Submitting Your Budget
The following budget detail is taken from a grant to a private foundation. The grant was meant to support a youth development program. See if you can find the three biggest problems with this budget.
Sep '07 - Aug '08
Ordinary Income/Expense
Ordinary Income/Expense
Income
| 3000 Sales | ||
| 3003 Coffee Sales | 4,500 | |
| 3000 Merchandise Sales - Other | 600 | |
| Total 3000 Sales | 5,100 | |
| 3050 Foundation Grants | ||
| 3051 Receivable | ||
| 30501 Jane Doe Fund | 2,000 (pending) | |
| 30502 Big Corporation Fund | 3,000 (pending) | |
| 30503 State Foundation | 6,000 (pending) | |
| Total 3051 Receivable | 11,000 | |
| Total 3050 Foundation Grants | 11,000 | |
| 3060 Government Grants | ||
| 3061 Local | 6,000 (pending) | |
| 3062 State | ||
| Total 3060 Government Grants | 6,000 | |
| Total Income | 22,100 | |
| Gross Profit | 22,100 | |
| Expense | ||
| 5 Staff Personell | ||
| 500 0 Salaries & Wages | ||
| 5001 Executive Director | 4,244 | |
| Total 5000 Salaries & Wages | 4,244 | |
| Total 5 Staff & Personell | 4,244 | |
| Click below to see the rest of this troubled budget. The problems are described at the bottom. | ||
| Solution |
Purpose of the Organization
The following paragraph was taken from a grant to a private New England foundation. The grant requested
support for a program that provides young, at-risk families in the agency's family literacy program with
24-hour support services. As is customary with this column, all identifying characteristics have been changed
to protect the well-intentioned grantwriter! See if you can find the three biggest problems with this statement of purpose:
~ Complete purpose statement from a grant to a private foundation
Think you know what's wrong here? Check the answers at the link below.
Stating Realistic, Measurable Outcomes
The following outcome statement is taken from a grant to a private foundation. The grant requested support for a youth mentoring program (along the lines of Big Brothers/Big Sisters). As is customary with this column, all identifying characteristics have been changed to protect the well-intentioned grant writer! See if you can find the three biggest problems with this outcome statement:
We expect to see the same outcomes we have seen over the past 17 years, but on a much larger scale. The increased availability of mentors will lead to greater strengthening of the bonds of friendship. This will result in longer more trusting relationships where mentors can do the most to promote self-esteem and encourage goal setting. By youth getting to interact with an adult mentor for an extended period of time, the youth will witness progress in the adult's life (i.e. better jobs, places to live, marriages etc.) and will believe more in their own future. We expect this to lead to greater youth participation in extracurricular activities, leading to better training opportunities, appropriate job placement, leading to greater happiness, self-sufficiency, completing school, and, ultimately, greater employability leading to long-term success in life. We expect a 30% greater employment of youth mentored in the program than the national average.~ Complete outcome statement from a grant proposal to a private foundation.
Describing Community Assets
The following excerpt is taken from a grant for substance abuse prevention services for youth.
This portion was written to describe community assets. See if you can find the three biggest
problems with how this is written.
We know that community members recognize the importance of building individual and family protective factors for local youth. In a recent study, city residents named support for parents and the need for increased parental involvement in their children's lives as primary youth prevention strategies. The same study reported that residents believe peer pressure and a lack of role models are significant causes of substance abuse among youth.
Community protective factors in the community attempt to balance existing risk factors. Although the need for youth programming is much greater than the existing resources, the city has nonetheless responded to youth needs to the best of its ability. There are many organizations and coalitions dedicated to supporting area youth. In the interest of the youth, these programs coordinate their services and collaborate on citywide programming to an uncommon degree.
Outside of established youth programs, however, there are few positive alternatives for youth in the city. Family is a primary source of support for most youth, and yet community families have said publicly that they need help in order to help their children. It is imperative, then, for the community to increase positive opportunities for youth in order for them to develop individual protective factors and to offer practical prevention support to their families so that the family unit may increase its own resiliency.
~ Excerpt from a grant proposal to a private foundation
Think you know whats wrong here? Click below to find out.
How Will You Evaluate It?
The following excerpt is taken from a grant to a state Department of Education for a program to help students improve their academic performance. As is customary with this column, all identifying characteristics have been changed to protect the well- intentioned grantwriter! See if you can find the three biggest problems with this section describing the program's evaluation plans.
| Outcome | Performance Indicator |
| 1. 90 at-risk students identified | School liaisons and agencies identified and referred 90 at-risk students by the 3rd month of project initiation and by the 2nd week of school in years 2 and 3 of the project |
| 2. Recruitment and screening completed | Recruitment and screening is completed within 1 month of the beginning of the school year in years 2 and 3 |
| 3. Orientation and materials provided to mentors | 100% of mentors received initial orientation and receive volunteer handbook, resource materials within 1 month of selection. 100% of mentors are screened, interviewed, and attend initial orientation before match is made |
| 4. Group activities are held | 6 opportunities for group activities for matches during each program year (some of which will include parents and/or guardians) |
| 5. Learning-based activities provided weekly, including homework help and support of academic tasks | 100% of the mentors provide learning-based activities each week. 100% of mentors provide assistance with homework, research or other academic tasks for at least 30 minutes of each weekly meeting with their student. 50% of the students will show improvement in academic performance by the end of the school year (or within 6 months of being matched). |
| 6. Students are introduced to community resources for academic assistance | 50% of students will have a library card or know how to access homework help resources within 3 months of project initiation |
| 7. Students have improved attendance and fewer unexcused absences | 100% of mentors encourage school attendance, support positive attitudes toward education and learning and involve students in learning activities and enriching events. 50% of children with attendance problems show improvement by the 2nd report card period after the match is made. |
| 8. Students demonstrate increased pro-social behavior and fewer anti-social or delinquent behaviors | 100% of students with behavior problems will be introduced to alternative modes of behavior through example |
| 9. Demonstrated improved perceived connection of students to their school and community | 50% of participants will show an improvement in perceived connection with their school and community 12 months after being matched, as indicated through the outcome evaluations and reported by the school liaisons |
| 10. Demonstrated improvements in self- esteem and self-efficacy of students | 50% of participants will show an improvement in self-esteem 12 months after joining the program |
Think you know what's wrong here? Check the answers at the link below.