Mary E' Thomas and Louise Crone

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New SAR Initiatives Fund (NIF) Strike oil with
your NIF proposal

• Mary E. Thomas and Louise Crone
• Coordination, NSS
• SARSCENE 2004
• Calgary, AB

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Purpose

• To learn how to produce and refine a NIF proposal
  that will strike oil

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• Do you want money from the federal government to
  improve your SAR groups operation?
• Do you have an idea that would improve the safety
  of SAR operators or prevent incidents from
  occurring ?
• You need to write a funding proposal.
• Through the New SAR Initiatives Fund, NSS invites
  SAR applicants to apply for funds. Always more
  proposals than money
• Being able to strike oil with your funding
  proposal is a valuable skill

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First/Tout dabord

• Come up with a brilliant idea to revolutionize
  SAR!
• Pensez à une idée qui transformera radicalement
  la RS!

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Know your project/Connaissez votre projet

• Do your homework! Faites vos devoirs!
• Research so you know the rationale for your
  project, how it can be carried out, the resources
  you will need, and who can get the job done
• Faites de la recherche pour bien savoir la
  justification pour le projet, comment le
  réaliser, les ressources requises, et qui
  pourrait accomplir le travail

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Gathering Background Information

• You need to gather the background information
  in three areas
• concept
• program, and
• expenses

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a. Concept

• Have a good sense of how the project fits into
  the philosophy and mission of NIF
• Document the need that the proposal is addressing
  collect background data on your organization as
  well as on the need
• Articulate the concepts well in the proposal. NSS
  and the NIF Merit Board reviewers want to know
  that a project reinforces the overall direction
  of NIF to improve SAR
• Convince us that the case for the project is
  compelling

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b. Program

• Checklist of program information you need
• nature of the project and how it will be
  conducted
• timetable for the project
• anticipated outcomes and how best to evaluate the
  results and
• staffing and volunteer needs

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c. Expenses

• You may not be able to pin down all expenses
  until the program details and timing have been
  worked out
• Main financial data gathering takes place after
  the narrative part of proposal has been written.
  Sketch out broad outlines of the budget to be
  sure that the costs are in reasonable proportion
  to the outcomes you anticipate. If costs are
  prohibitive, scale back your plans or adjust them
  to remove the least cost-effective expenditures

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Its in the details

• Details will differ for each project
• Successful applicants always show a deep
  understanding
• Imagine that you want funding to replace SAR
  climbing equipment
• To show you know your project, get estimates
  from potential contractors so you can cite
  convincing statistics to document the specific
  amount of funding you're requesting

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Get organized

• NIF applications require persuasive writing
• To be convincing, show savvy NIF reviewers that
  NIF funds will be well spent
• Heres how.

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Know your audience

• NSS has a mission. NIF has a purpose and
  objectives
• Do some homework to find out about the
  objectives, plans and priorities of the NSS
• Study past NIF projects
• Study the NIF Program Guide and applications form
  for clues
• Read SARSCENE magazine and other SAR periodicals
• SAR newsletters and brochures will give you
  further information that can help you demonstrate
  how funding your project will help NSS reach its
  goals

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Follow instructions

• Take the NIF guidelines seriously
• Provide what is requested
• Supply all the information requested, in the
  order requested

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Next

• Find a NIF Sponsor
• Convince them about the proposal
• Find partners and other funds
• Develop and write a convincing proposal

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1. Decide which facts or statistics best support
the project.

• Be sure the data are accurate
• If too generic or broad will not help you develop
  a winning argument for your project
• If it does not relate to your organization or the
  project you are presenting entire proposal may be
  questioned
• Balance - information presented and scale of the
  program

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2. Give the reviewer hope

• The picture you paint should not be so grim that
  the solution appears hopeless
• NSS will wonder whether an investment in a
  solution will be worthwhile
• Here's an example of a solid statement of need
• Cold water hypothermia kills. But statistics
  prove that wearing full body floatation suits
  reduces the likelihood of death. Hence, a
  prevention program to encourage wearing the full
  body suits will reduce the risk of death due to
  hypothermia."
• Avoid overstatement and overly emotional appeals

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3. Decide if yours could be a pilot project

• Only for certain types of projects
• Don't try if it doesn't fit
• Document how the problem you are addressing
  occurs in other communities
• Be sure to explain how your solution could be a
  solution for others as well

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4. Is it reasonable to portray the need as acute?

• Are you asking NSS to pay more attention to your
  proposal because your problem is worse than
  others or the solution you propose makes more
  sense than others?
• Example of a balanced but weighty statement
• Drowning is a national problem. Each day,
  Canadians across the country die from drowning.
  In the North the problem is worse. More people
  drown there. It is an epidemic. Hence, water
  safety prevention program is needed more in the
  North than in any other part of the country."

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5. Can you demonstrate that your program
addresses the need differently or better than
other projects that preceded it?

• Often difficult to describe the need for your
  project without being critical. Be careful not to
  do so, it will not be well received. We may look
  more carefully at your project to see why you
  felt you had to build your case that way. NSS may
  have invested in these other projects or may
  begin to consider them, now that you have brought
  them to their attention
• Make it clear that you are aware of, and on good
  terms with, other SAR providers. We are
  interested in collaboration and partnership.
  Describe how your work complements, but does not
  duplicate, the work of others

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6. Avoid circular reasoning

• In circular reasoning, the absence of your
  solution is the actual problem. Then your
  solution is offered as the way to solve the
  problem
• For example "The problem is that we have no SAR
  resources in our community. Providing funding for
  the resources will solve the problem"
• A more persuasive case would cite what SAR
  resources have meant to a neighboring community.
  Refer to a survey that underscores the SAR teams
  planned usage of the equipment and conclude with
  the connection between the proposed usage and
  potential benefits to SAR
• The statement of need does not have to be long
  and involved. Short, concise information captures
  the reader's attention

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Proposal Summary of proposal

• the what
• umbrella statement/summary of your case and
  summary of the entire proposal
• Executive Summary

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Need

• Why the project is necessary
• Provides information about the issues
• Presents the facts and evidence that support the
  need, establishes that you understand the
  problems and can reasonably address them. The
  information used to support the case can come
  from authorities in the field, as well as from
  your own experience
• Make this section succinct, yet persuasive.
  Assemble all the arguments. Present them in a
  logical sequence that will readily convince the
  reader of their importance. Consider the
  following

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Solution

• nuts and bolts of how the project willbe
  implemented and evaluated

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Project sustainability

• Think about maintenance, insurance, repair costs
• Indicate what will happen after the NIF funding
  is complete to sustain the work in the community
  

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Target audience

• What is the best way to reach them with your
  initiative?
• more narrowly-focused target audience generally
  more effective

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Management plan

• the overall project is broken down into smaller
  more manageable steps that will allow you to
  accomplish your goal(s).
• REMEMBER
• Once the project is approved and implemented, you
  will need to report against the management plan
  every quarter to report on your progress.

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Communications plan

• how will you let people know about the project
  and what it does for SAR?
• Who is your target audience?
• Provide data

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Budget

• one of the most important sections,
• and one that generally gets the most scrutiny

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Cost-sharing

• All projects must be cost-shared to some extent,
  and the greater the percentage of cost-sharing,
  the greater number of points are awarded by the
  Merit Board.

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For more information

• NSS
• Peter M. Howe phowe_at_nss.gc.ca
• Director, Coordination
• Mary E. Thomas mthomas_at_nss.gc.ca
• Sr. Programs Officer
• Louise Crone lcrone_at_nss.gc.ca
• Program Officer
• Andria George-Worth ageorge-worth_at_nss.gc.ca
• Coordination Officer
• Bill Pryde bpryde_at_nss.gc.ca
• Sr. Finance Officer