1. 1
Angela Toney-McConnell
Grant Department grants@theforgottenonesinc.org
The Forgotten Ones, Inc.
A 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization
Grant Writing Internship
Grant Department
Internship Overview:
The grant writing internship with the Grant Department provides an opportunity for a student to learn basic
grant writing and developing a draft proposal for mini-grant application for our 501 (c) (3) non-profit
organization.
Internship Learning Goals & Objectives:
Learning Goal #1: Internship Students will gain an understanding of the basics of grant writing.
Learning Objectives:
1. To understand what a grant is and why non-profit agencies write grants
2. To gain knowledge that grants are included as part of our non-profit agency fundraising plan to
fund program services and assist with general operating costs
3. To develop a knowledge base of what is important to grant makers in order match funding
priorities for the agency
Learning Goal #2: Internship Students will gain an understanding the basics of grant proposal writing.
Learning Objectives:
1. To develop a basic understanding of the basic parts of a grant proposal
2. To practice developing different parts of a draft grant proposal based on an agency program area
Learning Goal #3: Internship Students will use their reviewed draft proposal and prepare a mini-grant
application.
Learning Objectives:
1. To use practical skills application in grant writing with a budget by submitting a mini-grant for an
assigned project.
2. To gain understanding and practical skills application of actual grant application requirements
from an assigned funding announcement.

2. 2
Angela Toney-McConnell
Grant Department grants@theforgottenonesinc.org
The Forgotten Ones, Inc.
A 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization
Grant Writing Internship
Grant Department
Grant Writing Basics Worksheet
What are Grants?
Grants are funding that require a written application with a budget submitted to a Funder are not
required to be paid back. The funds are considered an Award not a Loan.
Grants can range from a small “mini-grant” that could be a one-time award of $100 to $5,000 to
larger grants that can range from awarded funds of $50,000.00 to $100,000.000. There are also
grants that are multi-year funding can have a set amount awarded for a period each year for up to
three years.
Grants are awarded to support programs for specific purposes and/or causes that align with the
funders priorities. Funder priorities need to be carefully matched to the needs and program funding
areas of the agency. Funders are public and private foundations, federal, state, local government
agencies. All details are given in funding announcements for each funder with an open RFP
(request for proposal), RFQ (request for qualifications), FOA (funding opportunity
announcement), Call for Applications, or some may simply have listed community grants or how
to apply for grants.
Basic Outline of Grant Proposal
A funders guidelines will tell you what is required in their grant proposal. However, there are basic
elements of the proposal that are the same. What follows below is the basic format you need to get
started in completing your draft proposal. Once you have your draft proposal completed, it is easier
to adapt what you need to fit the required format of other grant applications, specifically
cybergrants you may need to submit online.
Title of Project/Program
All grant proposals will require a title of the project/program area that the agency is requesting to
be funded. This is one way how the funder tracks grant applications that are submitted.

3. 3
Angela Toney-McConnell
Grant Department grants@theforgottenonesinc.org
Summary
Brief description of your project, only a two to three sentence summary of the proposal.
Organization Information
In two or three paragraphs, tell funder about our agency. Briefly summarize your our agency
history. State the agency mission, who we serve and our track record in the community and the
agency’s achievements. Clearly describe all the services we already provide. Add other details
that build the credibility of the agency. You can also list collaborative partners that the agency
works with, and how we partner with them to work in the community.
Statement of Need
What important need or problem is the agency addressing that needs to be funded as part of this
grant proposal? Explain how we serve the population we target, how meet the needs of the
community. Explain how the agency has the current capacity to meet the need, but also
demonstrate that the need from the community is continuing to rise (this is why we need more
funding). Describe the issues in local context and use data on who we serve.
Project Goals, Plan, and Activities
Explain how the agency is meeting the needs and then what we are planning to do about the
problem. Talk about the overall goals. Sometimes you don’t know all of this right away. So here
are key questions for writing:
 Who is the target population we serve, and how we serve them?
 How many people do you intend to serve?
 What does the agency do to meet the needs? Describe the activities.
 What project planning to meet rising needs from the community has the agency started to
think about?
 Who is going to do the work? Is the agency collaborating with partner agencies to help?
 When will new services start? Does the agency have the capacity?
 How will services be impacted by the move?
 Should this be a grant or a fundraiser?
Outcomes or Impact
Right now we process outcomes because we do not have the capacity for a measurable evaluation
plan with outcomes data. This is written into the evaluation component.
Other Funding
What other kinds of support does the agency have for this program that we are requesting funds
for? This is usually written in with the budget and budget justification. Funders like to know what
other sources of funding are available to support a program or project. It can in-kind contributions,
leveraged resources, it may be another grant submitted for program support, or a fundraiser. Many
grants do not want to see that they are a sole-source funder, because the primary concern from a
funder is looking at project sustainability over time – for example, what will happen if we fund
this project with a one-time grant for one year for $10,000 and then there are no other funding
sources, will the services continue?

4. 4
Angela Toney-McConnell
Grant Department grants@theforgottenonesinc.org
Future Funding
There may be a separate section in the grant application, or not. Once again this addresses project
sustainability over time, and if the agency plans to seek additional funding sources to continue to
support program services, general operating costs, or other requests. Funders prefer to see a long-
term funding plan submitted as part of the budget with budget narrative and justification.
Evaluation
The evaluation plan needs to explain how the agency will achieve the goals and objectives for the
proposed project to be funded under the grant proposal. These need to be evaluated so the agency
can report if we are making a difference or positive impact with program services or help us
identify areas to improve. We are using process evaluation at this time. Basic goals and objectives
are in the 2014 audit report.
Budget
Funders want to know how much the agency is requesting for grant funds, how the funds will
allocated in the budget, and the justification for each allocation. Funders will review the budget
and may or may not approve it, and may adjust it accordingly. Funders are also at the discretion
of not approving your grant for the amount you requested, it may be decreased (in very rare cases
in may be increased). Preparing an accurate budget for your grant is key to a good proposal. DO
NOT PREPARE THE BUDGET FIRST. Write your proposal first, then prepare your budget.
Grant applications will have varying requirements for budget forms and budget narratives. The
standards budget with budget narrative that shows cost justification of how the funds will be used.
Grant Budget
Item Cost Sub-Total
TOTAL: $
Grant Training Resources
A complete glossary of terms related to Grants and Funding can be found at the Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/gfr/glossary.html
Proposal Writing Short Course from the Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/shortcourse/index.html
Funding Information Resources from the Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/gfr/info.html
Classroom – Grant Space provides free webinars on funding and grants through the Foundation Center
http://www.grantspace.org/classroom