“ Without data , our assertions are simply anecdotal .”
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CASE STUDY | grant proposals
Three SAVI tips for writing better grant proposals
“ Without data , our assertions are simply anecdotal .”
— Tysha Hardy-Sellers Edna Martin Christian Center
The Edna Martin Christian Center ( EMCC ) has been an anchor of the Martindale- Brightwood neighborhood on the near-northeast side of Indianapolis for generations . It began in 1941 as a children ’ s after-school program . Now it provides a full range of services , from job training to child care .
Over the years , EMCC has adopted new tools to some familiar challenges . In 2015 , for example , it incorporated data from SAVI ’ s Poverty Trends Report and the data on the SAVI website in a grant proposal for a crime-prevention program . It used the data to pinpoint several crime “ hotspots ” in the area . EMCC also used SAVI to identify several local organizations that it could partner with to combat non-violent crime , including a local university , churches , and other nonprofits .
EMCC received the grant . As a result , it established a program that helps youth explore career options in science , technology , engineering , the arts , and math . It also established a program that helps adults gain the credentials they need to get a job . These programs helped place 50 adults in full or part-time jobs and 30 teens in part-time jobs or internships .
The data supplied by SAVI was critical to the proposal ’ s success , according to Tysha Hardy-Sellers , EMCC ’ s executive director . “ Without data , our assertions are simply anecdotal ,” she says . “ The data provides the evidence to make the case for our interventions and promotion efforts .”
Beyond a solid grounding in evidence , EMCC ’ s application had two hallmarks of strong proposals .
First , it put forward a specific solution to a well-defined problem .
“ Everyone has a problem they ’ re trying to address ,” says Kim Donahue , director of agency services for United Way of Central Indiana . “ But to be able to point out exactly what the deficiencies are , and what works , and how neighborhoods are developing , adds a perspective that funders value .”
SAVI has brief histories and descriptions of communities across Central Indiana , and EMCC added depth and context to its proposal by incorporating some of that analysis .
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