Win Grants for Your Innovative Projects.Write Winning Proposals !

Writing the application proposal

Once you have identified your desired grant, it is time to start the grant application.

Carefully read through the grant requirements.

Try to get guidance over the telephone with a foundation staff person to explore your idea before writing or delivering a proposal.

After conducting research and contacting the funder, the next step is to write the grant proposal. This part is critical and deserves a lot of attention. The purpose of the proposal is to demonstrate the proposed project worth.

The proposal should present a logical solution to a problem. It is always necessary to convince the funder that you know what you are doing. Make sure to tell the story of your company in the budget and the proposal narrative.

It is critical to make a compelling case as to why you should receive the grant and what it will be used for.

Remember that judges want to give grants to businesses that will benefit the most.

After Proposal Submission

Once you’ve written and submitted your proposal, the last thing to do is wait. Check the grant submission guidelines to see their approval/rejection process, as sometimes this will provide a timeframe or a series of next steps for you to take. Some funders provide a tracking number, so you can see the progress of your grant proposal.

You will typically be notified when your proposal is pending and when your proposal is approved or rejected.

Once you establish an agreement between the grant funder and yourself, you are ready to move forward with your proposed project.

Common application mistakes

While knowing what to do when applying for a grant is critical, knowing what not to do is equally important.

Avoid falling prey to common application mistakes. Seemingly innocent but very common mistake is over applying. When business owners apply for too many grants at one time, they decrease their chances of getting one due to reduced time and quality spent on each application.

Many business owners make the mistake of being too general or unoriginal in their proposal. They describe their mission statement in general terms, as opposed to listing specific solutions as to how they can satisfy the funder’s interests.

Describe how you can meet the funder’s needs in a unique way so your proposal doesn’t read like a cut-and-paste job. Additionally, consult your business peers when putting together your grant proposal to make sure your budget is realistic. Grant funders are good at spotting unrealistic budgets.

A common mistake among business owners is not following directions. Grant suppliers are looking for a very specific set of criteria, so following directions is an absolute must.

If the guidelines say they want two pages, then do not write three. If the guidelines give a date for submission, then get the submission in on time. Every detail in a submission must be perfect.

After you receive the grant

Once you receive a grant, you are accountable for following the guidelines set forth by the grant provider.

Different grant issuers will have different expectations of grantees, but one thing most funders have in common is that they expect periodic reports from the business owner regarding the progress of the project in question. You may well be required to meet performance goals, so be prepared to do so.

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