Grant writing is all about creating proposals or applications to secure funding from different institutions like government departments, trusts, foundations, corporations, and so on.
These are basically application processes and are usually called submissions or grant proposals. In order to create a perfect submission or grant proposal, it is important that you have in-depth knowledge of grants, how they work and how they are awarded.
When it comes to writing grants the right way, you need to consider a number of things. Although some points differ between simple and government grant writing, the basics stay the same.
The following are a few important points that you should keep in mind while writing a grant proposal.
Conduct Your Research
Before you get down to writing, it’s important that you spend some time researching and educating yourself about the various aspects of grants. For instance, one of the most important issues is about accumulating information about the foundations that have given grants in the past.
You need to find all the grants that are offered or have been offered in your area, and while doing your research in this regard, you need to ensure that you shortlist only those foundations that would be interested in giving grants for your planned proposal.
Once you have collected the information about the foundations and organizations, your next step should be to get in touch with those who may have received a grant from these institutions. These are the people who have been awarded grants in the past and they have valuable information that you may need to know.
This will help you determine what you should cover in your proposal to be able to obtain a grant.
Talk about your proposal and ask them for advice; In fact, it’s a good idea to request them to forward a copy of their successful grant proposal to you so that you are able to get an idea of how to get started with your first grant writing endeavor.
It is important that you learn as much as you can about the foundation you are going to choose to make an application to. The most important thing here is to check their current guidelines.
Even if you talk to someone who has received a grant from them in the past, you may still need to check their current guidelines because they may have introduced some changes recently. You need to know how they will fund and when exactly they will offer grants.
For instance, if you find a foundation with no interest in funding equipment, you should never ask them for funding for that item as it will be a waste of your time. Be careful and complete your research before you actually start with the writing process.
Make Your Proposal Look Professional:
If you want your proposal to be accepted by a government or private institution, you need to ensure that your proposal looks professional.
There are several things that will help you in this regard. For instance, you need to pay attention to using all terms in the same way that a foundation uses them.
This will give them the impression that you have read the guidelines and are serious about your project. Learning to use their language is crucial.
A good example of this is if you find that a foundation won’t fund technology grants, you should never use a word that would tell them that your project is related to technology; instead, check their guidelines and find a word that would best describe your project without making it look a technology-oriented project.
Getting Started With Grant Writing:
Once everything is sorted and you have the information, get down to the grant writing and keep following points in mind.
- Always remember that your proposal abstract needs to be concise. It should say more in fewer words. You will always be tempted to add a lot of information to make a grant reviewer approve your proposal, but you should not do this.
- Make sure you are short and to the point, as this will make it easier for reviewers to understand your project and get answers to important questions.
- Select a catchy name for your proposal, as this will help create a good first impression. The more creative and descriptive you are, the higher the chances of you get funded.
- Make sure all your ideas are presented in an exciting yet specific manner. Explain what you are planning to do with the money, and make it simple. Your abstract should give just enough information to inspire the reviewer to check details further.
- Make sure you offer as much information as you can but one idea should connect to the next perfectly; in other words, the flow should make sense to a reader outside the project.
- Also write about similar projects and how you managed to achieve results when you were funded adequately. And don’t forget to talk about measurable outcomes; After the grant is supplied, you should be able to explain what has been produced and how it has benefited people in general.
- While writing, don’t get too ambitious. Make a realistic budget and stick to it. Don’t ask for money for projects that you cannot complete within that budget.
- Whether writing a simple grant or a government grant, you will be better off relating it to a major national or regional issue. This will tell your reviewer that your project will not only benefit a few people but you’re trying to resolve a bigger issue.
Putting It All Together
The fact of the matter is that whether you are interested in writing simple grants or you are more concerned about more complex government grant writing, you should always take your time, consider the basics and then make a move.
You should always start by conducting your own research, and once you collect all information about foundations and their guidelines, it’s time for you to get started with writing.
Take your time and do it right and you’re more likely to have success. Also, keep in mind that some of these organizations receive hundreds or thousands of applications for grants so it does take time to review your application.
Most of all, keep your chin up if you are turned down by one institution. Just because one turned your project down, doesn’t mean they all will. Be determined, show that you care about the project and are committed to the success of it, and eventually you will find a grant provider that will see your passion for the project.
The old saying “if at first you don’t succeed, then try, try again” need to be your motto to get the results you are looking for.
By: Bradley Barks
About Brad
Brad is our lead researcher and editor - he enjoys business, meditation, being active and always learning - his goal is to successfully help you research, find, secure, and enjoy grants and scholarships.
Google+