Abstract
Overview:
Grant writers should focus on interweaving the disciplines of politics,
engineering and economics to build a balanced and convincing application.
Applicants are also cautioned to ensure all elements of their application
cross check in terms of financial, subscriber and build-out projections.
Federal authorities estimate the application requires 111 hours to compile,
however, a successfully detailed application might require more time. Those
considering applying for grants or loans in Round Two should not wait for
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) to be released. Some of the most
time-consuming elements of the grant application (Attachments C and G, for
example) can be started at any time and attention to detail here provides a
foundation for rest of the application process. This report also warns of
administrative details that should not be put off to the last minute thus
causing a failure to make the application deadline.
Key Issues and Findings:
- Indications are that there will be only one more round of BIP/BTOP applications
- The primary lesson communicated is the need for time management and an interdisciplinary focus in constructing the grant application
- The BIP and BTOP programs are unprecedented and may prove to be a once-in-a-career opportunity for many telecommunications professionals
- Readers will find this report invaluable in planning their BIP/BTOP application strategy
Target Audience:
- Grant writers and their investors
- States and municipalities apply for BIP/BTOP funds
- Any one considering applying for a BIP/BTOP grant or loan
- Service providers requiring support for their grant writing strategy
- Vendors supporting their customers to obtain grant funds for purchase of
their products
Table of Contents
- Executive Summary Building Blocks: Interdisciplinary Mix
- Political Engineering
- Technological Engineering
- Economic Engineering
- Sales and Marketing Engineering
- Synergy: it all has to match
- Political Engineering 101
- Question 8: Executive Summary
- Questions 9 and 10: Read the ARRA 2009 first, then ask:
- Political Engineering Checklist
- Technology Engineering
- Question 29: Describe your Last Mile and Middle Mile in 3 Pages or Less
- Attachment D: Got Professional Engineer licensed by your state to approve
network design?
- Attachment E: Project Deployment Timeline Milestones
- Economic Engineering aka Engineering Economics
- Question 26: What is your cost per household reached?
- Question 27: Affordability? Can the people you intend to serve afford your
services?
- Question 46: How "reasonable" are your costs (to the taxpayers)?
- Attachment A: Your Product Pricing + QoS?
- Attachment G: What does all this cost and what' s the justification ("is it
reasonable")?
- Attachments H, I, J: Subscriber Projections or "How will you fill those
"pipes"?
- Attachment H: Broadband Services Subscribers
- Attachments K, L, M: Financials/Financial Projections
- Attachment C: Competitor' s Offerings
- Loans vs. Grants and In-kind Contributions
- Sales and Marketing Engineering
- Broadband Awareness Grants
- Public Computing Centers
- Think compliance
- Why you need to start NOW
- Summary: Who Is Most Likely to Succeed?
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