Need Grant Writing Help? - Background Statement - Part 8 of 11

You're getting close to finishing your proposal!  All that's left is the Background Statement (talking about you!) and the Proposal Summary before we put it all together.

This step that provides an overview of the purpose of the organization and what you need in it to help make the case that your organization is highly creditable.  It's time to put your best foot forward.

What are the mission, values, and other distinguishing characteristics of your organization?  And why will it be able to do what it is proposing successfully?  Try to limit this section to no more than 3 pages.  Tell us why you are wonderful but use the right items and make sure you have assured the prospective funders that your nonprofit can successfully undertake the proposed program.

Grantmakers may refer to this section as the "Introduction" or the "Applicant Description."  Either way, the same info is expected to be included.

• Is the organization fiscally secure?
• Is it well managed?
• Does it provide important community services?
• Does it understand the community it serves?
• Does it reflect that community in its board and staff?
• Does it have the respect of the community?

Ok, tips on what to needs to be specifically in it:

• A description of the organization and its mission and vision, and how it came to be - its history.
• The demographics of the community your organization serves, followed by the ways in which both the board members and the staff reflect those demographics.
• A description of the organization's position and role in the community.  Who are the organization's collaborating partners in the community?
• Descriptions of innovative programs or special services the organization has provided.  Has it received any award or special recognition?
• A very brief history of funding by other sources.

Your primary goal in crafting this section of the proposal is to establish credibility with potential funders.  Testimonials and statistics relating to the work of the nonprofit may be incorporated, although they should be kept at a minimum.  Don't eat up valuable proposal space with information on your organization's structure or specific details about board members and staff unless such detail is requested.  If your organization is too new to have and accomplishments, try focusing on the qualifications of the staff and board to provide some sense of creditability even as a start-up.

This is one of the few sections of a proposal where you can create a boilerplate and use it over and over again.  (Again, good news!  This part is reusable!)

Again....  you're getting closer to having a strong grant proposal... keep following....

Arts Journey Solutions' 100th Post!

Yay!  It's kind of like a birthday; today we celebrate the 100th post on http://artsjourneysolutions.blogspot.com/.

So for the 100th post, thought it would be good / nice to do a wrap up of what our viewers like most and what's been learned about your likes so far while writing this Blog.  And, of course, comments are invited if you'd like to us what you would like to hear about next.

Most Popular Post Countdown

#5 - Fundraising Part 2 of 6 - Government Funding - There Are Only 4 Basic Sources of Contributed Income; Sunday, August 11, 2013

Apparently readers like links and useful info better understanding of federal and state governments with more detail.  Noted and we'll keep them coming.  Also noted is anytime the NEA is typed in a Blog posting views jump up.... either everyone loves the National Endowment of the Arts or the spammers think this is a government topic of interest.  The arts lovers can only hope various terrorists countries are as intrigued by the need for our government to keep arts funding string as we are.  And just to help the cause.... NEA, NEA, NEA, NEA, NEA.....

#4 - Mapping Impact; Friday, May 10 , 2013

That's right, maps are COOL.  Or at least visuals showing that audiences can cover a large portion of a region are cool.  Reminder, a picture ca be worth a thousand words and donors / sponsors like easy to understand visuals.

#3 - Why I Advocate for the Arts; Sunday, June 1, 2013

It's personal, it's true, thank you for appreciating.

#2 - Example of Telemarketing Script for Donations; Sunday, April 21, 2013

The behind the scenes Stats page of this page tells us that phrases like "script for conations," "telemarketer script," and "telemarketing example scripts" are the three phrases that when Googled bring strangers to this page the most often.  Apparently lots of people out there need help making phone calls to ask for donations.  Would love feedback on if you are using it and the success you're having.  Hope it's been helpful!

#1 - Purpose of Social Media in the American Orchestral Field - Part 3 - Survey Analysis Continued; Wednesday, May 1, 2013

This was the series that gained the blog a large number of our followers.  Interesting that which departments is what peaks the interest the most.  At one point in the last 6 months, 3 different posts from this series ranked in the top 5 most popular mosts.  In general, it s of course recommended that you read the whole series.  :)

So again... NEA, NEA, NEA, NEA.... just testing that theory.....

And of course, THANK YOU READERS for making this blog highly successful so far!  We'll see what there is to learn in the next 100 posts....

Need Grant Writing Help? - Program Budget - Part 7 of 11

Oh, the excitement!  It's time to talk about numbers!

Ok, the truth is I love numbers.  In the past I've sat on a variety of grant panels, including having the honor to evaluate proposals for a state arts council, and I love the numbers part.  If you really know your organization and your project, how you display the numbers and the sentences you use to describe them in my opinion can tell a funder if you will be successful or not.

This may seem straight forward to some of you, but you'd be surprised how many people mess up these next statements.... a budget MUST include BOTH INCOME and EXPENSES AND within the income YOU NEED TO INCLUDE THE POTENTIAL FUNDING YOU ARE WRITING THE PROPOSAL AND ASKING FOR!!!!  Hello?  Why would a foundation give you money if you given them a budget showing you can afford the project without them?  Seriously, almost 50% of grant writers mess this up.  And another 50% tend to tell us what they are spending money on but forget to show how they are paying for the project.

Things to think about as you prepare to write the budget:

• Establish the budget period, the length of time the budget covers.
• Estimate expenses, obtaining cost estimates as necessary.
• Decide whether and how to include over head costs.
• Estimate the donated goods and services that will be used.
• Estimate the anticipated revenues for the project.
• Check that the budget as a whole makes sense and conveys the right message to the funder, which is this: the budget is appropriate and in line with the objectives and methods of the program to be funded.

Because I love budgets, I'm so happy to make this easy for all of you and give lots of things to think about in a step by step manner on this section.  :)

Let's start by thinking about items we need in a budget:

• Program staff salaries and benefits (there is NOTHING wrong with acknowledging that people don't work for free - use percentages if needed)
• Office space (which may be assigned a percentage based on your program budget a a portion of your organization's overall budget)
• Supplies (office, educational, and so forth)
• Equipment
• Program-related travel
• Program-related rent )Percentage of non-profit office space used)
• Printing and copying

Look back to the methods you developed and makes sure you have listed how you are funding those methods and the costs for all things within them.

Ok, next let's talk about revenue.

• INCLUDE THE GRANT YOU ARE REQUESTING.  Again, this is a mandatory part of this budget.
• In-Kind
• WHY YOU SHOULD INCLUDE IN-KIND
• It allows the full scope and cost of the project to be understood by the funder.
• It demonstrates community support for your project and agency, which is very important to donors.
• It reminds you and the donors and volunteers of the value of their contribution.
• Think about it this way - Why would a funder want to support your organization's program if you cannot demonstrate that your own community supports it?
• List the other funders you are applying to (um, why shouldn't you be asking multiple people to give you money?)
• Will you be generating fees? (Membership, tickets, classes, etc.)
• Fundraising events - are you holding an event to specifically support this?
• Annual fund - are you using some of this?
• Sponsors - are you getting sponsors specifically for this?

As a general rule, funders expect to see a balanced budget for a project, one in which income and expenses are equal.  If there is a large surplus or deficit, yeah, you probably aren't going to get funded.

So hopefully something that seems scary to so many now seems not so bad.  If it doesn't make sense to you, it won't make sense to the potential funders.  If you can balance your check book, you can write a budget for a grant proposal.  List all the income, list all the expenses.  Don't overdraw the account, but spend what you bring in for this and don't save for a rainy day.  It's that straight forward.

Nothing Can or Should Substitute for Philanthropy - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Nothing Can or Should Substitute for Philanthropy - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Excellent article on why we need to always be proud to ask for donations and not focus solely on earned revenue as non-profits.  Read up!

Brand New World:: The 5 Talents Of Great Nonprofit Organizations

Brand New World:: The 5 Talents Of Great Nonprofit Organizations: The data backs up what I've observed over all these years.  Great nonprofits (and great leaders) posses these five characteristics. 1....

Need Grant Writing Help? - Sustaining Strategies - Part 6 of 11

We are asking for help to start a project, but how will be continue it beyond the initial funding?

Potential funders what to know that you are thinking beyond their funding; they want to know your plans for the time when their funding comes to and end.  HARD TRUTH - ALL FUNDING EVENTUALLY ENDS.  The Sustaining Strategies are about how you know your project will last beyond the initial start up funding.

Funders pay more attention to this section than you realize.  They want to take pride in helping to start and like you they want to make sure that project has impact and doesn't suddenly end or fade away.

If you are requesting money for a simple capital project (Example in simple terms: you are buying a park bench), just tell the funders you have basic needs and don't have many sustainability needs with large cash flow.  "After the purchase of the initial bench, the item is expected to have a life cycle of 30 years.  In that time, the organization will find a way to fund future needs through the annual fund."

For projects that are larger and ongoing, you do need to clearly define new sources you will be continuing to solicit as future funders and / or ways you will work to help fund yourself.  Here are some options (and possible phrases) you should consider using:

• Continuation grants from foundations and corporations.
• Annual campaigns.
• Fees for service.
• Sales of items or activities.

The more specific you are in this section, the more confidence you will inspire in potential funders that the project will continue beyond their grant, maximizing the impact of their investment.

Donor-advised funds are fastest-growing source of grants

by Jim Abernathy

{Centered}: June 2013 (Vol. 6, No. 6)‏ - publication of the Grantmanship Center

Donor-advised funds enable individuals to make donations to sponsoring 501(c)(3) organizations that invest these assets and then make grants to charities based upon the recommendations of the donors. Collectively these funds now hold over $32 billion in assets, reports Sarah Frostenson ("Donor-Advised Funds Keep Up Rapid Growth, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, May 23, 2013). Their assets grew by almost 20% from 2011 to 2012 and have surpassed their pre-recession asset levels by nearly a third, far outstripping most nonprofits and most foundations. They made almost $6 billion in grants in 2012 (up 7.4% from 2011).

Donor-advised funds don't operate under the same regulatory restrictions as private foundations, and they generally don't accept proposals. This makes it difficult to request grants from them if you don't have a personal connection to the donor. But DAF Direct, a new tool you can add to your organization's website, can help you connect with these funds, says Holly Hall ("Tool for Charity Web Sites Makes it Easy to Contribute to Donor-Advised Funds," The Chronicle of Philanthropy, April 25, 2013). With DAF Direct, a potential donor who has established an account with a donor-advised fund can select that fund from a menu and indicate the amount and purpose of the grant they wish to make to you. This information then goes to the donor-advised fund so the grant can be made. Charities are reporting early success with DAF Direct: the donations are larger than the typical credit-card gift - without the credit card fees.

Need Grant Writing Help? - Evaluation Component - Part 5 of 11

And moving right along....

So far we have drafted a Need Statement, Goals and Objectives, and Methods.


Next up, the Evaluation Component where we answer questions that both your organization and your possible funder will have.  Pretend your project is completed and these are the questions you need to answer:

• Was the program successful?

• Did we do what we set out to do?

• What was the impact on the target audience?

• What did we learn and what can we build upon?

• What didn't work and why or why didn't it?

• What is different because we engaged in this project?

This section is all about demonstrating the project will be successful, how you will measure the impact, and how efficient your project is.  A solid evaluation component in a proposal reassures the possible funder that the organization is interested in learning whether they can make their plan successful.  Also by defining in advance how you will evaluate success your organization will be forced to look at the steps in your plan that are weak and help you to strengthen in now (and write the previous sections as needed).  In other words this will help you improve as you go now and while implementing the project.  Evaluation is one of the strongest and most effective tools any nonprofit has to verify and document that it is indeed fulfilling its obligation to make a positive impact on the community.

1. When preparing the evaluation section of the proposal, answer the following:
2. What is the purpose of your organization's evaluation?
3. How will the findings be used?
4. What will you know after the evaluation that you do not know now?
5. What will you do after the evaluation that you cannot do now because of lack of information?
6. How will the lives of the people or community you serve be better?

It is highly suggested that you think in terms of quantitative and qualitative information.  The evaluation component should highlight the data collection methods you plan to employ for the program,  Like every other component of the proposal, the evaluation should connect directly with both the objectives and the methods.  If your objectives and methods were crafted as recommended - meaning they are measurable and time-specific - that will make the task of preparing a good data collection plan and proposal evaluation much easier.

Next up.... Sustaining Strategies......

Need Grant Writing Help? - Methods - Part 4 of 11

This is the section where you tell a foundation how you will achieve the objectives you have stated.  This is the step by step and descriptive section.  Be detailed and precise as to how you will accomplish your goals!

Methods are also frequently referred to as activities and strategies.  This really is the area to get detailed.  Tell the reader as much as you can to show that you have a clear, articulate plan for the accomplishments needed to make the big picture come true.

To develop the methods, answer the following questions:
1.  What are the inflexible elements (date of completion, funds available, staffing needed, etc.)?
2.  What activities must happen in order to make the objectives happen?
3. What are the starting and ending dates of the project?
4.  Who is responsible for each activity?
5.  How will participants be selected (may not be applicable for all projects)?
6.  How was the methodology being used determined to be the best one to solve your organization's problem?  And why did your organization select it?

Make sure your methods are realistic.  The foundation you are applying to will want to feel like you will be able to achieve your goals if they are going to fund you.

Tips for Writing Methods
- Sync your organization's methods to the program's objectives and needs statements (use similar wording and make sure the compliment each other).
- Tie your methods to the resources you are requesting in the program budget.  Each activity should match the corresponding cost directly.
- Explain the rationale for choosing these methods.
- Spell out the facilities and capital equipment that will be available for the project.
- Build various activity phases to show step by step progression towards the finished project.
- Be sure to discuss who will be served plus why and how you are serving them.
- Do not assume the person reading your proposal knows any more or less than some random guy off the street.  All of us know our organization's in detail but we can often forget to explain the simple things in a proposal because we forget someone else doesn't know the basics.  INCLUDE THE BASICS.

To Engage Volunteers, STOP Using Volunteers!

Americans for the Arts - Advocacy Alert

Over 17,000 advocates signed our online petition for Congress to oppose the 49% cut to the NEA!

Now that Congress has returned from recess to resume debates over these budget cuts, we need to increase our number of petition signers to have an even bigger impact before the proposed cuts hit the House and Senate floors.

Will you lend your voice to the 15,000 who have already signed?

Today also kicks-off National Arts in Education Week.  Did you know that over 18 million kids in every single state benefitted from the ripple effect of the NEA’s investment last year alone? These grants create a lasting impact by inspiring kids across the country, regardless of socio-economic status, to think of music and art as relevant to their own lives.

Please sign the petition and ensure all kids have access to arts education!

 



Nina Ozlu Tunceli
Executive Director

P.S. Have you had a chance to view the #BeTheARTbeat Crowd-Sourced video? See why others are inspired to be a part of the Arts Action Fund.

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Need Grant Writing Help? - Goals and Objectives - Part 3 of 11

Too often we our minds are so filled with the beautiful end product that we forget to explain what the final results will be through well-articulated goals and objectives.  Recently I was in a committee meeting for a service organization to talk about getting their fundraising projects more organized.  It was almost an hour till someone said the phrase "the overall goal is...."  As soon as that phrase was said it was obvious that light bulbs suddenly turned on in almost everyone in the room's heads.  Don't be that meeting.  Don't waste your potential funder's time, they are reading lots of proposals.  Directly tell that what you are going to accomplish and how.

Goal - A goal is a focus of accomplishment supported by a series of objectives needed to realize it or a broadly-stated subsidiary results.

Look at your need statement.  What is the one big overall thing that will happen if your proposal is funded?  Put that one thing into a sentence.  That is your goal.

Objective - An objective is a significant step toward a goal; or a precise, measurable, time-phased result.

Let me use my committee meeting last week as an example.

The GOAL is for the whole club to be more active.
Objective 1 - At least 20 new members will volunteer for the upcoming 5K fundraiser.
Objective 2 - More than 40 members will attend the luncheon in December.
Objective 3 - The number of members who made a donation this year compared to last year will increase by 50%.

Notice the goal is the big idea.  The objectives are outcomes and outputs that make the big idea achievable.

As you prepare the objectives component of the proposal, keep the following in mind:

- Objectives should be stated in quantifiable terms
- Objectives should be stated in terms of outcomes, not activities or processes
- Objectives should specify the result of an activity
- Objectives should clearly identify the target audience or community being served
- Objectives should be realistic and capable of being accomplished

These Objectives are the end result.  The Methods, which we'll go over in the next Blog posting, are the means of reaching those ends.

When developing your objectives, answer these 5 questions to help you clearly articulate what the organization wants to accomplish.
1.  What is the key area your organization is hoping to change?
2.  What segment of the population will be involved in the change?
3.  What is the direction of the change (increase, decrease, etc.) your organization will be looking for?
4.  What is the amount (percent, specific number, etc.) your organization will be looking for?
5.  What is the deadline for reaching that degree of change?

Objectives are outputs and outcomes.  Goals are the impact you will have.

6 Tips for things to include in the above:
- Make sure goals and objectives tie directly to the need statement
- Include all relevant parties in the target population
- Allow plenty of time for the objectives to be accomplished
- Remember that outcome objectives to do describe methods
- Determine how your organization is going to measure the change projected in each objective
- Always try to write at least one quantitative objective into your plan and determine how you will measure it

Ok, get writing.  Remember this is a grant proposal, not a race.  When we finish these steps you will have everything you need to have a complete, string grant proposal. 

Stay tuned.... Methods come next....

Arts Advocacy Update

From the League of American Orchestras -

Tick-Tock: Fall Countdown on Policy Concerns

September 4, 2013, Washington. D.C. – With summer coming to a close, Congress is returning to a packed policy agenda, including an array of issues that impact the arts and the nonprofit sector. Thanks to all in the orchestra community who connected with policymakers while they were home for the August recess. There are plenty more advocacy opportunities ahead:

o    NEA Funding: The House Appropriations Committee halted its FY14 budget debates for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and a number of other agencies just before the August recess, leaving up in the air a drastic proposed 49% cut to the NEA. Meanwhile, the Senate Interior Appropriations Committee has recommended a level of $154.5 million for the NEA’s FY14 budget – an increase over the current funding level of $138.4 million. With time running out to finalize a number of funding decisions before the new fiscal year begins on October 1, it is likely Congress will pass a short-term funding package at current spending levels while negotiations continue.

o    Tax Policy: Many thanks to orchestras that have been supporting the League’s strategic efforts on Capitol Hill to protect charitable giving incentives. This policy area will continue to heat up this Fall as debt ceiling limits and tax reform efforts once again create a scenario in which “everything is on the table.”

o    Education: National Arts in Education Week is September 8-14, 2013. In D.C., the League continues to meet with policymakers to urge support for arts education as Congress re-writes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as well as in specific program funding at the U.S. Department of Education. At home, you can make a difference by taking local action and speaking up in support of in-school music education.

o    International Policies: The ARTS visa provision was included in the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform bill, while the House of Representatives has decided to take a piecemeal approach. The League is seeking opportunities for inclusion of the ARTS provision as Congress determines next steps in the immigration reform effort. On another front, for U.S. musicians traveling abroad, the League has created a travel tips and resource webpage as U.S. officials begin to implement a musical instrument passport for instruments containing protected species. Updates will be made to the page as new information becomes available.

o    Domestic Air Travel: In domestic air travel news, the President’s FY14 budget included a request for new Department of Transportation funds to support the implementation of new helpful rules on the transportation of musical instruments by air. Given the tense Congressional budget climate, however, the prospect seems dim for budget approval. The law containing helpful improvements for air travel was passed in early 2012, but has not been implemented by the FAA. The League continues to work with its coalition partners to pursue implementation.

o    Updated League Resource Available: Ever wonder whether you are permitted to lobby? (The answer, by the way, is YES, you are!) Do you field questions from your board, trustees, or donors about the best strategies for communicating with policymakers or inviting them to events? The League has just completed an update of its free resource, Best Defense: A Guide for Orchestra Advocates. Download our guide today and share it widely!

As Fall unfolds, please keep a look out for League Advocacy Alerts and Advocacy Updates, and find further details and resources on the full range of policy areas posted online.

Need Grant Writing Help? - Need Statement - Part 2 of 11

So first things first, you are writing a grant proposal and while you need money, that is not the right reason to write a proposal.  The right reason is because your community has a need and your organization is seeking to be able to fill that need.  Need Statement is about the second sentence, not about getting money.

Ask yourself, what is the need to be addressed?  A Need Statement sets the tone for the entire proposal and outlines the essential condition, set of conditions, or social needs occurring at a specific time or place.  Your potential funders must agreed with you that this need must be addressed now so it is important to be persuasive through details and statistics.  In the arts we are typically very good at giving qualitative examples (fantastic stories of great experiences, etc.), but make sure to give quantitative data (statistics, audience counts, etc.) as often as possible.

Here are 5 helpful guidelines for what to include in your Need Statement.

1.  The need you address in the statement should have a clear relationship to your organization's mission and purpose.

2.  (As already mentioned above....) The need statement should focus squarely on those the organization serves and their specific needs, rather than your organization's needs (this is of course unless you are seeking a capacity-building grant).

3.  Any statements you make about the need should be well supported with evidence such as quantitative facts, expert opinions, examples of success of same initiatives by similar organizations with similar surroundings, etc.

4.  You must be able to directly connect the need  you describe with your organization's ability to successfully respond to that need.  (You will fully expand upon this later in the section on Sustaining Strategies.)

5.  The Need Statement must be simple understood and agreeable.  Keep it simple, state the facts, don't add "pretty language."  One of the biggest mistakes on beginning grant writers is to think of a grant proposal as the same thing as an annual fund letter.  In the annual fund letter, you are talking to an individual and you have the flexibility to paint vivid, emotional, detailed, fancy stories.  A foundation wants the facts in a straight forward manner and the facts need to be what are compelling enough to grant your request.  Make sure you have good facts and therefore, make sure you are asking for help with something worth it and something you can deliver on.

6 Tips for things to include in the above:
- Use statistics that are clear and that support your argument
- Use comparative statistics and research where possible
- Quote authorities who have spoken on your topic
- Make sure all data collection is well documented
- Use touching stories of people as examples
- Give it  clear sense of the urgency of your request

Ok, start drafting those Need Statements!  And if you have questions, post them below.  Remember, Blogs are interactive.

In a few days we'll move on to clearly defining your goals and objectives...

Need Grant Writing Help? - Series Intro - Part 1 of 11

Well, here are some recommendations on texts to help you:

Carlson, Mim. Winning Grants Step by Step: Support Centers of America’s Complete Workbook for Planning, Developing and Writing Successful Proposals. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Kiritz, Norton J. Program Planning and Proposal Writing. Los Angeles, CA: The Grantsmanship Center, 1980. Available at http://www.tgci.com/publications.shtml.

                    ***  That's right!  The second one you can download online!

The first one is highly recommendable as it is a step by step book with an interactive disc to help you build the various parts of a proposal.  While in less detail, as promised, this month the Arts Journey Solution Blog will discuss the various components within a grant proposal.

Discussion to include:
Need Statement
Goals and Objectives
Methods
Evaluation Component
Sustaining Strategies
Program Budget
Background Statement
Proposal Summary
Putting it All Together
Helpful Suggestions for Before and Afterwards

Keep following!

11 Facts About Arts in Education

Published on Do Something (http://www.dosomething.org)

1. Students who study art are 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and 3 times more likely to be awarded for school attendance.
2. Arts and music education programs are mandatory in countries that rank consistently among the highest for math and science test scores, like Japan, Hungary, and the Netherlands.
3. The No Child Left Behind Act clearly mandates The Arts (music, art, foreign language, etc.) as a core academic subject.
4. One study group showed that third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students who were taught a foreign language every day in school outperformed the students who were not exposed to a foreign language on their Basic Skills Test.
5. While nearly all schools in America are required to offer coursework in languages, the amount of instruction provided for those subjects does not come close to that of math, science, and english courses.
6. Federal funding for the arts and humanities rolls in around $250 million a year, while the National Science Foundation is funded around the $5 billion mark.
7. Researchers find that sustained learning in music and theatre correlates strongly with higher achievement in both math and reading.
8. In a study of a high-poverty schools in Chicago, the schools that were participating in the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) made huge strides in closing the gap between high- and low-income students’ academic achievement.  
9. Multiple studies have concluded that curricular and extracurricular art studies and activities help keep high-risk dropout students stay in school.
10. New brain research shows that not only does music improve skills in math and reading, but it promotes creativity, social development, personality adjustment, and self-worth.
11. Research suggests that studying a second language is essential to the learning process, creative inquiry, and critical thinking. Foreign language studies have proven to increase problem-solving skills and overall cognitive development.