Hi all. Thanks to those who responded to my query concerning "How To"
Grants Manuals a few weeks ago. Here is a summary as promised with full
comments. Sorry for the length of this message but I thought everyone
would want to see the full comments.
Mike Ludwick
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The original query:
We recently received a flyer for "The 'How To' Grants Manual: Successful
Grantseeking Techniques for Obtaining Public and Private Grants"
published by Oryx Press, and are wondering if anyone had ordered earlier
editions and if you found it useful.
Also, what other grantseeking/grantwriting books have you found to be
useful? We have the Foundation Center's "Guide to Proposal Writing," a
fairly straight-forward look at the grant writing process, but I am sure
there must be other good resources out there.
You may email directly to me on both the usefulness of the "How To" book
from Oryx, and other grantwriting/grantseeking books that you find
helpful. I will summarize responses I receive and post them to the list.
Thank you in advance for your responses.
Mike
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SUMMARY
Publications mentioned postively in responses included:
Daniel M. Barber, "Finding Funding: The comprehensive guide to
grant writing," copyright 1994, Bond Street Publishers
Grantsmanship Center, "Program Planning and Proposal Writing (PP&PW) -
Expanded Version"
Mary Hall, "Getting Funded: Acomplete Guide to Proposal Writing"
David Krathwohl, "How to Prepare a Research Proposal: Guidelines for
Funding and Dissertations in the Social and Behavioral Sciences,"
Lynn Miner & Jerry Griffith, "Proposal Planning & Writing," Oryx, 1993
Liane Reif-Lehrer, "Writing a Successful Grant Application"
Liane Reif-Lehrer, "Grant Application Writer's Handbook." Jone and Barlett
Publishers, Boston, MA, 1995.
Full comments about these publications are below:
************************************
I have a copy of Bauer's book, the _How-to Grants Manual_. I found it
useful when I started in this business six years ago and I have used it
for a few of the proposal-writing workshops and classes I have run. It's
a not-bad generic approach with quite a bit of fluff, I think.
I prefer Mary Hall's _Getting Funded: A Complete Guide to Proposal
Writing_, Portland State University Continuing Ed Publications, 1988.
It's a little old, first published in 1971, but still sound. ISBN is
0-87678-070- 2. I also like Lynn Miner & Jerry Griffith, _Proposal
Planning & Writing, Oryx, 1993, it's quite good on writing proposals.
*************************************
One of the classics in the field and still on of the best in my mind is
David Krathwohl"s "How to Prepare a Research Proposal: Guidelines for
Funding and Dissertations in the Social and Behavioral Sciences," now in
its 3rd edition.
*************************************
Faculty have liked "Writing a Successful Grant Application" by Liane
Reif-Lehrer. There is a good short overview in the front of the Oryx
Directory of Grants 1996. We also have some older books and are planning
on updating them, so your question is timely. (Total Proposal
Building, Richard Steiner; Foundation Fundamentals by the Found.
Ctr.) We also use a selection of short articles on prop. dev. from many
places. They are tailored to various topics, such as, NSF, NIH, K-12, etc.
***************************************
We just had David Bauer on campus for a one-day workshop on writing
proposals to private funding sources. The Development Office purchased a
book for each department represented. I have used the book for several
years, and like the way he breaks things down.
Other resources I have in the office are:
"From Idea to Funded Project", also from Oryx Press
"Proposal Planning and Writing", Oryx Press
"Writing Grant Proposals That WIN", Capitol Publications
I have lent these to the faculty and have used portions of them for my
grant writing workshop.
***************************************
I personally like Mary Hall's Getting Funded: A Complete
Guide to Proposal Writting, but alas, the federal
information is outdated.
***************************************
One of the best that I have found is Lynn E. Miner and Jerry
Griffith's Proposal Planning and Writing (also Ornyx Press). I
especially like it for the section on letter proposals.
***************************************
We have a How To ----- book by David Bauer that I think is good. We also
have the Bauer videotapes on grantwriting. I am not familiar with one by
Oryx.
***************************************
I'm partial to the Grantsmanship Center's "Program Planning and Proposal
Writing (PP&PW) - Expanded Version" publication. I have attended their
3-day proposal writing workshop (excellent workshop and real hands-on) and
use their format as a starting point when I present proposal writing
workshops. I like the publication so well that I keep copies on hand to
give to faculty and staff to keep. (It is only $4 per copy and I think
discounts are available for larger orders.) It is definitely not boring
and, in addition to giving good examples, also gives bad examples of
sections of proposals. You can really see the difference. The only
drawback is that it is not for basic research. It is aimed at non-profits
who do social, educational, and cultural projects, but it works fine for
those types of projects for higher ed institutions, too. I emphasize in my
workshops that it is a good format if the sponsor doesn't give you an
outline to follow, but regardless of the outline given, the same types of
information will be needed for all proposals. I keep about 15 other "how
to" publications on hand and find myself going back to PP&PW again and
again because of its readability. (No, I'm not on the Grantsmanship
Center's payroll!)
*********************************
There are two references that I have read, use,and recommend whenever
I teach grantwriting to faculty. Both are reasonably priced.
Krathwohl, D.R. How to Prepare a Research Proposal: Guidelines for
Funding and Dissertations in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Third
Edition. 1988. Distributed by Syracuse University Press, 1600
Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13244-5160.
Reif-Lehrer, L. Grant Application Writer's Handbook. Jone and Barlett
Publishers, Boston, MA, 1995.
The latter is more focused towards NIH and NSF applications. She
also puts out a quarterly newsletter, for about $20 which is superb.
*****************************
You might also check out _Finding Funding: The comprehensive guide to
grant writing_ by Daniel M. Barber, copyright 1994, Bond Street Publishers,
1261 Hackett Ave., Long Beach, CA 90815. Barber is Director of the
Graduate Center for Public Policy and Administration at CSU Long Beach. An
accompanying diskette is also available with sample letters, budgets, bios,
along with governmental, corporate, non-profit and foundation funding
sources.
It's a good beginner's guide.
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Michael Ludwick / \
Associate Director of Sponsored Programs ___ __ |o| __ ___
Grants and Research Administration ___| |__||___| |___||__| |___
College of William and Mary / \
P.O. Box 8795 / # # # # # /o\ # # # # # \
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795 | # # # # # / # \ # # # # # |
email: xxxxxx@grants.wm.edu | # # # # # |===| # # # # # |
phone: 804/221-3485 | | H | |
fax: 804/221-4910 |_____________=====_____________|
website: http://www.wm.edu/AI/Grants
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