Grant Writing Tips

Introduction

The following page provides tips and insights that will help begin the grant writing process. It answers some basic questions and outlines the fundamental elements of researching and writing a grant.

What Is a Grant?

A grant is an award made to an individual or an institution that helps with specific costs involved in the implementation or continuation of a project. Funders make awards to grantees for many reasons, but the need of the grantee is usually the main consideration. The components involved in preparing a grant proposal are:

• Planning
• Researching and identifying potential funders
• Organizing a budget
• Writing the proposal

How Do I Start?

Planning

Funders are looking for creative and innovative ideas that benefit students, teachers, and the community. Start with an idea and be clear about your goals. Plan to address the following criteria:

• Need or Problem
  • Identify the need or problem your organization has recognized and is prepared to address.
• Solution
  • Present a clear description of the project that will provide a solution to the need or problem.
• Objectives
  • Describe the activities that will be implemented to achieve the objectives. Include a timeline.
    

Researching and Identifying Potential Funders

An effective proposal begins with extensive research of potential funders. It's been estimated that your chances of success improve by as much as 300% when you make contact with the funder before and during the writing process.

• Ask the funder to send you its annual report and application guidelines.
• Preview successful applications from grant-seekers whose projects are similar to yours. Some of your best sources are your peers and mentors.
• Narrow the field to the most likely funders for your project and make sure your organization will be appealing to them.

Creating a Budget

Your budget is one of the first things funders will look at when they open your proposal. Do your homework on costs and explain your budget, even if the application does not require it.

• Itemize the funds needed for the project.
• Itemize plans for future funding.

Writing the proposal

• Writing the proposal should only take 40 percent of your time. Try to have program officials review the proposal early to make sure you are on the right track.
• Follow the funder's instructions for structure and format carefully.

Style and presentation should clearly reflect every Request for Proposal (RFP) requirement.

• Use simple, concise language. Be direct.
• Avoid jargon, use strictly educational terms and acronyms.
• Use action verbs.
• Be consistent.
• Don't plagiarize. Don't omit criteria.
• Demonstrate good organization and management.
• State credibility of district and/or school; provide credentials of key personnel; provide evidence of resources.
• Include endorsements and testimonials.
• Prove how you intend to solve the problem with measurable data, such as statistics and case studies.
• Budget format should be clear and detailed.
• Tell the means. Tell the end result.
• Have an editor proofread.
• Demonstrate tenacity. Follow up and stay in touch.
  

How should a proposal be organized?

The format of a proposal will vary slightly depending on a grant’s specific requirements. Most Federal Grants, for instance, require full proposals while private grants may only require a letter proposal, similar to a letter of intent.
In most cases, grant writers will need to organize their proposals in seven sections:

• Introduction
• Problem Statement
• Objectives
• Methods
• Evaluation
• Budget
• Abstract

Introduction

The introduction section describes the group requesting the grant and establishes the significance of the idea being presented. It describes the organization, establishes credibility, describes the organization’s goals, and should lead logically into the problem statement.

Problem Statement

The problem statement presents the reasons why the project has been designed. The problem should be supported by evidence drawn from experience, statistics provided by authoritative sources, and appropriate literature. This section should avoid the use of jargon and instead use “human terms” and descriptions to present the problem.

Objectives

This section describes how the project being proposed will solve the problem described in the previous section. The objectives of the project should be presented as important, significant, and timely. This section should also specify the outcome of the project and demonstrate how the project’s outcome is relevant to the sponsor’s goals.

Methods

This is where the project activities are detailed. The descriptions should present the sequence, flow and interrelationship of activities that will achieve the previously presented objectives. It should also include details of how the project will be staffed.

Evaluation

The evaluation of a project is of particular importance to sponsors, since it will show them how the project has contributed to their goals. The evaluation will be an obvious extension to the measurable methods and objectives you've completed in the previous sections. This section should identify precisely what will be evaluated, the methods used to evaluate, and who will provide the evaluation.

Budget

The project budget is not just an accounting of proposed expenses; it is a way of expressing the project in financial terms. The budget should clearly fit the proposed activities and relate all costs to project objectives. Sufficient details should be provided in order to clearly explain how various budget items were calculated.

Abstract

The abstract presents a slimmed-down version of the entire proposal. It provides a quick overview of the project and it clearly states its significance. The project’s end products should also be clearly identified. An abstract is usually 250-500 words. It should address the problem, objectives, and methods of your proposal with about one sentence on each of these.

What is a Letter of Intent?

A Letter of Intent is a condensed version of the proposal that allows the reviewer to quickly assess whether or not there is a good match between the foundation's missions and goals and the proposer's project. Your first contact with a foundation should be to request information about the foundation's missions and goals, specifically an annual report. Your next contact is a Letter of Intent.

A Letter of Intent should be no more then three pages and should consist of the following:

• Summary statement
• Statement of need
• Project description
• Outcomes
• Organizational background
• Credentials
• Budget
• Closing
  

Make it as strong and direct as possible. Aside from the project description, which should be the bulk of the letter, each component should be no longer than two paragraphs.

To find more information about the grant writing process, check the Resources provided.