Make
it easy for them to say
YES!
Make sure the fit is good.
Your project should closely
match their guidelines. Otherwise, you’re wasting their
time—and your own.
Follow the instructions exactly. They have to read lots of proposals.
When one is exactly right, they’ll appreciate it—and
remember it.
Convince them that funding you
is a smart investment—you’ll use their money
carefully, you’ll get a lot done, and you’ll help them
achieve their goals.
Show them that you will give
them what they need. That may be strong evaluations, good
publicity, or knowing that they are really making a difference.
Make connections and build
relationships with foundation
staff and board members whenever you can. People give money to
people they know.
When writing
is hard…
...talk it out.
Sometimes it’s
hard to just sit down and write a particular section of a proposal.
So instead, talk it out. Have one or two people talk through
the section while somebody else writes down their exact words.
Then, see if you can use that as a start for your written answer—make
whole sentences, move things around, make it flow together. Finally,
when you’re done with the writing, read it out loud again
to see how it sounds.
Before you
put it in the mail:
- Add a cover
letter that includes a summary of your request.
- Proofread everything...again.
- Double check
to make sure you answered all the questions and are sending all
the required materials.
- Make a copy
for your files.
- Make sure you
mail or deliver it in time to meet the deadline.
After you’ve
sent it in:
- About a week
after mailing, call to make sure it arrived and is complete (this
is also an opportunity to talk a bit with the grant maker.)
- During the review
period, if you have major successes, send a letter and let them
know. If you get an article in the paper, send them a copy.
- Be patient.
The review process can take a long time.
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Writing a Grant Proposal
Writing a grant proposal—like any big project—is
easier when you break it down into steps.
1. GETTING STARTED
Read the whole grant application carefully. Highlight all of
the questions you have to answer and materials you have to include.
Underline key words or phrases you might want to use. Before
you start writing—brainstorm. What are the strong points
of your organization? Your program? What are your best arguments
and examples? These ideas give you a place to start writing.
2. THE SUMMARY
Start by writing a one paragraph (3 or 4 sentences) description
of your request. It should include:
- Who you are
- What your project is
- How much you’re asking for
This summary lets you start with the big picture—the
rest is filling in the details. You may be able to use this summary
in the proposal, or as the first paragraph of your narrative.
3. WRITING THE PROPOSAL
Most grant applications ask for the same information, but they
often have different formats. Some will have a list of questions.
Others will ask for a “narrative”—the story of
your project.
Start by writing a draft—don’t worry about making
it look good, just get the ideas down and polish them later.
Look at the ideas you brainstormed before, and start with the
questions that you have the most answers for. If you get stuck
on one question, work on another one for a while.
Talk most about the parts of your project that they’ll
like best—use their guidelines for clues.
When you’re done with the draft, go through and polish
it up. Make sure the ideas are clear. Read it out loud to see
how it flows. You may need to rewrite a lot—that’s
okay.
You can use the key words and phrases you underlined in the
application. But don’t worry about getting fancy—just
say what you have to say, briefly and clearly.
When you’re done with the writing, go back and look at
the summary. Make sure it exactly reflects your proposal—your
ideas might have changed!
Proofread everything! Reading the whole thing out loud is
a good way to catch mistakes. Have someone else proofread it
too.
4. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
Finally, add all the other required materials, which may include:
- Project budget. Be specific and realistic on what
you will need to spend. Show you’ll use their money wisely.
Don’t always ask for the maximum amount—a budget for
$19,870 looks more precise (and is less likely to get cut) than
a request for the $20,000 maximum.
- The organization budget shows how this project fits
into your whole organization, and allows the grant maker to see
how much you spend on administration compared to programs.
- Letters of support and newspaper articles document
your success and your partnerships with other organizations.
- Other documents may be requested for financial and
organizational reasons: the 501(c)(3) letter of tax-exemption;
an audit or financial report, and a list of the board of directors.
Make a file with several copies of each, so you have them ready
whenever you write a proposal.
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