Grants are hard work

I decided that Safe Haven needed additional funding for programs such as the garden and out reach programs.  So I thought I would take a stab at applying for a federal grant, worth $250,000.  Little did I know this would be the hardest application I ever filled out.  I found three grants that seemed to fit the guidelines of Safe Haven.  First was a grant for non-profits to take people in off the streets and provide them housing and food.  Well great, we already do that.  I will just apply for the new grant and get more funding for more staff and beds.  But the process is complicated and the federal government wanted exact details and an exact budget about how the money would be spent.  Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to create a detailed plan for the money.  Cynthia and I agreed that my time would be better spent organizing events for the clients to get out and see the city.  The other grants were through private companies aimed at community redevelopment.  Again there is much red-tape and I was disheartened to learn that many times, grants are awarded friends of the people giving the money.  So if you don't have an 'in' with the person writing the checks, it can be a very difficult and time consuming process that will not end in your favor.  I did learn a very valuable lesson about grant writing and how to structure the essay needed to complete the application.  If I had more time and more resources, I would have written more grants, but with time and budget constraints, I was unable to write anymore grants for Safe Haven