BY DAY 5 OF WEEK 1

Comment on at least three of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:

· Respond to colleague whose interests are similar to yours and share more about why these interests are important to you.

· Respond to a colleague who shared something about which you know little and ask questions to gain more insight about the issue.

Continue to engage in the Discussion until it ends on Day 7.

MOZETTA

PROJECT IDEAS

WEEK 1 DISCUSSION: MAIN POST

Part A:

Describe your previous grant-writing experiences and explain what are, in your opinion, the most challenging aspects of grant writing. If you have not had previous grant-writing experience, what are some challenges you might anticipate and why? Describe the work you are currently involved in for which you might pursue funding.

Part B:

Post your project idea, explaining the needs it will meet. Explain why this project might be attractive to potential funders and distinguish it from others that have addressed the same problem.

Part A:

             I do not have any experience with grant-writing.  As a novice, I think that every aspect of grant-writing will be challenging for me, however for this assignment I will discuss two areas that were highlighted in this week’s resources.   Initially I will be challenged with reviewing the webpages of state, federal, or private agencies for instructions regarding the giving priorities and specific types of projects they are seeking to fund.  (Flavin, R. 204). Following instructions in an RFP (Request for Funding) or a funding announcement is a blueprint for success. According to Flavin, not following the instructions in the RFP or funding announcement is the number one reason grant proposals are not funded.  I recognize this is a challenge for me because I know that after completing a task and reviewing my work, I notice that I missed one element that was required for the task.

            I think that  I will be challenged with is writing a problem statement. Certified Grants Specialist, Latrina Patrick advises that writing a problem statement sets the foundation for the grant. I think that I will be challenged with this portion of the grant proposal because I do not know who will have the demographic data that I will need to cite the needs assessment.

            Another challenge for me is knowing that there are so many moving pieces to grant-writing, for example if I wanted to apply for a grant with the NIH (National Institutes of Health), I would need to register for an account to prepare for the grant.  (Gitlin, L.N., Kolanowski, A., & Lyons, K.J. 2021)

            I am a child protective social worker with the Guilford County Department of Health & Human Services: Division of Social Services, recruitment, training, licensing, and retention of foster parents.  I could possibly apply for a grant to support and retain foster parents.

Part B:

Project Idea: Retention and support of foster parents.  There has been a significant drop in the number of licensed foster parents in Guilford County, North Carolina.   Pre-pandemic there were over 100 licensed foster homes and presently there are less 86 licensed foster homes with Guilford County DHHS-DSS. This project will be attractive to potential funders because retaining licensed foster parents will significantly reduce the number of children in foster care who must be placed in foster homes located out of Guilford County, thus reducing travel time and logistics required to facilitate visits between children and their birth parents.  Goldberg, A. E., Brodzinsky, D., Singer, J., & Crozier, P. (2021) reveal in their research that attorneys were critical of the cessation of in-person visits and viewed this as a serious threat to child-parent bonds and reunification. It is also anticipated my project, the retention and support of foster parents will lead to a higher rate of reunification.

                                                                            References

Flavin, R. (2014). Tips for writing a winning grant proposal. 
Tech Directions, 74(1), 18–19.

G Vision Consulting. (2014, February 17). 

Day 1: What is a grant?
 Who is eligible to apply?.Links to an external site.

 [Video file].

Goldberg, A. E., Brodzinsky, D., Singer, J., & Crozier, P. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on child welfare-involved families: Implications for parent–child reunification and child welfare professionals. 
Developmental Child Welfare, 
3(3), 203–224. 

https://doi.org/10.1177/25161032211045257Links to an external site.

Grant Writing – What Foundations Look For

Gitlin, L.N., Kolanowski, A., & Lyons, K.J. (2021).
 Successful grant writing: Strategies for health and human service professionals. 

· Chapter 1, “Why Write a Grant?” (pp. 4–27)

· Chapter 2, “Becoming Familiar With Funding Sources” (pp. 31–50)

· Chapter 3, “Developing Your Ideas for Funding” (pp. 54–65)

· Chapter 4, “Infrastructure to Support Grantsmanship” (pp. 69–68)

Jaykus, L.A. (2017). Keys to successful grant writing. Journal of Food Science.  82 (7), 1511-1512.

BRACY

   I have no grant-writing experience what-so-ever. However, I am in desperate need of these skills fore I am currently exploring the possibility of becoming an independent researcher. In fact, I have made a conscious decision to pursue a research endeavor that is both a personal matter and passion. I intend to describe this passion in much more detail in future discussions.

   Some of the challenges I anticipate include but are not limited to finding sources, knowing deadlines, process, and procedure matters, as well as funding types and qualifications (my/organizational qualifications). I currently work a government job and not a professional or full=time independent researcher yet. At some point I hope to be a full-time independent researcher. The work I am currently doing or considering is a qualitative methodological study with an ethnography design examining the collective and shared characteristics of a tribal organization.

   The project idea explores the possibility an ancient culture has tribal descendants living among us still today. In addition, the origins of the ancient culture as previously proposed is in question.  Recent archeological evidence (Blitz, 2010) indicate previously proposed ideology is flawed and lacks empirical evidence. This research proposal is designed to provide new, credible, and innovative information to the current body of knowledge which contradicts varying aspects of the current theorem.  

                                                                                                                      Reference

Blitz, J. H. (2010). New perspectives in Mississippian archaeology. Journal of Archaeological Research, 18, 1-39.

CHRISTINA

Part A:

Describe your previous grant-writing experiences and explain what are, in your opinion, the most challenging aspects of grant writing. If you have not had previous grant-writing experience, what are some challenges you might anticipate and why? Describe the work you are currently involved in for which you might pursue funding.

My previous grant-writing experiences could be improved. According to Gitlin, Kolanowski, & Lyons (2021), I am at a novice level because I have a great idea with funding potential. Still, I have not gained direct experience writing a grant, securing external funding, or overseeing a grant program. Some challenges include that the process seems overwhelming. I need more connections within the research field and am at the beginning stages of my career. I must build my credentials, connections, and career to begin the process. 

Part B:

Post your project idea, explaining the needs it will meet. Explain why this project might be attractive to potential funders, and distinguish it from others that have addressed the same problem.

My project idea includes the need for an accredited counseling program in my area. I live in a rural area of South Carolina, and many programs and trainings are over an hour’s drive each way. There is a high demand for licensed therapists for all ages and populations in my area. There are two large agencies and two private practices in the area. Each of these agencies has waiting lists of more than six months. Mental health issues have increased since the pandemic, affecting individuals as young as toddlers and senior citizens. 

Reference

Gitlin, L.N., Kolanowski, A., & Lyons, K.J. (2021). Successful grant writing: Strategies for health and human service professionals (5th ed). Springer Publishing Company.

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