Power of Good

guidelines for grant writing at two breakout sessions offered to attendees of Elevate. "e main thing I learned in the grant-writing class is to be clear and concise," said Ira Bates Jr., development director, Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Alabama. "Do your research, find out the things you need to know about the foundation before you make the ask." "Many foundations have different requirements for grant applications," richardson said. "It's important you read and understand the guidelines before you submit the application, or it could cost you the grant." richardson said common mistakes include failing to follow instructions, lack of clarity, asking for too much too soon, requesting the entire project cost from one source, overestimating costs, lack of partnerships and including too many document attachments. Another common mistake is using words such as "innovative" and "unique." She said applications don't stand out if they are just carbon copies of one another. "One of the most costly, and most common mistakes, is also the easiest one to avoid," richardson said. "If your application contains extensive grammar and spelling errors, that sends a red flag. If you can't take the time to proofread your work and ensure you are doing the job correctly, it sends a poor message. Take the time to proofread your application." In addition to learning to avoid mistakes and becoming familiar with grant guidelines, attendees were also given tips on how to make a strong case for funding and the importance of assessing organizational capacity. "It was wonderful," said Patti Yancey, executive director of the Liberty Learning Foundation. "ere were a lot of good questions and a lot of good feedback." For more information on grant writing or Kimberly richardson Consulting LLC, visit the website at www.kimrichardsonconsulting.com. 7 ELEVATE CONFERENCE Top: Charles McCrary speaks at Elevate dinner; center: luncheon aerial; bottom: Zeke Smith speaks at Elevate luncheon PowerofGood.com | Fall 2013

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