Statement of Need, Essay Example

1. When developing a grant proposal, it’s crucial to clearly and concisely identify the problem that your project seeks to address. Funding sources receive many proposals and their time is valuable.  The problem statement will briefly encapsulate the most important aspects of your proposal in a way that suggests the urgency and importance of your project.  The problem statement is the key way of garnering interest from the funding source; the manner in which you detail your project should make the funders feel as if they have it in their power to assist in solving your problem (Witzel, 2005).  Rather than vaguely stating that the bullying of gay teens is a big problem, a successful statement will use specifics about the problem and the funding agency.  This could include something along the lines of the following:  ‘The bullying of teens at school has recently drawn a great deal of media attention in Canada due to several high profile suicides (Connor 2011).  Recent surveys of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer (LGBTQ) students that found “almost two thirds (64%) of LGBTQ students and 61% of students with LGBTQ parents reported that they feel unsafe at school” (Taylor & Peter 2011). We are approaching your agency for assistance because of your continued support of the Hypothetical Foundation, a group whose mission is similar to ours.’  This kind of approach has the added benefit of demonstrating an awareness of what other groups are working on projects that may overlap with yours.

The problem and the statement of need are intricately connected because the statement of need addresses the existing problem, the manner in which your project will address that problem, and the assistance that you are requesting from the funding source.  In order to have clarity in this all-important piece of writing, you must successfully break down the concrete aspects of your problem.  This includes a description of how your problem came to your attention, how it affects individuals and communities, and why you are the best person to solve this problem.  Using statistics and other data to support your assertions will help to prove the social, economic, and cultural issues associated with your problem (Witzel, 2005).  For example, an effective statement might include the information that ‘While much research has been done on the effect of bullying on teens, it has not yet become common to take into account the effect of sexuality and gender identification on the verbal, emotional, and physical harassment of Canadian children and teens (Mishna, Newman, Daley, and Solomon, 2009).  In their 2009 report, “Bullying of Lesbian and gay Youth:  A Qualitative Investigation,” scholars Mishna, Newman, Daley, and Solomon state that “investigations focused on life experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth suggest that up to 84 per cent report verbal harassment, a quarter report physical harassment, and up to 70 per cent experience problems in school due to prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation.’ Concrete information like this will help to demonstrate that you’ve done your research to identify any current research on the problem you’re trying to address.   The funding agency will want to know who you are targeting for this problem and how the greater community will be helped by the solving of this problem.

2. The sample proposals share a similar approach to outlining their specific projects, using a great deal of detail to outline the existing problem, who is affected by it, and how the project will help to ameliorate the problem. This is especially true in the first sample, where the writer uses stories about specific children who have benefited from the program to personalize the issue for the funders.  It is especially effective to begin the statement of need with the story of ‘Jane’, and eight-year-old girl who “was removed from her home for sexual abuse and severe neglect” (“Example 1”) and was subsequently helped by the program.  This puts a human face on the target population while illustrating how high the stakes can be for this problem.

These two proposals differ substantially in their writing style.  This is a crucial difference because the first proposal uses a smooth, personable style and specific, detailed examples to create a concrete and sympathetic narrative.  Such an approach will help to draw in potential funders by realistically depicting the people who will be helped by the project.  Although the second proposal is quite succinct, it tends towards generalization and overview rather than providing a ‘story’ that will allow funders to relate to the project on a personal level.  The proposal states that “mothers do not have an understanding of exactly what foods contain the most value for their children” (“Example 2”), and while this may indeed be a problem, it seems vague and slightly condescending.  I think that the first proposal is excellent, and my only suggestion might be to try and pare down the statement of need so that it’s a little less wordy.  For the second proposal, I would suggest that the writer try and create a narrative that will make his or her problem seem less like a collection of statistics and more like a real issue that deeply affects real people.  The writer might like to integrate the personal statement at the end of the proposal which contains a great deal of valuable insight on the problem.

3. Statement of Need Questionnaire

Project Reach-Out will develop and implement a comprehensive program for high school students to provide education, awareness, and information to better inform teens about the impact of bullying on gay youth.  This program will begin initially in Montreal-area high schools, with the eventual goal of branching out across the province.  The need is current and continuing, although the program itself is designed to be used in schools during the traditional September-June school year.

According to the Canadian branch of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), gay teens hear a homophobic slur an average of twenty-six times a day (PFLAG, 2009) and are disproportionately more likely to become homeless and attempt suicide than the average Canadian teen (PLFLAG, 2009).  This demonstrates an intense need to raise awareness amongst young people so that all teens, regardless of sexual orientation, can come to see schools as a welcoming and safe environment.

There is a great deal of anecdotal and qualitative evidence that points to the correlation between bullying and low self-esteem, issues of self-harm, and suicide among gay teenagers (Mishna, Newman, Daley, and Solomon, 2009). Research indicates that the long-term ramifications of bullying can be deadly for LGBT youth, with Stats Canada reporting that “close to six hundred gay youth between the ages of 10 and 24 commit suicide a year” (Connor, 2009).  Clearly, the problems of individual teens who identify as LGBT or are merely undecided about their sexuality demonstrates a systemic problem that requires major changes to address.

Project Reach-Out will engage high school students through role-playing, peer-on-peer discussion, and other activities to encourage them to take a proactive stance to ensure that schools become safe, respectful, and all-inclusive environments.  Creating awareness and facilitating honest discussion are the first steps in eliminating the bullying and other forms of abuse that target gay youth.  As an inclusive agency that has a staff comprised of educators and students from both the gay and straight communities, our organization is well-positioned to reach out to all Montreal teenagers in order to promote an atmosphere of acceptance and respect.

References

Connor, Kevin. (2011, February 9). Forum to discuss gay youth, religion, schools. The Toronto Sun. Retrieved from http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2011/02/09/1721 4166.html

Kaplan, Sheryl. (n.d.)  “Example 1”  Sample proposal for a program expansion grant.

Mishna, F., Newman, P.A., Daley, A., & Solomon, S. (2009). Bullying of lesbian and gay youth: a qualitative investigation. British Journal of Social Work, 39 (8), 1598-1614. Retrieved from http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org/content/39/8/1598.full.pdf+html

PFLAG Canada. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.pflagcanada.ca/en/index-e.asp

Soemadji, Harjono. (n.d.) “Example 2.” Guide for writing a funding proposal: A simulated proposal for a community-based mothers and infants center.

Taylor, C. & Peter, T., with McMinn, T.L., Elliott, T., Beldom, S., Ferry, A., Gross, Z., Paquin, S., & Schachter, K. (2011). Every class in every school: The first national climate survey on homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in Canadian schools. Final report. Toronto, ON: Egale Canada Human Rights Trust. Retrieved from http://www.egale.ca/index.asp?lang=&menu=1&item=1489

Witzel, Blair. (2005). Selling your idea to funders. Charity Village. Retrieved from http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/research/rprop6.html