Methods Section: More Money = More Problems...Solved

When writing your grant, Methods = Activities. Methods have other names like objectives & approach. This section is really important, because it is here that you have to convince the funders that you have what it takes to solve the problem or decrease the problem.

Within the Methods section, the first thing you need to do is educate the person that is reading your grant. Tell the reader what method you are using and why. For example are you using a survey, if so why? Are you using a data gathering tool, if so why? Are you using a best practice method, if so why?

The elements of the Methods Section are:

1. Explain to me your rationale for the method or methods you are using

2. Target Population: who is your project going to benefit.? Is it senior citizens aged 55 and up. Are they all male? All female? Or both? How many senior citizens will you recruit... 100? 50? Why are you going to recruit that specific number? Your target population needs to be as specific as possible and your target population needs to make sense to the project and your funders.

3. Outputs: this part is a number’s game. Your outputs need to show benchmarks. For example, after 3 months you will have recruited 30 senior citizens, at 6 months you will have recruited 30 more senior citizens.

4. Staffing: for the most part this section refers to paid employees from the grant. What will the director do to make the project successful? What will the volunteer coordinator do to make the project successful? You also have to explain what are the qualifications for each staff member listed in your grant.

5. Facilities & Equipment: where will your project take place. Will your project take place at all of the community gardens? Will your project take place at your facility? Also what equipment will be used to make your project successful. Computers, fax machines, postage machines…etc.

6. Collaborations: who in your community, businesses or nonprofits are already working with you for the success of your program. These collaborations show that other businesses trust you and are in alignment with your organization’s mission and vision. Most funders will ask for copies of your MOUs or Memoranda of Understanding. These MOUs must be signed and dated by your key partners.

7. You will also need to show that your project for the grant has history and has already been successful.

In conclusion, the methods section of your grant is where you are very specific as to how you will use the requested grant funds to accomplish your project's goals.

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