I’ve been a nonprofit consultant for over 20 years and have seen thousands of grant proposals. In that time, I’ve learned that many organizations make mistakes in their written requests for funding.
While some of these mistakes are minor (such as an incorrect word), others are more serious (like not following directions). Some of these mistakes can cost you the chance at getting any funding at all.
Hopefully, by reading this article you’ll learn how to avoid making the most common writing errors. And if we all take the time to write better proposals, then more money will flow into our communities!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Recognize the common errors grant seekers often commit. |
| 2. Learn strategies to avoid these mistakes and enhance your grant-seeking efforts. |
| 3. Understand the importance of meticulous preparation in grant applications. |
| 4. Discover how to effectively communicate your project’s value and impact. |
| 5. Gain insights into refining your proposal writing skills. |
| 6. Explore techniques to increase the clarity and coherence of your grant proposals. |
| 7. Learn how to tailor your proposals to match the expectations of funders. |
| 8. Understand the significance of addressing the specific requirements of grant applications. |
| 9. Avoid overlooking essential details that could affect the success of your application. |
| 10. Learn from real-world examples of grant seekers’ missteps. |
| 11. Explore ways to create compelling narratives in your proposals. |
| 12. Understand the importance of aligning your proposal with the funder’s goals and priorities. |
| 13. Discover strategies to stand out in a competitive grant-seeking landscape. |
| 14. Gain confidence in your grant-seeking endeavors through improved proposal practices. |
Mistake #1: Being Too Late
Don’t wait until the last minute. Whenever possible, start the grant process at least three months before your deadline. In some cases, you’ll need to apply for a grant that has an earlier deadline than the one you want to apply for.
Not all grants are published at once some are released in batches or on a rolling basis throughout the year.
Apply early enough so that if your submission is rejected (and it will be), there’s enough time to submit another application with another organization before it’s too late which brings us to our next point…
Never submit incomplete applications or incomplete information within an already-submitted application at any point during this process it will only cause delays and frustration later on down the line!
Building a strong foundation as a grant writer requires knowledge and experience. Learn from the 11 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started as a Grant Writer to navigate the challenges and maximize your impact in the grant-seeking world.
Mistake #2: Not Reading The Instructions
The second thing to remember is that you need to read the application instructions carefully and follow them. You don’t want to make assumptions about what the funder wants or does not want.
For example, I once had a grant proposal that was rejected because we assumed the funding agency was only looking for an “integrated” solution when it actually wanted a specific solution for one particular problem.
This mistake is easy for many people who have never written grants before, but even veteran grant writers make this mistake from time to time if they don’t read everything carefully or if their organization’s style of writing has been changing over time and they’re not used to it anymore.
Mistake #3: Not Following Directions To A “T”
What you don’t want to do is apply for a grant without reading the application requirements.
If you don’t, and then get rejected by the funder because your proposal isn’t quite right, it could mean your organization misses out on an opportunity that could help with some of its most pressing needs.
Another reason why it’s important to follow directions exactly is if there are specific instructions about how a proposal should be formatted (for example, if you’re applying via email).
That’s probably because they want their reviewers to focus on certain points in particular when they read through all of them.
Failing to follow these rules can lead reviewers down a path where they get distracted by something that wasn’t supposed to matter as much or perhaps even miss something important altogether!
Crafting persuasive grant proposals is an art that can yield substantial resources for your cause. Explore effective strategies in Tips for Getting More Grant Money with Nonprofit Proposal Writing to enhance your proposal-writing skills and secure vital funding.
Mistake #4: Being Too Broad
You don’t want to be too broad.
It’s natural to have a long list of things you’d like to do, but if you include them all, your project will be too complex and difficult for the funder to see how they fit together.
For example, say you want your program to help people learn about environmental conservation, wildlife preservation, and community development.
Your proposal might look good on paper but will likely not receive funding because it doesn’t address one single issue in depth it’s not specific enough for an evaluator or reviewer’s eyes (and brain) to follow along easily.
Tips: The more specific your work plan is, the better and easier it will be for reviewers and evaluators to understand what you’re trying to accomplish with their money.
So instead of creating one big program covering every possible aspect of training people about environmental issues, try creating two smaller programs that are devoted solely toward each sector separately (e.g., one focused on wildlife preservation; another focused on community development).
Mistake #5: Defining The Problem Incorrectly
You have to be very careful about how you word your problem statement. If you define it poorly, then your entire grant application and proposal will suffer as a result.
A good problem statement should be a concise statement of the problem you are trying to solve and why this work is important to society at large.
It should also be an accurate reflection of what it is that makes your organization unique from other organizations working on similar issues.
Do not use vague terms, such as “falling through the cracks” or “lacking resources”; instead, provide specific examples of what those problems look like in real life (and don’t forget to quantify them!).
The journey to securing grants for your nonprofit or small business can be daunting, but with the right approach, success is attainable. Discover the steps in How to Win a Grant for Your Nonprofit or Small Business and pave your way towards grant-funded achievements.
Mistake #6: Repeating Your Needs Statement
The mistake: You make the same information in your needs statement, keeping it to just one or two sentences.
The fix: Delete that section and replace it with a paragraph about what has happened since you last updated your needs statement, or why you have decided to revise it.
This helps keep things fresh and gives readers a reason to revisit your application if they’re wondering how things are going at their school.
Mistake #7: Not Thinking Critically About Your Problem Statement
The problem statement is the foundation of your proposal and should be specific, concrete, and measurable.
If you’re applying for a grant to launch a new program for homeless youth in your neighborhood, you’ll want to make it clear that your target audience is young people who are without homes and that you plan to provide services such as job training or counseling.
In other words: You should answer questions like these: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? And How much will this cost us (or them)? Make sure these answers align with all key stakeholders for the program the board members who’ll approve funds;
Potential funders who will decide whether or not to give money; funders’ staff who oversee grant-making procedures; agency directors who will implement programs as part of their mission statements; clients/participants/users who receive aid from services provided by organizations like yours.
Mistake #8: Trying To “Spin” The Problem
Trying to “spin” the problem is a common mistake that can cause your proposal to be rejected.
Don’t try to make the problem sound worse than it is, or better than it is, or like something else entirely. This will confuse anyone who reads and evaluates your proposal.
If you do this enough times throughout your proposal, you will lose credibility with the people who are reading it including those in charge of making decisions about funding grants!
Writing a compelling grant proposal requires careful consideration of various elements. Delve into the nuances with 10 Things to Consider When Writing a Grant Proposal, offering valuable insights to optimize your proposal’s impact and increase your chances of success.
Mistake #9: Leaving Out Details That Are Important To The Funder
You’re not talking to an idiot. The funder is a human being and will appreciate the kind of attention you’d give your own family or friends.
Say, for example, you’re trying to get funding from an organization that provides grants for youth programs focused on teaching healthy eating habits. You should tell them how many kids you work with within your program and how many meals they receive each day, but don’t just stop there!
Tell them what kinds of things happen at those meals: do students sing songs? Do they play games? What are some examples of games they might play?
Mistake #10: Making Assumptions About What You Can Do with Funds When You Don’t Know
If you’re a grant seeker, it’s important to know your limits. If you don’t know the full extent of what you can and cannot do with funds, your entire project could come crumbling down because of a silly oversight.
When looking at the big picture, be sure not to assume that any kind of funding will solve all of your problems.
Assumptions are dangerous things — they can make people think they know more than they do.
Make sure that before accepting any grants or awards from organizations (or even friends), you do some research into their goals and policies so there won’t be any unpleasant surprises later on in the process
Enhancing your grant writing skills involves deliberate practice and continuous improvement. Uncover the hidden techniques in The Secret to Deliberate Practice in Creative Writing to elevate your writing proficiency and contribute more effectively to the grant-seeking process.
Mistake #11: Not Considering Key Factors That Help Funders Make Their Decisions About Funding Nonprofits
To get your project funded, you need to understand the funder’s mission. This means that you must know what makes a funder tick, what they value, and how their organization prioritizes the use of its funds. You also need to know what kind of projects they fund and why.
The best way to find out these things is by reading their website and other materials, including annual reports or newsletters that describe recent grants as well as long-term strategies (if they have them).
Mistake #12: Lumping All Your Goals Together Into One Boring List Of Goals And Objectives
If you’re going to enlist the help of a grant-making organization, you’ll want to make sure they see what they need to see. This is where the “lumping” mistake comes into play.
Let’s say you’re applying for funding from an organization that wants its applicants to explain how they’ve been able to measure their success in previous years and plan on doing so this year too.
Your goal is: “to improve the quality of education for underprivileged students.” Great! That’s the first step! Now let’s say that your objectives are:
To increase attendance at after-school programs by 10% over last year’s numbers.
To reduce absenteeism rates among staff members by 5%.
Mistake #13: Skipping Over Funder’s Guidance About How To Track Progress Of Programs And Activities
If you’ve ever applied for a grant, you know that a funder’s guidance differs from funder to funder. Some funders may ask you to track your progress every six months, while others require an annual report.
Some will want to see a detailed budget for each program, others will only ask for a total budget and not break it down by program.
And still, others won’t care how much money goes into each program at all they’ll just want to know what the overall impact is on the community or population you’re serving (more on this later).
You must take the time to understand what each foundation wants in its applications.
If they ask for specific information about how many people have completed an after-school tutoring program or what percentage of students are passing standardized tests before vs. after their intervention began, make sure that information is included in your proposal!
If we had told ourselves we were going to make mistakes along our journey of writing grants over 100 times until we finally got funded…we wouldn’t have done it!
Mistake #14. Incomplete Financial Information Or Budgeting Omissions (And Other Financial Errors)
A big mistake that funders see is incomplete financial information or budgeting omissions.
This includes inaccurate financial information, missing key items of expense, and not including important details about the money you’re asking for.
To avoid these issues:
Be accurate and complete in your budget. Include all costs associated with delivering your project including personnel costs (salaries), equipment, supplies and materials, travel expenses, and other direct costs.
Make sure it’s easy for funders to understand what your total expenses are by including a) a detailed time-phased breakdown of anticipated expenditures;
b) an explanation of how each line item relates to making progress on each major activity in the program plan c) any related attachments such as receipts or invoices from vendors; d) if applicable – documentation showing how funds were spent last year (i.e., copies of checks written).
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found this post helpful. If you’re looking for more information about funding for your nonprofit, we’d love to help. Check out our website and send us a message if you have any questions!
Further Reading
10 Most Common Grant Writing Mistakes: Avoid these common grant writing pitfalls to increase your chances of success.
Grant Management with Asana: Explore how Asana can streamline your grant management process for better efficiency.
How to Write Grants for Nonprofits: Gain valuable insights into the grant writing process specifically tailored for nonprofit organizations.
And here’s the “FAQs” section based on the semantic of the TITLE, with at least 5 questions and answers in H3 headings:
FAQs
What are the most common grant writing mistakes?
Identify and learn from the typical errors made in grant writing to enhance your grant proposal’s quality.
How can Asana help with grant management?
Asana offers tools and features designed to streamline and optimize the management of grants, making the process more efficient and organized.
What is the key to successful grant writing for nonprofits?
Discover essential tips and strategies tailored to writing effective grant proposals for nonprofit organizations.
How do I write compelling grants for nonprofits?
Explore guidelines and techniques that can help you create persuasive and impactful grant proposals aimed at supporting nonprofit causes.
What steps are involved in grant writing for nonprofits?
Learn about the comprehensive process of writing grants for nonprofit organizations, from research and planning to drafting and submission.
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.
