Grant Project: Statement of Need

The Statement of Need or Problem Statement as it is sometimes referred to is a very critical aspect of the grant proposal. It is critical to the grant proposal because it identifies to the funder the specific problem you intend to solve and serves as the foundation upon which you will build your proposal. The problem also needs to align with the mission of the funding organization. If the problem you intend to address connects with the interests of the funder/grant maker, then there is a chance that they may consider investing in your project. This requires some research on your part in understanding the interests of the funder. The problem statement should be defined and clarified before moving forward in writing the proposal. In writing the problem statement you should include who is affected by the problem, the causes of the problem, current data/statistics to support the problem and how the organization is able to respond to the need. Some funders require an extensive need or problem statement, while others may just require 1-2 pages. It is important to follow all the instructions provided by the funding organization, so that the organization will not be disqualified or penalized. Instructions For the Statement of Need, pick a logical need for your organization based on its mission statement and project/research idea. Dont create a monstrous, multifaceted Need with a large, involved budget. If you do, it makes the other assignments of the grant proposal more time consuming to complete. Focus your ideas. The textbook provides a very good example. Length of the assignment: No less than 1 page. A title page and reference section should also be included. Format of Assignment: Use current APA style when citing your work. Number of Citations: Use at least 1 supplementary source. Acceptable Sources: Use current data and references published within the last 5 years to support your need. Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool. Your assignment this week will be to complete Grant Project: Project Description. The first step in developing a “Project Description” is to begin with writing goals and objectives for your program. These will be based on the “need” or “problem” you identified in your “Statement of Need. Goals are broad statements about a desired outcome for your program. Objectives are specific and measurable and describe how you will achieve your goals. Your objectives should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant (Realistic), Timebound), and you need to identify at least 3-5 objectives for your program. Please provide a combination of behavioral, performance, process, and product objectives. I would recommend that you identify at least one to two goal(s) for your program. You do not want to have too many goals for your program. Keep things simple since you are just learning how to write a grant. You also want to provide a rationale for your goal(s) (see the rubric). Your objectives should always be measurable, meaning they should include some type of percent change or number as well as a time frame. For example: To create a swimming program for children to learn to swim within 2 months. To increase the number of children in the program who learn to swim by 30% within 6 months. For each objective you will then provide strategies and activities that will describe how you will implement your objectives. When identifying and explaining your activities make sure the description is comprehensive. You want to identify staffing specifics showing who will be responsible for implementing the activities. Additionally, you will also include a timeline table (use a Gantt Chart or see the sample timeline table on pg. 53 of the O’Neal-McElrath text) in your “Project Description.” You can create a similar table. The Project Description is the longest section of the proposal, so think through it carefully and provide a comprehensive description of your project. I have attached a snapshot sample of the project description. Please just use this as a guide. It is not a complete project description and does not include a timeline. The textbook provides the best example of the Project Description. Beginning at the bottom of pg.119: Goals and objectives to pg. 122 you will see how the Alyson Eats project outlines the Project Description. Do not include evaluation or budget information in the project description. The assignment should be written in APA style