Grant Proposal Writing Tips
Document your case. Show
the grant reviewer that your organization does good work and that your
project is worthy of funding by providing solid evidence. Put
statistics, statements from clients, and other evidence in the body of
the proposal, not in an appendix. Provide hard facts that support your
need, are clear, and have real impact. Exclude weak statistics. Ensure
your data/statistics are understandable. It is not enough to say you
have a good program – you must prove it. Steer away from acronyms and
jargon. Never assume the funder has knowledge of your program or your
agency – a good application will provide sufficient background
information. Your grant proposal should include a solid internal
evaluation component – show the reviewer how you will ensure the program
meets/exceeds the proposed performance measures. Unless specific
guidelines say not to, include a formal letter of introduction on the
agency letterhead.
Follow the funders' guidelines. Stick
to all of the instructions given to you by the funder. If they give you
a format - follow it. Address all of the funders’ questions.
Review your proposal. Check
spelling and grammar – do not rely on your word processor’s spell check
and grammar check. Have at least two individuals who are unfamiliar
with your program read your proposal. This will ensure that you have explained your project clearly and concisely.
Budget. Do
not neglect the budget section - explain all of your numbers. There
should be no surprises for the grant reviewer when they reach the budget
section. Make sure the funder allows the costs that you have included
and that the amounts are reasonable. Ensure all math is correct.
Letters of support. Limit
the number of letters of support to five. These letters may be from
other formidable organizations that will testify to your qualifications
and contributions to the community good. Make sure they are strong and
help your case. These may include testimonial letters written by
clients. Letters should be recent, no older than six months. Steer away
from having all letters of support use the same language.
Letters of partnership / collaboration. These are different than the letters of support. These
letters are from agencies who have a vested financial interest in the
project. Ensure that partnerships are clearly and thoroughly documented.
Also called letters of commitment, these letters should specifically
spell each partners’ role in the project.
Follow-up with the funder. Call
the funder with any questions before you submit your proposal. If your
proposal is not funded, contact the funder to get feedback. Information
about what you need to improve upon will help increase the quality of
your proposals.
Congratulations, you were funded!
Once you have received notice that you have been funded your first step
is to thank the grantor – both publicly and privately. Write them a
letter on your formal letterhead thanking them. Check with them to
ensure it is appropriate to send out public notices of the grant award.
Once you have their approval – post notices on your website and send out
a press release. Once the program is in operation, invite the grantor
for a site visit. Send the grantor regular reports along with pictures –
this information should also appear on your website. Don’t forget to
include their name on any materials generated with the grant funds.