GLOSSARY OF TERMS
This glossary includes all major terms used in this document. It also includes most
major terms used on application forms by the funding organizations themselves. Thus, it
can be used as a dictionary when in the process of writing proposals and application.
Assets -- Everything that an individual or an organization owns (e.g. a
building, a car, a xerox machine, a computer, a small library, etc.)
Alumni -- Graduates of a university, school, training center or training
program.
Baltics -- The countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Board -- In this case, a group of officials or persons with standing in the
community or field who are chosen to govern and assist with the development of an
organization.
Capital Support -- Type of funding used for construction or renovation of
buildings, or to buy major equipment, land, or buildings.
CEE -- Central and Eastern Europe. This generally means: Poland, Czech Republic,
Slovak Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia,
Macedonia, Albania and Bulgaria.
CIS -- The Commonwealth of Independent States (see also NIS and former Soviet
Union). The term generally refers to the countries which used to be part of the Soviet
Union, with the exception of the Baltics: Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Georgia,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.
Conference -- A gathering (usually shorter than a seminar, but not always)
specifically held to share and disseminate information, rather than to each or train.
Curriculum Vitae -- Also called a "resume." It is a one or more page
summary of an individual’s education, work experience, qualifications, publications,
etc.
Database -- A collection of related records, such as funding organizations,
organized in a computer file.
Direct assistance -- A grant where goods, materials and/or services are given
instead of funds.
Effectiveness -- Not the same as "efficiency." The effectiveness of a
proposal or project is a measure of its effect. An effective project produces a desired
change.
Efficiency -- Competency or capability of performance. Producing desired change
with little waste of money, resources, time, etc.
Endowment -- A type of funding to be kept permanently and invested to give
income for the continued support of an institution or organization.
Evaluation -- A means of measuring effectiveness or efficiency. An evaluation of
a project assesses the degree to which the goals and objectives were met.
Feasibility study -- A study, poll or research project which is intended to
reveal the extent to which a project is feasible or possible. A study such as this may be
done before a proposal in order to support the proposal.
Format -- The external structure and style of a proposal. Also the
"look" of a proposal with proper indentation, spacing, "bold" or
darkened headings, etc.
Former Soviet Union -- The preferred term for the same geographic territory
which is sometimes called CIS or NIS.
Fiscal -- Having to do with financial matters, accounting and reporting. This
term is often used in a governmental context.
Fundraising -- The collection or solicitation of money for an organization,
project, program, etc.
Goal -- The most desirable situation or condition one wishes to create with the
funds or technical assistance of the project.
Grantee – An individual or organization that receives a grant.
Grantsmanship – The art of researching, compiling information and then writing
applications or proposals for grants or funds.
Honorarium – A voluntary payment made for services though no payment is
legally required, usually for a guest (and expert) lecturer or tearcher for a project.
Incremental budgeting – A type of budgeting which relies on previous years’
budgeting and adds a certain percentage of cost per year for inflation and other factors.
Since this type of budgeting works best when the organizaiton has budgets from five or
more years to refer to, this is not yet the preferred way for many CEE, former Soviet
Union and Baltic organizations to budget their proposals since many of them have been in
operation for fewer than five years.
Internet – The world’s largest computer network. The Internet can be a
fantastic research tool for information on topics, funding organizations, potential
partner organizations, etc.
Letter of inquiry – A letter explaining an organization’s activity and the
request for funding. It is sent to a funding source first, before the proposal, to see if
it would be appropriate to send a full proposal.
Liabilities – Everything an organization owes (e.g., rent, car payments,
material fees, loan repayments, heat, telephone, electricity, etc.)
Matching funds – A type of funding which, in theory, "matches" or
equals the amount given by another donor. In practice, matching unds do not always equal
the amount from the donor, but do provide part of the cost of a project. The use of
matching funds is an excellent way to stimulate funding.
Methodology – Describes the approach that the applicant will use to achieve
the Objectives. It explains in detail how the applicant will proceed.
N/A – Stands for "Not Applicable." One may write this abbreviation
in response to a question or category on an application form which does not apply to the
organization or project.
NGO – Non-governmental organization. NGOs tend to be at all levels: local,
regional, national and international. They are non-profit organizations which are
independent of government.
NIS – Newly Independent States. This is the same area as CIS above.
Objectives – Specifically measurable outcomes which, when completed, will
achieve the stated goal.
Operating funds – Funds used to cover daily costs of running a project,
program or organization.
Per diem – Literally "for the day." The pocket money each person has
per day for meals, local transportation, etc. which are not covered by an expense account
or reimbursable. Usually the per diem in CEE/fSU countries is 25 USD to 65 USD, depending
upon the funding organization and country.
Philanthropy – Literally "love of mankind." The term means the act
of giving a gift—for our purposes, the gift of funds or grants from a wealthy person,
family or organization.
Program – A long-term proposed plan of activity, usually six months or more.
Program activities – The "What" of a project. What type of things
will the grantee do in order to achieve the goal or objectives?
Project – Generally used to describe a plan of activity which is shorter than
a program. Projects also tend to have a beginning and an end, whereas a program can refer
to an ongoing plan of action without a defined end.
Purpose – In proposal writing, the "purpose" is the same thing as a
"goal."
PVO – Private Voluntary Organization. Often confused with an NGO. The primary
difference is that a PVO has a staff of mostly semi-trained volunteers, while an NGO will
generally have a well-trained and salaried staff.
Report – An account or record of something. It may be financial, textual,
academic, administrative, or all of the above.
RFP – Stands for "Request for Proposal." This request is usually put
forth by a governmental agency or office (occasionally a foundation) when it has a
specific amount of money it wishes to give away in a specific subject area, a specific
geographic area, or for a specific type of project or program. The organization rquests
proposals by a set deadline to perform a predetermined project.
Seed money – Type of funding used to help start a new project or organization.
Seminar – A gathering specifically for a teaching or training purpose, usually
at least one week to ten days in length.
Specific Aims – In proposal writing, "Strategic Aims" are the same
as "Objectives."
Stipend – Payment to a person, similar to a per diem, usually as part of a
training or fellowship program. A stipend is enough money for the individual to live on,
but smaller than a salary.
Strategy – In proposal writing, "Strategy" is usually the same as
"Methodology."
Teaching – In proposal terms this has an academic base. A teaching project
implies students (whether graduate or undergraduate), teachers, possibly even exams and an
academic setting. It is different than training.
Timeline – A schedule of the times of planned events in a program or project.
Training – In proposal terms, training has more of a "work" base
than teaching. Training may be job- or career- oriented and may be in a workplace or
"taught" by career professionals. Training usually does not involve exams an
does not need an academic setting.
Trustee – A trustee is similar to a board member. He or she administers a
trust, which is a piece of property or an organization entrusted to someone with
instructions for its use.
Unsolicited proposals -- Unique proposals sent to grant-giving organizations
which support activities in a certain field; the specific project and proposal are not
requested by the funding source. In other words, the applicant is aware that the funding
source supports activities in a certain broad field and writes a unique proposal for
funding in that field, without the funding source having sent out an RFP.
Workshop – A gathering, usually three to five days in length, specifically for
"hands-on training," or training where the participants really participate in
the activity.
Zero-based budget – An approach to budgeting where any item in the budget is
zero, unless the applicant can provide full justification for some other figure. In other
words, no assumptions of funding are made; every number is justified as to why it is not
zero.
