Librarian's handbook for seeking, writing, and managing grants

Learn the dynamics of the grant-seeking process, including proposal writing and grant management, for public, school, and academic librarians.

A comprehensive book that covers the full spectrum of the grant process, Librarian's Handbook for Seeking, Writing, and Managing Grants is designed to provide all the information necessary for librarians and educators to become effective members of grant-development and management teams. Written in an easy-to-understand, succinct format, it will be invaluable even for those with little or no background knowledge and regardless of the size or type of library or information center.

Recognizing that grants are developed through a sequential process, the volume focuses on the fundamental components of grant planning, grant writing, and grant management. Readers will learn to identify potential federal and state funding sources, organize and manage the proposal development process, do research, and establish and encourage participation on local development teams. They will also learn about specific aspects of grant management, such as budget and finance monitoring; hiring; research compliance and policies; sub-agreements and partnership forms; and reporting requirements.

• Preface p. xi
• Introduction p. xv
• Part 1 Grant Development p. 1
• 1 Planning: The Core of Proposal Development p. 3
• Planning Defined p. 5
• The Rationale for Planning p. 6
• Readiness for Planning p. 7
• Historical Commitment to Planning p. 10
• The Reward System for Staff Contributions p. 10
• Culture and Complexity of the Organization p. 11
• Rate of Growth p. 12
• Financial Resources p. 14
• Ready Reference Handbooks and Tools p. 14
• Access and Availability of Information p. 15
• Willingness to Take Risks p. 16
• General Guidelines for the Predevelopment Planning Process p. 16
• Calculating the Funding Potential p. 18
• Managing Proposal Development p. 19
• Selecting Partner Organizations p. 19
• Calendar Development p. 28
• Planning Meetings p. 33
• Initial Planning Meeting p. 34
• Conceptual Design Meeting p. 35
• Working Meetings p. 35
• Decisions Relating to Proposal Preparation p. 35
• Writing and Editing Issues p. 37
• Document Formatting Issues p. 39
• 2 Project Design p. 41
• Needs Statement p. 42
• Context of the Problem p. 43
• Justification for the Project p. 44
• Aspect to be Addressed p. 44
• The Importance of a Lucid Mission Statement p. 44
• Project Goal Development p. 45
• The Relationship of the Goal and Objectives p. 47
• Conceptual Design of the Project p. 50
• Preliminary Checklists p. 50
• Methodologies p. 50
• The Dynamic Process Underlying Project Design p. 53
• Laying the Groundwork for a Collaborative Effort p. 53
• Steps to Prepare the Project Design p. 54
• Project Management p. 58
• Establishing an Advisory Group p. 59
• Orientation for the Advisory Group p. 60
• Parental Involvement with the Project p. 60
• 3 Project Narrative p. 65
• Proposal Functions p. 66
• Components of the Proposal p. 67
• Cover Sheet (Face Sheet) p. 70
• Abstract p. 70
• Table of Contents p. 71
• Introduction p. 71
• Needs Assessment p. 71
• Goals, Objectives, and Activities p. 72
• Service Programs p. 74
• Evaluation Design and Research Implications p. 75
• Dissemination of Findings, Results, and Products p. 77
• Plan for Continued Support (Sustainability) p. 78
• Budget p. 78
• Appendices p. 80
• Letter of Transmittal p. 80
• Proposal Writing, Design, and Organizational Guidelines p. 81
• 4 Project Personnel p. 85
• Project Staffing Requirements p. 85
• Requirements from the Funding Agency p. 87
• Requirements from the Applicant p. 90
• Capabilities Statements for Key Project Personnel p. 90
• Principal Investigator (or Project Director) p. 93
• Support Staff p. 94
• Local Personnel Available to the Project p. 94
• Library Administrators p. 94
• Librarians in Public Library and Academic Library Settings p. 97
• School Librarians p. 98
• Instructional Personnel p. 98
• Parents p. 99
• 5 Project Evaluation p. 101
• Overview of the Evaluation Process p. 102
• Evaluation Methods p. 102
• Formative Evaluation p. 103
• Summative Evaluation p. 104
• The Basics of Evaluation p. 106
• Selecting an Evaluator p. 127
• Internal Evaluation Teams p. 127
• External Evaluation Teams p. 132
• Planning the Evaluation p. 132
• Analyzing Evaluation Data p. 136
• Writing the Evaluation Report p. 137
• Executive Summary p. 137
• Formative Evaluation p. 137
• Summative Evaluation p. 138
• 6 Budget Development p. 141
• The Role of the Budget p. 142
• Budget Preparation p. 143
• Ground Rules for Budget Preparation p. 144
• Identify the Costs p. 145
• Drafting the Budget p. 147
• Reviewing the Budget p. 163
• Additional Budgeting Considerations p. 163
• The Influence of Funding Agencies on Budget Formatting p. 163
• Budget Adjustments and Amendments p. 164
• Subcontracts p. 164
• 7 Appendices p. 167
• The Roles of Appendices p. 167
• Grant Compliances and Assurances p. 168
• Demographic Data and Community Descriptions p. 170
• Profiles of Participating Institutions p. 170
• Curriculum Vitae and Job Descriptions p. 170
• Standards, Benchmarks, and Academic Achievement p. 173
• Literature Review, ôBest Practices,ö and Models p. 173
• Letters of Commitment and Letters of Support p. 179
• Bibliography of Resources Consulted p. 180
• Part 2 Implementation and Management p. 183
• 8 After the Proposal p. 185
• Activities Between the Submission and Decision p. 186
• Strategies for Successful Grant Recipients p. 187
• Strategies for Organizations Failing to Obtain Grant Funding p. 189
• Poor Grantmanship Practices p. 190
• The Narrative p. 190
• The Budget p. 191
• The Details p. 192
• Resubmitting the Proposal p. 193
• 9 Implementing the Project p. 195
• Getting Started: Celebrate, Praise, and Communicate p. 195
• Notifying Partners p. 197
• Accepting the Award p. 199
• Review Project Award Information and Documents Provided by the Grantor p. 200
• The Project Handoff p. 200
• Acceptance Paperwork p. 201
• Internal Accounts and Fiscal Paperwork p. 201
• Staffing and Training p. 201
• Hiring Project Personnel p. 204
• Employees, Consultants, and Volunteers p. 207
• Developing Position Descriptions p. 209
• Advertising the Position p. 211
• The Interview Process p. 213
• Developing Interview Questions p. 214
• After the Hiring Decision Is Made p. 217
• Setting Up the Project Office p. 218
• Announcing the Grant Award p. 219
• Internal Promotion of the Grant Award p. 219
• Traditional Ways of Promoting the Grant Project p. 219
• Web Sites and Other Electronic Publications p. 220
• Online Surveys p. 220
• Promoting the Grant Project Using Social Media p. 221
• Building an Online Community to Support the Grant Project p. 222
• Overlooked Opportunities to Promote the Grant Project p. 222
• 10 Managing the Project Day-to-Day p. 225
• Organizational Structure: The Big Picture p. 225
• Roles and Responsibilities: The Details p. 227
• Operations p. 230
• Managing People p. 231
• Management Styles p. 231
• Leadership and Team Building p. 234
• Deadlines, Calendars, and Timelines p. 235
• Planning for the Unexpected p. 249
• 11 Project Accountability p. 253
• Fiscal Management p. 254
• Accounting and Financial Management p. 255
• Budget Modifications p. 260
• Cost Share p. 262
• Legal Overview and Issues p. 267
• Components of a Contract p. 269
• Contract Terms and Their Importance p. 270
• General Contract Tips p. 272
• Grants versus Contracts p. 272
• Specific Types of Agreements in the Grant Context p. 273
• Project Evaluation p. 282
• Conducting Evaluations p. 283
• Writing Project Reports p. 284
• Deliverables p. 286
• 12 Project Closeout p. 289
• Glossary of Grant Terms p. 291
• Bibliography p. 299
• Index p. 305