Proposal Writing and Grantseeking

The temptation is to plunge into a proposal writing frenzy, cranking out thousands of words that seem likely to impress a foundation. Surely if you write a spellbinding proposal you’ll snag that grant! Here’s a modest suggestion: put that cart back behind the horse where it belongs.

Evaluation ought to be a part of the DNA of a nonprofit. It’s the way you know you are on the right track and all of the targets and goals are clear, realistic and appropriate. If you want to get to a destination, one of the first things to know is how you’ll recognize it when you arrive.

Collaborative efforts can offer more comprehensive responses to community challenges than any one organization alone can deliver. When the muscle and know-how of multi-talented teams focus on a mutual concern, there’s a real opportunity for impact. Laying out a coordinated approach in a collaborative grant proposal is powerful and highly competitive.

After submitting hundreds of grant proposals, it’s easy to get lackadaisical when completing yet another description of your nonprofit. But don’t do it! Pump yourself up and snap to, because the funder’s belief in the integrity and credibility of your organization will tip the scale for or against an award.

Your organization’s board of directors may be affable and effective, challenging, or down-right difficult, but love it or not, it has a role to play in grants administration. The board’s responsibility to oversee the financial and legal operations of your nonprofit place it at the epicenter of post-award management, but the board also has a role on the pre-award side.

When hammering out the budget for a grant request, remember the Goldilocks Rule: If it’s too large or too small, it won’t do. It’s got to be just the right size to get the work done. The job of the budget is to support program implementation at a reasonable, professional level.

Funders put the budget and budget justification under a microscope. So you’ve got to get it right. When you understand their concerns and the questions they’ll pose, you’re in a much stronger position to nail it. Here’s a list of questions funders are sure to ask.

Most government funders, and many private and corporate foundations, require that a budget narrative accompany a grant proposal’s line-item budget.

Using established project management strategies can streamline your process

 

Many nonprofits are born from the grave concern of someone who’s experienced a tragedy, suffered from a problem, or witnessed others’ suffering first-hand. These nonprofits radiate an intensity of purpose that inspires others to action and captures the interest of grantmakers who want to partner with authentic organizations working deeply within their communities.