Grant Writing Tips
Follow these tips for writing a successful grant
- Start early, Avoid the stress of writing your application at the last minute, diminishing its overall quality.
- Do your homework. Make sure the funding agency is a good fit with your project’s goal. Applying is an energy- and time-consuming process.
- Read the full application and instructions to help organize your thoughts, documents, and approach.
- Answer all questions in the order they are given and follow all instructions. You never want to force reviewers to search for information unnecessarily.
- Always keep your audience and the funder’s criteria in mind. Don’t assume the reviewers are familiar with your organization.
- When you begin writing:
- Be brief, concise, and clear.
- Be organized and logical
- Make sure all charts, tables, attachments, etc., are consistent with the proposal narrative.
- Be sure your budget reflects back to the proposed activities.
- Make your opening paragraph a strong one; catch the reviewers’ attention at the outset, providing a
- Clear, brief statement of your project and its purpose.
- Use plain English, active verbs, and short sentences; avoid jargon and technical terms.
- Outcomes are important: make sure to measure them and have specifics on what to do with the funding if you get it
- When you are close to a final draft, print out your application. Proofread and re-proofread it carefully.
- Have a colleague or other trusted person review, proofread, and critique as well.
- Remember – yours will be one of many other applications in a very competitive process. Throughout your application, communicate your optimism and confidence clearly and concisely.
Good luck!