Welcome, everyone, to Midday magazine for this January 18th, 2023.
Have your host James J. Malaferi, and we're welcoming in on the phone.
Our good friend Kayla Rumbalski, Community Development Educator with UW-Madison
Extension Wood County.
Kayla, good afternoon to you.
Good afternoon, James.
How are you doing?
Well, how have you been?
I'm good.
Good.
I've done a little cold, but I have to tell myself that we were pretty spoiled
earlier on in this winter season.
And so now this is just, this is what we get, right?
Yeah.
And sometimes you get what you get and you don't pitch a fit.
Exactly.
We know this is only going to make our spring that much more greener and everything.
So we've got good things on the way and we've got good things to talk about today.
Kayla, we're going to talk grant writing today.
We sure are.
Yeah, it's an important topic and, you know, in the work that I do and in the work
that my extension colleagues do as well as local nonprofits and different groups that we serve.
You know, they're all doing important work, but they need money to get it done.
And so often that comes from writing grants, from fundraising and those types of things.
So we've got some I and my colleagues have a helpful resource for folks who are looking
at writing grants.
Yeah, you guys have a grant writing workshop coming up.
We do.
Yeah, so there are two days you can do it both in the evening if you would prefer that.
So for folks that are maybe serving on a nonprofit board.
I'm involved in some of the grant writing efforts for that nonprofit or just, you know, really busy
during the day and want to take some time in the evening to dedicate to it.
We're offering that option and then also during the day option for folks that that works better for.
So the dates of this grant writing workshop, both are virtual.
You can do it from the comfort of your, you know, living room in your pajamas.
If you need to, the dates are Monday, February 26th, from 6 to 8 p.m.
And that following Wednesday, February 28th, from 9 to 11 a.m.
Kayla, if you don't mind, let's kind of get into the outline of this, not only the workshop,
but details of grant writing itself.
I think this is going to be really informative for people, whether you work for a nonprofit or a
business, whether you're ever going to write a grant or not, chances are you are affected by
grant writing. You are affected by these things. Almost everybody has a connection to a nonprofit
or a charity or something. And oftentimes as you touched on, they get their funding from grant
writing, understanding a little bit more of the behind the curtain is, I think, very important
to people nowadays. Most people want to know how the sausage is made now.
They want to know the inside details. I think this is a really interesting chance to get
some insight into that. When it comes to grant writing and you first approached this topic,
what was one of the first things that you learned about it?
Oh, that's a great question. So I think what I love about grant writing and the topic of
grant writing is the skills that you use in writing a good grant or program proposal are really
translatable into writing all sorts of things. So essentially, you're convincing a group of
funders to pick your project, to support you with a financial contribution, to whatever
cause, whatever program that you're working on, that you're passionate about. But that skill
translates to resumes and cover letters. Same kind of thing. You're maybe not asking for money.
I mean, you are, essentially, if you're asking for a salary, but you're asking for someone to
pick you over all the other applicants that have come in for that job. So it really is, I think
grant writing is a skill that can be practiced over time, just the same way writing is. But it's a
skill that's translatable to many different things, not just doing grant writing.
When I first started working with Wisconsin Rabbits Community Theatre, more behind the scenes,
and not just on stage, this was one of the first things I learned about was so much of the
funding coming from grant writing. And I never realized, to me, okay, you want a grant,
we'll apply for it. End of story. I didn't realize it involved so much more than that.
Right. It does. There are definitely some nuances involved in writing for grants. And
in knowing how to write a really strong and clear grant application. And that is what this
training is all about. So it's going to take folks through grants 101, starting from what is
a grant? Like when we say grants, what are we talking about? When we say, you know, applying for
funding, what are we talking about through the common grant application, and what to complete,
what are some helpful hints in completing that, and then all the way through to actually picking out
and looking for funders. So that can be a hard part of it too, right? Maybe you have a program
that you're excited about, but you don't know who would be a good fit. There are tons of
foundations and private entities that give out funds each year. You need to be able to
to track those down to find who would fit your project and who could be just as passionate about
your project as you are. Yeah. Kayla, this was one of my first questions that I had was,
do you guys help people finding those those grantors, those people that you would be sending this to?
Because I think that's the other part of this that is a little bit of a mystery for people is
who is funding these projects? Where are these grants being sent to? Right. We do. That's that's part
of the curriculum for this two-hour class. We start with looking at how to research funders
where to find that information, and you'll see that there are a number of services, like if you
start to look for grant writing, and do some of your own research, you can find a number of
services that you can pay for that will give you access to different directories and lists
to be able to to seek funders. But there are also a number of things that you don't actually
need to pay for. There's there's a list that we have as part of this class. Again, free of charge
the classes. I don't think I've done that yet. That you'll be able to review. So a resource list
full of resources on different foundations and what they fund, what they're interested in,
both locally and then also at a state and at a state and a federal level as well across the United
States. Kayla, this workshop also seems like it would be beneficial even if you were and I'm not
sure the proper wording for this, but a grand tour. If you were somebody who was on the other side
of this, it feels like it may even be beneficial for you as well. Yes, definitely. So give you
some insight into what the folks that are coming to you seeking funds are doing in preparation.
And maybe if you're looking to revamp your granting process. So for example, just to put this
into into perspective, the county has an economic development grant process. And we are actually
with the seed committee. So seed is a county board level committee and it stands for conservation,
education and economic development. And that committee is looking at reviewing or revamping their
grants process. And so we actually, when we were looking at the application form, we looked at some
of the questions that are asked in what's called the common grant application form. So this is
something that in the state of Wisconsin, many funders have gotten together to put together
a common grant application. And so it is a list of the questions that most grants ask for
and kind of outlines what you should be prepared to do. And the great thing about that common
grant application is that if there is a funder that's using that, you don't have to recreate the
wheel each time you're writing a grant application. You kind of know what to expect
then and can have that, you know, canned and ready to go. So it's great for everyone, you know,
interested in granting and the process of seeking funds through grants, whether that is the
grantor or the, you know, the applicant, the project or program that's applying for funds.
Yeah, it's noteworthy, I think, too, because when it comes to not only the granting and all that
and who is granting it, but the idea that there is the resource there. I think so many people,
there are so many things that started grassroots, it started from the bottom and people thinking,
well, I don't know how to get this off the ground or how I would make this happen. And it was a
grant that helped them make it happen. It started the whole thing. I think that's a,
know where they part of this process. Yes, definitely. And you know, it all comes down to writing
skills, as I mentioned earlier. So it's about telling the story and making that funder as passionate
about the project that you're working on as you are and making it so that they can't say no,
right? They just have to, if you tell, if you craft the story right, if you tell a compelling argument,
they have to say yes, they want to join in on your project. And sometimes grants are not the
best, not the best opportunity for funds as well. So in this class, we kind of cover when to look
for a grant and when maybe maybe a different option is better than seeking out a grant.
And those kinds of situations can be tough for a person, especially if you're very close to the
situation to be able to tell sometimes. Exactly. Yeah. There's definitely some nuance there in
terms of crafting the right application and knowing how your project fits. And Kayla, especially
with what I'm going back to what you're saying about sort of an outline of this, are most
grantors, they do, they are, they used to kind of getting this certain specific outline with these
bullet points to it. Similar to when you're first learning how to fill out, make a resume,
and maybe you buy an outline, you're getting outline of free outline of how to, you know, do this
and insert your own information into that resume. Is it sort of like that? Definitely. Yep,
it's sort of like that. So there, there are a couple of key pieces within all grants. So you're
most likely going to have to submit your organization information and background, a project program
description, a statement on how that's going to be evaluated, and then a statement on, on your
budget or on other funding that you might have coming in for this project. You'll also of course
have to go into some information about who you're going to serve and the specifics of the grant
itself, and then usually you will have a cover letter with that as well as, you know, submitting the
grant narrative, which is actually just the story of what you're, what you're telling, and then
the budget on, on top of that. So, um, so we'll go through all of that within this curriculum
for this grant writing workshop and also talk about, you know, okay, here's the basics. So anyone
just like, just like when you're, you're writing a resume, right? Maybe you've never done it before
and you're crafting your first resume. You can go on Google, you can search and find these common,
you know, resume templates and kind of come up with the basics on your own, but if you talk to
perhaps someone who's in HR or someone who is seeing a lot of those resumes, a hiring manager,
they could probably give you some inside scoop as to, you know, here's how you define yourself.
Here's how you make this, this resume stronger. And the same is true for grant writing. So, as you're
looking to craft that first, um, grant application, you know, this course really can help you, um, learn,
sort of what, what will set your, um, what your, what will set your grants apart? And then also,
what are the common mistakes people make? And the mistakes are, are everything from, you know, just
not following instruction to, um, you know, maybe, uh, not being transparent, not being clear.
And so we'll kind of go through each of those details, um, in, in the workshop.
We're speaking with Kayla Rumbalski Community Development Educator for the UW-Madison Extension
Wood County. Kayla, we're talking about the, I should say, I'm talking about this with you and
approaching this in many ways as, uh, kind of from a nonprofit perspective. Um, but if I'm a business
or if I can be completely honest with you in the audience, like I always try to journalistically be,
I have a Simpsons One Man show, uh, that I've been working on for years where I do every voice of
every Simpsons character and I do them badly, but, um, and, and I don't see this happening, but I'm
going to keep trying. If I wanted to try to get that off the ground, I'm not being serious. It's
just a weird example. Um, could that be something that I go and seek out a grant for?
Yes and no. Give me a tough one, Kayla, give me a tough one. That's always the answer to things,
right? Yes, but, yes, I know. It's always a great area. Um, so your Simpsons One Man show,
we're going to run with this example because I'm afraid. Um, if you were to find the right
funder, I don't know that it would be called a grant in the formal, you know, in the formal process
in terms of grants, but I bet that there is probably a funder out there who, um, is looking to,
to fund new performance art. They're looking to, to find the latest and greatest new musical,
or, um, you know, the Hamilton, the, the very next Hamilton. They're, they're, they're looking for
that. And so most likely, I don't know that it would be a formal grant process, but they're,
they're probably, um, taking auditions or, or reading manuscripts the same way, um, that a,
a granting team, a review team, would look at a proposal that you've submitted. So the skills
are the same. Now, whether you can go to, let's say, the, the Walmart foundation,
and, um, you know, pitch them your Simpsons One Man show, I'm not sure, but that is an important
piece of, of this process, right? Is that, um, each funder is going to have different, um, qualifications
in terms of what they're looking for. So earlier, I mentioned that, um, economic development
grant, well, the county is looking for funds that fit with their economic development. They're
not looking for arts or culture. So, so your One Man show wouldn't be a good fit for that grant.
For, for example, I think like just taking a large foundation, Johnson and Johnson, for example,
you know, maker of all sorts of toiletry products and healthcare products. Their, their,
um, uh, contributions to charitable entities most likely are going to be related specifically to
things like healthcare, like, um, you know, maybe dental care, um, those types of things. So they're
looking for projects that fit within that scope, um, for their, their granting abilities. So it's,
it's this, you know, it really is kind of like a, a courting process, right? Or a dating process.
You want to find the right fit for your program. Um, but that's not to, so, so that was a long answer
today that I'm sure that there is a funder out there who is interested in your One Man show.
But in order to find that funder, in order to, um, to woo, I'm going to use that dating
example again, in order to woo that funder. Um, you have to tell a compelling story and you have
to, um, really put your best foot forward. And those principles are the same in grant writing as
they are in, in even crafting, like if you were to craft a, um, you know, a, a go fund B or,
uh, you know, one of those, uh, online, uh, funding project, uh, you would do the same thing with that.
I appreciate you're such a good teammate. I appreciate you running through that with me. Um,
and I did, I did bring it up in seriousness because I think that sometimes it may be, uh, it's
interesting for people in that position to, is this something that would be attractive to a
nonprofit and benefit that in our community? Or is this something more of a, on a business end
of things and that and understanding the difference of those two. And is there, uh, as we, we touch
on nonprofits and everything, is there, uh, grants available for other side projects or businesses
or things? If you're a nonprofit and you're looking at grant writing, uh, is that something that,
is an opportunity? So again, it all depends on what your topic is and, um, what the funder is.
I would say, you know, uh, it crosses into entrepreneurship. Um, if you were looking to, um,
to take that one-man show and turn it more into a business model, maybe you're going to have
multiple, uh, okay, and I'm just, I'm just rolling with this. So yeah. Yeah.
But maybe you're going to have multiple performers. And so you're going to turn it into your own
stage company or something like that. Well, then you might want to, um, seek out an angel investor
or a private, um, donor that gives funding to businesses and to entrepreneurs. And those are
out there too. Um, but it's a little bit of a different ask. It's a different, um, type of a class.
Yeah. Um, but again, comes back to that compelling story and that ability to, um, concisely and, um,
effectively communicate your need and, and why they should pick you. And it really sounds like
taking this workshop, no matter what end of this you're coming from, it can be very beneficial,
even if it is from that perspective. Exactly. Yeah. And I want to give, um, in the time that we
have left just one more example because this is something that was actually requested by a community
member in Wood County. I had a town clerk, um, call me a few years ago, um, and express interest
in a grant writing workshop. Um, and at that time, I wasn't able to, um, to provide that, uh,
just within the scope of work that I had. But now, um, with my colleagues, so this is actually,
um, something that we're working on, um, I'm working on with colleagues across the state, um,
and with, um, them and, and sharing our knowledge, um, and then also being able to offer this virtually,
we do have the ability for local, um, government, uh, entities, you know, whether that's
town clerks, um, different people, uh, to, to participate. And then, hopefully, so,
there has been talk, you know, this, this workshop, two hours, is enough really to just scratch the
surface, to go over the, the basics and bring everyone to the same knowledge. When it comes to
grant writing, there is a lot of interest in a two oh one. So this is a grant writing one oh one,
two oh one might look at, um, if you've, what happens after you've been selected? So their
grants often have, um, some, uh, pieces required for reporting out for, um, you know, uh, being
transparent in terms of how you're spending that funding and, and reporting that back to the
funder, um, what happens if you're not selected? How did, how to deal with the rejection of not being
selected for the grant? Um, those types of things would come in a two oh one class and while we
don't have an offering for that yet, we are working on it behind the scenes. So more now. Very cool.
Good to hear. Oh, a little bit of a pretty interesting insight there too. And, and behind the scenes
notes there. Uh, Kayla, is this an event that people need to register for? Yes. Registration is
required. You can find that on our extension website. Um, so you can, there's a one link for
everyone in the state, but you can get to it by going to extension Wood County. Um, if you just
Google that, it'll come up. And then you can also always contact me, um, and I'd be happy to
get you registered as well. And you can find Kayla and all of our friends at extension. I'm actually
looking at a wonderful picture of Kayla and Anna James, uh, who we just talked to. I think a
couple of weeks ago. Uh, you can find that it would dot extension dot whisk dot edu wood dot
extension dot whisk dot edu. You can also just type it into your search bar with, uh, Wood County
extension or UW Madison extension. And you'll be able to find it. I've tried a couple of examples
in your website pops up first every time. Oh, good. We, we appreciate the time so much, Kayla. It's
always a fun time talking with you. Uh, let's not make it. Don't be a stranger. We'll see you real
soon. Okay? That sounds great. See you soon. You take care. You too. Thank you. We'll have more
midday magazine for you tomorrow. And, uh, we'll wrap it up for the week actually. We'll have in part
one, a sent state Senator Patrick test and joining us looking forward to talking with Senator
Teston. And a part two will talk with our friend Stephanie Hartman, executive director of the
Central Wisconsin Cultural Center. That'll be on tomorrow's midday magazine right here at WFHR. We
are locally grown radio.
