the same school. Annually, a total of 8 groups will be organized to
meet weekly for 2 hours for 12 weeks during after-school hours.
2.2.2 Conduct baseline assessment using the SSDI and the SCAS upon referral and then out-
come assessment at 3 months after the completion of the training.

Component 3—Family
Objective 3
Promote family functioning through the provision of outreach/home-based family intervention services to
100 high-risk children in two partner schools and their family members/parents annually, in the areas of
substance abuse, family violence, mental health, and economic well-being.

Objective 3.1
Provide home-based case management and counseling to 75 families during the first year. Upon referral by
teachers and identification of student with behavioral or emotional concerns, project social worker will con-
tact and visit the family. Short-term counseling and case management services will be the main intervention
modalities. To assess the quality and effectiveness of this service, 25% of all cases will be evaluated using
single subject designs to evaluate clients’ progress.

Activities:
3.1.1 Identify and recruit 75 target families through referrals by teachers, school based groups,
and other human service providers, as well as clients’ self-referrals.
3.1.2 Provide 400 hourly family intervention services, such as home visits, counseling, and case
management during the first project year.

Objective 3.2
Increase 50 target families’ stress management and parenting skills through four 6-week Parents as
Teachers training sessions, along with follow up activities, resulting in 60% or 30 families reporting an
increase in family coping and family functioning capacities on the Training Evaluation Form.

Activities:
3.2.1 Implement the four Parents as Teacher trainings by two project social workers in two com-
munity facilities closer to the homes of the target families. Each training will include parents or
caregivers from up to 14 families. Each training group will have the option of continuing as a par-
ent support group after the six weeks of training is completed.
3.2.2 Advertise the training and recruit sufficient support from the appropriate partner agencies,
such as county child welfare department, social service department, and other private human
service providers in the service areas.

BOX

3.11

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 35

OBJECTIVE AND EVALUATION PLAN DEVELOPMENT FORM

Program Name:

Objective Title: Date:

Activity Activity
Start Date: End Date: Staff by:

Needs Statement:

1. Activity
Describe the service activity or the delivery
structure that you will be providing and evaluat-
ing. (Describe the who, what, when, and where
that you use to make your outcomes happen.)

2. Beneficiaries
Briefly describe the target groups (and the esti-
mated number) your activity will serve.

3. Desired Accomplishments and Results
Describe service data or activities (process)
that are to be accomplished. Explain what
change (outcome) will occur because of the
described activity or intervention.

4. Indicators
Describe the concrete, observable things you
will look at to see whether you are making
progress toward your desired result.

5. Method/Title of Measure
Describe the method and the instruments or
tools you will use to determine if the described
change occurs. (e.g., Teacher Opinion Survey)

6. Standard of Success
Define a level of success you hope to achieve.

7. Respondents and Measurements Schedule
Describe who will complete each instrument
and frequency of measures to be taken.

8. Data Collection, Aggregation, and Analysis
Describe who will be collecting, aggregating,
and analyzing the data and how often.

9. Reporting and Dates
Describe who will write the report and how
often the report is due.

Objective Statement: Example: Volunteer tutors will provide one-on-one tutoring to 50 4th
Combine 1–6 into a single grade students, weekly for 60 minutes for 4 months, resulting in 75% of
statement of objective. those who participate regularly demonstrating improved reading ability,

as measured by a diagnostic reading test administered prior to and
following the program.

Source: Created by Project STAR. Used with permission of Aguirre International.

notepad to record her journey and to write down her thoughts and feelings. A couple of days
after her return, she was having lunch with her friends and showing them some of the photos
that she took while she was on that trip, along with some souvenirs. Each of these photos pro-
vided a snapshot of her trip. Together, they became a record of this journey. Although the pho-
tos were beautiful and interesting, her friends were curious about her assessments of this trip.
Her friends asked, “How did you like that trip?”, “Did you get what you expected? How did you
do that?”, and “How was it?” Susan replied, “Very well, I had a wonderful time, I liked it a lot.”
After lunch, she went back to her little office and sat in her almost broken office chair in front
of a big stack of case files. She looked around, took a deep breath, and said to herself, “I am glad
that I took that trip. I was able to do most of the things that I planned to do. It was a rather fun
and enjoyable time-off from my hectic work and social life. Most importantly, the whole experi-
ence provided me an opportunity to reflect and to refresh. Now I am reenergized and have an
renewed perspective toward my work and myself.”

Susan’s photos, souvenirs, and journey log represent the process data that she has to show
and to record what she had done or what happen to her during that trip. But the physical evi-
dence didn’t tell much about the outcomes or the extent of Susan’s satisfaction of the trip. Upon
being questioned by her friends, Susan responded on the outcomes of how much she enjoyed
the trip and to what extent she was able to have time for herself. Susan was able to satisfactori-
ly achieve what she set out to accomplish. For Susan, a reflective person, this excursion repre-
sented more than a pleasant trip to the mountain. It produced an impact that brought her
renewed perspectives toward herself and her work.

The intended results of the process evaluation task are to: (a) provide accurate description
of the project’s development, (b) provide accurate quantitative data on interventions, and (c)
prepare qualitative analyses of program activities. Whereas outcome evaluation tasks assess
whether certain proposed interventions in fact have effects on the issues addressed by the proj-
ect, such as the reduction of risk factors; the promotion of protective functioning, increase of
leadership skills, development of self-identity, and so on.

The formats of evaluation plans (as shown in Box 3.11) vary according to the program that
they intend to evaluate. However, they are likely to include the following components:

1. Process evaluation plan
2. Outcome and impact evaluation plan
3. Data collection and data analysis plan
4. Confidentiality and other ethical considerations
5. Data collection instruments
6. Implications and reporting plan, and others

Program evaluations often are objective-driven. The process and outcome evaluation plans
could be developed and organized per each program individual objective. (Detailed discussions
of program evaluation and examples are presented in the following chapters of this book.)

Agency Capacity and Project Management

The creditability of the agency is like the creditability of an individual. It is associated with how
much confidence and trust others may have in the individual or the organization. The funding
applicant needs to convince the funding sources that it is uniquely qualified and competent, and
that they can entrust it with the funding and the attainment of the desirable program results.
The agency is to show that it has the track records as well as the abilities to design and to carry

36 CHAPTER THREE

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 37

out the proposed project, if funded. These track records include both the agency’s program
capacities and the fiscal abilities. Funding source and monitoring entities need to know how the
agency plans to manage the project.

One can learn about the agency capacity through reviewing the agency’s mission statement,
history, structure, programs, accomplishments, and other qualitative and quantitative informa-
tion. With the increasing emphasis on collaboration and coordination, as well as the concerns
over recruitment and retention of clients, agency often needs to show its capacities in commu-
nity mobilization and connections. One way to show this capacity is to include support letters
from relevant organizations and individuals. These may include relevant politicians, partner
organizations, and clients or target population.

Management plan details the staffing and their responsibilities, the chain of command, and
the project’s relations to the other programs within the organization. This management plan
reflects the efforts that the agency is willing to commit, the qualifications of the staff, and the divi-
sion of labors and the cooperation. Box 3.12 provides a sample outline for preparing the agency
capacity and project management section. Resumes of current and proposed staff should also be
included for review. Detailed job descriptions of each of the positions will help clarify the agency’s
expectations of the project staff. Box 3.13 gives two examples of such job descriptions.

Budget and Budget Justifications

Budget has always been a great concern for many human service programs. Agencies turn to
many types of fund-raising activities, ranging from major grants and contracts to small-scale
bake sales to raise money for program expenses and agency operating costs. With the increased
demand for accountability and the need to monitor how agencies spend their public money and
donations, there is a greater need for a program to have a well-developed budget.

A budget is a financial plan that estimates the costs for implementing a program and the allo-
cation of these costs. There are many formats of budget for programs. The line-item budget is
a commonly used model. It details how money will be spent annually for items or categories
such as personnel, equipment, and supplies.

Not only should funding applicants detail the dollar amounts for each of the categories, they
should also be asked to justify the amount and the allocations. Some agencies prefer to list the
budget and detail the justifications on separated pages. Others, however, incorporate the justifi-
cations into the budget layout.

The line-item budgetary model has several common categories. Personnel is the cost for hir-
ing or salary for permanent staff. It is often a large expense item on the budget. Generally speak-
ing, a program should not have a personnel cost that exceed 65% of the total budget (i.e.,
$65,000 for a $100,000 grant).

Salary is not the only cost for having a permanent staff. Each of the position carries a cost
for paying the benefits for the employees. These include payroll tax, unemployment benefits,
and other health and life insurance costs. Although it varies from agency to agency, generally it
means approximately 20% of the employee’s salary cost (i.e., 20% of $65,000 is $13,000). The
executive director, the fiscal director, the administrative director, the young man who answers
the phone, and the nice lady who cleans the office are all part of the operations that make the
program possible. They, too, have to be paid. And the cost is the so-called indirect cost. The cal-
culations of indirect cost are again different from agency to agency, and from funding source to
funding source. Some funding sources figure the costs in as part of the total project cost; some,
however, treat it as a cost that is above and beyond the project cost.

Travel cost includes local and out-of-town costs. The federal and state reimbursement rates
for mileage or use of personal automobiles changes from time to time. Per-diem rates are also
different from city to city. Check the latest listings to ensure the usage of correct rates in the
proposal.

Equipment, unlike supplies, refers to items that usually last for several years, and generally
are more expensive: program and activity gears, computers, and office furniture. Supplies are
items that are less expensive and are disposable after use, such as office supplies, postage, and
program incentive materials.

Contractual or consultant costs are for support personnel who are not full-time or part-time
employees of the agency. Therefore, they do not receive the aforementioned employee benefits.
They may include the external evaluator, tutors, and instructors for the program.

38 CHAPTER THREE

BOX

3.12 SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR AGENCY CAPACITY AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

1. Organizational Structure
● Agency description: What it is and what does it do—list of current programs, how does the pro-

posed project complement other current programs and strengthen the whole service delivery net
work of the agency.

● e.g., Open Health Awareness Council (OHAC) is a private, nonprofit, human service agency. It was
established in 1975. The agency’s current annual budget is $900,000.00. It provides an array of
health and human services to 3,000 clients annually. Current programs include the following . . .

● Board of Directors: Describe the structure and functions of the Board. Attach a board members
list and structure in appendix section.

● Description of the organizational structure. Attach an organizational chart that shows lines of
authority and where the proposed project will fit into the organization.

2. Organization Capacity
● Provide evidence that the organization can implement the proposed project.

● Document experience in similar or relevant activities.

● Highlight the agency’s abilities to access to the target populations.

● Display expertise in delivering service in the area or in the target community.

● Display experience in interorganizational collaborations and coalition building.

● Exhibit cultural competency.

● Highlight the strengths of the agency.

3. Project Management and Staffing
● Briefly describe positions needed, including job descriptions and number of full time equivalence

(FTE).

● Describe staff recruitment plans that meet the special requirements for the positions.

● Attach resumes of key project staff in appendix. Highlight relevant training and experience.

● Discuss how the project will be managed, e.g.,

The Project Director will report to the Executive Director and be advised by the 15 persons
Project Advisory Board.

The Project Director will supervise the project which has 3 components via weekly individual and
group supervisions. Each component will be staffed by “what kind of people” and be coordinated
by a coordinator.

How often will the project have advisory board meeting, staff meeting, team meeting, individual
supervision, training, etc.

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 39

BOX

3.13 JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Position Title: Project Director

Position Description: Project Director is responsible for the planning, development, and coordination of
the ABC Project, a federally funded substance abuse prevention project. Working under the direction of
the Executive Director, the Project Director will oversee the establishment of project services in various
program sites.

The basic responsibilities are as follows:

1. Administrative: Ensure that guidelines, procedures and program goals, and objectives are met by com-
ponents. Develop ongoing linkages with the community and the project. Meet and review programs
with the ABC Project Advisory Board. Plan and develop programmatic strategies for review by
Executive Director and Advisory Board, and implementation by staff.

2. Personnel: Establish administrative and personnel procedures for all managerial and line staff. Develop
and implement recruitment and selection procedures for all staff. Assist all project staff in personnel
development.

3. Training: Working with project staff to develop and implement a training strategy, curriculum, and pro-
gram for initial training and ongoing in-service.

4. Management of Grant and Budget: Monitor and review budgetary and fiscal controls and limits.
Preparation of monthly and quarterly reports. Ensure reports are submitted regularly by project staff.

5. Evaluation: Coordinate establishment of a management information system (MIS) and evaluate proce-
dures with the evaluation team.

6. Public Relations: Publication and preparation of information to the community and organizations includ-
ing local, state, and federal authorities; community agencies; and media.

7. Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Graduate degree in health or human services or equivalent experience in nonprofit management.

2. Two or more years in administration of human services with experience in staff, training, program plan-
ning and development, budget planning, and report writing.

3. Experience and knowledge of the minority communities in Fine City.

4. Excellent verbal, conceptual, and grammatical skills.

5. Experience in prevention/treatment of substance abuse.

Position Title: Project Counselor

Position Description: The counselor will be developing and providing prevention, education, information,
and referral activities to Hispanic youth and their families on issues and problems related to substance abuse
and other at-risk behaviors.

The basic responsibilities may include the following and are determined by the specific component of which
the worker is assigned:

1. Education/Outreach: Assist with high-risk youths and their families through the Community as a Family
Center (CFC), schools, community organizations, and activities. Coordinate and implement series of
prevention to high-risk youth and their families. Works with media to publicize activities of ABC project.

2. Material Development: Develop bilingual/bicultural educational materials and curriculum. Develop bilin-
gual brochure and flyer aimed at informing at-risk immigrant youth, family, and communities of sub-
stance abuse and resources.

3. Youth Center: Develop and lead CFC groups and programs. Coordinate tutoring classes and facilitate
parents’ participation in center activities.

4. Parenting programs: Coordinate and lead parenting programs. Develop culturally relevant parent- and
family-communications activities and materials.

40 CHAPTER THREE

Office space rental could be a very expensive item on the budget, depending on the location
of the project in the country. Office construction, including major remodeling, can be an even
bigger budget item. Certain funding such as Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD)
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is designed to support construction, while
some others may prohibit such expenses. Most funding sources for programming are not inter-
ested in construction expenses. Some of them may support leasehold improvement for minor
refurbishing work that would make the facility appropriate for implementing the proposed pro-
gram. Agencies that are interested in construction, equipment, or other major purchases should
look to special funding opportunities, foundations, or major fund raising events to get the finan-
cial resources.

Items such as printing, staff development, and janitorial service, if not listed as separate
items, would make up the catchall item of “Miscellaneous.” Applicants should remember that
the funding sources are very likely interested in maximizing resources in direct services. It is a
good practice to assess the agency’s assets and determine whether certain equipment, facilities,
space, service capacities/volunteer output, or resources can be spared and be used as “matching
funding” or an “in-kind contribution” for the proposed project.

See Box 3.14 for an example of a sample budget.

BOX

3.13 JOB DESCRIPTIONS (CONTINUED)

5. Counseling: Engage and provide individual and group counseling to high-risk youth and their families.
Intake and assessment of new clients.

6. Cultural and school programs: Coordinate instructors for cultural activities, and provide support ser-vice
to Hispanic student at targeted schools.

7. Administration: Ensure adequate record keeping and charting complying with CHAC and ABC policies
and procedures. Assist evaluation component in establishing clinical and evaluation procedures. Assist
Project Director in meeting goals and objectives. Provide reports as needed.

8. Training: Participate in substance abuse education/cross-cultural counseling training. Assist Project
Director in developing training curriculum. Undergo orientation to evaluation procedures.

9. Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Minimum Qualifications

1. BSW or BA in human service disciplines with experience in youth and family counseling or counseling
experience.

2. Demonstrated experience in providing human and social services to Hispanic American community.

3. Substance abuse service experience and training preferred.

4. Health/mental health prevention skills in working with high-risk immigrant youth and their families.

5. Strong ability to establish network with community agencies and social systems.

6. Organizational, administrative, and supervisory skills preferred.

7. Bilingual and bicultural in Spanish or Vietnamese preferred.

8. Willingness to flexible hours.

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 41

BOX

3.14 SAMPLE OF A FIRST YEAR BUDGET AND JUSTIFICATIONS

A. Personnel

Annual Salary FTE Months Cost Subtotal
Program Director $50,000 1.0 12 $50,000
Administrative Assistant $24,000 0.5 12 $12,000
Program Coordinators $36,000 2.0 9 $54,000
Program Counselors $30,000 3.0 8 $60,000
Twelve Month Total $176,000

B. Benefits (20% of Personnel cost)

1. Payrolls Taxes
2. Employee Benefits

a. Medical Benefits, b. Dental Benefits, c. Life Insurance
d. Worker’s Compensation Insurance, e. Others

Twelve Month Total $35,200

C. Indirect Cost (15% of Personnel cost) $26,400

D. Travel
1. Take a Break National Conference (2 attendees) $1,980

a. Airfare and Transportation per Attendee ($500 ✕ 2)
b. Hotel Accommodation ($110/night ✕ 3 nights ✕ 2)
c. Per Diem ($40/day ✕ 4 days ✕ 2)

2. Local (Mileage) $6,240
a. FTE (Total 8, include 6.5 staff and 1.5 interns/volunteers)
b. Weekly Mileage/FTE (50 miles)
c. Number of Work Weeks (48 wks)
d. Reimbursement Rate ($.325/mile)

Twelve Month Total $8,220

E. Equipment
1. Telephone $3,200

a. 8 Desk Sets: purchase, installation and wiring ($50 ✕ 8 = $400)
b. Monthly operating cost ($30@ ✕ 12 mo ✕ 8 = $2880)

2. Personal Computer and Printer $4,200
a. Number of Computer Sets (3 Sets ✕ $1200)
b. Number of Printer (2 printers ✕ $300)
c. Service Contract

3. Copier Rental $6,000
a. Unit Cost ($200 ✕ 12 mo = $2,400)
b. Operation Cost ($3,000 ✕ 12 mo = $3,600)

4. Office Furniture $3,200
a. Staff desks and chairs ($150 ✕ 8 = $1,200)
b. Program tables and chairs, etc. ($2,000)

Twelve Month Total $16,600

F. Supplies
1. General Office Supplies ($350 ✕ 12 months) $4,200
2. XYZ Program/Activity Supplies $1,200
3. Fax machine $250
4. Postage ($50/month ✕ 12 months) $600
5. Program Incentive Materials $1,000

Twelve Month Total $7,250

42 CHAPTER THREE

G. Contractual/Consultants
1. Program Assistants

a. Tutors ($10 ✕ 8 hrs/wk ✕ 3 tutors ✕ 40 weeks) $9,600
b. Interest Club Instructors ($10 ✕ 8 hrs/wk ✕ 3 Ins. ✕ 40 weeks) $9,600

2. Program Development and Training Consultant $8,000
($60/hr ✕ 100 hrs plus $2,000 per diem and transportation)

Twelve Month Total $27,200

H. Construction
Non-Applicable

I. Office Space
1. Office Space Rental $72,000

(3,000 sq. ft. @$2.00/month ✕ 12 months)
2. Leasehold Improvement $3,000

Twelve Month Total $75,000

J. Others
1. Local Conference and Training $1,000
2. Publications/Printing (3 Brochures and Curricular) $1,500
3. Janitorial Services $3,000

Twelve Month Total $5,500

Annual Total Budget $377,370

BOX

3.14 SAMPLE OF A FIRST YEAR BUDGET AND JUSTIFICATIONS (CONTINUED)

Proposal Reviews

After a program proposal is developed, it is sent to the funding source on or before the deadline
for review. Depending on the degree of sophistication of the funding sources, and the size and
the seriousness of the funding opportunity, proposals are to be reviewed with different degree
of rigors and face different degree of competition.

For most major federal government human service grants, proposal review committees are
formed to be responsible for reviews and recommendations regarding all the proposals submit-
ted. These committees consist of experts in the field of practice and representatives from dif-
ferent constituencies. Members in each committee will be asked to review a set of proposals
beforehand. Each one of them will be assigned as a primary reader for several proposals, sec-
ondary reader and tertiary reader for the other few. During the committee review meeting that
may last four to five days, each primary reader will be responsible for presenting the summary
of the proposal that he or she is assigned. The reviewer will also give his or her comments and
critiques of the proposal. After that, the secondary reader will present his or her comments and
highlight the agreements and disagreements with the primary reader. The tertiary reader will
then add on his/her comments. Based on the comments from the three readers and each com-
mittee member’s own readings of the proposal prior to the meeting, the committee will vote and
make recommendations to the funding decision makers.

As one can easily point out, this process is rather rigorous. Nevertheless, the effects of the luck
of having difficult and detailed readers, or easy readers, are obvious. These assigned readers can

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 43

be the advocates for the proposal. At the same time, their chosen focuses and comments can direct
the discussions into highlighting the weakness and uncertainty of the proposal.

Program planners and proposal writers certainly can take advantage of these review com-
ments to improve their program plans. If the program is not funded, the revised and improved
version will be an improved and tested version that will have an increased chance for gaining
funding support. Receiving rejection and resubmitting a program proposal is common practice
in the human services. Through peer reviews and improvements, programs can become better
designed to better serve the needs of clients and communities. Box 3.15 is a sample of a review
for a multiyear demonstration grant.

Summary

Grant writing is not only about writing; it involves a lot of planning, organizing, integrating, eval-
uating, and most importantly critical thinking. The quality of the grant proposal certainly is
among the most important factors in funding decisions. Political economy and sheer luck, how-
ever, also have their shares in the making of decisions.

This chapter presents a framework for developing a grant proposal, as well as examples.
Although it is a labor intensive and challenging endeavor, it is also a most satisfactory undertak-
ing that brings a vision to life and hopefully, when funded, services to the needy. Many years ago,
the comic The Far Side depicted two little spiders waiting anxiously next to a big spider web at
the end of a slide said to each other, “If we pull this off, we’ll eat like kings.” It is true that writ-
ing a good proposal and getting grant funding seems to be an enormous and formidable task.
The fact is that many do so and get funded. The first step in getting any grant funding for a
service proposal is to submit one. The big catch will eventually come and be caught, only if you
have the big web ready to catch it.

To put in a reality check based on our experience, we want to inform you that even after
the big grant comes, you—the little spiders—literally will not eat like kings. You will be busy
implementing and evaluating what you proposed. At times, you also have doubts that you
might have promised too much! However, the actualization of program ideas, and seeing
important service providing taking place to meet community needs, are by themselves satis-
factory feasts.

References
Barker, R. (Ed.). (1999). The social work dictionary (4th ed.). Washington, DC: NASW Press.
Coley, S., & Scheinberg, C. (1990). Proposal writing. Newbury, CA: Sage.
Gabor, P., Unrau, Y., & Grinnell, R., Jr. (1998). Evaluation for social workers: A quality

improvement approach for the social services (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Netting, F. E., Kettner, P. M., & McMurtry, S. L. (1993). Social work macro practice. New

York: Longman.
Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP). (1992). Three management tools for OSAP

demonstration projects for pregnant and postpartum women and their infants (PPWI):
Logic models, GOAMS charts, and evaluation plans. Rockville, MD: Author.

Royse, D., Thyer, B., Padgett, D., & Logan, T. (2001). Program Evaluation: An introduction.
(3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Yuen, F. K. O. (1999). Family health and cultural competency. In Pardeck, J. T., & Yuen, F. K.
O. (Eds.). Family health: A holistic approach to social work practice (pp. 101–113).
Westport, CT: Auburn House.

44 CHAPTER THREE

BOX

3.15 A SAMPLE PROPOSAL REVIEW

1. Identification

A. Application Number: 123456789
B. Project Director: Mr. F. Grant, Project Families First.
C. Reviewer’s name: Dr. Brightside

2. Description

The Greater Bull Medical Center (GBMC) through its Community and Family Health Center (CFHC)
submits an application for a multifaceted project (Families First) for the prevention of alcohol, tobacco,
and other drug problems. Families First represents a strong collaboration between CFHC and City
Springs School, both located in Bigtown, in east Bull. Anticipated outcomes of Families First include
improvements in the physical and emotional health of City Springs’ students and their family members,
personal skills of students, knowledge of ATOD health risks, family functioning, employability of family
members, linkages and communication between families and school personnel, student management,
community knowledge of positive health behaviors, and community inputting systems development.

Families First interventions combine activities already in place at City Springs School and CFHC with
an array of new activities specifically geared towards improvements in the family and community.
Interventions include: Intensive Outreach, Preventive and Primary Health Care for children through the
Wellness Center and for family members through CFHC, Peer Mediation, Academic Enrichment,
Family/School/Community Events, Brown Bag Lunches and other In-Service Training for school per-
sonnel, Community Health Education, involvement in Empowerment Zone Planning, Brothers and
Sisters, Family Resource Center, Warm Line, Family Program, Family Needs Assessment, referral to
ATOD Treatment, Job Exploration and Job Search, and a Smoking Cessation Program.

3. Critique

The Bull Medical Center’s Community and Family Health Center is a well-recognized organization in
the community. In cooperation with other health agencies, CFHC has been a provider for primary and
preventive health care for the Bigtown community, an identified Empowerment Zone. CFHC has an
established relationship with the City Springs School through its current programs on site at the school.
The proposed Families First project is a coordinated and comprehensive project and its goals are con-
sistent with identified funding goals. Letters of commitment and support from local organizations attest
the resourcefulness of the applicant organization. However, there is no formal indication of support
from the School’s Parent Teacher Association (volunteers for the Outreach).

The theoretical support for the model of the project is well conceptualized and documented. Statistics
cited in the application display the basic demographic information as well as a vivid picture of the
depressed socioeconomic situation of the target community. Yet, there is no specific information on the
project’s target population, e.g., students’ health status, school performance, drop-out rate, gang vio-
lence, students and family members’ involvement with ATOD use, and so on. No data on ATOD use
and related issues such as violence and HIV/AIDS in the community are provided. The design of the
project seems to rely frequently on the applicant organization’s service experience.

Recruitment of participants is to take place on site in the school, in the CFHC, and through home-
visits. These trust-building-focused outreach and word-of-mouth approaches are of merit in engaging a
hard-to-reach target population. The uses of “Great Grannies” and “Brothers and Sisters” are also con-
sistent with the family focus of the project as well as the community that it intends to serve. Since
many of the activities will take place at the school, the Brown Bag Lunch program seems to be a
good way to encourage teachers to stay involved in the project.

The proposed project is a comprehensive project and has many project activities. For some of these
activities, more details on contents and their implementation are needed. For example, the relationship
between the “Wellness Center “ and the “Family Resource Center” has not been well defined. Are they
the same program? If not, what is the “Wellness Center”? Also, the application indicates that the
“You’re Special Family Program” will take place twice a week for 1.5 hours each, but there is no dis-
cussion on the duration of this activity as well as the follow-up plan for participating parents after they
complete the program.

GRANT PROPOSAL: A WRITTEN PROGRAM PLAN 45

Although the project intends to serve all students in City Springs School (approximately 560 students),
the majority of the project activities are focused on students from the 2nd grade to the 4th grade
(approximately 250). Since the school serves students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade, it is not
clear how the other students will be served by this project, except through their parents or possible
enrollment in the primary and preventive health care program.

The ATOD prevention education program (Bull City Public Schools Health and Family Life Curriculum)
includes age-appropriate content and is infused into 2nd to 4th grade curricular. It is, however, not
clear whether this curriculum is currently used in the school already. If so, how is it different from the
one that is proposed through the application? Also, information on assessing the impact of this curricu-
lum and other Families First programs on the target population is lacking. Overall, there is not sufficient
information in the application to indicate the current level of services, and that it is difficult to judge how
this project will supplement the existing programs.

The proposed project has a rather comprehensive approach to attract and to serve its target popula-
tion. This project also utilizes existing resources and links project participants to needed services,
including job training, ATOD treatment, and smoking cessation programs. Collaboration and support
from other service organizations and commitment from the organization’s administration are evident.

The chief evaluator for the application is experienced in education and education technologies. The
evaluation plan provides adequate information for both the outcome and process evaluation. No state-
ment of commitment to the funding source’s cross-site evaluation is provided.

The proposed project is rather complex and comprehensive; students and their family members can
access the program through different activities. While greater access is certainly a strength of the pro-
gram, this situation also makes it difficult to determine the frequency of target population’s participation
and the intensity and impact of the interventions. Furthermore, the application lacks measurable out-
come objectives and most of the project activity objectives are process objectives. Consequently, the
achievement of the funder’s goals and the extents of impact of project activities will be hard to assess.

Although students from the Thomas Elementary School will be used as the comparison group for this
project and “will be matched with respect to demographics”; no detailed information for this selection
and the plan to test the compatibility of the comparison group and the project participants are provid-
ed. Additionally, the evaluation plan indicates that the “cross-site analysis” (use of comparison group)
will be focusing on “treatment” (p.16). A focus on treatment is inconsistent with the funding source’s
focus on prevention.

4. Personnel and Management

The management plan for the project is sufficient and the personnel structure is reasonable. The
project involves 8 salaried positions (total 6.1 FTE) and volunteers. There is confusion in Section
F regarding whether the project director is also the Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the project.

Organizational charts are provided but they do not show how the proposed project will fit into the
structure.

5 Budget and Resource

The applicant organization’s ability to use existing facilities both within GBMC and City Springs School
is a strength of the project.

6. Confidentiality and Other Ethical Concerns

The evaluation plan seems to be in compliance with basic confidentiality and other ethical concerns.

7. Recommendation and Resume

Recommended. Good.

The proposed project is well developed and the application is well written. It has demonstrated the
need for an ATOD prevention program in the community and the agency’s abilities to deliver such a
service building upon its current programs and service network. The cultural competency of the pro-
posed project and its staff are also noted. Unfortunately, the application fails to indicate the agency’s
current level of services and how the proposed project will supplement its current services. Lack of
measurable outcome objectives for activities and evaluation may affect its ability to demonstrate its
achievements.

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