I attended a talk this afternoon on writing proposals and grants. Not proposals of marriage but proposals of an action. Say I think my town needs another bridge over the river. I might write a proposal to build one. My document would explain why we need it, what qualifications I have as a bridge builder and how much the project would cost. Since I have no such qualifications, I would propose the project include the very fine bridge building XYZ company. I might spend six months or several times that amount of time gathering information, finding likely sources and writing.
If I am fairly serious about the idea, I will be ready if my proposal is not accepted and funded, to talk to the people who turned it down about why they didn't like the idea. Using their comments, I would re-do the proposal and submit it again. In the meantime, I would split the budget into parts and approach different possible funders with the idea that they support just a part. When resubmitting the proposal, I would unveil the cooperative team of supporters and possible supporters behind the project and sell them on the significance of several sources of support. The idea that their group or organization would be associated with such upstanding and admired other supporters would make them look good and improve their reputation.
I taught a course to education grad students (full-time and experienced teachers) on the value of writing a proposal or grant application. The natural thought is that the value of a grant would be money to do something good. That is the most basic value but there are a handful of others, including several that do not relate to whether the grant is funded. Once a teacher, private citizen, retired person or whoever gets involved in finding possible funding sources for an idea, project or activity, that person is familiar with quite a few agencies that previously were unknown or not much on her mind. Conferring with a school principal or other school official about the possibility of securing outside funding often provides opportunities for interaction with such persons of a new and different nature. The teacher and others involved get to see different parts of each other's ideas, personalities and responsibilities than they usually get a chance to see.
The work of collaborating on a grant application together sometimes creates such momentum for a project that others find ways of proceeding and completing the project even when it is rejected by the proposed funders.
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