Successfully Competing for Grant Funding

How to get a proposal noticed and funded

May 10, 2009 Michele Dane

Thousands of grants compete annually for scarce foundation resources. Here are a few tips for ensuring that a grant proposal gets noticed and funded.

Competition for grant funding is escalating while foundation portfolios are being decimated as a result of the economic downturn. With all the proposals and applications struggling for attention and funding, how does a grant writer ensure that their proposal gets read and selected for support? Here are five easy tips for getting noticed and receiving funding.

1. Alignment between The Funder’s Purpose and the Requesting Organization’s Mission

It does absolutely no good to send a funding request to a foundation whose purpose is not fully compatible with the organization that is requesting support. Grant writers must take care to link their organization’s mission with that of the foundation to establish that funding the proposal will further the aims of the foundation. Research the mission statements of potential funders to identify those that are compatible with those of your organization.

2. Carefully Follow the Foundation’s Guidelines

Every foundation has guidelines that specify how to apply, when to submit a proposal as well as how funds can and cannot be spent. Read the guidelines carefully and follow their instruction to the letter. If the guidelines indicate that funds can only be used to purchase equipment or initiate new programs then do not request support for ongoing operations. In addition, if the guidelines stipulate a two page limit, do not send three pages. Not complying with the guidelines and criteria will ensure that the proposal is tossed before it can get a fair hearing.

3. Establish a Compelling Need

Foundations will only consider those proposals that are a response to what they view as a compelling need. Be sure to describe why the proposed project can address that need. This can be done by using examples and a few (only a few) choice statistics that immediately give the reader an impression as to the size and scope of the issues. While trying to generate an emotional response in the reader may help, it is easy to go too far and turn the reader off. In this case, less is more. Establish a compelling need for the proposal and illustrate how the project will help resolve it.

4. Ensure That the Grant Proposal Is Easy to Read

Use bullets to help the reader scan the document and understand the key points. Remember that the reader is likely responsible for reviewing hundreds of applications, so make it easy for them to get through the document and remember the salient points.

5. Neatness Counts

Proof read your report. Make sure that everything is as it should be (check that all the required attachments are included, etc). A sloppy proposal with missing documentation is a poor reflection on the organization and will give the reviewer an excuse to pitch the proposal into the round file.

Good proposals abound. Take time to make sure that the grant proposal submitted is consistent with the foundation’s mission, vision and criteria. In addition, make sure that the proposal is compelling and easy to digest. These tips will help grant writers ensure that their proposal rises above the competition to be noticed and supported.

The copyright of the article Successfully Competing for Grant Funding in Non-Profit Management is owned by Michele Dane. Permission to republish Successfully Competing for Grant Funding in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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