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	Latest Articles Get paid for your opinions in focus groups You’ve probably already heard about people making money for taking surveys online. Read More Grants. Why need you the Business Plan? It usually doesn’t hurt to ‘go the extra mile’ in order to receive a particular grant Read More Who offers grants? Loans are money that is lent by a federal or state agency for a specific period of time Read More GRANTS – Step by step Grants: some important instructions Each time you submit paperwork promptly and correctly, you are sending a clear message to the funder. Read More

GRANTS – Step by step

Contacting the Funder
Many funders request a letter of inquiry or a proposal letter. This means that before they will accept your grant proposal, they want you to provide them with a concise summary. Specific requirements will vary, but these letters will generally be between 2-3 pages in length.

Letter of Inquiry
This letter is essentially a brief overview of your proposal. You will want to introduce them to you and your program. Follow this with a request for funds. Next you will want to explain how your project fits in with their mission and goals. Remember, you should have thoroughly researched the funder and familiarized yourself with their mission statement. This is your chance to show them that your idea is complementary to and advances their mission. Follow this up with a brief explanation of how you will follow-up and report on your progress. To conclude, thank them for their time and request permission to submit a full proposal.

Proposal Letter
Although a proposal letter will generally contain more detail than a letter of inquiry, you still must remember to be concise and brief. These letters will generally not be longer than three pages. In addition to the information that you would include in a letter of inquiry, your proposal letter should emphasize the NEED you have identified, and explain how you intend to address it.
TIP: Make sure that you know the requirements before you submit a letter to a funder! Many good proposals are rejected in these early stages because they exceed the page length or are formatted incorrectly. Familiarize yourself with all of the guidelines and follow them with exactness.

The Proposal
Although writing the proposal can be a daunting task, if you have stayed organized up to this point, you will find that it is significantly easier. The information that you recorded as you composed your project map will be extremely beneficial here, as will the contents of your letter of inquiry or proposal letter (if you submitted one).

The format and content requirements vary greatly between funders, so it is essential that you study them carefully and understand them. If you have questions, you may want to contact the funder by phone or email. Whatever you do, don’t disqualify yourself from consideration due to mistakes!
Most funders will require these components in your proposal:

Cover Sheet: Sometimes you will compose it yourself, while others are provided. Carefully follow any instructions given, because a mistake here could derail the entire proposal.
Proposal Overview: Make this brief, clear and interesting. You may want to use bullets, bold lettering and other elements to make it more readable. In this regard, many aspects of a personal resume are applicable here.
Statement of Need: Identify the need(s) that you intend to address.
Project Description: This is your chance to clearly explain how you will address the need.
Management Plan: Describe your organization and how your plan will be carried out.
Evaluation Design: This is where you earn the funder’s trust by detailing how you will keep track of your progress and gauge your efficiency.
Budget: Lay out your budget in a clear and honest way. Make sure that you know their budgetary limits! In fact, you will have the highest odds for success if you budget conservatively and come in under their limits. This will show the funder that you are dedicated to efficiency and will responsibly use their money.

Proposal Writing Tips
Remember, your proposal will face intense competition. These expert tips will help you present yourself and your proposal as favorably as possible:

Make your proposal readable. Use bullets, bold lettering, and other elements to ensure that it is clear and accessible. Avoid the temptation to get wordy.
Avoid using too many technical terms and insider jargon. If the person reviewing your proposal is not familiar with them, they will get lost. Also, if you use acronyms, make sure to include the entire wording the first time you use it. It’s a good idea to subsequently include this full wording every couple of pages, to ensure that the reader can conveniently understand what is being discussed.
Demonstrate sustainability. Because grantors are interested in long-term successes, it is essential for you to demonstrate your ability to operate within your budget. If your project will be on-going, you must show that you have the means to continue your work after their grant funds are expended. The issue of sustainability is crucial for grants related to businesses, non-profits, and long-term research. While some grantors will require sustainability information during your application process, you may want to include such information even when it is not requested.
Proof and polish. I can’t emphasize this enough! It simply doesn’t make sense for you to put countless hours into your proposal, only to submit it without doing a thorough spelling and grammar check. Funders are looking for organized people who they can trust with their money, so sloppy spelling and grammar will almost always result in a one-way trip to the garbage can! And can you blame them? How can a person who isn’t organized enough to run a simple spell check be expected to responsibly and efficiently use grant money?

In addition to using a spell checker on your computer, give your final draft to several people and ask them to read through it looking for grammar and spelling errors. Their input will certainly be helpful, but here’s the most important part: when they give it back to you, ask them to explain to you what the proposal is about. If they can’t do it, you probably need to work on the clarity and readability of your proposal. Remember, you only have one chance to impress the funder, so put in the time to make your proposal shine! This will give you the highest odds for success!

Now What?

Although your proposal has been submitted, you are certainly not at the end of your involvement in the grant process. During the time of the review process, the funder may ask for additional information either directly from you or from outside consultants or professional references. Grant review procedures vary widely, but you can expect the decision-making process to take anywhere from a month to a year. Although it is important to remain patient during this time, you can also demonstrate persistence by following up with the funder and ensuring that you are prepared to offer additional information should it be requested. Many funders outline their review procedures in annual reports or application guidelines. If you are unclear about the process, don’t hesitate to ask.

If your hard work results in a grant, take the time to acknowledge the funder’s support with a sincere letter of thanks. You will also need to ensure that you are familiar with the funder’s procedures and deadlines for reporting the progress of your project. It is essential that you clarify your responsibilities as a grant recipient, particularly with respect to financial reporting, as this will prevent misunderstandings and serious problems down the road.

Regardless of how impressive your proposal is, the fact is that funder’s simply can’t award money to every good proposal—the competition is too fierce. If yours is rejected, don’t give up. If you’re unsure why your proposal was rejected, it can be beneficial to contact the funder and ask why. Did the funder need additional information? Would they be interested in considering the proposal at a future date? Now might also be the time to begin cultivation of a prospective funder. Put them on your mailing list so that they can become further acquainted with you and your cause. Securing a grant is a long, rewarding process. Take the lessons you have learned and implement them in your next application.


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