For your blog this week, I'd like you to read others' blogs. Find one direct quote that someone else has written that is particularly telling (perhaps over a post on Chapter 7), and write in your blog why it was useful to either/or that person or you.
“Grant writing is really refreshing for me because you get to see more tangibly whether you have been persuasive or not. If you get the grant, you know you were persuasive. Not many writing situations have that clear a yard stick to measure one's rhetorical performance.”
Lennie Irvin, EnCore Wizard Extraordinaire
You know, Lennie’s comment really brought home how invested he is in his project and how invested I’m not, at least not yet, or at least not at the moment. I’ve suffered some communication setbacks and it’s really cooled my enthusiasm. That’s OK – I’m visiting my contact person in her office today and I’ll be getting back on track.
I have to admit to some admiration (just some—not a lot ; )) for Lennie. He’s been on the EnCore train for years now, and he hasn’t given up. I have a short attention span, and whether I’m being brilliant or dull, I have difficult sticking with the same project for a long time. Lennie, though—he’s like a bulldog with the MOO project as a way to benefit writing instruction. I know it sounds cheesy, but he does set a good example for the rest of us.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Week Six - Advance Planning
Buy-in from the organization
This is the part where I’m having problems. I seem to be talking to the wrong folks, or just not using the right contact methods. I’m a pretty high-tech kind of guy, and email works wonders in my world. But it doesn’t seem to be getting much of a response from my audience, and I’m going to have to break down and start the in-person assault. While this may sound logical and simple, it’s not: the church staff are, like other staff people, quite busy, and I never know when someone will be in a meeting. Additionally, church staff are typically WAY underpaid, so it’s difficult to blame someone for taking an unexpected vacation day.
What kinds of people or resources will you need if your project is funded?
I think we’ll just need someone to buy the equipment.
Is my idea unique?
Yes and no. It’s unique in that I’m a regular church member who’s pursuing a grant for the church. It’s not unique in that the Children’s Ministry staff tried, and failed, to get some grant money a few years ago.
Is my idea timely?
Definitely. The children’s program is growing, and they’re hiring more and more teachers and teaching assistants.
Is my idea urgent?
I’m not sure how to answer that. I know that the church might be able to get CPR training through one of the local hospitals, but I suspect it’ll be far more costly in the long run. Something to look into.
Is my idea compelling?
It is if you have children.
If my idea is funded and the project implemented, will this project capitalize on my organization’s strengths?
Yes, because this particular church is dedicated to children and their safety. It will also play to another of our strengths: organization and training. We’re good at that.
If my idea is funded and the project implemented, will this project help overcome some of my organization’s weaknesses?
Um, not sure. In my opinion, it will just add strength to a stable area.
If my idea is funded and the project implemented, will this project significantly help the target audience?
Yes, because (as I stated above) our children’s ministry is growing quickly, more quickly than our church’s building can accommodate in fact. This will help add to our target audience while making a compelling argument for increasing funds towards a new education building.
This is the part where I’m having problems. I seem to be talking to the wrong folks, or just not using the right contact methods. I’m a pretty high-tech kind of guy, and email works wonders in my world. But it doesn’t seem to be getting much of a response from my audience, and I’m going to have to break down and start the in-person assault. While this may sound logical and simple, it’s not: the church staff are, like other staff people, quite busy, and I never know when someone will be in a meeting. Additionally, church staff are typically WAY underpaid, so it’s difficult to blame someone for taking an unexpected vacation day.
What kinds of people or resources will you need if your project is funded?
I think we’ll just need someone to buy the equipment.
Is my idea unique?
Yes and no. It’s unique in that I’m a regular church member who’s pursuing a grant for the church. It’s not unique in that the Children’s Ministry staff tried, and failed, to get some grant money a few years ago.
Is my idea timely?
Definitely. The children’s program is growing, and they’re hiring more and more teachers and teaching assistants.
Is my idea urgent?
I’m not sure how to answer that. I know that the church might be able to get CPR training through one of the local hospitals, but I suspect it’ll be far more costly in the long run. Something to look into.
Is my idea compelling?
It is if you have children.
If my idea is funded and the project implemented, will this project capitalize on my organization’s strengths?
Yes, because this particular church is dedicated to children and their safety. It will also play to another of our strengths: organization and training. We’re good at that.
If my idea is funded and the project implemented, will this project help overcome some of my organization’s weaknesses?
Um, not sure. In my opinion, it will just add strength to a stable area.
If my idea is funded and the project implemented, will this project significantly help the target audience?
Yes, because (as I stated above) our children’s ministry is growing quickly, more quickly than our church’s building can accommodate in fact. This will help add to our target audience while making a compelling argument for increasing funds towards a new education building.
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