Intl.

Funding
Association Newsletter

Writing

For

Action

This month in WFA

We discuss using grants to
secure international funding
to support small, local
organizations to
Improve our World

Vol. 6, Issue 4

In this Issue

Grant Writing: A
Valuable Tool for
Funding Professionals

Grants help small,

locally focused
organizations get
startedGrants make a
difference on a local
and global scale

International Grant
Writing:

As International funding
professionals, activists, and
students, we know the
importance of getting money
where it needs to go, but dont
always know the best way to
reach our goals. Developing
grant-writing skills across
national boundaries helps
funding professionals be m ore
successful, so we can have a
greater impact on our world.

Page 1:
--Professor DAmico
--What is Grant Writing?
Page 2:
--Writers Tips:
Writing an International
Grant
--Problems in International
Grant Writing

Writing grants involves putting

together a proposal; based on a
specific organizations
guidelines. Often, writers m ust
include budgets, implementation
plans, and ways to monitor or
evaluate the results. Grant
writing is not poetrythere are
few points for creativity. Follow
the guidelines for each specific
proposal to have the best chance
at securing funding, so that your
organization can succeed.

By James Clinton
International Funding Association

Previous Work:

Dr. Linda DAmico

Global Studies Professor

Winona State University

--Founded DECOIN, a
human rights
organization in rural
Ecuador.
--Has written many
successful grants to
promote
environmental
sustainability.
--Has reviewed
grants for the
Fulbright Foundation.

Linda DAmico: Making a

Difference, one grant at a time
Dr. Linda DAmico knows a thing or two about
the importance of international grant writing.

By writing successful international grants,
DAmico has funded watershed conservation and
food security projects in rural Ecuador. Through
DECOIN, DAmico has financed community
education campaigns on environmental
protection and the impacts of open-pit mining.

When asked about the importance of good grant
writing skills, DAmico did not hesitate.
Grant writing is invaluable if you want to make
a difference internationally. They can empower
communities as well as global regions. Grants
make a difference on a local and global scale.

Writing

Only when you properly understand who
you are writing
for can you enact

meaningful change

For

Action

--Linda DAmico

Writers Tips:

Common Problems when

Writing Grants

Writing a Successful Grant

International grants can change a
community, a country, and the
world for the better. But first, the
grant needs to be successful.

Here are two of Linda DAmicos
tips for writing grants for
international organizations:

Look at the Mission
Statement:
The language in your grant
should echo the language of
the foundation to which you
are applying. A foundations
mission statement or listed
goals are a perfect place to
start when crafting a grant.

Know your
Constituents:
Nothing kills a grant faster
than a writer not knowing
what they are applying for.
In international grant writing
this can be difficult, because
of the different cultures
usually involved. In order to
properly represent your
constituents interests, Dr.
DAmico recommends
immersing yourself in their
culture.

Images taken from the

following websites:

http://codelcoecuador.com
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada
/2009/11/22/copper_mesa_sued_for_al
leged_assault.html

Why the World needs

Grant Funding
Dr. DAmico has used DECOIN and grant
writing to finance organized resistance
against open pit mining companies since
the early 1990s.

View the examples above of community protests
and mining company aggression since the 1990s

Grant writing is extremely

competitive: many skilled writers
apply for the same grants, and not all
projects get funded. To separate
your grants, make sure to avoid
these common mistakes:

Applying to the wrong place:
Funding foundations receive many
grants, and do not have time to try
and figure out if your project fits
their goals. Your grant needs to
immediately address why your
project fits with the foundations
mission. If this seems difficult, you
might be applying to the wrong
foundation.

Getting Creative:
This isnt a creative writing course.
Dont add anything that isnt
specifically asked for in the grant
application guideline, and make sure
to put everything in the proper
order.

Cultural Confusion:
Foundations are based all over the
world; make sure your grant fits the
cultural norms of the country you
are applying to. For example, dont
put a budget in US dollars when you
are applying to a German
foundationtranslate accordingly!

Now its your turn!

Organizations to consider
when applying for grants:

Hivos International (Dutchbased)

Ford Foundation (US-based)
Big Lottery Fund (UK-based)