Grants.gov, the U.S. government’s central storehouse of information on more than 1,000 federal grant programs, now displays all American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding announcements on a single page (separately from announcements of grants available under regular Congressional appropriations). They’ve also added a link to Recovery.gov (the web site created to foster accountability and transparency in the use of ARRA funds), archives of webinars for those seeking ARRA grants, and a schedule of upcoming webinars. The webinars address grantseekers’ questions about application processes and also explain how to apply for federal contracts and other non-grant sources of federal funds. See "Grants.gov Unveils New Feature for Recovery Act Funds" (Local/State Funding Report, August 17, 2009) for more about these changes.

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Recent advice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for their grant applicants can be useful to anyone seeking federal support. In "Tips for Writing a Strong Application" (Local/State Funding Report, August 3, 2009), the DHHS makes the following suggestions:

• Register in Grants.gov with your DUNS number immediately, if you haven’t already done so.
• Reviewers can consider only the information in the application, so make no assumptions about what they do and don’t know.
• Be responsive to the review criteria.
• Begin working on the application well before the deadline.
• Follow all instructions regarding organization of the materials in the application.
• Be brief, concise, and clear.
• If you’re unable to provide any required information, be honest about the reasons for the omission.
• Be organized and logical.
• Everything required in the application should be in the body of the proposal, not in an attachment.
• All applications to be submitted electronically should be printed out, proofread, and checked to make sure everything required is included—before the mouse click.
• Send everything at the same time—don’t send supplemental information later.

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Many federal agencies provide grantseekers with information on best practices and effective strategies for success. Several examples of this advice appear in the article, "Agencies Highlight Best Practices" (Local/State Funding Report, September 14, 2009):

• The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) suggests developing an outline that follows the required elements of the application. This allows different people in your organization to work simultaneously on the proposal.
• ETA also advises you to thoroughly describe the work you will do with other organizations, should you receive the grant, making it clear how that partnership will work.
• The Environmental Protection Agency says budgets in grant applications should reflect the most precise estimates possible for necessary expenses; they will take anticipated adjustments into account.
• Many agencies recommend asking them for copies of successful grant applications; the Institute of Museum and Library Services actually puts these on their web site for easy access.

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Rural organizations in the United States receive disproportionately less grant funding than do organizations in cities and suburbs. Research shows that, compared with urban areas, rural areas have received as much as $648 less per capita annually in federal grant money for community resources, human resources, and national functions. And only 6.8% of foundation grants go to organizations serving rural areas, although 17% of the population lives in those areas. The July 23, 2009, issue of the Federal and Foundation Assistance Monitor highlights a new publication from the Bridgespan Group, "Nonprofits in Rural America: Overcoming the Resource Gap," that suggests how to narrow that gap. Bridgespan examined the strategies used by successful rural grantseekers to see how these might help others in similar circumstances. Their conclusions:

• If appropriate and possible, affiliate with a national network. This strategy can provide additional legitimacy and professional development opportunities, but it’s not for everyone.
• Build strategic relationships and networks. By cultivating key relationships with peer organizations in your state and other states, you can gain crucial information about funding sources and programmatic innovation.
• Rather than going after "one-off" grants, focus on grant opportunities that can turn into long-term relationships with funders.
• Tailor your program designs to the needs of rural communities. Effective program design can make you more appealing to funders by allowing you to meet per capita grant formulas. It can also attract grantmakers interested in innovation.

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A funder may respond to your proposal in one of several ways. But what should you do after they’ve informed you of their decision? Let’s look at four different scenarios:

A. The funder loves your proposal and wants to fund it fully, just the way it is!

If you’ve planned well and the proposal clearly furthers your agency’s mission, you’re in luck.

1. Thank the funder immediately and graciously. If anyone on your board or staff (or at a partner organization) knows the funder, ask them to thank the funder also.
2. Take time to celebrate with those who supported your effort—your partners, staff members and/or volunteers.
3. Find out how the funder wants this grant to be acknowledged. Do they want a news release? If so, will they issue it, or should you?
4. Read any new documents the funder has provided, and review your proposal. Be sure you know exactly what is expected.
5. Review the funder’s reporting requirements. Review the detailed timetable for your project and make sure the reports are included in it and that the timetable for them is correct and current.
6. Give the timetable to the project director. Make sure the director knows which tasks must begin immediately (hiring/assigning staff, acquiring space, reviewing the evaluation plan with the evaluator.)
7. Get started! It’s not uncommon for a grant recipient to fall three months behind at the beginning of a project. Often that lost time can’t be made up later.

B. The funder will fund your project—but for a smaller amount than requested and/or only after significant changes have been made.

1. Stay calm and stall for time. Say how much you appreciate the funder’s decision, but remind yourself that you planned the budget carefully to support your project and that, with less funding, you cannot do everything you had planned.
2. Explain to the funder that you are not the sole decision-maker and that you need to discuss with others in your organization the changes to be made in your proposal. Ask for a specific amount of time to do this.
3. Consider your alternatives: Can you make up the loss by inviting another funder to step in? (A private funder that likes your proposal enough to fund part of your request may be able to direct you toward other sources of funding.) Will you need to cut the number of people served? Or the number of planned activities? Or the length of time the project will last? How will that affect projected outcomes?
4. Once you arrive at your decision, discuss it with the funder. Always submit changes to your proposal in writing, and always get a written confirmation.
5. Then, and only then, follow the steps listed under A (above).

C. The answer is "No."

1. Keep calm. This is not the end of your career. There will be other opportunities.
2. Thank the funder for considering your proposal. Ask for advice about submitting future proposals to that funder. If it’s a private funder, ask for an appointment to meet in person or by phone to discuss how your proposal might have been improved. (You may not get the appointment, but ask anyway.) Try to find out why you were turned down. Sometimes this happens because a private funder has suddenly changed priorities. They may have loved your idea although they couldn’t fund this proposal. They may be willing to steer you toward more compatible funders in the community. You may have other opportunities with this funder. Even a rejection can sometimes lead to a long and productive relationship with a funder’s staff. If it’s a government funder, say you look forward to seeing the reviewers’ comments, and ask if you may call to discuss them.
3. Put the proposal away and give yourself and your team anywhere from 24 to 72 hours to be really angry.
4. Then drag the proposal out and consider carefully how it might be improved for a resubmission.

D. The answer is "No! No! Never!"

This sounds like a case of real dislike. Funders can, and sometimes do, reject proposals because of personal antipathies or other issues that have nothing to do with the merits of the proposal. Again, thank the funder for considering your proposal. Then, until and unless circumstances change, chalk it up to experience and look for other funders.

Mary Ruth Clowdsley is a consultant trainer for The Grantsmanship Center. She has over 40 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations and as director of grants for an institution of higher education.

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