Writing a grant proposal isn’t easy. It takes time, effort, and persistence to get it right. But there are certain techniques that can help you make your case more compelling to funders and increase your chances of success.
So if you’re planning to write one soon, here are some tips from our experienced team of grant writers:
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Understand the funder’s priorities and tailor your proposal accordingly. |
| 2. Clearly define the problem your project addresses and its significance. |
| 3. Develop a well-structured proposal with sections for project description, budget, timeline, and expected outcomes. |
| 4. Use persuasive language to highlight the potential impact of your project. |
| 5. Provide evidence of your organization’s credibility and capacity to execute the project. |
| 6. Emphasize innovation and unique approaches to solving the identified problem. |
| 7. Edit and proofread your proposal to ensure clarity, professionalism, and accuracy. |
| 8. Align your proposal with the funder’s guidelines and submission requirements. |
| 9. Show how the project outcomes will be measured and evaluated. |
| 10. Submit your proposal well before the deadline and follow up if necessary. |
Get Familiar With The Funder’s Requirements
This may be an obvious tip, but it can’t be stressed enough: knowing what the funder wants to see in your proposal will help you write one that is more likely to get funded.
You can start by checking out their website and reviewing past grantees’ applications (if applicable), as well as looking at their funding priorities the types of organizations they typically fund, and topics that are on their radar.
Also take note of how long each application must be, whether a cover letter is required, whether there are any caps on expenses or personnel costs (like salaries), etc.
Improving your grant writing skills is crucial for success in securing funding. Learn valuable insights from our guide on tips to improve your grant writing and enhance your grant proposal strategy.
Identify Exactly What You Need To Be Successful And Present It As A Compelling Case
Once you have identified exactly what you need to be successful, present it as a compelling case. Be specific about what you want to achieve and why. Make sure the funder knows the outcome of their investment in your organization, i.e., how they will measure success.
The funder needs to understand how they are going to get their money back and more importantly, they want to know that they made a difference in some way (and not just with numbers).
If a nonprofit has been working on its mission for 20 years without any grant funding or government support, it’s unlikely that an investor will see this as positive proof that their money will be used wisely.
Once again: Identity exactly what you need to be successful and present it as a compelling case!
Be Concrete About Your Project’s Details
You have to be concrete about your project’s details. For example, instead of saying that you will “train people on how to use a new software program,” state specifically what the training will entail:
“We will provide 2-hour in-person training sessions for 10 participants so that they can learn about the features and functions of this software program.”
In other words, describe what you will do, not what you think or hope or pray might happen as a result of your efforts. Rather than simply saying that your organization wants to increase awareness around an issue (and leave it at that).
Give specific examples of how this could happen–for example, by developing media campaigns that target specific groups within the community (such as young professionals) with messages tailored specifically for them.
Crafting a compelling proposal is the key to winning grant money. Explore our comprehensive guide on how to write a proposal for grant money to ensure your proposals stand out and get noticed by funders.
Use Plain Language
The next step is to make sure your proposal is clear and concise. You want to be specific, use simple language, and rely on active voice as much as possible.
Use the first person (I, we) instead of passive voice (it was done) where possible.
Avoid complex words that may not be familiar to your audience or distract from what you are trying to say. Instead, use short sentences and paragraphs with simple words that everyone understands. For example: “The grant will provide $100 per month for three years.”
If you’re writing an entire grant proposal document or series of documents (instead of individual sections), keep in mind how long they are so that there isn’t too much detail in any one area or paragraph; this will help ensure readers don’t get overwhelmed by too much information at once.
Showcase Your Organization’s Credibility
In the grant proposal, be specific about your organization’s credibility. Include a list of awards, grants, and other accomplishments your organization has received.
Specify how many years you’ve been in business, the number of clients served annually and how many volunteers you have on staff or board members.
If possible, include information about any partnerships with other organizations that would lend weight to a proposal by demonstrating the applicant’s ability to implement its stated goals or objectives.
Excelling in grant proposal writing requires attention to detail and strategy. Discover 11 tips for writing an exceptional grant proposal that will help you create persuasive and effective proposals.
Plan For The Long Haul
You’ll need to think about what you are going to do with your project after the funding period is over. If it’s a one-off event or project, then this may not be an issue, but if you’re hoping for ongoing funding and sustainability, then this should be one of your main focuses.
The best way to get funding is by showing how your project can be self-sufficient in the long run – this means that you’ll have a plan of action ready to go when your initial grant runs out so that they know that there will still be money coming in after they fund you.
Be Clear About Your Goals And Objectives
If you’re writing a grant proposal, you likely want something from the funder. Your goal could be money or equipment, but it can also be something like an opportunity to test out new ideas or share your work with others.
Whatever it is, make sure your proposal spells out exactly what one of these things means for you and how achieving that goal will benefit those who come in contact with your project after funding is secured (i.e., other nonprofits).
Make sure your goals are specific enough to fit into their scope of work or they won’t fund them!
Securing grants for your nonprofit or small business can be a game-changer. Our guide on how to win a grant for your nonprofit or small business provides valuable insights into the process of securing funding.
Focus On Outcomes, Not Outputs Or Activities
When you’re writing a grant proposal, it’s easy to get caught up thinking about activities and outputs. Make sure you’re not focusing on those when you’re supposed to be focused on outcomes!
Activities are how you achieve your goals; outputs are what happens as a result of an activity. Outcomes are the results from your entire program or project—they describe what happens after everything is said and done. For example:
An outcome could be that 7 children gained literacy skills through reading books in their native language at home, while their siblings’ literacy skills remained unchanged due to lack of exposure.
The activities that led to that outcome might have been weekly reading sessions with each child individually (this doesn’t necessarily require more than one person), followed by two hours of guided playtime where all members of the family were encouraged to engage in storytime activities such as building blocks or drawing pictures together (really just fun stuff!).
Don’t Just Say What You Do – Say Why It Matters And Why You Do It
One of the most important things to remember when writing a grant proposal is that people in power do not have time to read large blocks of text. Instead, you should make your case by telling stories.
Using storytelling in this way not only makes it easier for your audience (the grant panel) to understand what you are doing and why it matters, but also helps them visualize the potential impact of your work.
Your story should focus on three elements: why are you doing what you are doing? Why does it matter? And how will this project bring about change?
Describe How Your Project Has Already Been Proven Effective In Other Settings Or By Other Organizations, If Possible
You should describe how your project has already been proven effective in other settings or by other organizations, if possible. If it’s not possible to show that you’ve had success with your program elsewhere, then you can’t prove that the project will work for your organization.
The most important thing to remember about this section is that there are no guarantees when you’re writing a grant proposal. The best way to ensure funding is to have a strong track record of success and an excellent reputation for running high-quality programs.
Provide Solid Research And Evidence To Support Your Ideas And Strategies
Provide solid research and evidence to support your ideas, strategies, and project.
If you are proposing a new program, demonstrate that the need for it is real by citing statistics from recent surveys or other sources.
If you are seeking funding for staff development activities, describe the need for this training in terms of skills gaps at your organization that have been identified through job analyses or other means.
If you are looking for monetary support from an individual donor or foundation, provide information on how much money they gave last year and how many grants they made during that period (if applicable).
This will help show whether they are likely interested in funding your organization’s current proposal.
Being a grant writer comes with its unique rewards. Explore the top 12 reasons why I’m glad to be a grant writer and gain a deeper appreciation for the impact and fulfillment that grant writing can bring to your career.
Make Sure Specific Strategies Are Backed Up By Data Demonstrating Their Effectiveness
Many people still think that data is boring, but they’re wrong. Data is quite exciting and can help you show the impact of your project in a way that will resonate with funders.
The first step to using data effectively is understanding how to collect it, which requires some forethought. To make sure your proposal doesn’t end up being too long, start by asking yourself “What information do I need to include?”
Then consider how much detail you want to go into on each request or question the funder might ask you. For example, if they ask how many people use your program and what type of clients are served, you don’t have to give them an exact number.
Just say “over 100” or something close enough so that it’s clear but not too specific as this may decrease their interest if there isn’t enough demand for services (or increase interest if demand exceeds expectations).
Finally and this may seem obvious but sometimes we get so caught up in researching other things! make sure any data collected supports those strategies which were included in step 2 above:
Does collecting more information about clients’ needs help answer questions about participants’ perspectives? Do quantitative results corroborate qualitative findings?
Outline An Evaluation Plan That Will Help You Monitor Progress And Assess Outcomes
To ensure that your organization is making progress toward achieving its goals, you’ll need to outline an evaluation plan that will help you monitor progress and assess outcomes.
An evaluation plan can be as simple or complex as necessary depending on the type of project, but it should always include a few key components and a description of the problem being addressed.
And how it will be defined (e.g., what is the target population?), how you’ll measure success (e.g., what are your metrics?), and who will be responsible for each component?
Demonstrate How Your Work Can Be Replicated By Others, If Possible
In many cases, you might find that a foundation or corporation is reluctant to give you money for fear that your project can’t be scaled up and replicated elsewhere.
If this is the case with your project, it’s important to demonstrate how it could be replicated in different areas or other countries (if applicable).
You can show this by including information about the scale of existing projects similar to yours and what kind of resources are necessary for replication.
For example, if the program at Scripps Institution of Oceanography is successful at reducing litter on San Diego County beaches, they may want their model tested in another part of California or even outside California entirely so they can see if it works there too!
Being Prepared Is The Key To Writing A Convincing Grant Application
The following steps will help you get started:
Research the funder’s requirements. Many funding agencies provide detailed guidelines for applicants, so take advantage of them and make sure to read through each part of their guidelines carefully.
Identify exactly what you need to be successful. This includes your funding request amount, how much has been raised already (if any), who else is involved in the project, and what kind of support resources are available at your organization or institution.
Present it as a compelling case focus on why this project matters and why it would have an impact on your community if funded by this particular funder or program.
You should also show that you understand the nuances of their mission or focus area by highlighting where they intersect with yours (for example: “This proposal aligns with [XYZ funder]’s goals because…”).
Concretely explain why they should invest in your idea instead of someone else’s you want them to think about how well matched you are for each other as much as possible here! And remember that being clear doesn’t mean being boring; showcase your organization’s credibility with examples from past work if applicable!
Conclusion
We hope these 15 tips will help you write a successful grant proposal. In the end, though, it’s important to remember that this isn’t about being perfect – it’s about being prepared.
By taking the time to thoroughly research your funder and carefully plan your project, you’ll be much more likely to succeed at getting funding for your organization’s work. Good luck!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to further enhance your understanding of grant proposal writing:
PandaDoc – Grant Proposal Guide: Explore an insightful guide on crafting effective grant proposals, covering essential components and best practices.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center – Grant Proposals: Learn about the nuances of writing successful grant proposals, including proposal structure and persuasive techniques.
Instrumentl – Tips for Stronger Grant Proposals: Discover valuable tips to enhance the strength and impact of your grant proposals, helping you secure funding more effectively.
FAQs
What should be included in a grant proposal?
A grant proposal typically includes a clear project description, goals, objectives, budget, timeline, and the intended impact of the project on the community or organization.
How do I make my grant proposal stand out?
To make your grant proposal stand out, focus on showcasing the significance of your project, its alignment with the funder’s priorities, and the innovative approaches you’ll employ to achieve your goals.
Are there specific formats for grant proposals?
While formats can vary, grant proposals often follow a standard structure including an executive summary, introduction, project description, budget, and conclusion.
How do I find the right funding opportunities?
Identify funding opportunities by researching grant databases, governmental and nonprofit websites, and networking within your industry to discover grants aligned with your project’s goals.
What role does storytelling play in grant proposals?
Storytelling in grant proposals humanizes your project, helping funders connect emotionally with your mission, beneficiaries, and the change you aim to bring about.
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.