| The field of virtual assisting offers a wide variety | | | | create a proposal you will have no familiarity with |
| of services to business owners. Most virtual | | | | beforehand. Researching will always give you the |
| assistants offer administrative services along with | | | | answers to your questions. |
| a specific area of expertise or niche-- as it is | | | | ORGANIZATION |
| most often referred to. Some of the specialties | | | | Organization of ideas, information and resources is |
| that are offered by VA's include but are not | | | | the key. There are many components to a grant |
| limited to social media, real estate also known as | | | | proposal; executive summary, statement of need, |
| a REVA and accounting. However, there are other | | | | project description and budget, organizational |
| skills that can be profitable for VA's; one in | | | | information, conclusion and evaluation/outcomes. |
| particular is grant writing. | | | | When you begin your research you need to begin |
| While working towards completing a master's | | | | to look at each of these areas separately. Once |
| degree in the field of Public Administration I had | | | | your research is complete, you need to collect all |
| the opportunity to take a course in grants and | | | | of the thoughts and information you have |
| grants management. I really enjoyed the class | | | | obtained and pair them with the section of the |
| and thought that I would be able to take | | | | grant that they relate to. Organizing in this way |
| advantage of the skills I learned after completing | | | | maybe a very time consuming task but will |
| my degree. Although, I enjoyed the class | | | | provide a smooth transition from research to |
| tremendously, I didn't realize at the time how | | | | writing. |
| valuable the skills would be for me in the future. | | | | TIME MANAGEMENT |
| You too may have knowledge in grant writing | | | | Finally, considering all the skills we have discussed |
| that you acquired in a classroom; however, | | | | time management will increase your productivity. |
| turning that knowledge into application requires | | | | Wikipedia refers to time management as, "a |
| communication, research, organization and time | | | | range of skills, tools, and techniques used to |
| management and skills. | | | | manage time when accomplishing specific tasks, |
| COMMUNICATION | | | | projects and goals." There are many demands |
| Communication is one of the fundamentals in | | | | that will be placed on you, two that will be at the |
| running a virtual assistant practice, because most | | | | top of your list are; meeting the deadline for |
| of our contact with clients comes through email | | | | submission of the grant application and submitting |
| and phone conversations. It becomes even more | | | | the grant to the client for their review prior to |
| pronounced when it is needed to paint a picture | | | | the submission deadline. It is important to mention |
| of the necessity for a financial resource. | | | | that Request For Proposals or RFPs, as they are |
| Communication in grant writing can be two-fold, | | | | often called, are often released on a specific |
| as it not only relates to communicating a need on | | | | dates, with a deadline that can range from 30 |
| paper; but, in also asking the client the right | | | | days from the date it was released or it could be |
| questions (who, what, when, where and why) to | | | | an application that accepts applications on a rolling |
| support the story for that need. You don't have | | | | basis. Effectively managing your time will enable |
| to be in the same locale as you client to create a | | | | you to take advantage of multiple opportunities to |
| proposal for them; but, you do need to | | | | submit RFPs, for your client with different |
| communicate as if you were. | | | | sponsors and other clients that you may be |
| RESEARCH | | | | writing grants for simultaneously. |
| Another word for grant writing is RESEARCH, | | | | As a virtual grant writer it is important to |
| RESARCH, and RESEARCH. Whether you write | | | | remember each of these skills and one is no |
| romance, fiction, editorials or grants -- research is | | | | more important than the other. Each skill if used |
| the first thing you should do before you put pen | | | | adequately, will allow you to create an |
| to paper. As previously stated, before you can | | | | atmosphere that is constructive for you and |
| ever begin to express your ideas effectively, you | | | | provides your client with the comfort in knowing |
| need to ask the right questions to get the right | | | | they have the right person for the job. Becoming |
| answers. If you are not knowledgeable of your | | | | a successful grant writer is a process that will not |
| topic, how can you ever begin to communicate | | | | happen overnight, but if you are consistent in |
| effectively on paper a position? As a grant writer | | | | your approach you will eventually win the right |
| many of the topics that are presented to you to | | | | funding for your client. |