Can You Rehearse Your Grant Proposal Before Submitting It?

In the world of grant writing, the proposal is everything. It’s your chance to sell yourself and your project in a way that will get you funded. 

In fact, it’s often the only chance you’ll have to do so, since most foundations don’t respond well to follow-up requests for funding after they’ve turned down one application. 

This can be especially challenging if you’re new to grant writing or working with a topic that isn’t familiar to all funders but there are ways to prepare before sending in your official application form (which we’ll discuss below).

Takeaways
Practice and rehearse your grant proposal before submission to ensure clarity, coherence, and effectiveness.
Rehearsing allows you to identify and address potential weaknesses, refine your arguments, and improve the overall flow.
Consider seeking feedback from peers or mentors to gain valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.
Rehearsing helps you become more confident in presenting your proposal and increases your chances of success.
Utilize the rehearsal process to refine your proposal’s language, emphasize key points, and ensure a compelling narrative.

Find An Advisor To Review Your Proposal

It’s not uncommon for grant writers to seek advice from colleagues and friends before submitting their proposal. It’s a good idea to have feedback from someone who will give you a critical eye, point out areas that need improvement, and help make your proposal stronger. 

However, if you choose someone who has not written many grants or someone whose main responsibility is not writing proposals (for example, an administrator), they may not be able to provide the kind of constructive criticism that is most helpful in improving your work.

Instead, consider seeking out an advisor who has experience reviewing grant applications someone whose primary focus is writing successful grants. The best advisors are familiar with both the application process and how funders think about applicants’ proposals; 

They can provide valuable insight into what makes a strong application so that you don’t miss any important details later on when working with reviewers during peer review or panel selection/review processes.

Building a strong foundation for your grant proposal is crucial. Explore our guide on getting more grant money with nonprofit proposal writing to enhance your chances of securing funding for your projects.

Use Common Language; Don’t Use Jargon

• Avoid acronyms and jargon.
• Avoid jargon that is not widely used. For example, if you’re writing a grant proposal for a professor at an Ivy League university, using terms like “institutional capacity building” may be appropriate. 
• But if your audience is made up of individuals from all walks of life who are trying to figure out what you mean by these words, it might be best to avoid them altogether.
• Avoid jargon that is not understood by the reader/audience/grantor (delete as appropriate). 

For example: If I’m applying for a small business loan at my local credit union and I mention how my company has “root cause analysis capabilities,” they’ll probably have no idea what I’m talking about. 

They’ll likely assume that my company has the ability to grow roots in order to cure disease or something similarly ridiculous even though this kind of root-based underground root system sounds like it would be useful during earthquakes!

Pay Attention To Pronouns

Use the pronoun “we” instead of “I.” This is a good practice to follow when writing any paper, but it’s especially important when you’re working with a team. Don’t hog all of the glory for yourself; if someone else pitched in and helped, make sure they get some credit!

Use plural pronouns like “they” and “them” instead of singular ones like “he” or “she.” As with the previous point, this helps you avoid sounding self-centered. 

A grant proposal is meant to be collaborative, so it’s crucial that each person involved feels included by their contributions being recognized as part of something larger than themselves.

Use indefinite pronouns like “their” instead of definite ones like “his,” hers,” or his/her/their.” 

This one can get tricky because indefinite pronouns sound awkward when replacing definite ones (e.g., “Everyone should bring their own dishes.”) But if you plan carefully enough ahead, then it shouldn’t be too much trouble!

Crafting an exceptional grant proposal takes careful planning and strategy. Discover our 11 tips for writing an exceptional grant proposal that will help you stand out and increase your chances of success.

Present Your Ideas In A Clear And Straightforward Way

If you’re submitting a grant proposal, it’s important to present your ideas in a clear and straightforward way. 

The most direct route is the best one, because people who aren’t familiar with your field may not be able to understand what certain words mean if they aren’t presented in a simple way.

Don’t use jargon or industry-specific terminology unless it’s absolutely necessary to do so if so, make sure that there is an explanation of this terminology available at the beginning of the grant proposal (or later on in any appendixes). 

Instead of using technical terms like “in-depth” or “hands-on,” describe them more plainly: “Give students an opportunity to learn new skills” and “have hands-on experience.”

Use common language when possible instead of industry terms; don’t use words like “utilization” when “use” will do just fine! Avoid slang or idioms that could confuse readers who are unfamiliar with your subject matter; 

For example, if one of your partners needs access ramps for wheelchair users at their facility but does not have them yet, don’t say something like “We need some ramps for those who can’t get around easily!” 

Instead say something more straightforward like “Our partner would benefit from ramps so that their clients can better access all areas at their facility.”

Winning grants for your nonprofit or small business requires a well-structured approach. Learn how to win a grant for your nonprofit or small business with our comprehensive guide, covering key steps and considerations.

Don’t Assume That The Reader Knows The Jargon

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to assume that the reader knows what you mean. Instead of using jargon and industry-specific language, use common terms. This will help your proposal be more accessible to all audiences.

In addition, when writing your grant proposal, avoid overlong sentences that contain too many clauses and complex grammar. This can make it difficult for grant reviewers to understand what you’re trying to say and may even take away from your overall message. 

The same goes for clichés and overused phrases the last thing anyone wants is a boring application!

Finally, don’t forget to tie each sentence back into the point that you’re trying to make in the paragraph or section where it appears; otherwise, it’ll seem like random thoughts rather than cohesive ideas!

Don’t Use Overly Long Sentences, Since They’re Hard To Read

As a writer, you should strive to make your language as clear and concise as possible. It’s important to remember that you’re writing for a specific audience.

The people who are funding your research project — so it’s crucial that you help them understand exactly what you’re proposing.

Writing in short sentences can be hard when you start out, but once you get used to it, it’ll come naturally!

There are several reasons why short sentences are better for grant proposals:

• They’re easier for readers to understand because they’re direct and concise.
• Words like “therefore” or “in conclusion” don’t have any place in grant proposals because they imply that there isn’t anything left for the reader to figure out on their own; this makes things less engaging and informative than they could be!

Equipping yourself with the right tools can significantly improve your grant proposal writing process. Check out our list of 14 tools for writing grant proposals to streamline your efforts and create compelling proposals.

Watch Out For Clichés And Overused Phrases

When writing your proposal, it’s important to avoid overused phrases and clichés. These phrases can make your proposal seem unoriginal, which will be a red flag for reviewers.

Avoid phrases like “I am passionate about this cause because …” or “I have always wanted to do something about this issue because …” You don’t need the extra words in these sentences; just say what is true for you without adding anything extra.

Avoid using words like “very, extremely, really, totally, or somewhat.” These words can make your writing sound insincere and repetitive because they are often used before adjectives that describe how someone feels (e.g., “She was very happy when she heard the news!”). 

If you find yourself using one of these words repeatedly, ask yourself if there is another way you could express how strongly someone feels about something without saying “very happy” or whatever adjective it is that doesn’t show up often enough on its merit (or not at all). 

For example: “It was pretty amazing when we won first place!” could be changed into “We were ecstatic when we won first place!” The stronger word choice makes it clear that winning felt great!

Be Sure To Tie Each Sentence Back To The Point You’re Trying To Make

When writing your grant proposal, it’s important to keep in mind that your point needs to be made clearly and concisely. If you can’t say what you mean in one sentence, then break down the thought into smaller ones until each sentence is relevant to your main argument. 

This will help eliminate any confusion about where you’re going with your argument and make it easier for reviewers to understand what you’re saying.

Make sure not to repeat yourself by rephrasing sentences too much; instead, focus on getting across the most important points in as few words as possible. 

You should also avoid jargon and confusing language so that reviewers can easily understand what’s being said without having to read through three or four paragraphs before understanding what was being said (which could even lead them away from reading more).

Be careful about using adjectives and adverbs because they weaken the strength of statements made in a sentence. For example: “The man was extremely tall.” This would be better stated as “The man was tall.”

Make Sure All Paragraphs Have A Clear Point

It’s always a good idea to give your proposal some time before submitting it. This way, you can check for any typos or other mistakes that might have slipped through the cracks during the writing process. 

But if you’re feeling nervous about submitting your grant application soon after completing it and no one should be! it can be helpful to go through the document with a friend or coworker who’s familiar with your project.

The more eyes on your proposal, the better: someone else will catch things you might have missed while reading over and over again in such close proximity as when putting together a proper application. 

It also helps if they’re familiar with what makes an effective grant proposal so that they can critique each section of yours accordingly.

For example, say certain paragraphs seem overly vague or unclear; these need work before submitting so that reviewers won’t waste their time trying to determine what point you’re making there (or at least spend less time doing so). 

Or if there’s an argument being made but not backed up by evidence; this could indicate some sort of logical leap from fact A to conclusion B without any intermediate steps between them or something else worth fixing before making any final edits.

A successful grant proposal requires attention to detail and careful consideration. Explore our article on 10 things to consider when writing a grant proposal to ensure you address all the important aspects for a strong submission.

Be Aware Of Any Potential Biases In Your Writing

One of the most common problems that researchers make when writing their proposals is introducing bias. Any time you are writing about a group or a topic that you have an opinion about, it can be easy to introduce your own biases into your research.

Bias is also a problem in grant review and award decisions because people often react emotionally instead of logically, which means they are more likely to accept ideas that confirm what they already believe. 

For example, if someone has strong feelings against abortion or gay marriage (or something else), they may be biased toward rejecting grants that support those causes or approve those projects.

Try Not To Write In The Passive Voice

When writing in the active voice, you use a verb form to emphasize the subject of the sentence. This makes it easy to understand who or what is performing an action. For example:

• “The dog ate my homework.” In this case, we know that someone ate something and that it was your homework because we can tell who did what.
• “Homework was eaten by the dog.” Here we have no idea who ate your homework because there is no indication of who did what (and if you’re wondering why this passive version sounds so weird, that’s right it feels weird).

If you want to make sure your readers know exactly what actions are being taken or described by each part of your proposal or essay, use active verbs wherever possible (unless using them would sound unnatural). 

If it sounds awkward for some reason but still needs to be written in active voice (as sometimes happens), try going with a verb from another tense instead.

Watch Out For Sexist Or Racist Language

• Avoid using sexist or racist language
• Don’t use terms like “fireman,” “policeman,” “mailman,” or even “mail lady” when you mean firefighter, police officer, mail carrier, or postal worker. Instead of “mankind” consider using humanity. 
• And don’t say someone is an excellent writer since they wrote well; instead say they’re a good writer because their writing is high quality.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that you don’t have to be perfect in your proposal, but you do need to pay attention to the details. Writing a grant proposal can be a long and arduous process, so it’s important to keep yourself motivated and focused on your goals. 

Make sure that every sentence has a clear point; this will make the document easier for readers (and reviewers!) to understand. The most important thing is that you have an idea of what makes good writing and then use those principles when drafting your proposals!

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources you might find helpful for enhancing your grant proposal writing skills:

Things to Do Before You Write Grants: Discover essential steps and tips to take before embarking on your grant writing journey.

Mastering the Art of Grant Proposal Writing: Dive into a comprehensive guide on the key elements of successful grant proposal writing.

Strategies for Stress-Free Grant Proposal Submission: Learn effective strategies to reduce stress during the grant proposal submission process.

FAQs

How should I prepare before writing a grant proposal?

Before writing a grant proposal, it’s crucial to research the funding organization’s priorities, review their guidelines, and understand the specific requirements. This preparation will help you tailor your proposal to align with their expectations.

What are the essential components of a grant proposal?

A grant proposal typically includes an executive summary, project description, budget, goals, objectives, methodology, evaluation plan, and a sustainability strategy. Each component plays a vital role in presenting a comprehensive proposal.

How can I make the grant proposal submission process less stressful?

To reduce stress during the grant proposal submission process, consider creating a timeline, breaking tasks into manageable steps, seeking peer reviews, and ensuring that you have all necessary materials prepared well in advance.

What role does storytelling play in a compelling grant proposal?

Storytelling in a grant proposal helps create an emotional connection between your project and the reviewer. Sharing real-life anecdotes and examples can make your proposal more engaging and memorable.

How do I effectively convey the impact of my project in a grant proposal?

Clearly articulate the problem your project addresses, provide data-backed evidence of its significance, and outline the specific outcomes you expect to achieve. Quantifiable impact statements can make your proposal more compelling.

Is it important to tailor my grant proposal for different funding opportunities?

Yes, tailoring your proposal to each funding opportunity is essential. Customize your proposal to address the specific goals and priorities of the funding organization, showcasing how your project aligns with their mission and objectives.