Needs Assessment in Grant Writing

BUILDING EVIDENCE OF NEED FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS Securing grants is often critical for the sustainability and impact of not-for-profit organisations. A strong application showcases your work and demonstrates clear evidence of need. But what should this include, and how can you develop it effectively? 1. Define the Problem Clearly define the issue or challenge you seek to address. Use specific, concrete terms to describe the problem, ensuring it is easily understandable. Detail who is affected, how widespread the issue is, and why it is urgent. 2. Relevant Data Support your problem statement with data. Include statistics from credible sources to quantify the scale and impact of the problem. This could include national or local data, research studies, and findings from reputable organisations. 3. Localised Evidence In addition to broader statistics, provide localised data that shows the need within your specific community or target group. Include insights from your work, community surveys, focus groups, or consultations with beneficiaries. Local evidence helps funders understand the specific context in which you operate. 4. Case Studies Humanise the data by including testimonials, case studies, or stories from those directly affected by the problem. This personal touch can illustrate the real-life impact of the issue and why your intervention is necessary. It also helps to demonstrate your understanding of the community’s needs. 5. Gaps in Existing Services Highlight gaps in current services/interventions. Explain why existing solutions are insufficient and how your approach uniquely addresses these gaps. Funders are often interested in innovative or underfunded areas where they can make a significant difference. 6. Supporting Materials Include references to relevant policy/strategy/research that supports your understanding of the problem and the need for/effectiveness of your proposed solution. This could be academic studies, policy reports, or sector-specific research. Ensure this is from credible sources and is directly linked to the problem you’re addressing. How to Develop It 1. Use data from reputable sources such as government reports, academic studies, and sector publications. 2. Conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups with your target beneficiaries to gather localised insights. This provides valuable data and shows funders that your approach is community-driven. 3. Work with researchers, academics, or consultants who can provide specialised insights or help analyse data. This adds credibility to your evidence. 4. Share drafts with colleagues, board members, or trusted partners to ensure clarity and persuasiveness. Be open to feedback and refine it to make it compelling. Strong, credible evidence of need, strengthens your grant application and builds a compelling case showing why your organisation is best placed to address the challenge at hand. #Grant #Fundraising #Community #Research #NotForProfit

❄️ Polar vortex vibes!? Feeling the chill in the air? 🥶 Grab a hot tea, coffee, or soup, and cozy up with a.....Guidebook! 🚀 We’re thrilled to announce the release of the NSF S-STEM Proposal Development Guidebook, now available under AAAS S-STEM Initiative REC's resources! 🎉 👉 Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/eES4sryz Designed for principal investigators, Co-PIs, researchers, evaluators, and grant-writing teams, this guidebook is packed with actionable insights, practical tools, and expert guidance to help you craft NSF S-STEM grant proposals. Whether you're a seasoned grant writer or new to NSF S-STEM, this resource may help you navigate key components of GoK, Evaluation, and Logic Model of the proposal parts with confidence. 🔍 Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside: Chapter 1: Conducting a Needs Assessment Learn how to identify gaps, collect relevant data, and align your NSF S-STEM program with target audience needs and institutional goals. Chapter 2: Incorporating Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) Discover how to integrate proven strategies into your proposal, backed by the latest STEM education research and innovations. Chapter 3: Designing Knowledge Generation and Evaluation Plans Master the art of creating robust research and evaluation plans that align with NSF priorities and generate meaningful insights. Chapter 4: Developing and Using a Logic Model or Theory of Change Understand how to map out your program’s activities, outputs, and outcomes to showcase its impact and ensure success. 🔗 Note: This guidebook complements the NSF S-STEM program solicitation but does not replace it. Use it as a supplemental resource to refine your proposals and enhance your grant’s success. This guidebook is just the beginning—stay tuned for more evaluation-oriented resources in the coming months! 💡 Access the guidebook here: https://lnkd.in/eES4sryz 🌟 Let’s advance STEM education together! 🌟 cc: Tara King, Michael Feder, Jamila Blake.

They almost lost a massive grant because their brilliant plan was missing one crucial element: The voices of the very community they aimed to serve. I once worked with an incredible grassroots organization applying for a significant community development grant. Their initial proposal detailed their program and evaluation methods meticulously, but something felt... static. During our consultation, I suggested they explicitly outline how they would actively solicit and use feedback during the project. They were hesitant at first. Fast forward to their feedback loop in action: they implemented monthly quick surveys with participants and quarterly check-ins with partner organizations. One survey revealed a significant barrier to participation: workshop timing. Instead of waiting until the final evaluation, they immediately adjusted their outreach strategy and explored alternate timings. We mentioned that in the proposal: "To ensure our program remains responsive and effective, we will implement a continuous feedback loop. Monthly check-ins with youth participants and quarterly partner focus groups will inform ongoing adjustments. For example, this year we shifted workshop times based on participant feedback, resulting in a 30% increase in attendance". The funder was so impressed by this proactive responsiveness, explicitly mentioning it as a key factor in their funding decision. #grantsconsultant #nonprofitfunding #grantwriting #evaluation #communityimpact

Project design and proposal writing are essential skills for developing effective, sustainable, and well-structured interventions. This document explains the processes involved in identifying needs, analysing problems, selecting interventions, and framing objectives into coherent proposals that meet donor requirements. It combines methodological guidance with practical tools to support both project planning and resource mobilisation . The document presents the following main aspects: – Needs assessment and stakeholder analysis for understanding context and priorities – Problem analysis techniques such as problem trees to clarify root causes – Selection and prioritisation of interventions with supporting hypotheses – Definition of goals, objectives, outputs and activities in the project design hierarchy – Use of logframes and results frameworks to organise strategies and results – Development of indicators, targets and monitoring mechanisms for accountability – Proposal writing strategies including structure, style and donor-specific requirements – Integration of sustainability, capacity building, coordination and budgeting into proposals The content stresses that strong project design requires both analytical rigour and participatory approaches. By combining structured tools such as logframes with inclusive processes and clear proposal writing, organisations can improve credibility, attract funding and deliver projects that are aligned with both community needs and donor priorities.