How To Win A Grant-Funded Competition

I’ve been on the receiving end of funding competitions. I’ve also helped others write winning proposals.

While there are many types of grant competitions, they all have some things in common: they’re all competitive, they usually require an application fee and there’s often a deadline to apply. So what can you do to increase your chances? Here are some tips:

How to Win Free Grant Money – YouTube

Takeaways
1. Strategic Planning: The importance of thorough strategic planning when preparing for a grant-funded competition.
2. Effective Proposal Writing: Tips for crafting compelling grant proposals that clearly communicate the project’s value and impact.
3. Alignment with Criteria: Understanding the evaluation criteria and ensuring your proposal aligns with the funder’s priorities.
4. Storytelling Skills: Leveraging storytelling techniques to make your proposal engaging and memorable.
5. Feedback Utilization: How to learn from rejection, gather feedback, and refine your proposal for future competitions.

Pick An Interesting And Timely Topic

I cannot stress enough the importance of picking a topic that is relevant to the judges, competition guidelines and brief.

This means your research should revolve around their interests and goals as much as your own and it’s just plain easier to work on something you care about. You only have so much time to complete your project, so why waste it on something you don’t enjoy?

Once you’ve decided what topic will be most relevant to winning this grant competition (and hopefully also personally interesting), it’s time to start researching!

Building a successful nonprofit proposal requires careful planning and effective communication. Learn valuable insights from our guide on getting more grant money with nonprofit proposal writing to enhance your grant application strategy.

Choose A Topic That Is Important To You

The topic you choose will determine the grant award you receive. If you are passionate about it, and think that it’s something that needs to be done, then your application will stand out in the crowd.

If you are not interested in or passionate about the topic, then don’t apply. You want to choose a project that feels natural to do so that way there is no strain on yourself while working on it.

This can also affect how well-researched your proposal is and if reviewers see it as legitimate research or just another project by someone who doesn’t have any real experience with what they’re writing about.

Also make sure that whatever topic you choose fits into one of these categories: (1) something interesting; (2) something helpful for society; (3) something fun for people who work hard at their jobs every day.

But don’t always get time off work like other professions might seem like a great idea at first but then turn out terrible because nobody wants anything from them anymore unless they’re willing enough to pay full price for everything again instead of getting free meals every week.”

When crafting a grant proposal, considering key factors can significantly improve your chances of success. Explore our article on 10 things to consider when writing a grant proposal for essential tips that can help you create a compelling proposal.

Do Your Research

The first thing you need to do is look at other people’s proposals. The competition will usually have a list of previous winners and the proposals that helped them win, so take a look at those and see what makes them stand out.

If there are any hints about what the judges want in their proposal, think about how you can incorporate these elements into your own submission.

Another important thing to do before starting on your proposal is to read through the rules for the competition (you should be able to find them on their website). You’ll want to double-check that everything you’ve written meets all of their requirements.

For example, if they say they’re looking for something that ties into community health initiatives but don’t mention anything else specific like cost or target audience groups then make sure those things aren’t mentioned either!

It could also be helpful just getting an idea of what kinds of topics they might be interested in hearing more about before writing up an entire plan;

This way when it comes time for revisions later on down the line there will already be some ideas ready to go based on feedback from earlier versions which may not have been quite as effective as others yet still gave good insight into the direction towards success during initial stages where planning was key!

Use Your Local Library And The Internet

To win a grant-funded competition, you’ll need to do some research. You can start by checking out the local library (or your university’s library) and using their resources.

In addition to books, most libraries have searchable databases that contain articles from journals or magazines on subjects related to your field or project.

You can also use the internet for research: Google Scholar is a great place to start looking for scholarly articles that are freely available online; don’t forget about other sites such as Wikipedia or Pinterest!

Securing grant money starts with presenting your project effectively. Discover actionable advice in our guide on how to write a proposal for grant money to create a persuasive proposal that resonates with funders.

Think Laterally

Try to think of a problem in a different way, or an entirely new way to approach the problem. For example, if you’re trying to solve the problem of helping people with hearing impairments better understand speech.

Maybe instead of focusing on speech recognition software and other traditional approaches that are often used for this kind of technology (such as sign language translation), you could try exploring ways that technology can make it easier for people with hearing impairments.

To learn how to read lips and facial expressions so they can better follow what is being said around them without having any additional equipment or assistance from anyone else present.

This sort of thinking can open up new possibilities for solving problems!

Consider The Point Of View Of The Competition Judges And Assessors

One of the most important things you can do is to consider the point of view of the competition judges and assessors. This can be especially helpful if you are not a native speaker of English, as it will allow you to understand what they are looking for in terms of content and style.

What do they want to see in a proposal? How can you demonstrate that you understand their needs? What questions will they be asking? You may find yourself surprised by how often these thoughts cross your mind during competition preparation!

It’s also useful to consider what type of person would win this grant-funded competition, because different people have different strengths when it comes down to writing competitive proposals (and any other types of documents).

Crafting an exceptional grant proposal involves attention to detail and strategic thinking. Dive into our tips provided in 11 tips for writing an exceptional grant proposal to enhance your grant-writing skills and stand out in the competitive landscape.

Can You Offer Something Different Or Unusual?

Now, it’s time to think about what you can offer that other proposals won’t. You’re going to want to be different and unique.

If a grant-funded competition is competitive, it means there are other applicants who have similar ideas and who will likely offer the same standard of service or product.

To stand out from the crowd and win your project funding, you’ll need to think outside of the box (or in this case: “canvas bag”).

Here are some examples of how people have been able to stand out from the crowd when applying for grant funds:

Use different materials than others do, this could include using recycled materials or repurposing an old item into something new.

Have a unique presentation, maybe create props or dress up like someone else famous (such as Paul Revere), or maybe even make your presentation interactive by inviting guests on stage with you!

The possibilities are endless here because everyone has their own style and personality so just go with what feels right for you!

Are You Able To Demonstrate Your Proposal

If you can’t explain your proposal to someone else, then you won’t be able to convince them that it’s worth funding.

You need to show that it’s a good idea and worth funding by being able to demonstrate how it will work and what difference it will make. If you don’t have an understanding of yourself, how can anyone else?

Create A Compelling Title For Your Proposal

The title of your proposal is one of the most important parts of your application. It will be the first thing that judges see when they look at it, so you want to make sure that it’s clear, concise, and memorable.

The best titles are short enough to fit on a page or slide but still descriptive enough to make the reader understand what you’re proposing.

For a title to work well:

It should be accurate
It should grab attention (or inspire)
It shouldn’t give away too much information about what you’re proposing

Simplify the process of creating a compelling grant proposal by following a structured approach. Our guide on how to write a grant proposal in 13 easy steps outlines a step-by-step process that can help you navigate the complexities of grant writing successfully.

Why Does The Title Work? Is It Creative, Unusual, Or Provocative?

Your title should be clear and concise. It should tell potential investors what your project involves, what problem it solves, and how you will go about doing it.

It should be interesting. The first thing that catches the reader’s attention is your title. It has to stand out from the rest of dozens of applications in order to grab their attention and make them want to read more about your project.

It should be memorable. If they can remember it after they have read through all your supporting materials, they will most likely remember it when they pass on their recommendations for funding decisions later down the line (or decide whether or not to recommend funding at all).

This increases your chances of getting funded!

Its relevance needs no explanation – everything written here will help facilitate its success!

Decide On The Structure Of Your Proposal

Before you begin writing your proposal, take time to decide on the structure of your proposal. This can be done by creating an outline, or even just mentally thinking about what information you need to include.

The key points for determining the structure of your grant-funded competition proposal are:

How much detail do I need to include? You should include enough detail so that someone reading it could understand exactly how you will carry out the project and why it is important.

But if you write too much in great detail, this might make the proposal difficult for someone else who is not familiar with all aspects of your topic to read and understand – so only write as much detail as necessary!

How do I organize my research findings into a logical order? Your research findings should be organized in a way that makes sense (for example problem statement, research questions & hypothesis testing results; literature review; methodology).

But keep in mind that some readers may find different ways of organizing information more useful than others (for example problems & solutions).

It’s also important not to overstate any particular point – instead, find a balance between generalization and specificity while providing clear evidence backing up each claim made within each section/subsection heading within these sections/subsections where applicable.”

Test Your Idea On Someone Else

Once you have your idea, the next step is to test it. This can be done by talking to friends and family or by doing some market research.

You need to make sure that your idea is clear and concise so that it will get through the submission process with ease. It also needs to be relevant to the judges, topic, competition and audience that are targeted by the grant funders.

Conclusion

There you have it! A brief overview of how to win a grant-funded competition. As I mentioned before, the most important thing is to start early and never stop working on your entry.

You want to be sure that every word in your application counts, so make sure it’s as strong as possible before submitting it.

Take care not just with what you say but also how much space you give each section (and even each word!). Make sure everything makes sense—this is especially important if readers won’t have time to skim through quickly and might miss something crucial because of their haste!

FAQs

How can I increase my chances of winning a grant?

Improving your chances of winning a grant involves thorough research, clear communication of your project’s impact, and alignment with the grant’s objectives.

What are some key elements of a successful grant proposal?

A successful grant proposal includes a compelling problem statement, a well-defined project plan, a clear budget, and a strong case for how the grant funds will be utilized.

How important is storytelling in grant proposal writing?

Storytelling plays a crucial role in grant proposal writing, as it helps engage the reader and communicates the significance of your project’s outcomes.

What should I do if my grant application gets rejected?

If your grant application is rejected, take the opportunity to seek feedback, refine your proposal, and explore other potential funding sources.

Are there specific strategies for addressing common grant proposal challenges?

Yes, addressing challenges like demonstrating impact, budget constraints, and aligning with funder priorities can be tackled through careful planning, collaboration, and strong communication in your proposal.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.