Grant writing is an essential skill in many areas of social work. So how does the process work, and can pursuing an MSW help you to secure funding for your organization down the line?

Graduates of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work often move into positions where grant writing is part and parcel of the job. Whether they work within the government, a community, a foundation or a trust, social workers at the mezzo or macro level will inevitably be called upon to write and submit grants at some point in their careers.

Laura Wittcoff, adjunct lecturer in the Social Change & Innovation (SCI) department, walks us through the basics of grant writing and the real-world benefits of MSW training.

Writing and Submitting a Grant

Before you begin the writing process, you should confirm that the goals of the grant in question align with the services that your organization provides. “Remember that the goal of any grant is to solve a specific problem,” Wittcoff says. “You want to apply for grants that address the problems you’re trying to solve.”

Often, these problems have been researched in-depth by the funders: for foundation grants, a request for resources (RFR) or request for proposal (RFP) will highlight the funders’ targeted areas of interest. For federal and state grants, the government will often do a significant amount of pre-work to determine the current issues affecting the target community and to hone in on the specific problem that they are hoping to solve. Some grants provide a one-time lump sum, while others provide financial support over several years.

“As a potential recipient of a grant, do your homework on the programmatic side,” Wittcoff advises. “What are you offering and why should they pick your proposal over others? What differentiates you from the pack?”

Generally, grant proposals have strict word or page count limits, so be clear and concise about your program’s goals and how you plan to achieve them over time. Once you are awarded the grant, it is important to work with your funder on a consistent basis to make sure you’re meeting the milestones specified in the grant proposal.

A Grant Evaluator’s Perspective

Wittcoff has intimate knowledge of this process from the inside out: as a non-profit worker and former consultant for the state system, she was often asked to evaluate grant proposals. Most of her experience comes from her government experience at the state level.

“It was very objective,” Wittcoff recalls. “As reviewers, we received the application blind. There were no names.” Given a specific set of criteria, Wittcoff assessed the viability of each grant proposal based on factors such as budget, target population, planning and timing. Evaluators would look at the program outline and determine, not just if it would meet the needs of the target population, but if it would do so within the time period specified.

“We looked objectively at the scores these evaluations generated,” Wittcoff says. “But another beautiful thing about this specific process was that they brought in community members who were able to provide realistic feedback on how they imagined the programs would function on the ground. How did we imagine this program coming to life?”

The Value of an MSW Degree

With her varied professional experience as an academic and consultant, Wittcoff understands the unique value of approaching problems with both her clinical training and business acumen in hand — an approach that comes naturally to trained social workers. This translates well into the grant application process, because social workers are able to think about how to meet a need from several different angles.

“We are able to think critically about the grant writing process from an academic perspective, as well as consider how the proposal will play out in real life,” Wittcoff explains. “Who is the target population? How will this program benefit them? How can we design an effective program that meets our organizational vision and mission within the parameters of this particular grant application?”

USC provides the essential training needed for social workers to develop these critical thinking skills. “Our MSW candidates are trained in both the academic (evidence-based research and theory) and the clinical component,” says Witcoff. “We consider the benefits of a given program for an individual at the micro level, a community at the mezzo level, and we can also zoom out to a macro level and determine the best solution for a larger population.” The benefits of such an approach extend far beyond the grant writing process, equipping future social workers with the tools to effect change throughout their careers.