Need Not Apply

by Barbara Stratton, Grant Writer

Ask teachers to think about their funding needs and out come the laundry lists: supplies, equipment, a refurbished facility, updated computers, additional staff. Add a bit of narrative (the equipment is broken; my department cannot purchase supplies on our minimal budget; the gym needs paint, etc.) and the laundry list turns into a Statement of Need, one of the most important sections of a grant application.

Surprise: if your biggest need is money, you're not likely to get a grant.

Huh? What is a grant about if not money?

A Statement of Need is required for virtually all grant applications and many people use it to explain why their school/agency needs money. They discuss budget cuts at the local level (our municipality has many senior citizens; they vote down the school budget every year…) and at the state level (we have a new governor who is pulling back on public resources…). These are typical concerns that motivate people to seek grants in the first place.

But to state that you need something because you don't have it is circular logic (maybe you don't have it because you don't need it…). For most schools and non-profit agencies, the need for more money almost goes without saying. You won't get much sympathy (or funds!) from grant makers just because your basic operating budget is tight. Yes, there are those philanthropists who provide operating support or make grants to “build capacity.” There are many more grant makers who prefer to target their giving to specific causes and provide grant funds to support the programs, services, or activities that focus on those causes. Areas of low income or high need and “underserved” populations may be targeted for assistance, but lack of money is never the focus of the giving.

An authentic Statement of Need (sometimes called a Problem Statement) is an explanation of a local issue and why a program or service should be developed to address it. Example: A significant number of students in Alameda High School are overweight and half of these overweight teens demonstrate a reluctance to participate in physical education classes . What is evident in this statement is the need to address obesity. A compelling Statement of Need uses data (at least 55% of Alameda High School's 1,200 students are clinically obese and of these 85% demonstrate poor eating habits). Equally important: a Statement of Need should present a strong link from the problem to the proposed solution. Professional grant writers “customize” the Statement of Need in such a way as to make the proposed program or service seem a natural solution to the problem. This is often accomplished by emphasizing some data over others.

From a grantmaker's perspective, achievement of the program's goal and objectives (i.e. reducing obesity through fitness activities) is the primary consideration. Grant-makers understand that equipment, supplies, etc. are necessary for the delivery of your proposed program, but these things rank second in importance to the outcomes (benefits derived by participants) of the initiative.

Choosing a research-based approach is key to achieving your intended outcomes. The original CATCH study is the largest, most rigorous, school-based study ever conducted. Three years after its initial intervention, a follow-up study of the same students showed that students had maintained higher levels of vigorous activity daily, consumed less calories of fat, and displayed better dietary knowledge and intentions than their peers in the control group of the study. Now that's an outcome!

Grantmakers also understand that “backing a winner” ensures their investment will have the intended result. To be a winner, act like one.

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