How To Win A Grant For Your Nonprofit Or Small Business

If you’re like most nonprofit or small business owners, you’ve probably never written a grant proposal. But don’t worry! 

Grant writing is pretty easy once you have the basics down. And here’s the good news: I’m about to share those basics with you in this handy guide for how to win grants for your organization. So let’s get started!

Key Takeaways
1. Understand the Grant Criteria: Familiarize yourself with the specific eligibility and requirements of the grant you’re applying for.
2. Craft a Compelling Proposal: Create a well-structured and persuasive grant proposal that clearly outlines your project’s objectives, impact, and budget.
3. Align with the Funder’s Goals: Tailor your proposal to match the goals and priorities of the grant provider to enhance your chances of success.
4. Highlight Your Unique Selling Points: Emphasize what sets your nonprofit or small business apart and how your project addresses a distinct need.
5. Provide Clear Impact Measurement: Clearly define how you will measure the success of your project and demonstrate the positive outcomes you expect.
6. Proofread and Polish: Thoroughly review your proposal for errors, coherence, and professionalism before submission.
7. Follow Submission Guidelines: Adhere to the application guidelines, deadlines, and submission format outlined by the grant provider.
8. Seek Feedback: Consider seeking input from colleagues or mentors to refine your proposal and ensure its clarity and effectiveness.
9. Stay Persistent: Understand that grant applications might require multiple attempts. Don’t be discouraged by initial rejections; keep trying.
10. Express Gratitude: If awarded the grant, express genuine appreciation to the grant provider and provide updates on the progress of your project.

Grant Writing Tips For Nonprofits?

Know your audience. Nonprofits sometimes use generic grant proposals, but it’s important to write a specific proposal for each funder. 

If you can, find out exactly who will be reading your application and what kind of organization or agency they work for. This will help you tailor the proposal to its intended recipient.

Know the funder’s needs: You should also know what kind of problem the funder wants solved by applying for their grant money (e.g., lack of access to healthcare) and what kind of solution they hope you can provide (e.g., providing medical equipment). 

The more specific you are in describing these things, the better chance that your nonprofit has at winning funding from them!

Know how much time is left before the deadline: Some funding cycles last only three months while others might go on for over a year; 

In either case, it’s important to check the deadlines before submitting any applications so there aren’t any surprises later on down the line when an organization might’ve missed out on being considered because they took too long getting started!

When aiming to secure funding for your nonprofit or small business, it’s crucial to understand the nuances of proposal writing. Discover insightful strategies and insights in our article on getting more grant money with nonprofit proposal writing.

Sources Of Information About Potential Funders

There are many sources of information about potential funders. The first place to look is your local research library, particularly the reference section. 

Here you can find listings of foundations, corporations and other organizations that have made charitable grants in your area. In some cases these directories will also include valuable information on how and where to apply for a grant.

If you are unable to locate the source of funds in a local directory, several online databases provide access to information on thousands of foundations and other funding sources:

Foundation Directory Online (FDO) — A great resource for locating foundations that fund nonprofits within specific geographic areas (or industries). FDO includes basic contact information such as names, addresses and phone numbers; 

However, it does not include financial details or descriptions of program areas funded by each funder (available separately from FDO).

Foundation Center — This database contains detailed profiles for over 100,000 charities worldwide including their mission statements; recent news articles; past grants awarded; current funding priorities; leadership biographies; photos etc…

Crafting a compelling grant proposal involves careful consideration of various factors. Our guide on 10 things to consider when writing a grant proposal delves into key aspects that can significantly enhance your proposal’s effectiveness.

Determining Whether An Opportunity Appeals To You

Before you start researching funding opportunities, it’s important to ask yourself a couple of questions:

Does this opportunity appeal to me? If you’re not interested in the topic or don’t feel passionate about it, then it probably isn’t worth your time.

Can my organization complete this project? Make sure that your non-profit has the resources necessary to complete the project and manage its scope. 

This could be staff capacity or even cash flow issues if a grant requires hiring new staff members or paying for additional services (like marketing).

Can my organization effectively manage this grant? You should be able to track all expenditures related to the grant so that there are no surprises when submitting reports or invoices at the end of every quarter. 

You’ll also want some sort of system in place for tracking progress on specific deliverables as well as overall milestones throughout each quarter.

This helps ensure on-time completion with minimal delays due to unforeseen circumstances like illness or unexpected roadblocks during implementation phases.

Grant Proposal Tips?

If you’re looking to get a grant for your nonprofit or small business, here are some tips on how to win a grant:

Make sure your project will be successful. Before applying for any grants, make sure you know how much money the organization has. If there is not enough money for what you want to do, apply for smaller grants first so that you can raise more money later on.

Think about the bigger picture when writing your proposal. How is this project going to help other people in the future? What does it mean for society as a whole? Is it going to make things better or worse? 

You’ll need answers from these questions when writing your proposal because this will show donors why they should give money back into nonprofits like yours instead of other charities out there doing similar work with less financial support than yours receives now!

Seeking funding through grant proposals requires skillful composition that highlights your project’s potential. Learn the essentials of creating successful proposals in our comprehensive resource: How to write a proposal that gets funded.

The Cover Letter

The cover letter is the first thing a grantor will see when they open your grant application. It’s important to make a good first impression with your cover letter. 

The best way to do that is by writing an introduction that quickly and clearly states who you are, what your organization does and why it needs funding.

In your opening paragraph, introduce yourself and explain how long you’ve been part of the company or nonprofit (if applicable). Then state plainly why this particular grant request is so important for your organization at this point in time. 

Tie in any details about specific projects or initiatives related to the purpose of the grant request and don’t forget to mention how much money you’re requesting from them! 

You should also include any relevant links, data or other supporting materials that illustrate just how substantial this project really is.

And finally: be sure not only to thank them for their consideration but also let them know exactly when they should expect an answer back from their end!

The Executive Summary

The executive summary is a one-page document that tells the story behind your organization. It can be used as a cover page for your completed proposal, and it’s often sent along with certain grant applications to help convince reviewers of the importance of your cause.

The first paragraph should feature your organization’s mission statement, followed by a description of why you need funding and how you’ll use it. 

The second paragraph should include an overview of what makes your nonprofit unique or different from similar organizations in its field (if applicable), followed by details about yourself and other key members involved with the nonprofit, such as board members or founders. 

The third paragraph should focus on where funds will go if you receive them; this is also where any budget numbers would go. In most cases, non-profits don’t have hard budgets laid out for specific projects; 

Instead, they may outline general categories of cost like “salaries” or “operations.” However, if some sort of project budget is an important part of how grant reviewers will evaluate whether you’re qualified to receive funding then it’s best that this information be included here too!

Elevate your grant proposal game by implementing proven strategies that set your submission apart. Explore our article offering 11 tips for writing an exceptional grant proposal to maximize your chances of securing the desired funding.

The Description

The Description is where you will tell your story. It should be clear, concise, and persuasive. If you are writing a grant proposal for a small business or nonprofit organization, this section will describe the problem you are trying to solve.

The program that you have created to address it and the results that will occur from implementing your program.

This section is written in the first person singular (“I”) rather than plural (we). The reason for this is that it makes it sound like only one person is responsible for everything being proposed in the application. 

If multiple people are involved in creating or implementing a project then use “our” instead of “I”.

The best way to write an effective description is by first describing what problems exist and then proposing how they can be addressed with your program solution before explaining why these solutions work well enough so as not only to justify funding but to convince others who read about them later on down the line which ones deserve their support too!

The Timeline

The timeline for grant proposals cannot be overstated. Many people think a grant will come in the mail tomorrow.

But the majority of applications reviewed by grantmakers have timelines of 30 days or less. The good news is you can set your own deadline (within reason), so choose wisely!

If your organization has time to spare and wants to get a feel for what it takes to write a winning proposal, I recommend setting a deadline three months after receiving the guidelines from your funder. 

That will give you enough time to complete the project while still being able to submit within their specified window.

If possible, do not wait until the last minute before starting this process; let’s face it: putting together a winning application takes time.

And that doesn’t just mean researching and writing down information; it means thinking critically about how best to present yourself as an organization and making sure that all aspects of your project align with its mission statement.

The Budget

Your budget should be realistic, and it should include all costs.

You need to plan for the entire project, not just for the first year. Your budget should also be in line with other similar projects that you are aware of in your community or industry. If you need help making sure your budget is realistic, talk to a financial planner or accountant for assistance.

You may want to create separate budgets for each year of the project so that you can easily see if there are changes between years (for example, if there are more staff required after one year).

The Evaluation Plan?

The evaluation plan is the part of your application that explains how you will evaluate the effectiveness of your grant. This is an important step for several reasons:

First, it shows that you take evaluation seriously and are planning to do so throughout its duration. 

If a funder sees that you haven’t given any thought to evaluation in your proposal, they’ll probably think that’s indicative of other areas where you’ve not done enough planning either. 

For example, if a funder sees that there’s no budget for follow-up evaluations but one for initial start-up costs related to implementing projects proposed in the project description section of a proposal.

Then they can infer that this applicant might not have spent much time thinking about sustainability or ongoing support needs.

Second, it shows how thoughtful and thorough an applicant has been throughout their grant process. 

Thirdly (and finally), it helps funders get an idea of what kind of metrics might be helpful when evaluating their grantees’ progress at achieving goals set out in their proposals and even gives them some ideas on how best to measure success over time!

Navigating the grant proposal process can be overwhelming, but breaking it down into manageable steps is key. Our guide on how to write a grant proposal in 13 easy steps provides you with a clear roadmap to streamline your proposal creation and submission journey.

After Submitting The Proposal?

After you submit the proposal, be sure to follow up with a thank-you letter or email. This is especially important if there are any people on the selection committee who will be involved in the next round of funding decisions. 

If your organization has a board member who submitted your proposal and he or she does not make it into the next round of funding decisions.

Then have that board member send an email expressing their support for your project and follow up with a phone call or personal visit if possible.

You should also reach out with an update on how the project is going after it receives its funding. When writing those updates, make sure to include specific details about what has been accomplished so far and what still needs to happen before completion.

Conclusion

We’ve given you some tips and tricks for how to write grants, but if writing isn’t your strong suit, never fear! There are plenty of other ways to find the funding you need. 

One thing we can guarantee is that the more effort you put into researching potential funders and understanding their grant process, the better off you will be when submitting an application.

Further Reading

Explore more resources to enhance your grant proposal writing skills and increase your chances of success:

Small Business Grants: What You Need to Know: Uncover valuable insights into the world of small business grants, including eligibility criteria and application tips.

Guide: How to Write Effective Grants for Nonprofits: Enhance your nonprofit’s grant writing efforts with this comprehensive guide offering practical strategies and techniques.

A Beginner’s Guide to Winning More Grants for Your Nonprofit: Dive into this beginner-friendly resource that provides essential steps to improve your nonprofit’s grant-seeking success.

FAQs

How do I increase my chances of winning small business grants?

To increase your chances of winning small business grants, focus on crafting a clear and compelling grant proposal that addresses the specific needs of your business, demonstrates a strong impact, and aligns with the grant provider’s objectives.

What are some key elements of an effective nonprofit grant proposal?

An effective nonprofit grant proposal should include a compelling mission statement, a clear description of the project’s goals and outcomes, a detailed budget, a solid plan for project implementation, and a strong case for the project’s impact.

How can my nonprofit improve its grant-seeking strategy?

To enhance your nonprofit’s grant-seeking strategy, consider diversifying your funding sources, conducting thorough research to find suitable grant opportunities, tailoring each proposal to the specific requirements of the grant, and maintaining open communication with grant providers.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing grant proposals?

Avoid common mistakes such as submitting incomplete or hastily prepared proposals, not following the grant application guidelines, neglecting to customize your proposal for each funding opportunity, and failing to provide clear and concise explanations for your project’s goals and impact.

How can I stand out as a beginner when applying for nonprofit grants?

As a beginner seeking nonprofit grants, focus on showcasing your organization’s passion and commitment to the cause, thoroughly researching potential funders, telling a compelling story about your nonprofit’s mission, and seeking guidance from experienced grant writers or mentors.