Preparation: The Key to Winning Grant Proposals

  1. Project development is a critical element, so never write a proposal if you have not first fully developed the project
  2. Planning the project out thoroughly is the single best thing you can do to insure a good proposal
  3. Grant makers want good proposals
  4. There is no such thing as a fill-in-the-blank proposal that can be just mailed to a list of potential funders
  5. There are a number of steps in the Project Development Process, including, but not exclusive of:
    • Identify Needs
    • Specify Problems
    • Design the Project Idea to Solve the Problem
    • Determine Fundability
    • Fully Develop the Project
    • Profile the Project
    • Find a Matching Funder
    • Write Goals and Objectives
    • Develop a Project Budget
    • Submit Funding Request
  6. Write highly personalized proposal, fitting "to the letter" whatever guidelines s/he requires
  7. Write with simple, clear, concise sentences, so any reader, from any profession, can read your proposal
  8. Write Persuasively
  9. Describe the details of your project
  10. Provide evidence that your project has a reasonable chance to work
  11. A project proposed must solve a problem in which the grant maker is interested
  12. Grant funders normally don't just fund a piece of equipment for a project, list the total project first then what part of the budget is appropriate to request from the funder
  13. Be realistic but once a project is developed, many proposals about it can be written and submitted
  14. Grant makers like to partner on a project. If you have one grant maker willing to invest in your project, it's likely you can attract more