Helpful Links

Below are links that grantwriters will find useful in their endeavors:

This is the homepage for the U.S. Census Bureau. The data for the 2010 Census has been released but is not as in depth as the 2000 Census. It is good to use a combination of the two to create a picture of your target population. Within the 2010 Census page there is also data on Economics, Governments, American Community, etc. they are conducted annually or every 5 years.

A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies

A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies, for everything that relates to the federal government.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education. Most of this information is on a national scale.

This link will take you to the GaDOE and the Georgia Governor's Office of Student Achievement. Data on the state, local systems and individual schools is available. Much of the data is also broken down by sex, race and subgroups (Students with Disabilities, Migrant, Limited English Proficient, etc).

Independent Sector - Value of Volunteer Time. Often cost sharing or match is required by a funder. This site is the acknowledge expert resources on volunteer time.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics annually updates wage estimates by region and occupation. This site provides specific wage values for skilled volunteers/positions by job title and state region. The regions cover most metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas by state.

U.S. General Services Administration, this federal office sets lodging and meals rates for all areas of the country. These travel rates are recognized by all types of funders as an acceptable way to value future travel on a grant application.

**Guidestar.org published this great article on the Anatomy of a Grant Proposal.**

Check out these tool kits, guides, and articles on grant writing basics:

Basic Grant Writing from Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc. includes practical tips for researching grants and writing a proposal, including what actions to take when the grant has been received or denied.
Grantwriting: Basics for Beginners, from grant writing expert Carol Geisbauer is invaluable for people who are new to grant writing.
University of Kansas's Community Tool Box contains information on almost every aspect of nonprofits, including a guide for writing a grant that includes an outline of the important components of a grant proposal.

Check out these resources for more in-depth information and guidance on specific components of a grant proposal:

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence, United Way of Central New Mexico, has shared how-to guides about the specific components that most grant proposals should include.
- Grant Writing Toolkit—Needs Statement will help you draft a needs statement, one of the first and most important components of any proposal.
- Grant Writing Toolkit—Program Plan will guide you through writing a program plan for your proposal.
Grantwriting—Program Development, from Carol Geisbauer Grantwriting, addresses program development—an important first step that can, when done right, facilitate the process of grant writing.
Samples of Grant Proposal Components contains a compilation of samples for each of the 11 components of a grant proposal. It was assembled with permission from successfully funded grant proposals shared on IdeaEncore for a series that appeared in GrantStation.
If You Evaluate It, They Will Fund: Program Evaluation Essentials, a presentation from Cecilia Harris on Nonprofit Webinars, discusses the importance of program evaluation in attracting grants and foundation funding.