plan

Write Your Proposal like a Business Plan

Knowing how to write a business plan can help your grant proposal stand out and increase your chances of acquiring funding. A business plan is a written document that describes in detail how a new business is going to achieve its goals. Similarly, a grant proposal describes in detail how a project’s goal and objectives… read more

elements

10 Common Elements of Winning Proposals

Ten universal aspects that make winning proposals are: 1. clearly defined needs and describing how those needs were identified This section of your proposal is probably the most important. It is your convincing argument on why you should be funded. Research, preliminary data, surveys, and planning grants help you identify the problem you want to… read more

sharks

The Grant Competition: Swim with the Sharks

Before you apply for a grant, you must ask yourself if you are in it to win it. Since the average success rate for government grants is less than 20 percent, you have to be ready to swim with the sharks. Ask yourself how thoroughly you have studied the playing field, how well equipped you… read more

narcissus

The Narcissistic Grant Proposal

One of the most common statements about grant writing I hear is: “I didn’t get funded and can’t understand why.” Rejection happens for a multitude of reasons, one of which is writing narcissistic proposals. In other words, the proposal is all about you and why your project should be funded. Your application becomes a monologue,… read more

smart

Developing SMART Objectives

Developing specific and measurable objectives requires time, orderly thinking, and a clear understanding of the results expected from program activities. The more specific your objectives are, the easier it will be to demonstrate success. The first and most important question is why are you requesting the grant? The second key question is what are you… read more

outcome

Outcomes: 5 Questions You Must Answer

Confusing outcomes with methods is one of the most common errors that grantees make. To clarify, methods are described in the objectives; meanwhile, the outcomes are identified by the success that occurs. The two examples below demonstrate the approach: Example 1 Objective: To initiate a 4-hour per week tutoring program over a 6-month period for… read more

obstacle

Seven Obstacles That Kill Your Proposal

The seven most common issues that I encounter from grantees in my workshops emerge from desperation, a false sense of security, or intellectual doubt. I hear comments such as “I thought I would get it done, but time just flew by,” or “we need the money to survive.” I also frequently take notice of statements… read more

comparison

Are You Writing for the Wrong Donors?

I am often asked if the same proposal can be submitted to different types of donors. For anyone who has extensive experience with various types of grants, the answer is obvious. No, you cannot submit the same proposal to different donors. Although grant programs may be somewhat similar from agency to agency or federal to… read more

evaluation

Evaluation: Measuring Success

Donors will always ask how you will know if your idea is succeeding. Your response can make or break your chance to win the grant, and your evaluation plan holds the answer. Reassuring the donor that you have a strong evaluation component – and that your project will make a substantial impact – will add… read more