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Some funders want you to first send a preliminary proposal that is about 5 pages or so – they really want to keep you from wasting their time and yours on a project that they would never really fund. Contact the funder and ask for a copy of its grant guidelines. This could be a “RFP” – Request for Proposal, or something posted in an annual report or on a website. Just Ask!

Most grant proposals have a basic skeleton – a comparable format that you can pretty much adjust to specific requirements of any individual funder. Don’t panic…contrary to popular belief, writing a grant is not the hard part. The hard part is thinking through your idea and making sure it’s a solid program. You have to do your homework. Just because something is new to you, doesn’t necessarily make it groundbreaking. You might be someone coming late to the ball game. Pause and think about your program/idea. Start with fleshing out your idea. Start writing and don’t worry about how it sounds right now. Take a look at the typical components of a proposal and start jotting down your thoughts in each section – you are basically making an outline. Remember your school papers? That’s what you are doing – writing something like a research paper. Don’t panic…you can do this!

Proposals usually have the following components:

Abstract – the who, what, when, and where, extremely concise summary of the entire project. Grant reviewers will read this first. Write this one last because you’ll be more familiar with your entire project by then.

Introduction – Sometimes people use this section to give a brief overview of the applicant organization and why it – you – are qualified to tackle the project. Many grants have page limits, so you might just want to get straight to the point.

Need or Problem Statement – pay attention to this section, you need to describe the current situation and why your project is needed. Most of the time you will need to show that your project can impact more than your class or institution. Funders like to get more bang for their buck, but they need to be convinced that there is a problem worth solving. Research reliable, credible statistics supporting your project's need. Funders do not like to duplicate services/programs. Remember – Be specific, do your homework, and provide evidence for your claims.

Goals and Objectives – These two aren’t the same thing, Basically, you need tell the funder what your project will achieve in broad statements (goals), and then in specific, measurable statements (objectives) reflecting how much change your project will achieve by when. Think – accountability! You must prove that your project can positively change the situation you described in the needs section. No one wants to waste their money on worthless projects.

Project Methodology or Plan of Operation – now you have to tell the funder HOW you plan on putting your program/idea into action to accomplish the goals and objectives you have outlined. What activities must you do, who will be responsible for each activity, etc. You need to explain why you chose to operate or implement your program/idea this way instead of another way – this is where your research comes in. Funders want to feel comfortable that you have a clue of how to run a project of your type and your decisions are based on sound decision-making. Make sure you really do know your stuff and how to run your program.

Key Personnel – stick with the significant people on your project and describe job qualifications and responsibilities and if you have already selected a person for a job, describe why that person is the best qualified to run your program. If the key person is you – then, sell yourself! It’s no time to be modest. Funders want to be impressed by those people running the programs in which they are considering investing.

Evaluation – This is where you talk about the data you will be collecting and analyzing as the project is being implemented and at the end of the month/year. Describe how you will use data to refine your project. You must be able to prove that you are staying on top of things and have plan by which you can prove you have accomplished something with their money. Accountability…accountability…accountability.

Dissemination or Replication – not all grants require this, but this section will provide a plan describing how you will tell other institutions, faculty, public, etc. about your project and the results. Sometimes the goal here is to encourage others to adopt your methods and replicate your program at their site, if appropriate.

Budget – The dreaded budget! Most grantseekers hate this part because you need to make sure that you ask for enough to accomplish what you have outlined in the proposal…but not too much to scare off the funder. There is so much diversity among funders in what they look for in this section. The Grants Accountant will help you prepare your budgets. Don’t worry about this section. Focus on getting your program solid!

Appendices – Many funders don’t allow supplemental information so pay attention to the grant guidelines. Remember this is for SUPPLEMENTAL information only. Many reviewers will not even look at them. So make sure all your crucial information is in the proposal, NOT the appendices.

What To Do Next

Use these sections as your outline and don’t worry about going in order. Start where you feel the strongest and then conduct research, solicit help, etc. to fill out the rest. This will be your concept paper – your preliminary proposal. Once you reach this point, the hard part is over! Trust me.
Afterwards, you’ll go through the refining process where you fill in holes, check your logic, edit your writing, and run the proposal by people who are not so invested in your idea/program just to see if you are clearly and persuasively making the case for why someone should give you any money for your idea. This is a sales job!

If you come to the EFC Resource and Development Office with some thoughts in each of these sections in the outline, you will find the process of grantseeking will go smoother and quicker. We have a small office here and some grants are more complex than others and thus, take more time to prepare. That means that we might not be able to work on your project right away. But, if you have done some of the work and see this as a collaborative project, rather than passing your whole project on to us, you’ll be amazed at how much more successful you will be in making your ideas turn into reality.

Start Writing & Good Luck!