ACCESSING GRANT MONEY:
ENHANCING YOUR CHANCES
By CLARK GYURE, Clark Gyure & Associates, Carbondale
State and Federal grant/loan programs. Often,
those words strike terror in the hearts of many local
government officials. Pictures of mountains of paperwork, confusing directions, and unrealistic timelines
flash before them.
Indeed, tackling these programs may have originated the first-ever "vacation." However, if done successfully, it can mean the receipt of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars for your
community.
First and foremost - how do you determine what
programs are available? You have to make phone calls,
lots of phone calls, if you want to find the correct
agency that has the kinds of monies and programs you
would like for your community. Also, even after you
find the right agency you may have to speak to several
people within that agency before you find the person
with the right information. As you make these calls
keep all your names and phone numbers and ask to be
put on a mailing list for future announcements.
Usually when applying for these programs there is
more than one person working with them. If you are
unhappy about the amount or type of information a
person gives you, you can always ask diplomatically "is
there someone else that I can speak with in case you're
not in" and speak with them the next time. Try setting
up an initial meeting to discuss your proposal with the
appropriate agency representative. Personal contact
normally creates a more relaxed and forthcoming atmosphere between you and the agency. During the
meeting take careful notes, and review the application
guidelines with the representative for questions you
will undoubtedly have.
Read the guidelines CAREFULLY. Look not only
for content information but also for deadlines of submission, number of copies requested, signatures required, page limits, etc., all of which could result in the
application being sent back without even being reviewed if not prepared correctly.
If this is your first attempt in completing an application of this nature, take a careful look at the deadline for submission. In most cases you need to allow
yourself at least a month to six weeks. If you are more
experienced you can probably complete the application in two to three weeks depending on what outside
information you have to collect. For practicality's sake,
consider yourself and your staff when thinking about
applying for one of these programs. If you are supervising someone completing one of these applications
for the first time, they will need to be released from
the majority of their day-to-day responsibilities in order to devote full time to completing the application
process, which can be all consuming.
If you or your staff do not have this type of time
available, do not give up on the idea of applying for
State or Federal monies. Consider a couple of alternatives: (1) Hiring a grant writer/coordinator on a full or
part-time basis. If you want a person aggressively seeking monies on a continual basis you should consider
hiring a full time person. (2) If salary is a major factor
and you are only looking at a one time or occasional
application, you should consider hiring an independent contractor. These individuals will come in, talk
with both you and your staff, locate the appropriate
agency, gather the information, write and submit the
application, and complete the revisions. The cost of an
independent contractor is an up-front retainer which
varies depending on the size and difficulty of the application, but is normally between $1,500.00 and
$7,500.00. Should the application be approved, the
contractor will receive a percentage payment depending on the total amount of the award.
It should be noted that a signed contract always
provides more "comfort" between both parties relative
to expectations of responsibilities, time frames and financial agreements. Although I have seen agreements
(kept on file) which were written out on a napkin during a business luncheon, something slightly more formal is recommended.
If your application makes it successfully through
the first two to three reviews, you will undoubtedly be
contacted and asked for additional information. Do
August 1996 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 19
not be alarmed at this. It does not mean the application was incomplete or done erroneously. What it does
mean is that the application is being carefully considered for funding and this additional information will assist the
reviewers in making their final determination. Your timelines for completing and submitting this additional information
will be VERY short. It is imperative to respond to these requests as promptly and completely as possible.
When your application is approved, there are normally some minor revisions or conditions attached which must be agreed upon before a final contract is signed.
Remember once your application is approved and your contract signed, you will have to wait from 4-12 weeks for your first check. During this time you will be expected to start up activities for the program. When doing this, remeber to have one individual assigned to monitor the progression of this program in conjunction with the goals and objectives contianed in the original application and in the contract. Additionally, when State or Federal officials conduct an audit if the program, they must be able to track expenditures of all contract monies. Therefore, keep excellent records of all expenditures and keep all reciepts and bills.
Lastly, remeber applying for these dollars is very competitive. Do not be discouraged if you are turned down on some applications, but keep on trying and diversify. There are a multitude of resources available to communities for many types of programs. Some will have a less complicated application process than others.
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