For many people, writing a grant proposal is a difficult process. You may have the feeling that those who receive grants are either super smart or have some inside connections. But grant writing does not have to be difficult, anyone can do it. “Where there is a will – there is a way!”
Putting it all together!
A successful proposal involves the coordination of several key points including research and data collecting, planning, writing and putting together a detailed grant proposal package, submitting the proposal to a funder and follow-up. So before you begin to write your grant proposal here are a few tips to get you started.
- Preparation - Gather necessary details and make clear the purpose of your project by writing a clear and concise mission statement.
- Criteria – Many grants have specific criteria, which are normally stated in the ‘request for proposal’ (RFP). Make sure that you design your proposal to match the criteria set out by the funding agency. The request for proposal usually gives detailed instructions about what you need to submit, so it is very important that you submit everything that is required. You do not want your proposal to be in the stack of “incomplete proposal” or “do not consider pile”, that’s not a good place to be after all your hard work.
- A good match – When applying for grant money you are basically asking the funding agency for money. These agencies provide grants that will serve their interest and are important to them, so your grant proposal should address those issues that are important to the agency identifying how you will contribute, solving a problem or improving a situation.
- Define you goal – Determine what your goals are and make sure your goals are consistent with the goals of the funding agency, but don’t sacrifice your goals and objectives just to fit the goals of the agency. If you are not a good fit for the grant, look elsewhere for a better fit.
- Feedback – Show your proposal to family and friends, get their feedback and suggestions but only choose the ones that you think are a benefit to your proposal. Getting the assistance of an editor who has the expertise in proposal writing may also be a good idea.
- Putting it all together – As with any type of writing, your first draft will not be the finished product and ready to submit. You may have to rewrite your proposal several times before you have a top quality proposal that will get you selected for funding.
- Extras – There are some things you can do to make your proposal easier for the reviewer to read such as, making good use of the heading and sub-headings, use a consistent format, make your message easily understood, obtain up-to-date information and use facts and figures (identifying their sources).
- Timely submission – In most cases, due dates for grant proposal are final. Even if you have a top-notch grant proposal, if it is late, there is a good change that it will be rejected. Make sure you plan ahead and submit your proposal on time.
What Reviewers Look for in your Grant Proposal?
Reviewers look for a well written proposal that is free from spelling and typographical errors, easy to read and understand text, logical and consistent message, convincing message that is believable, the best fit that matches their criteria and a solid goal and objective.
Applying for a grant can seem difficult a task at first, but if you are willing to put in the time and work, you can write a winning grant proposal that will get you selected for funding. You can do it!
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