Developing a successful grant proposal requires good planning and time management. Planning should begin well before funding opportunities are announced. Many successful grants result from collaborative planning efforts that begin up to a year before Requests for Proposals (RFP) are published. As you develop ideas for projects that will need more than $10,000 in grant funds, keep in mind procedures that must be followed, and leave adequate time for the formal approval process within the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
| Responsible person | Task To Be Done | Ideal Amount of Time Needed |
| Planning | ||
| Principal | School develops plans for fundable activities based upon MCPS Strategic Plan, local school improvement plan, or other system wide mandates and initiatives | 270 days |
| Grants Specialist | Sends announcements re funding opportunities to senior managers and posts announcements on the Internet | 1 hr |
| Creation of the First Draft | 15.25 days | |
| Community Superintendents | Decide upon school(s) to apply when more than one MCPS seeks the same grant | 2 days |
| Chief School Performance Officer | Sends a "Decision to Apply Memo" to the Grants Office | 3 hrs |
| Community Superintendent | Authorizes grants office to contact the principal whose school will be authorized to apply for a large grant | 2 hrs |
| Principal | Meets with the Grants Specialist, receives background materials | 2 hrs |
| Hosts first meeting between Grants Specialist and school-based team assembled to write the proposal | 0.05 days | |
| Grants Specialist | presents an overview of the grant program and proposal process to members of the school-based team | 0.25 hrs |
| Principal | assigns staff to write various sections of the proposal | 0.25 hrs |
| School-based Team | Agrees upon timeline for the completion of their assignments | 0.15 hrs |
| Grants Specialist | Sets up tech assistance meeting schedule for team members | 0.15 hrs |
| Principal | Designates a team captain to assemble and proofread sections | 0.05 hrs |
| School-based Team Captain | Monitors team to be sure each member is writing as planned | 9 days |
| Principal | Helps team members to meet internal deadlines | 11 days |
| Grants Specialist | Supports school-based team with research, support letters, editing, revising text | 40 hrs |
| School-based Team Captain | Assembles sections, proofreads, prepares for principal's signature | 2 hrs |
| Principal | Sends signed and approved draft to grant specialist | 3 days |
| Creation of a Final Draft | 2.75 days | |
| Grants Specialist | Collects and edits sections, blends into one | 1 day |
| School-based Team Captain | Carefully proofreads the entire document | 1 hr |
| Grants Specialist | Distributes preliminary draft for team comments | 1 day |
| Principal | Convenes team meeting to review revised draft | 2 hrs |
| School-based Team Captain | Incorporates comments and edits into final draft | 2 hrs |
| Grants Specialist | Distributes final document for review by all stakeholders | 1 hr |
| MCPS Internal Approvals Process | 7 days | |
| School-based Team Captain | Obtain signatures of Principal and Community Supt | 1.5 days |
| Chief School Performance Officer | Draft memo from Deputy Supt requesting Superintendent's | 4 hrs |
| Chief School Performance Officer | Sign off on whole package and send it to Grants office | 4 hrs |
| Grants Specialist | Take proposal signed by Assoc Supt to DMBP, OSD, DSA | 4 hrs |
| Grants Specialist | Obtain signature of COO and/or Deputy Superintendent | 2 days |
| Grants Specialist | Obtains Superintendent's signature | 2 days |
| After Submission of the Application | ||
| Grants Office | Binds, makes copies, delivers proposal to funder | |
| Sends copy to school and stakeholders | ||
| Monitors information to learn about funder's decision | ||
| Manages interim correspondence between funder and MCPS | ||
| Convenes meetings when award is announced to guide schools | ||
| Answers questions before project gets underway | ||
| Budget Specialist | Guides school to ensure that grant is used properly; works with school finance officers and school staff on periodic reporting and prepares schools for audits | |
Dr. Philippa N. Smithey at 301-279-3585
Philippa_Smithey@mpcsmd.org
Montgomery
County Public Schools - Rockville, Maryland