Grant Writing 101

What is the first step to writing a grant?  Do you have an idea to fund?  Is there equipment that would ramp up your classroom?  What is the purpose of the project?  How will the program engage students?    Step one is to clarify your vision. Let's look at a project with a clear vision. 

 Apple-ka-dab-ara pairs high school chemistry students with kindergarten children.  The high school students select, plan and prepare simple science experiments to share.  The students spend one morning performing over one dozen experiments with the kindergartens at a neighboring school.  The high school students take part in service learning; the little ones get acquainted with science through fun, hands-on experiments.  

Note this program is called, Apple-ka-dab-ara!  The title is a play on the school's mascot, the Applemen.  The program creates 'science magic'; a high school student came up with the title; its goal is get get kindergarten students excited about science. Simple, straightforward, easy to understand.

Grant writing is more about marketing than about programming.  Your job is to create and sell a project so exciting, original and innovative, the funding agency accepts your proposal.  Next, reflect on the project and write a brief description in the form of an abstract.  This abstract is critical; a program's title and first three sentences must hook the reader to consider your idea and fund your project.  

Next topic?  Flesh out your idea.