Narrative Share/Swap

[Wolf8552]

Does anyone have a narrative written for a car fire prop that they are willing to share or trade?

I have several successful narratives I have written and am willing to share:

2002 SCBA
2003 Air Compressor
2003 Radios
2004 RIT kits and SCBA upgrades
2005 Tender
2005 Pumper
2007 Defib/Monitors
2007 Regional Radios
2008 PPE
2008 Regional Training (NFPA FF1 & NWCG FF Type 2)
2009 Station Exhaust

Plus a few others that were not funded.

I'm just looking for ideas on "Justifying the Request", "Cost/Benefit" etc. Narratives from a live fire trailer would probably work also.

Getting started on the 2011 applications.

Wolf

[shawnvfd]

I dont have any to swap but can you share with me PPE scba , and pumper ?

we would be very appreciative

[BCCB]

Wolf,

Send me a PM with email address. I can send an awarded 2009 training prop narative.



Shawnvfd,

I sent PM's and called the number you gave with no response over weekend. Do you still need help? If so, send me a PM.

Chris

[Wolf8552]

I've sent both of you email. Couldnt get PM to work.

Wolf

[BCCB]

Got the email. Check yours. I sent narative.

[Clutchcargo1]

Need butt-kicking narrative ideas for the polaris grant, so if anyone has format and ifo to key into, that would be appreciated. We are coordinated enough to do the video request, so we have to rely on a well written narrative. This will be my first one I have written for this program, so I hope they run it again.

If anyone needs narrative help in other areas like PPE, vehicles I may be of help and I will share what I have.

Brian
bgbvette@gmail.com

[lvfd2167]

Hey everybody. I'm new to the grant game and I would like to get the narratives on the air compressor and regional radios. Thanks

[slackjawedyokel]

OK - I am a little confused here ---is the purpose of a competive grant is to put limited resources where they will do the most good ? That what I always thought. I always thought the purpose of the narrative was to put out FACTS about your particular department that would show , not only a need , but how the grant/equipment would produce more benefits and desirable results than the others competing for the same dollar. Guess I was wrong . Of course some of you are going to tell me that you are going to use these narratives as a "template" and tweak it to fit your particular case , but if you really are trying to honestly prove your case as opposed to beating the system - I say BS. One last question - are you narrative swappers ok with high school or college students "swapping" term papers ?

[mjollnir_k]

Yes it is a program to put limited resource where it will do the most good.

The computer does what I would consider a unfair job of weeding out worthy projects.

Sharing narratives is extremely helpful, the biggest problem is how do you word the facts if you have never written a sucessful grant.

My bigger problem is writers that do it for free are considered right along side Grant Writers that are hired. If both project have equal merits who wins? The guy that maybe writes 3 a year or the other that maybe writes 100's? (this is not a knock on the for hire guys, just stating their grants are going to be more polished, therfore sharing is always appreciated).

[Wolf8552]

OK - I am a little confused here ---is the purpose of a competive grant is to put limited resources where they will do the most good ?

Yes. You are not confused in this.

I always thought the purpose of the narrative was to put out FACTS about your particular department that would show , not only a need , but how the grant/equipment would produce more benefits and desirable results than the others competing for the same dollar. Guess I was wrong .

You are not wrong.

Of course some of you are going to tell me that you are going to use these narratives as a "template" and tweak it to fit your particular case , but if you really are trying to honestly prove your case as opposed to beating the system - I say BS.?

This is where you are confused and is based on your assumption that “Swappers” will simply “tweak” a narrative or, worse yet, outright copy the narrative. You would find, if you had looked into it, that “Swappers” are not looking to copy someone else’s work. We are looking for and sharing ideas. We are looking for ways to better communicate and express needs, benefits and results. We are looking for “nuggets”, not something to outright copy. There is only one way to “beat the system”. That is by lying in your application. Claiming to run on more structure fires than you actually do or being untruthful in explaining your financial need and cost/benefit in the narrative is illegal and unethical. You (“non-swapper”) are as capable and as likely to do this as a “swapper”.

One last question - are you narrative swappers ok with high school or college students "swapping" term papers ?

Swapping for the purpose of copying? No…not ok. Just as copying an AFG narrative is not ok.

Swapping is not copying.

Stop assuming and expecting the worst in everyone.

[jam24u]

Correct Wolf,

First anyone who even thinks of copying has almost no chance of getting awarded.

Sharing narratives can be invaluable in helping someone understand what it is that they need to impress upon the computer and peer.

Or what it is that they may be doing wrong. Or a direction that they hadn't thought of.

And for someone writing a narrative for the first time, it can help them with the hardest part..... Writing the first line of their first paragraph.

[dfd701]

OK - I am a little confused here ---is the purpose of a competive grant is to put limited resources where they will do the most good ? That what I always thought. I always thought the purpose of the narrative was to put out FACTS about your particular department that would show , not only a need , but how the grant/equipment would produce more benefits and desirable results than the others competing for the same dollar. Guess I was wrong . Of course some of you are going to tell me that you are going to use these narratives as a "template" and tweak it to fit your particular case , but if you really are trying to honestly prove your case as opposed to beating the system - I say BS. One last question - are you narrative swappers ok with high school or college students "swapping" term papers ?

If you are writing an app for let’s say, a new engine and you have never did one then you have writers block for hours before you can get the first paragraph done. Getting to read a successful narrative will help you come up with your own ideas on how to get across to the reviewer your department’s individual needs. I don’t see how anyone could just change the name and numbers and call it their own. Besides AFG does do audits you know and if you were not true full on your app. well let’s just say I would hate to be in your shoes.
Swapping is not copying. Just an exchange of ideas.
Hey Jim, How have you been? Did you like the way the election turned out? I did!!
Have a nice day.

[mjollnir_k]

Exactly guys you express what I thought in a much more eloquent way.

On the subject of copying I have a very interesting story. After 2 years of misses for a replacement pumper (yes the same one I was turned down on this year) I was asked to back off and let our "econimic developement director" take a shot. So with a little attitude and explaining it really didn't matter who wrote it because we were not getting past the computer and our numbers needed to change or we need to increase our share, I backed off and told that person I would help them in anyway possible. Never heard a word from them or our mayor (who is a self proclaimed Grant guru, I have yet to see any proof that he has ever touched a grant). Anyway after much going on about how much better the current grant was compared to the 2 prior attempts I obtained a copy of it. It was almost a verbatim copy of the 2003 grant I wrote and won (which the prior 2 I wrote were very loosely based on), the only changes were to substitute a pumper for equipment (not a very easy thing to do considering the prior grant was everything from nozzels to turnout gear). Oh as in the years prior it was rejected at the computer.

[onebugle]

There is nothing wrong with the sharing or swapping of narratives. Not only does it share ideas, but is a teaching tool as well. A PR DJ provides little info except for the narrative "lacks a compelling argument" in one or more areas. What does that mean? Most people will say they had a compelling argument as they have nothing to compare it to.

By looking at others narratives they now have that comparison. The writer can see that they had the ideas, but maybe generalized them instead of providing detail etc. Or that they missed some points that pertains to them, but not covered in their narrative. The goal of sharing/swapping narratives is to provide other writers the ability to become successful.

Are there cases of plagerism of narratives, most undoubtedly. Hopefully, those are few and far between and that they are caught as it's illegal. If some one is plagerizing another's work in whole or in part they are just taking a short cut. This will be evident in the narrative as the narrative will be disjointed, because the writing styles will clash.