How to write grants examples. How to get a grant for a socially significant project. Primary and middle school students

- Lilia, tell us about your experience design work and coaching.

I first learned what the public sector is in 2004, when the first project was being implemented in my hometown. This happened thanks to cooperation with Ukrainian and British public organizations. I took part in the project as a member of the advisory council, being the head of the economy department of the district state administration. I was interested in social activities, I started going to various trainings in order to learn more. In 2007, she graduated from training for trainers-consultants and began to engage in active social activities. The topics of my trainings are very wide: from writing project proposals, activating society and ending with the basics of media literacy for residents. Regarding our own projects, now, together with our Polish partners, we are implementing a project to develop a Strategic Development Plan for the Bashtansky United Territorial Community in Nikolayevshchina, where I come from. The document should be ready by September 2017.

- How to decide on a project idea? What is better to look for a competition for an idea or an idea for a competition?

In practice, it happens so and so. If there is a desire to bring something good to life and there are several people who are able to work together to realize this good, the idea becomes reality.

- What role does the name of the project play?

Very important. The name of the project should clearly, succinctly and uniquely concentrate what you plan to do and what all this activity is intended to solve. Imagine that 100, 200, 300 projects can come to competitions and they are all named almost the same. The ability to stand out is also important here.

- From which sections is the project usually compiled and which of them should be given the most attention?

Each donor organization has its own application form. But the sections are really important for everything from the annotation of the project, information about the organization, the description of the problem, the definition of the goal, and ending with the objectives, action plan, budget and appendices.

Who is it easier to receive and implement a grant: an organization or an individual? Does the success of the project depend on the number of people involved in the project?

Individuals are mainly supported as scholarships for the study of something, for research work, and very rarely for the implementation of larger-scale projects. For example, an exception might be initiative group residents. The overwhelming majority of donor organizations work with public non-profit organizations... Opportunities for attracting extra-budgetary resources are also available for local governments.

If we talk about the number of people covered by the project's activities, that is, about the target group of the project, the donor organization is interested in the maximum possible coverage and involvement of the target group within the available budget. It is worth talking about the success of the project when our goal, which was directed project activities already reached.

- What should be done if the project fails or the results are not in line with expectations?

If you are submitting a project application, it provides for the implementation of a specific action plan that will solve the problem that you describe in this application. Yes, it happens that not everything can be done, or what was done did not determine the solution of the problem, etc. It is difficult to advise what to do if such a situation exists. I think that each specific case should be considered separately, but such situations do happen. Subsequently, this greatly complicates the support of your next project, even from another donor organization, because they may ask for feedback from cooperation with you.

Therefore, I would advise you to clearly prepare projects, and then implement them conscientiously, and everything will be fine.

- Is finance what the project is written for?

A project is being written to solve some problem that worries many residents of a village or city, and getting money cannot be the goal of the project. We often come across phrases, especially among officials, like: “We received 10 computers for the amount of 100 thousand hryvnias,” and sometimes also: “mastered 100 thousand hryvnias.” This, of course, is good, but it is worth focusing on the fact that, for example, 250 students of the school got the opportunity to practice their computer skills thanks to the arrangement of a computer class.

The goal of the project is, first of all, the focus on solving the problem, these are the changes that we can make in the community by introducing an action plan, which, in fact, is provided for in the project.

There are small and very significant grants. Should people who are just starting to engage in grant activities apply for contests where large sums are involved? Or is it still better to limit yourself to small budgets?

From my own experience, if your organization is very young, then you should start with a small amount. This will give you certain skills, which will be very useful. Then, when you decide to work with large amounts, the resulting practice will be able to confirm that you already have successful experience implementation of project activities.

Also, to gain experience, you can first work as a partner in a large public organization who has successfully completed many projects. This will also be an advantage, as opposed to your lack of experience at all.

But it is worth remembering that there are contests where it is clearly stated that only organizations registered, for example, no later than 2014, can participate. If your organization was registered in 2015, then it cannot accept either with experience or without participation in this competition.

Donor organizations often prescribe the item “own contribution”. Does this mean that part of the funds must be contributed by the authors of the project, or do you mean something else?

Under their own contribution, not only funds can be indicated, but, most often, the work of activists on a volunteer basis, the availability of their own equipment, the provision of materials by activists for the implementation of the project (for example, paints for arranging a playground, etc.). But the information needs to be clarified in each specific case with the donor organization, whose competition interested you.

- What should you do when there is not enough planned budget for project implementation?

Usually you have the amount of funding that was fixed in the grant agreement. It is also important here to understand why you did not have enough funds. Did you calculate your budget incorrectly? Planned one number of events or participants and now want more? All such cases must be notified to the donor organization.

If you want to do more activities than budgeted, you will get a great opportunity to practice attracting resources from other sources, for example, from residents whose problems this project is aimed at, from entrepreneurs who are open to implementing socially important projects. You can contact the city or village council. It is not only about funds, but, for example, also about the free provision of equipment, volunteer work activists, etc.

Have you personally encountered a refusal to provide grants? How to come to terms with the refusal of the donor organization and continue working?

Of course, there were also refusals, but they should be treated calmly. Yes, it's a pity for time and effort, but there are such situations. They keep you in good shape and do not allow you to turn up your nose too much, stimulate you to constantly improve. Defeat should be perceived as an opportunity to improve your idea, project for the next competitions.

- What would you like to wish to people who do not dare to start project work?

There is such a good story about a Master and a disciple. Once a disciple asked the Master: "Master, how long will it take to change?"

We all have different reasons for not doing anything, ranging from explanations “this is the business of the city or village council, they have been chosen - let them do it” and our own everyday problems that require our time, ending with just lack of confidence in our own abilities. But all these factors hold back from starting something new, important for many, and not just for oneself.

The reasons why we justify our passivity are indeed worth understanding. But it's worth looking around and asking myself, do I want the rest of my life to be like this? Or is everything okay for me? I live here, my children live here and I want to be comfortable in my city or village! If someone else gets better from starting an important project, that's great, but I will get better too. Therefore, I wish people who would like to do something, but still hesitate to start! You deserve a nice change!

The introduction of design work in the Chernihiv region and the activation of the population to participate in various grant competitions is one of the tasks of the charitable foundation "Future of Chernihiv". To date, in several communities of the region, the foundation has already held educational forums, where everyone could learn how to write grant projects.

Participants of the forums (and not only them) were able to apply their knowledge in practice and participated in a competition for grants from the charitable foundation "Future of Chernihiv". In total, more than 60 projects were submitted for the competition, 21 authors received grants to implement the proposed idea into reality. And this is just the beginning - the inhabitants of Chernigov region are ready to continue to develop their native towns and villages.

This article is a logical continuation of the first part, devoted to various aspects of obtaining a grant. Today we will analyze in detail the remaining questions: how to write a project for participation in the competition for a grant, how to prepare a stunning defense of the project and how to effectively spend the grant money, while reporting for every ruble spent. So, let's begin.

How to get a grant for a project?

Let me remind you, dear friend, that in the previous article we proceeded from a plan, using which you can quite easily get grant funds (if, of course, you have properly worked out each point of the plan).

Grant plan

1. Determine the problem.

2. We are looking for potential donors.

3. We study the requirements.

4. Writing a project.

5. Preparing the defense.

6. We receive a grant.

7. We make a report on the funds spent.

The first 3 points of the plan (identification of the key problem, search for potential donors, study of the requirements for participation in the competition for a grant) we examined in some detail in the first part. Now is the time to pay special attention to the remaining points.
So, let's begin.

4. Writing a project.

The project is the main work that you submit to the commission, which distributes grants among the participants in the competition. I talked in more detail about writing a project in this article: Where to start writing a project?

Be sure to read it, because it describes the main components of a competent project. Here I want to tell you about those "chips" that will help you win the competition for a grant. These "secrets" were "declassified" by me and many other participants in similar competitions during practical activities.

In fact, there are no "super-mega-secrets", but there are certain points that are worth paying close attention to.

Secrets of writing a project for a grant

1. Get to know the problem behind the project thoroughly.

Believe me, at least check it out, but you should know FULLY about every nuance, every aspect of your project. The list of must have (compulsory thorough knowledge) includes:

- statistics on the problem;

- interest of the target group;

- material security;

- the physical ability to implement the project.

And now in order. Concerning problem statistics, then you should definitely know how many people need your project, who it is in general (you need to understand your target group to which the project is directed) and other similar aspects.

People rightly assume that you are an expert in a given field if you are about to tackle a relevant problem. Duck, here and show yourself in all its glory, "kill" everyone with your knowledge of the problematics!

It is also very important to know in advance interest of the target group in project. We talked about this a little in the first part. A member of the grant issuing committee can calmly ask you: “Have you carried out any sociological research in order to identify interest in your idea? "

You, of course, have to say that yes, you did. Better to actually do at least a little research to make sure the game is worth the candle and the effort is worth it.

In addition, very often, when analyzing the project of the competition participants, the members of the commission ask about material security project. After all, almost always money is issued on the condition that you have:

a) there is already some room and the necessary equipment for work;

b) the corresponding item for expenses related to the material base is spelled out in the project estimate.

If none of this is reflected in your project, then it is unlikely that you will be given a grant. Some of the members of the commission may even joke something like this: “What are you counting on? We will give you money, and will you master it in an open field? "

Therefore, in any project (non-commercial, and, especially, in a commercial), firstly, make an estimate (it is required!), And, secondly, do not forget to discuss the moment with the provision of a material base.

Concerning physical ability to implement the project, then the situation is about the same as with the material base. You can aim at a grandiose project that you cannot implement on your own. Therefore, correlate your strengths and capabilities with the aspirations to make this world a better place. Start small, and then you will see!

2. Be ready to clarify any point in your project.

Almost every time, the members of the commission have questions that, from your point of view, practically do not directly relate to the project, but which experts ask with the stubbornness of a donkey. A person from the commission may not understand any figure in the estimates of the estimate, or some specific term, or something else.

In fact, this point is a logical continuation of the previous one. However, it should also be treated with increased attention.

Usually, when you write a project yourself, you really know it thoroughly, so that it is not difficult to answer tricky questions about the project. However, when a project is written by a group of people, then you may know part of the project perfectly, and the other part - so-so, since you did not write it.

In this regard, no matter how many people write the project, each team member must know all parts of the project by a tooth, so that, even if they wake up at night, the person must answer all the questions.

Of course, such problems do not always occur, sometimes everything goes easily and simply. However, I am giving you a recipe for any occasion in life, so that you are ready for any "overload" on the part of the members of the commission that makes the decision on the grant.

3. If possible, find out in advance who will sit on the commission.

A big advantage for you, dear friend, will be information about who will sit on the commission. Moreover, it is quite possible to get this information. Surely your project, which you are writing for a grant, will be supervised by some mentor (for example, a teacher at a university, or an employee of the local city administration).

Your mentor, by virtue of his professional activity, most likely, has already repeatedly attended such competitions. In this regard, he probably knows (or even knows personally) with the members of the competition committee.

In this connection, ask your mentor for such information. How will this information be useful to you? The thing is that each member of the commission, most likely, in addition to his duties as a member of the commission group, also, in the rest work time works according to his direct responsibilities.

Typically, such competition commissions include representatives of either various committees (if it is a state competition, respectively, the allocated funds come from the budget), or employees of a department (if it is a grant from any organization). Each member of the commission has their own professional interests, their own preferences in something.

For example, if information reaches you that the chairman of the competition committee is also a member of an animal protection organization or simply sponsors such organizations, and your project at least somehow fits the theme of animals, it would be nice if you focused on the fact that your project will allow you to save animals from ... Then come up with it yourself.

Your main task is to find such information about a member of the competition committee that will allow you to use it to win a grant. Just do not find out any personal moments of the life of the members of the commission - you should not engage in blackmail - this is not our method :).

Of course, there are other "tricks" that also contribute to an increase in the likelihood of receiving a grant, but I told you about the most effective ones. As they say, just take it and get the result!

5. Preparing the defense.

After you write your draft, the next step is to prepare your defense speech. Everything is standard here: you can print a speech on A4 sheets and read accordingly from them, however, it is better to print the speech, remember the main points and in the form of improvisation talk about your project, only occasionally peeping at the text of the speech. Such protection is better perceived by ear, which, ultimately, has a better effect on the competition committee.

If, nevertheless, you are afraid to talk about your project "without a piece of paper", then you need to know certain standards for the size of the text. The maximum length of the protection text is approximately equal to 3 A4 sheets with a line spacing of 1.5, 14 point (size) Times New Roman.

Shorten the text. I’ll tell you very much that during a performance, unexpected stories often happen that “eat up” your time (the photographer can distract him with his flashes, someone can come in and apologize for interfering, etc.).

Therefore, my advice to you is to keep the protection text as small as possible. Leave only the basics. What must be reflected in the protection? It would be very good if, during your defense, you mention the goals and objectives of the project, the target group, the timing of the project, the project estimate, the project participants.

Also make a presentation for your protection. It can be used as a guide when performing, if you are going to perform “without a piece of paper” after all. Based on the slides, you can fully tell about your brainchild, if, of course, you thoroughly know all the nuances of the project (see above).

So, to summarize. For a competent defense, you need to compose a defense speech + make a presentation. During the defense, it is best to talk about your project, rather than read the text off the sheet.

6. We receive a grant.

Hooray! You won the grand, congratulations! How can you win, once you have read these articles, with all the tricks and secrets :). However, it is too early to rejoice. We also need to get these very funds.

Today, almost all grant money is transferred to a bank account. Therefore, if you are a representative of any organization, then do not forget to correctly indicate all bank details.

If you are just natural person, then the situation is a little different. Nobody will give you cash just like that. Therefore, in order to receive a grant, you either have to create your own organization, or temporarily "join" any organization. All these points are discussed at the preliminary stage, so be very careful when you read the conditions for receiving grant assistance.

You must admit that it will not be a very pleasant situation when you win a grant, but in the end you will not receive money due to your own lack of foresight. You shouldn't make money "hang in the air". Everything should be clear: if you won a grant, you received money.

7. We make a report on the funds spent.

After you receive grant funds to your current account, the time will come for the implementation of the project. What should be considered here? First of all - save all receipts... They will be very useful to you when you, or a member of your team, will compile a report on the money spent.

In what form should the report be made? Here again, everything depends on the grantor. All these questions are usually also spelled out in the conditions of the grant competition. Your task is to carefully, carefully, carefully read the terms and conditions.

In addition, make it a rule record each operation immediately after its completion... For example, I bought the necessary requisite - wrote it down, entered into a lease agreement - wrote it down, etc. Actually, this is one of the basic rules of accounting, but often people who are far from accounting are involved in the implementation of the project.

Therefore, take note of this rule, believe me, by applying it in practice, you will greatly save your time and nerves.

Conclusion: In this series of articles, I told you about how to get a grant to implement your project.

The main insights (key points) that you should understand for yourself:

- write a project on an actual topic;

- strictly follow the conditions of the competition for a grant;

- find out as much information as possible about the members of the competition committee (interests, hobbies, social activity);

- make a correct report and use the funds for their intended purpose.

I hope these tips will help you implement more than one project and get a lot of grant support from various foundations, charitable organizations and other donors. I wish you success in receiving your grant!

Now you know how to get a grant.

Best regards, site team site

In the first part of this series of articles, I promised to tell you about the nuances of obtaining a grant for commercial projects. Instead of text information, I suggest you watch this video. It tells in detail about all the points of obtaining a grant to start your business.

Drawing up a grant application

Toolkit
for non-profit organizations

AUTONOMOUS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
"NORTH CAUCASIAN RESOURCE CENTER"
Stavropol, 2000

DRAWING UP A GRANT APPLICATION

Chapter 1. What is a Grant Application

Definition:
"A grant application is a document that describes a plan to achieve a set of goals and objectives within a specified time frame in accordance with the requirements of the grantor."

Speaking in simple words, an application for a grant is a request / offer for financial support for any kind of activity aimed at achieving the established goals, the implementation of a number of activities and tasks leading to a certain result. Such results can be described as an end product of one kind or another, services provided, benefits, etc.

Types of grants: Implementation of projects and programs Holding events (conferences, symposia, etc.) Travel, internships, exchanges Professional development Scholarships, grants, awards Publications Publishing Research, scientific development, "First grant" Educational activities, etc.

It is better to form a team to draw up an application. If 3 professionals of the same level and profile will write an application, then they risk "drowning" in ideas and their discussion. We need people who are talented in various fields: a "generator" of ideas, a person who knows how to build an idea in the form of a work plan and foresee all the details and trifles, and a person who knows how to write, i.e. set out all this in the application form.

The main idea of ​​the project (in the application - project annotations)

who
organization - the purpose of the activity, experience, knowledge, resources.

for whom
beneficiaries are people whose lives will improve as a result of the project.

why
problems of beneficiaries or external, hindering / inhibiting / having a negative impact

what does he want to do
concrete steps to solve problems

how
description of ways / methods of problem solving

what will happen as a result
concrete indicators that the lives of beneficiaries have improved as a result of problem solving

how much money / resources is needed for this

The formulation of the main idea is: the starting point of each grant application; the most expensive element of the application; the foundation on which the entire project is built; a framework for describing objectives and justifying the budget; a short formulation of what you propose to solve the assigned tasks and meet the needs of the organization.

For a grant proposal that is clear, credible and has the best chance of success, it is critical that it has a clear project goal and specific challenges to achieve it. The application must be clearly formulated, clear, specific and logical from the first page to the last.

There are 2 options for the logic of the project:

Option 1	Option 2
Target group	Target
↓
Problem	Impact (tasks)
↓
Target	Immediate results
↓
Tasks	Problem
↓
Methods	Activity (methods)
↓
Expected results	Target group

Example:

Idea:
"We want to provide hot meals for the elderly"

who- the organization, its experience, resources

for whom- persons aged 80 years and older and patients who have been prescribed a home regimen by a doctor. (geographically - 1-2 microdistricts or residents of the entire city)

how- Once a day, hot meals will be brought by an employee / volunteer of the organization

what will happen as a result-% of people who regularly receive hot meals.

Monitoring and evaluation
Who and how will control the timely delivery of hot meals, ensure feedback with beneficiaries, how this information will be processed, analyzed, how the project activities will be evaluated.

Target- improving the health of the elderly aged 80 years and older and patients who adhere to the home regime.

Each project is a series of hypotheses. When developing a project, an organization assumes that a certain change will occur as a result of certain actions. The whole project must be built on a causal relationship: if you do this, the following will happen and lead to a certain result, etc.

Problem
(solved in whole or in part,
as a result, the situation has changed and the situation of the beneficiaries has improved)

Target
(Aimed at solving the problem)

Final results
(planned and unplanned,
which were the result of the implementation of activities)

Impact
(which happened as a result of solving the project's tasks and led to certain changes in the situation and state of the target group, the problems of which the project is aimed at solving)

Intermediate results
(planned and unplanned)

Intermediate results

Activity
(activities, actions aimed at obtaining results and accomplishing tasks)
internal factors - external factors
when planning activities, it is necessary to take into account external factors - conditions that are beyond the control of the contractor and which can affect the implementation of activities that contribute to the implementation of tasks and obtaining results

Resources
Funds of the organization, partners and grantor,
necessary for carrying out activities on the project

Throughout the project, the organization:
sets tasks in the form of expected results
identifies ways of assessing whether these results have been obtained
constantly compares actual work with results
makes adjustments if the data shows that the expected result is not being achieved.

What the application consists of:
Title page
annotation
Organization presentation
Problem statement / justification of the need for the project
Target
Tasks
Methods
Work plan
Expected results
Monitoring and evaluation
Further financing / project development
Project effect in the long term
Budget
Comments on the budget
Applications

A grant application is a carefully prepared document in which:
1. The needs of people are outlined and solutions to serious social problems are proposed.
2. The reasons why the organization needs financial support are described in detail.
3. Describes the problem, purpose, unique methods by which the organization seeks to solve the problem better than anyone else.
4. There is a detailed plan for the implementation of this activity.
5. The budget is not a request by the organization for financial support, but a detailed explanation of the costs required by the organization to carry out the project.
6. Documentation, letters of support and attachments confirm the creditworthiness and reliability of the organization.

Chapter 2. Application. Section by section
Most donor organizations require a sample application. Each foundation has a developed structure of a grant application, restrictions on the volume of each section, a list of documents and the number of copies that are provided as attachments. Regardless of the shape and standard sample, the application usually contains the following main sections:

Title page (1 page)
A well-written application starts with a cover page. The title page contains basic information about the organization - the executor and the project. It is very important that all information fits on 1 page.

Name of the program being applied for
(if the organization submits an application to a specific program, for example, "Civil Society", "Law", "Hot Spots", "Health of the Population of Russia").

Applicant organization
Name of the organization submitting the application, legal address, actual address, telephone, fax, e-mail, bank details.

If the project is supposed to be implemented by two or more organizations, then the title page must reflect information about all participating organizations project.

Project name
Should be concise, capturing the essence of the proposed activity and attracting attention. In brackets, you can give an explanation, for example, "Protect their rights" (providing free legal services forced migrants).

Head of the organization

Project Manager
Full name, position, address, telephone, fax, e-mail.

Project Accountant
Full name, position, address, telephone, fax, e-mail.

Geography of the project
Territory / city / microdistrict of the city, etc.

Terms of project implementation
Be sure to indicate the duration and terms
(for example, 6 months (01.01.2000 - 01.06.2000).

The total cost of the project, the requested amount, the contribution of the organization
The total cost of the project consists of the requested amount and the available amount (the organization's own contribution or funds raised from other sources).

Information about previously received grants
Fund name, grant number, project name.

Project annotation
The most important element of the proposal is a concentrated presentation of the entire project. Most reviewers first read only the abstract, but they also refer to it when considering an application and in the event that there are controversial issues and doubts during the discussion. The abstract should be extremely clear, concise, specific and expressive.

Components of the project annotation:
Project name.
Information about the organization.
Formulation of the problem.
Objective of the project.
Project objectives.
Methods.
Expected results.
Monitoring and evaluation.
Geography of the project.
Terms of project implementation.
The total cost of the project, the requested amount, the contribution of the organization.

The annotation should show the uniqueness of the project. If this is a pilot project, then it is necessary to write how the organization will replicate the created model or acquired experience. Here you can emphasize such positive aspects of the project as an increase in membership, expansion of the geography of the organization's activities and the number of services (if planned).

The annotation repeats all parts of the application (several sentences for each part).

Organization presentation
Basic information for this section:
Registration date.
A brief description of the organization, its goals, objectives, activities and plans for the next two years.
Information about the achievements and successes of the organization, implemented projects (project names, dates, numbers, etc.).
Organization resources (material, human).
Work experience, achievements and availability of specialists in the field to which the project is directed.
Interaction with other organizations and structures dealing with the solution of the problem to which the project is directed.
Experience in cooperation with authorities.
Experience with grants.

Given the limitations on the amount of information provided, this section should list everything that is relevant to the topic of the project and the proposed activities. Strong and large organizations tend to have many lines of business, projects and programs. Include in the application only those related to the solution of the problem to which the project is directed. If the organization has achievements in other areas, and you think that they could become a weighty argument for experts in favor of the organization, make a link to them and include the information itself in the application as an attachment.

When describing an organization, it is very important to be able to emphasize it strengths: for one NGO, this is work experience, a large number of members, the other has a region of activity, volunteers, methodological developments, etc. A big plus for the organization is the experience of working on grants and contacts with the authorities, the latter for donors is evidence of the recognition of the organization in the local community.

The main thing in this section is to show the organization in terms of experience in the field declared in the project and the ability to implement a project of this kind.

Formulation of the problem
The most important section of the application. It should present the problem to be solved by the project and its analysis. When formulating a problem, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that problems are the absence of something, something negative, harmful, something that requires change. Show the reasons for this negative phenomenon and its consequences.

The statement of the problem should not be a simple description, but a concise analysis of its causes. The organization must demonstrate good knowledge of the problems and their causes (political, legal, underserved). The analysis of these factors must be confirmed by quantitative indicators based on previous studies (it is necessary to use reliable sources of information, for example, data from the Statistical Office, the Migration Service, sociological survey etc.). A well-written application must contain the initial data - indicators, i.e. quantitative and qualitative indicators, which are the starting point for measuring the effectiveness of the project.

The analysis of the problem must be convincing: clearly formulated, well reasoned and supported by information, statistics, expert judgment.

The organization must show the relevance of the problem for the local community and the region, which organizations and structures are involved in its solution and its own work experience. If the organization is not the only one that works in this area, then it is important to explain what is the uniqueness of its activities in comparison with others, whether the project will duplicate the activities of another, possibly stronger, well-known or successful organization and why this particular project will contribute a more efficient solution to the problem. A positive point is the organization's experience of working with other non-profit organizations or structures that are designed to deal with this problem, and involving them in the implementation of the project.

Describe whether the organization has attempted such activities and how successful they have been. Be sure to indicate how the project relates to the activities of the organization, its mission and objectives.

It is in this section that the category of beneficiaries should be described - the target group to which the project activities are directed and whose lives will somehow improve as a result of the project. The organization should demonstrate knowledge of their problems and the availability of specialists who will work with this target group.

In this section, you have to answer two questions: why this project is necessary, and what problems it will solve.

Objective of the project
Target - general description expected results and expectations, highest point achievements that the organization strives for during the implementation of the project. The goal should be realistic and related to the problem, objectives, activities and budget of the project. The intended goals must be consistent with the self high level result, i.e. significantly improve the situation described in the problem description. At the same time, the goal must be real. Do not include goals whose impact on the situation cannot be quantified or qualitatively measured.

In fact, the goal is a unique solution to a problem by an organization that has necessary knowledge, experience, resources, actions to eliminate a negative phenomenon or its causes.

Throughout the entire period of project evaluation, experts refer to the goal of the project and the project as a whole, and all of its component parts are considered from the point of view of compliance with the goal.

When formulating a goal, pay attention to the fact that it is consistent with the goal of the competition and the mission of the organization and is aimed at solving the problem.

Tasks that are supposed to be solved to achieve the goals
Tasks - a specific description of what will be accomplished and achieved, particular results, stages on the way to achieving the goal. From the point of view of the design of the text of the proposal, it is better to formulate and enumerate tasks in the form of a list, and not to state and describe in a narrative form. Objectives are formulated as statements of action in results-oriented, performance-based and measurable terms. If the project lists a number of tasks, then all of them must be related to each other and be necessary and sufficient to achieve the goal of the project.

Tasks can be of several types: client-oriented, organization-related, region-specific, economic, social, political, etc.

Signs of good challenges:
are a logical consequence of the problem;
directly related to project activities and aimed at solving the stated problem to achieve the set goal (causal relationship);
are formulated clearly and specifically, expressed not in general words, but in quantitative and qualitative indicators that can become indicators of the success of the project;
represent specific intermediate measurable results during project implementation. When a task is formulated as a result, then it determines the final result. certain activities:… Number of children will be immunized / immunized… children. The tasks must be realistic. Think about whether it is possible to solve the assigned tasks within the specified time frame, whether the assigned tasks are feasible with the declared resources (tangible and intangible). For example, the task of reducing the level of drug use by minors by 50% in 10 secondary schools within 1 year is unrealistic.

To formulate tasks means to express the ways and means of executing the program in terms of what is supposed to be done.

Project implementation methods
One of the most voluminous and detailed sections of the application. Description of how the project will be carried out. This is usually the longest part of the application. Experts pay the most attention to it, since it is she who gives an idea of ​​how the organization plans to achieve the project goal and allows you to assess the realistic budget (the feasibility of spending on certain activities). This section describes the strategy and methods for achieving the set goals, as well as the mechanism for implementing the project. The organization must answer the questions: how will the intended goals be achieved, how the tasks will be performed, who will carry out their implementation, what resources will be used. The most important thing is that the expert does not have any questions. All the activities listed in the methods are, in most cases, fairly standard: providing advice, conducting seminars, round tables, issuing newsletters, holding conferences, etc., so the only key to the success of this section are details. If we are talking about training, then who will conduct the classes (does the professional and educational level of this person correspond to the declared topic), how do you plan to assess the quality of training, are there handouts, who will be participants in the seminars, how they will use the acquired knowledge in practice, and How will this change the position of the beneficiaries?

The first thing the experts pay attention to is whether the application simply envisages prolonging the existing programs or does it provide for the introduction of new effective mechanisms problem solving, geographic or thematic expansion of activities, the number of beneficiaries, services, etc. This section is ideal for describing innovation and creative ways of doing things. This can become the "highlight of the project". But, at the same time, all of them must be justified, substantiated and well reasoned in order to convince the experts of the necessity and positive effect from their application. If the project is aimed at using models from other countries, you need a justification (why are you sure that it will "work" in our conditions), calculation (accounting external factors and risks), etc. If the project is pilot, then an important component of its description is replication and reproducibility of the model.

When describing the methods, you should pay attention to the following points:
compliance of strategies and mechanisms with the goals and objectives of the project;
the correspondence of the requested and available resources to the planned activity;
compliance of the activity with the declared results;
experience in organizing such events, professional staff and resources;
the feasibility of the activities, taking into account the time frame and budget;
the validity of attracting specialists, the ratio of "internal resources - invited specialists";
innovativeness / potential risk;
availability of mechanisms for replicating / replicating the model (for pilot projects);
whether the activities specified in the application are aimed at eliminating the causes of the problem or at the consequence;
whether the various functions are defined and how they are distributed among the staff and executors of the project;
if the application provides for cooperation with another organization or structure, how the duties and responsibilities of each party are allocated;
whether this cooperation is factual or only possible, how strong is it.
how will the project activities be organized in terms of management, ways of disseminating information, etc.

In this section, the most important thing is the logic of the project: if activity A is performed, this will lead to the solution of problem no. 2. Or: what types of activities are aimed at solving problem # 1? If more than one type of activity is envisaged, then are they interrelated and aimed at creating synergies for the implementation of the project objectives.

Calendar plan
A detailed description of all activities and events with timelines. The section itself is simple, but many questions may arise. The main criterion is compliance with the goal, objectives and methods of the project, feasibility, feasibility. Inexperience of the organization can be seen in the inability to allocate time for planning, preparatory work, conducting the event itself and evaluating and reporting. A proposal is unlikely to have all the answers to all questions, but reliable and verifiable answers - to most (or the most important questions) - yes.

When developing this section, you should pay attention to the following points:
availability of a plan - a schedule for the implementation of the project or a step-by-step description of the project (this can be done both in text format and in the form of a table);
realism, feasibility of the plan;
the presence of a sufficient number of employees and their professional experience; a writing of who will be responsible for each event, what are the activities, what resources are needed to carry it out;
compliance of the requested and available resources of the planned activity (quantitative and qualitative indicators)
availability of selection criteria for participants or recipients of services;
the ability to complete the project on time.

Expected results
Specific results to be achieved during the implementation of the project in quantitative and qualitative terms. The description of the expected results must be approached very seriously and responsibly, since they are the criteria for assessing the effectiveness of the project.

Main characteristics:
compliance of the results with the goal, the tasks of the project;
measurability (quantitative and qualitative indicators)
realistic results;
feasibility of results

The expected results should not be too optimistic, which indicates an overestimation of positive factors in the environment.

Project monitoring and evaluation
A strong and experienced organization uses monitoring and evaluation not only within individual projects, but also in ongoing activities to measure progress. In a full proposal, monitoring and evaluation are present in all sections. If a separate section is required, this should already be a generalization of the points reflected in the application. The value of a separate section lies in the ability to reflect certain methodologies of the assessment system, that is, how and by whom (by the organization or an independent expert) the intermediate and summarizing assessments will be carried out, what is the role of monitoring systems in project management, etc.

An assessment plan should be well developed in the application, its tools should be described, assessment criteria should be adequate to the results, quantitative and qualitative indicators (initial data for comparison) should be convincing and justified.

The main questions for checking the correctness of the preparation of this section of the application are:
the overall assessment mechanism is described;
whether there is a mid-term assessment system;
the presence of an external assessment;
how will the effectiveness of the project be assessed, who will evaluate the performance of the assigned tasks;
what are the criteria and mechanisms if the questionnaire is sample questions or a sample questionnaire;
what data the organization plans to collect for the assessment and how to use it;
methods of monitoring and evaluating project implementation, indicators, planned reports, frequency of attendance of events;

The main point of this section is to show how control over the progress of work on the project and the compliance of the activity with the goal and objectives will be carried out.

Further financing of the project
Generally, donors initially want assurance that the project they have supported will continue after funding is complete. To do this, the organization must submit a plan that is developed and realistic, taking into account the situation in the country. In it, in general terms, it should be described whether the activities can be continued in the same direction after the completion of the grant, how it will be provided from a financial point of view, how it is supposed to use the achievements and knowledge gained during the implementation of the project, how the program will develop farther. If the organization has certain agreements, agreements with organizations, structures for the continuation of activities, then they should be listed.

If the project does not intend to continue activities after the completion of the project, it is necessary to show how knowledge and experience will be used, how the changed situation will affect the group of beneficiaries, etc.

The main idea of ​​this part of the application is how and at what expense it is supposed to continue the activity after the end of the funding received within the framework of this competition.

Project effect in the long term
How the implementation of the project will affect the situation in the region, what will change as a result of the implementation of the project.

Project management structure (if required)
This subsection should contain a description of how the project will be managed, the qualifications of the main performers, the structure of the organization, the responsibilities of personnel, and the forms of control. If the project is a partner project, include a description of the division of responsibilities and the role of each of the partner organizations.

It should reflect:
Does the organization have experience in project management and the ability to successfully carry out activities;
the presence of an experienced and trained staff, experience in this field, professional training employees;
experience in grants, audit, monitoring, reports by another foundation, ability to manage financial resources.

Organizations with long-term experience will usually attach proof of the organisation's expertise in project management to their application in order to convince the grantor that they will face a strong and experienced organization. New organization can demonstrate that she has taken steps to strengthen the organization (indicate the existence of a business plan, organizational development plan, board of trustees or consultants).

The main thing in this section is to show that the proposed activities are consistent with the existing management experience and capabilities of the organization, the plan is realistic, the organization has experience in project management.

Additional information (if required)
This can include information on the availability of parts of the project financed from other sources, indicating the source of funding, amount or contribution (if the contribution is not in cash).

Budget (project estimate)
This section is compiled after the writing of the project itself. To compile it, it is necessary to collect all the necessary information: the cost of equipment, the size of the trainer's fee, if the project provides for business trips, then travel, accommodation in the city where the specialist is sent, the cost of rent and stationery, services, etc. If you cannot give an exact cost, or are not sure that it will not change by the time of the start of work on the project, indicate an approximate one and explain how the calculation was made. Decide on a timeline for your budget. Show step by step how the funds will be used throughout the project. Consider the potential impact of inflation and delays in disbursements. Other sources of funding and the contribution of the NPO should be indicated. Calculate the work of volunteers, funds and services that your organization or another provides free of charge. These are all costs that the organization would have incurred if they were not provided free of charge. The budget is usually drawn up in US dollars or another currency, depending on the country that provides funding.

The budget reflects programmatic activities and cannot be viewed separately from the proposal text. If the budget provides for a large number of trips, the purchase of expensive equipment, etc. - this is just a reflection of what is justified and reasoned in the text of the application. A complete proposal should drive the content to the budget, not the other way around. If the application contains all the justifications for attracting expensive equipment, the budget will reflect this.

Experts pay special attention to how accurately the application determines the costs of certain types of activities. Are the articles overly "bloated"? overpriced. Is the project effective in terms of spending funds? If a specialist from another region or city (for example, Moscow) is involved, it is necessary to justify - why not local, if local specialists are invited, whether the salary corresponds to the average level in the region, if there is no explanation on the basis of what calculations the amount was determined. If the project is aimed at testing new technologies and creating models, what will be the cost of the service, event. The way the organization uses different cost factors (daily allowance rates, average cost of renting premises, fees to specialists, cost of materials and equipment) testifies to the professionalism of the organization submitting the application.

In the budget, the accuracy of the calculation, the presentation of justifications, arguments, supporting documents are important, at the same time, one should not "overload" the budget with details, offering such a degree of forecasting of expenses that cannot be fulfilled. This is also an indicator of an unrealistic budget.

The most common mistakes NPOs make in budgeting are inconsistencies in the budget of the program part, too costly part, and uneven distribution of expenditures.

Typically, the budget is drawn up in accordance with a certain form and requirements. Usually the budget consists of the following items: "Personnel", "Administrative expenses" (rent of premises, Vehicle, stationery, publications, communication costs, legal fees, bank fees, insurance, translation, etc.), "Travel expenses" (transportation, travel expenses), "Equipment".

Staff
This article reflects the remuneration of staff members and hired specialists, experts, consultants. Sometimes the granting organization sets a maximum percentage of the grant amount that can be spent on a given item (for example, 10%). If there are no such restrictions, then it is necessary to calculate the level wages and a fee according to the percentage of employment for the project. A separate article includes mandatory taxes and deductions from the wage fund. In the event that these deductions exceed 38.5%, it is necessary to provide information on what this amount is composed of. Income tax and deductions Pension Fund taken into account in the amount of salary or fee. In case if staff member In addition to a specific function in the project, he conducts seminars or provides consultations, only one item is reflected in the budget, and all activities are taken into account when determining the amount of salary, and are described in the section "Responsibilities for the project".

Administrative expenses Rent of premises
This may include both office rental for project activities and premises for events (seminars, round tables, exhibitions, etc.). It is necessary to indicate the settlement system: for renting an office, this is the cost of renting 1 square meter, the total area of ​​the premises and the number of months; for other events - rental price per hour / day and number of hours / days.

Stationery and equipment supplies
Indicates the name of the product, quantity, unit price, total amount.

Purchase of teaching materials or printed publications
Edition name and quantity.

Postal and other communication costs
It is necessary to show the calculation by months and the volume of shipment. If funds are provided for the use Email and the Internet, you must provide the provider's price list.

Banking services
The percentage of the grant amount is indicated in accordance with the agreement with the bank. It is also necessary to present the bank's tariffs.

Travel expenses
It is necessary to show for which trips and for which participants of the project funds are required. The cost of travel and accommodation is calculated on the basis of the actual collected information, the amount of per diem is determined by the organization independently based on the accounting policy. If the amount of daily subsistence allowance exceeds the Russian norms, it is necessary to take into account taxes on the excess of the daily subsistence allowance.

Equipment
Most grant-making organizations finance the purchase of standard office equipment, which includes a computer, printer, fax, copier, scanner, telephone, and modem. These requirements are usually found in the standard package of documents for grant applicants. If there are no such restrictions, and the organization has a need to purchase a tape recorder, TV set, etc., everything will depend on how reasoned and justified this is in the text of the application. Sometimes funds set a percentage or maximum amount for a given item or requirement by country of origin.

The main question in this section is whether budget items reflect the costs of doing the activities described in the project.

There is such a term - grant writing, which literally translates as the art of writing projects aimed at financing socially significant initiatives.

As a rule, all donors are large state and commercial structures that direct funding for the implementation of only those project initiatives that have social significance and a specific result. Keep this in mind when formalizing your project.

Forming an idea

First of all, it is necessary to determine the scope of the project, as well as social group, to improve the conditions of which the project is directed.

The main characteristics are truly worthwhile idea social project can be called the following:

• 
  Novelty. The idea should be original, not borrowed;


• 
  Accuracy. The pull of an idea is always very visible to experienced grant funds, and imprecise goals and objectives can negate the chances of getting funding;


• 
  Need. The idea should correspond to social problems, that is, it should be aimed at solving them. If the problem does not exist, or the area of ​​the grantor does not cover it, funding will not be allocated.

The times when projects were written for the final acquisition of some material values gradually pass. Grant givers are becoming more discerning and professional, which makes it hard to come up with a really worthwhile idea against the backdrop of highly successful projects.

Solution

The definition of the idea is followed by a solution to the problem, which consists in the activities provided by the project. For example, if we take the social adaptation of orphans as a problem, then the activities of the grant project can be:

• vocational guidance;


• meeting with representatives of a wide range of professions;


• information seminars;


• preparation of special vocational guidance literature.

That is, the entire sequence of actions should be aimed at solving the problem that was initially identified. The list may be wider or narrower, depending on the maximum level of funding allocated by a particular fund.

Having defined the problem, solutions, as well as the social group of addressees, the following characteristics of the project should be determined:

• territory of the project;


• duration over time;


• amount of funding.

The first two criteria are basic, and if the idea is clearly formed, then, as a rule, it is not difficult to answer the question of territory and time.

Potential grantees face much more problems when determining funding for activities. It should be remembered that donors are often interested not so much in, as in partnership implementation socially significant projects... This means that the authors of the grant must also invest their resources for its implementation: labor, clothing, charitable, etc.

When determining the estimate, it is important to remember that a detailed report will be required for all costs. And it is at this stage that difficulties usually arise during the implementation of the project. So, practice shows that some even incurred costs are difficult to draw up in a report (like, for example, fuels and lubricants). Therefore, it is easier to take them into account within the co-financing of the author group.

Fund search

An important step in writing a grant is finding a potential grantee. Each fund has its own requirements for applications, which are set out in regulatory documents... All of them should be studied before preparing applications.

Do not forget about the danger of formal rejection of the application due to non-compliance with the requirements for paperwork: the volume of text, font, indents and other nuances should be strictly observed.

Presentation

Almost all funds spend before disbursing funds. Authors should be ready not only to retell the provisions of the project already studied by experts, but also to answer questions regarding its implementation and goal setting.