126 - Choreographing Success: The Evaluator and Grant Writer Partnership

Abstract Information: The landscape of grant writing and evaluation is dynamic, where the roles of grant writers and evaluators are continuously evolving. Young and emerging evaluators can benefit from knowing the role of the grant writer/individual(s) writing the grant application. The grant narratives always ask the same questions: what, why, how, who, and how much. Part of the grant writer’s role is to interpret an RFP to pinpoint where those questions emerge. Sometimes, the questions are obscured or hard to find. Each of those questions, in turn, corresponds to logic model headers. However, it takes a grant team time to define activities – this, in fact, is where the creativity of grant writing and evaluating is activated: in detailing the activities, providing research citations that justify the activities, and providing the data that supports the need. Just obtaining data can take weeks. This is a time when evaluators can work with grant writers to support the applicant. Mutual frustration can occur when applicants might not have thought through the nuts and bolts of their activities–a professional and talented evaluator and grant writer, together, should be able to help the applicant fully define the “how” of the project—how every detail, from the small activities to the 30,000 ft. view–align with the project’s goals—and should have these ready to share with the evaluator. In this session, a grant writer and grant evaluator will describe their National Science Foundation and Department of Education projects on which they have worked together ($2.75 million in awards) and will outline lessons learned, what worked, what didn’t—and how even federal RFPs can have mistakes in their instructions. We will delve into the nitty-gritty of these projects, revealing the interplay between the evaluator, grant writer, and applicant as they worked on ultimately crafting compelling narratives. A fellow evaluator will act as discussant, asking questions and facilitating audience response. By understanding the role that grant writers play –and the challenges they face–the young and/or emerging evaluator can get a leg up on productive partnerships with grant professionals and applicants, thereby writing more convincing evaluation plans and helping project directors and applicants to realize their projects–and their goals and objectives. Through active discussions and engaging with first-hand accounts, participants will develop a deeper understanding of the processes key to successful evaluation and grant writer collaborations. This practical wisdom not only aids in mastering current methodologies but also lays the foundation for adapting to an evolving landscape. With this foundation, our session will explore the skills that young and emerging evaluators need as the evaluation field adapts to new challenges.