grant writing business plan sample

How to Start a Grant Writing Business

Main Sections In This Post Steps To Starting A Grant Writing Business Points to Consider Knowledge Is Power Featured Video

This post offers a detailed step-by-step guide to kickstart your grant writing business.

It provides insight, examples, and samples to provide a comprehensive understanding.

The “Knowledge Is Power” section ensures access to up-to-date search results. These resources cater to both the startup and established phases of your venture.

Given the wealth of information, consider sharing and bookmarking this post for future reference—a valuable resource for aspiring and existing grant writers.

Let’s get started with the steps.

The Steps to Take To Start Your Grant Writing Business

Below are the steps to starting a grant writing business.

Each step is linked to a specific section, allowing you to jump to your desired section or scroll to follow the steps in order.

• An Overview of What You’re Getting Into
• Grant Writing Business Overview
• Researching Your Grant Writing Business
• Looking at Financials
• Creating Your Mission Statement
• Creating A Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
• Choose a Grant Writing Business Name
• Register Your Company
• Create Your Corporate Identity
• Writing a Business Plan
• Banking Considerations
• Getting the Funds for Your Operation
• Software Setup
• Business Insurance Considerations
• Supplier and Service Provider Considerations
• Setting Your Prices
• Physical Setup
• Creating a Website
• Create an External Support Team
• Hiring Employees
• Getting Customers Through the Door

1. An Overview of What You’re Getting Into

Working in a field you’re passionate about is a true blessing. Passion serves as the driving force behind your success. When you love what you do, challenges become opportunities for solutions rather than exit strategies.

Your level of passion profoundly influences your success, but it’s essential to reflect on a hypothetical scenario. Imagine having abundant wealth, a comfortable life, and no financial concerns. Would you still choose to run a grant writing business without monetary gain?

If your answer is a resounding “yes,” it signifies your unwavering passion for this endeavor. You’re on the right track.

Conversely, if your response is “no,” it raises an important question: What would you prefer to do instead? This introspection might lead you to a different path more aligned with your interests.

In conclusion, passion is the cornerstone of success when owning and operating a grant writing business. It’s the driving factor that fuels your determination and resilience. So, assess your passion and let it guide you toward a fulfilling career path.

For More, See How Passion Affects Your Business . Also, see Considerations Before You Start Your Business to identify key points for a new business owner.

2. Gaining an Overview of Owning a Grant Writing Business

Next, let’s spend some time on key issues to give you an overview of what to expect from owning and running your business.

a.) A Quick Overview of Owning a Grant Writing Business

A grant writing business is a professional service that specializes in assisting organizations, non-profits, businesses, and individuals to secure funding through grants.

These grants can come from various sources, including government agencies, private foundations, and corporations.

The primary goal of a grant writing business is to help clients prepare compelling grant proposals that increase their chances of receiving funding.

Day-to-day tasks involved in running and managing a grant writing business can vary but typically encompass the following:

• Client Consultations : Meet with potential clients to assess their needs, objectives, and funding requirements. This involves discussing project details and understanding their mission and goals.
• Research and Grant Identification : Identifying relevant grant opportunities that align with the client’s objectives. This involves extensive research to find suitable grants and funding sources.
• Proposal Writing : Creating persuasive grant proposals that effectively communicate the client’s project, objectives, and the impact of the proposed funding. This includes developing a compelling narrative, budgeting, and attaching required documents.
• Client Communication : Maintaining clear and regular communication with clients to provide updates on the progress of grant applications, answer questions, and address concerns.
• Networking : Building and maintaining relationships with potential grant providers, funders, and other organizations in the field. This involves attending conferences, workshops, and industry events.
• Administrative Tasks : Managing administrative duties such as invoicing clients, tracking project timelines, and maintaining records of grant applications and outcomes.
• Continuous Learning : Staying up-to-date with industry trends, changes in grant application guidelines, and emerging funding opportunities.
• Marketing and Outreach : Promoting the grant writing business through various marketing channels, including social media, websites, and networking events.
• Quality Control : Ensuring the quality and accuracy of grant proposals, including proofreading and editing, to enhance their competitiveness.
• Financial Management : Overseeing the financial aspects of the business, including budgeting, expenses, and revenue generation.
• Client Retention : Fostering long-term relationships with clients by delivering successful grant applications and providing ongoing support for grant management and reporting.

Running a grant writing business demands writing skills, research acumen, project management, and a deep understanding of the grant funding landscape.

Successful grant writers can translate their clients’ visions into persuasive proposals that secure the funding to advance their missions and initiatives.

b.) Grant Writing Business Models

Grant writing businesses can take various setups and business models depending on their focus and client base. Here are some common types:

• Business Model : Sole proprietorship.
• Description : Independent grant writers offer their services to multiple clients on a freelance basis. They charge per grant proposal or hourly rates.
• Business Model : Consulting firm.
• Description : Consultancies offer a range of grant-related services, including proposal writing, grant research, and program development. They often work with nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies.
• Business Model : Nonprofit organization.
• Description : Nonprofits focused on grant services assist other nonprofits in securing funding. They may charge fees or work on a percentage basis of the grants secured.
• Business Model : Education and training.
• Description : These businesses offer workshops, courses, and training sessions on grant writing. They generate revenue through course fees.
• Business Model : Software as a Service (SaaS).
• Description : Companies in this category develop and sell grant writing software and tools that assist grant writers in the proposal creation process. They charge subscription fees.
• Business Model : Combination.
• Description : Some grant writing businesses combine multiple models. For instance, a consultancy may also offer grant writing workshops or provide software tools to clients.

Choosing the right business model from the beginning is crucial, as switching your model later can be more challenging.

Consider your expertise, target market, competition, and the services you want to provide.

Identify a business model that aligns with your strengths and interests, as this will make the startup phase smoother and more planned.

Remember that flexibility in your business model can also allow adaptation as your grant writing business grows and evolves.

c.) Making Your Grant Writing Business Stand Out

Ideas to Make a Grant Writing Business Stand Out:

• Niche Specialization : Focus on a specific niche or industry, such as education, healthcare, or environmental conservation. Specialization demonstrates expertise and attracts clients seeking tailored solutions.
• Proven Track Record : Showcase a portfolio of successfully secured grants and highlight the impact these grants had on clients’ projects. Social proof is a powerful tool.
• Client Testimonials : Encourage satisfied clients to provide testimonials that highlight your professionalism, reliability, and the results you delivered.
• Partnerships : Collaborate with other businesses or organizations, such as nonprofits or consultants, to offer comprehensive grant solutions. Partnerships can expand your reach and service offerings.
• Transparency : Be transparent about your pricing, processes, and timelines. Clients appreciate honesty and clarity in their interactions.
• Educational Content : Create and share educational content through blogs, webinars, or workshops to position yourself as an industry thought leader and provide value to potential clients.
• Exceptional Communication : Maintain open and consistent communication with clients. Promptly respond to inquiries and keep clients informed about the progress of their grant applications.
• Diverse Funding Sources : Develop expertise in identifying and accessing diverse funding sources, including government grants, private foundations, and corporate giving programs.
• Innovative Technology : Utilize grant management software and tools to streamline processes, enhance organization, and improve collaboration with clients.
• Client-Centric Approach : Tailor your services to meet the unique needs and goals of each client. Demonstrating a client-centric approach fosters trust and satisfaction.

d.) Add-ons for a Grant Writing Business

• Grant Research Services : Offer comprehensive grant research services to identify suitable client funding opportunities. This can include creating a customized grants database.
• Grant Management Software : Develop or partner with software providers to offer grant management platforms that assist clients in tracking deadlines, requirements, and reporting.
• Funding Strategy Consulting : Provide strategic consulting services to help clients develop long-term funding strategies aligned with their mission and goals.
• Grant Review and Editing : Offer grant review and editing services for clients who have already drafted proposals. This ensures submissions are polished and competitive.
• Grant Evaluation Services : Assist clients in evaluating the effectiveness of their grant-funded projects, including impact assessment and reporting.
• Training Workshops : Host grant writing workshops and training sessions for clients and other professionals interested in improving their grant writing skills.
• Grant Compliance Services : Help clients navigate complex grant compliance requirements, ensuring they meet all obligations and reporting standards.
• Grant Marketing Services : Develop marketing and outreach strategies to promote clients’ grant-funded projects to potential donors, stakeholders, and the public.
• Grant Proposal Templates : Create customizable grant proposal templates tailored to specific industries or funding sources, providing clients with a valuable resource.
• Monthly Retainer Packages : Offer monthly retainer packages where clients can access ongoing grant writing support, consulting, and services as needed.
• Grant Writing Certification : Develop and offer a grant writing certification program for individuals looking to enter the field or improve their skills.
• Grant Funding Alerts : Provide clients with real-time grant funding alerts and updates on new opportunities that match their criteria.
• Grant Workshops for Donors : Organize workshops and training sessions for potential grant donors, helping them understand the grant application process and criteria.
• Social Impact Measurement Tools : Develop tools and services that help clients measure and communicate the social impact of their grant-funded projects.
• Diversity and Inclusion Services : Assist clients in addressing diversity and inclusion aspects within their grant applications, aligning with the priorities of many grant providers.

By implementing these add-ons, a grant writing business can expand its service offerings, cater to diverse client needs, and create additional revenue streams while enhancing its reputation and value in the industry.

e.) Pros and Cons of Owning a Business

Starting and running a business comes with both advantages and challenges.

While the benefits are enticing, it’s crucial not to overlook the potential hurdles.

Recognizing these challenges early on allows for better preparation and minimizes unexpected setbacks in your entrepreneurial journey.

For more, see Pros and Cons of Starting a Small Business.

f.) Challenges You Could Face When Starting and Operating a Grant Writing Business

Challenges When Starting a Grant Writing Business:

• Competition : The grant writing industry is competitive, with many experienced professionals and firms. As a newcomer, establishing a reputation and winning clients can be challenging.
• Building a Client Base : Acquiring the first clients can be daunting. Without a track record, potential clients may hesitate to entrust their grant proposals to a new business.
• Legal and Regulatory Requirements : Navigating the legal aspects of business formation, contracts, and compliance with grant guidelines can be complex and time-consuming.
• Financial Uncertainty : In the early stages, cash flow may be inconsistent. Securing steady revenue while covering startup costs can be stressful.
• Learning Curve : Understanding the intricacies of various grants, industries, and effective proposal writing takes time and continuous learning.
• Marketing and Branding : Building a strong online presence, marketing effectively, and establishing a brand identity require concerted effort and expertise.

Challenges When in Full Operation:

• Client Retention : Maintaining long-term client relationships can be challenging, as clients may seek other grant writers or reduce their grant-seeking efforts.
• Proposal Success Rates : Grant approval rates can be unpredictable, impacting the perceived effectiveness of your services.
• Workload Management : Managing multiple clients and grant applications simultaneously demands strong organizational skills and efficient project management.
• Changing Regulations : Grant guidelines and regulations may evolve, requiring ongoing adaptation and keeping up-to-date with compliance requirements.
• Fee Structure : Determining pricing strategies that balance affordability for clients with profitability for the business can be complex.
• Burnout : The workload and deadline pressures in grant writing can lead to burnout if not managed effectively.
• Evolving Industry Trends : Staying updated with industry trends, technology, and best practices is crucial to remain competitive.
• Economic Factors : Economic downturns can impact grant availability and funding priorities, affecting business stability.
• Client Diversity : Serving clients from diverse sectors and industries necessitates versatility and adaptability in grant writing skills.
• Legal Liabilities : Errors or omissions in grant proposals can lead to legal liabilities and reputation damage if not addressed properly.

Understanding these challenges at the startup phase and during full operation is essential for grant writing business owners.

Effective strategies, continuous learning, adaptability, and excellent client relationships are key to overcoming these obstacles and achieving long-term success in the field.

g.) Questions You Need to Consider for Your Grant Writing Business

Before embarking on your grant writing business journey, it’s essential to address crucial questions to ensure preparedness and success:

• Business Model : Determine the grant writing business model that aligns with your goals, whether freelance, consultancy, or a hybrid approach.
• Skills Assessment : Evaluate your grant writing skills and assess if you possess the necessary management and operational expertise.
• Solo or Team : Decide if you’ll handle all aspects alone or hire employees or partners to share responsibilities.
• Management : Consider if you’ll manage the business personally or hire a manager for day-to-day operations.
• Customer Acquisition : Develop a customer acquisition strategy, including marketing, networking, and outreach.
• Customer Retention : Plan how to maintain long-term client relationships and ensure repeat business through exceptional service.
• Partnerships and Investors : Explore potential partnerships or investors who can enhance your business’s capabilities and reach.
• Financing : Evaluate your startup costs and devise a financing strategy, considering loans, investments, or personal savings.
• Profitability Timeline : Determine how long it may take to turn a profit, understanding the financial challenges during the early stages.
• Personal Support : Identify how you’ll sustain yourself financially during the initial phase, which can be financially demanding.
• Service Offerings : Define the range of products and services your business will offer, from grant writing to additional support.
• Market Demand : Research market demand to ensure your offerings meet clients’ needs and preferences.
• Unique Value Proposition : Clearly define what sets your grant writing business apart from competitors and emphasize your unique value.
• Marketing and Branding : Establish a robust marketing and branding strategy to build a strong online presence and industry reputation.
• Legal and Compliance : Address legal requirements, contracts, and compliance with grant guidelines to operate ethically and transparently.
• Continuous Learning : Commit to ongoing learning and staying current with industry trends, regulations, and best practices.

By thoroughly addressing these questions, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the complexities of starting and operating a grant writing business, enhancing your chances of long-term success in this competitive field.

3. Research

Inside information grant writing business research.

Thorough Research is Essential

Before further steps, thorough research is necessary when starting a grant writing business. Quality information is your compass, guiding you through the complexities of this endeavor.

Learn from Experienced Professionals

Experienced grant writers can provide invaluable insights. Their knowledge and years of experience make them reliable sources of information. Spending time with them can be priceless for your business’s success.

Finding the Right Mentors

Discovering the right mentors goes beyond this post. Detailed strategies for identifying and approaching mentors are available in the article “An Inside Look Into the Business You Want To Start.”

Recommendation

I strongly advise reading “An Inside Look Into the Business You Want To Start” for comprehensive guidance on understanding and preparing for your journey into grant writing.  See An Inside Look Into the Business You Want To Start for all the details.

Supply, Demand, and Your Location

Assessing Market Demand for Your Grant Writing Business

Before launching your grant writing business, conducting a comprehensive assessment of market demand in your chosen location is crucial. Here are simple strategies to help you gauge demand effectively:

1. Market Research :

• Online Tools : Utilize online market research tools like Google Trends, Keyword Planner, and industry-specific databases to identify search trends and keyword volume related to grant writing services in your target location.
• Competitor Analysis : Study your competitors in the area. Evaluate their client base, services offered, and customer reviews to understand the demand they’re meeting.

2. Customer Surveys :

• Online Surveys : Create online surveys or questionnaires to gather insights from potential clients. Ask about their grant writing needs, pain points, and preferences.
• Local Networking : Attend local business events, chamber of commerce meetings, or industry-specific gatherings to network with potential clients. Engage in conversations to uncover their grant-related challenges.

3. Focus Groups :

• Organize Workshops : Host workshops or webinars on grant-related topics. This not only establishes your expertise but also allows you to interact with potential clients directly.
• Feedback Sessions : Arrange focus group sessions where you present your grant writing ideas and gather feedback. This can provide valuable insights into demand.

4. Local Partnerships :

• Collaborate with Organizations : Partner with local nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, or businesses. They often require grant writing services and can help you gauge demand.
• Networking Events : Attend local business networking events and build relationships with organizations that might need your services.

5. Online Presence :

• Website Analytics : If you have a website, analyze its traffic using tools like Google Analytics. Monitor the geographical location of visitors to assess interest in your services.
• Social Media Engagement : Use social media platforms to engage with the local community. Observe the response to grant-related posts and inquiries from your target location.

6. Pilot Projects :

• Offer Pilot Services : Consider offering discounted or trial grant writing services initially. This can attract clients and provide real-world data on demand.
• Client Feedback : Collect feedback from pilot clients to refine your offerings and understand the market better.

7. Industry Reports :

• Access Reports : Explore industry-specific reports and publications that highlight grant opportunities and trends in your chosen location.

8. Government Resources :

• Local Government : Check with local government agencies and economic development offices for information on grant programs in the area. This can indicate the level of grant activity.

By employing these strategies, you’ll gain valuable insights into the demand for your grant writing services in your chosen location. This data will inform your business decisions and increase your chances of a successful venture.

For more, see the Demand for Your Products and Services and Choosing The Best Location for Your Business.

Target Audience

Understanding Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience is paramount for business success . Benefits include:

• Tailored Offerings: Customize products and services to meet customer needs.
• Efficient Marketing: Focus marketing efforts on interested individuals.
• Customer Satisfaction: Provide solutions aligned with customer preferences.

Target Market Ideas:

• Nonprofit Organizations
• Small Businesses
• Educational Institutions
• Healthcare Providers
• Government Agencies
• Arts and Culture Organizations
• Research Institutions
• Community Development Organizations
• Environmental Initiatives

For more, see How To Understand Your Target Market.

4. Looking at Financials:

Startup Cost Considerations

Starting a grant writing business requires meticulous planning, especially regarding startup costs.

Here’s a comprehensive overview:

Accurate Estimation : Precise estimation of startup costs is crucial for a smooth launch. Underestimating can lead to financial shortages while overestimating may deter potential investors.

Factors Influencing Costs :

• Business Size : Costs vary depending on the scale of your operation.
• Location : Your chosen location can significantly impact expenses.
• Employees : Deciding whether to hire employees or work solo affects costs.
• Equipment : Buying new or used equipment and office supplies is a cost consideration.
• Leasing vs. Renting : Deciding between leasing or renting space affects financial planning.

Estimation Process :

• Listing Expenses : Create a detailed list of everything you need to start your business.
• Price Research : Research and gather prices for each item or service.
• Unforeseen Issues : Anticipate unexpected expenses that may arise during the planning phase.

Sales and Profit Outlook :

The success of your grant writing business hinges on several factors:

• Customer Service : Exceptional service fosters customer loyalty.
• Product/Service Popularity : The demand for your offerings and their appeal to clients is vital.
• Effective Marketing : Reaching and engaging your target audience drives sales.

For More, See Estimating Profitability and Revenue.

Profit Simplified :

To assess profitability, consider the following:

• Profit per Sale : Calculate the profit generated from each transaction.
• Sales Volume : Determine the number of sales you can realistically achieve.
• Overhead Expenses : Account for all monthly expenses, including overhead.

Achieving profitability means balancing profit per sale and sales volume and managing monthly expenses.

For more detailed information, refer to my article on Estimating Startup Costs.

This holistic overview will guide your financial planning and set realistic expectations for your grant writing business.

Simple Sample: Financial Lists to Consider As a Starting Point

Note: Focus on the list items more than the numbers. The numbers are samples. Your estimates will differ due to how you set up your business, location, expenses, and revenues.

1. Start-Up Costs for a Mid-Sized Grant Writing Business:

2. Monthly Expenses for a Mid-Sized Grant Writing Business:

Please note that these sample estimates can vary based on location, specific business needs, and other factors.

It’s essential to conduct thorough research and consult with professionals in the field to get accurate figures for your specific situation.

Average Profits For Mid-Sized Grant Writing Business in The USA grant statistics, grant writing, and the grant industry.

• Writing a single federal grant application takes between 80 and 200 hours for a nonprofit. Source
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the grant writer’s hourly wages range from $20 to $100. Source
• The average salary for a Grant Writer in 2023 is $51,115. Source

To determine the average gross profit for a grant-writing business, one must consider various factors such as the number of grants written in a year, the success rate of obtaining those grants, the hourly or project-based fees charged, and any additional services offered.

Consider revisiting Step 3. Researching your grant writing business , where there is a technique to get inside information, will benefit you in this step.

5. Create Your Mission Statement

The Significance of a Mission Statement

A mission statement serves as a compass for your grant writing business. It crystallizes your business’s purpose and benefits, keeping you on the right path.

Clarity and Focus :

A well-crafted mission statement reminds you of your primary value to customers and the community, ensuring you stay committed to your core mission.

Examples of Mission Statements for a Grant Writing Business :

• “Empowering nonprofit organizations with expert grant writing services to drive positive change in our community.”
• “Dedicated to securing funding for innovative projects that make a lasting impact on society.”
• “Enabling educational institutions to access vital resources through comprehensive grant solutions.”
• “Committed to helping businesses thrive by securing grants that drive growth and sustainability.”
• “Supporting the arts and cultural initiatives by connecting creative minds with grant opportunities.”

These mission statements emphasize the purpose and focus of a grant writing business, guiding its endeavors towards serving its clients and the broader community.

For more, see How To Create a Mission Statement.

6. Creating A Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

The Power of a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is a distinct feature or quality that sets your grant writing business apart from the competition.

It’s a crucial tool for identifying what makes your business unique and enticing to customers.

Stand Out from the Crowd : A well-defined USP helps you break through the clutter of similar businesses by showcasing what makes your services unique.

Attract and Retain Customers : Your USP can resonate with your target audience, drawing them in and keeping them loyal because they recognize your value.

Examples of USPs for a Grant Writing Business :

• “Guaranteed Grant Success: We promise a 95% success rate in securing funding for your project.”
• “Tailored Solutions: Every grant proposal is customized to match your organization’s unique needs and goals.”
• “Quick Turnaround: Our rapid-response grant writing team delivers results within 30 days, unmatched in the industry.”
• “Affordable Excellence: Access top-tier grant writing expertise without breaking your budget.”
• “Industry Expertise: Our grant writers specialize in healthcare, ensuring your medical facility secures vital funding.”

These USPs highlight the exceptional qualities that distinguish each grant writing business, whether it’s exceptional success rates, speedy service, affordability, or specialized expertise.

7. Choose a Business Name

Choosing the Right Business Name

Selecting a business name is a pivotal decision.

It should be catchy, industry-appropriate, easy to remember, and potentially stand the test of time.

Remember, your business name is a long-term commitment.

Online Presence : In today’s digital age, securing a matching domain name for your website is essential.

Avoid Conflicts : Ensure the name you choose isn’t already registered by another business to prevent legal issues.

Now, here’s a list of 30 ideas for Grant Writing Business names to ignite your creativity:

• GrantCraft Pro
• FundWrite Solutions
• GrantWise Advisors
• PhilanthroPro
• GrantGuru Partners
• FundingFocus Experts
• GrantMasters Inc.
• Purposeful Proposals
• GrantWave Consultants
• StellarGrant Strategies
• FundingFusion LLC
• GrantVista Services
• GrantElevate Solutions
• ProsperityPitch
• GrantHorizon Group
• Visionary Grants
• ElevateFund Pros
• FundForesight Experts
• ImpactWrite Team
• GrantSage Partners
• GrantBoost Advisors
• AscendGrant Solutions
• AccessFunds Pro
• QuestBridge Consultants
• VisionCraft Grant Writers
• SummitGrant Strategies
• GrantLift Pros
• VentureWrite Services
• FundedFutures LLC
• CatalystGrant Consultants

Use these suggestions as a starting point to brainstorm and create a unique and memorable name for your grant writing business.

For more, see the following articles:

• How To Register a Business Name
• Registering a Domain Name For Your Business

8. Register Your Company

Ensuring Legal Compliance for Your Grant Writing Business

Legal compliance is a fundamental aspect of starting and running any business. It’s essential to consult with a professional, such as an attorney or accountant, to ensure your grant writing business adheres to all legal requirements and tax considerations.

Common Types of Registrations :

• Business Structure : Decide on your business structure, such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation.
• Business Name : Register your chosen business name if required in your jurisdiction.

Permits and Licenses to Consider :

• Business License : Obtain a general business license, often required by local governments.
• Sales Tax Permit : If you sell services and your state has sales tax, you may need to apply for a sales tax permit.
• Home Occupation Permit : Check for a home occupation permit if you operate from home.
• Professional License : Depending on your location, you may require professional licensing or certifications in grant writing.
• Employer Identification Number (EIN) : If you hire employees or operate as a corporation, you’ll need an EIN from the IRS.
• State Grant Writing Associations : Some states may require membership in grant writing associations for certain activities.
• Contracts and Agreements : Consult a legal professional to draft contracts, agreements, and terms of service.
• Privacy and Data Protection : Ensure compliance with data protection laws when handling client information.
• Insurance : Consider liability insurance to protect your business from legal claims.
• Zoning Compliance : Check zoning regulations, especially if you operate from a commercial location.
• Permit for Seminars/Workshops : If you host training events, workshops, or seminars, check if permits are needed.

Consulting with professionals and researching local regulations will help you navigate the legal aspects of your grant writing business effectively, ensuring compliance and mitigating legal risks.

Registration:

• How to Register Your Business
• How To Register a DBA
• How to Register a Trademark
• How to Get a Business License

Business Structures:

• How to Choose a Business Structure
• Pros & Cons of a Sole Proprietorship
• How To Form an LLC
• How To Register a Business Partnership
• How To Form a Corporation
• How To Choose a Business Registration Service

9. Create Your Corporate Identity

Creating a Professional Corporate Identity

Building a strong corporate identity (ID) is essential for any business. It’s the visual representation of your brand and plays a significant role in how your business is perceived. Here are key components to consider:

Logo Design:

Your logo is the cornerstone of your corporate ID. Invest in a professionally designed logo that reflects your business’s values and personality. It should be simple, memorable, and versatile.

Business Cards:

Design eye-catching and informative business cards. They serve as a direct link between you and potential clients. Ensure they include your logo, contact information, and a clear description of your services.

A well-designed website is essential in today’s digital age. It’s often the first point of contact for potential clients. Make sure your website is user-friendly, informative, and visually appealing.

Business Signage:

If you have a physical location, invest in professional signage. Your business sign should prominently display your logo and business name, making it easy for customers to find you.

Stationery:

Consistency is key. Use your corporate ID on all your stationery, including letterheads, envelopes, and invoices. This reinforces your brand identity.

Promotional Materials:

Whether it’s brochures, flyers , or promotional products , ensure they align with your corporate ID. This consistency helps in brand recognition.

Brand Guidelines:

Create brand guidelines to maintain consistency in how your corporate ID is used. This includes specifying logo usage, color schemes, fonts, and more.

Professionalism Matters:

Invest in professional design services to create and maintain your corporate ID. Amateurish designs can harm your brand’s credibility.

Adaptability:

Your corporate ID should be versatile enough to work across various mediums and platforms, from digital to print.

Evolve Over Time:

Consider refreshing your corporate ID to stay relevant and competitive as your business grows and evolves.

A well-crafted corporate identity enhances your brand’s reputation and makes a positive impression on customers. It’s a valuable investment that sets you apart from the competition.

You can see our page for an overview of your logo , business cards , website , and business sign , or see A Complete Introduction to Corporate Identity Packages.

10. Writing a Business Plan

A business plan is a fundamental document serving multiple purposes.

It becomes invaluable when seeking financing or investors and acts as a guiding beacon throughout your business journey, whether in its infancy or full operation.

Crafting an effective business plan demands time and effort, as it involves envisioning your business’s future in intricate detail.

Despite the effort, the result is well worth it, providing you with a clear startup and operational success roadmap.

When creating your business plan, remember the flexibility in your approach. You can start from scratch, hire a professional, utilize templates, or leverage business plan software.

Regardless of your choice, active participation is crucial to convey your business’s nature and management strategy effectively.

Keep in mind that change is inevitable. Your business plan and operations may evolve as you gain experience or adapt to market shifts.

Regularly reviewing and updating your business plan ensures it remains a relevant and powerful tool in guiding your business toward continued success.

Business Plan Template for a Grant Writing Business

Executive Summary

• Business Name and Overview : Concisely describe your grant writing business, its mission, and goals.
• Key Highlights : Summarize the unique aspects of your business, such as your specialization, target market, and competitive advantages.
• Financial Summary : Include a brief overview of your financial projections, startup costs, and funding requirements.

Business Description

• Business Structure : Detail whether your business is a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation.
• Mission and Vision : Define your business’s long-term mission and vision statements.
• Business Goals : List specific short-term and long-term goals for your grant writing business.

Market Research

• Industry Analysis : Provide an overview of the grant writing industry, including trends, challenges, and growth prospects.
• Target Market : Define your ideal clients, including nonprofits, government agencies, or specific industries.
• Competitive Analysis : Identify key competitors, their strengths and weaknesses, and how you plan to differentiate your services.
• SWOT Analysis : Conduct a SWOT analysis to evaluate your business’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Services and Solutions

• Service Offerings : Detail the grant writing services you provide, including proposal writing, research, and consulting.
• Pricing Strategy : Describe your pricing structure, including rates, packages, and discounts.
• Value Proposition : Explain your unique value to clients and how your services address their needs.

Marketing and Sales

• Marketing Strategy : Outline your marketing plan , including online and offline strategies, content marketing, and social media.
• Sales Strategy : Describe your sales approach, lead generation methods, and the sales team’s structure (if applicable).
• Client Acquisition : Explain how you intend to acquire and retain clients, highlighting your unique selling points.

See How to Write a Business Plan for information on creating your business plan.

11. Banking Considerations

Choosing the Right Bank for Your Grant Writing Business

Regarding your grant writing business, the choice of bank matters. Here’s why:

1. Local Focus on Small Businesses

Opt for a nearby bank with a strong commitment to supporting small businesses. They understand your unique needs.

2. Business Account Benefits

Having a dedicated business account offers multiple advantages:

• Expense Tracking : Separating personal and business transactions makes expense tracking a breeze.
• Accurate Reporting : Maintaining a clean ledger ensures accurate financial reporting.
• Simplified Tax Filing : Come tax season, you’ll have everything neatly accounted for.

3. Building a Professional Relationship

Establishing a professional connection with your banker goes a long way:

• Financial Advice : Your banker can provide valuable financial guidance tailored to your business.
• Streamlined Transactions : They can help streamline loan applications and other financial services.

4. Embracing Card Payments

Consider having a merchant account or online service for card payments:

• Increased Sales : Accepting credit and debit cards can boost sales.
• Customer Convenience : It makes transactions more convenient for your clients.

Choosing the right bank and financial services sets a strong foundation for your grant writing business’s financial success.

For more, see How to Open a Business Bank Account. You may also want to look at What Is a Merchant Account and How to Get One.

12. Getting the Funds for Your Operation

Tips for Securing Funding for Your Grant Writing Business

If you need a loan to kickstart your grant writing business, consider these options:

• Traditional Lenders : Banks and credit unions often offer business loans with various terms and interest rates.
• Private Loans : Seek loans from family, friends, or private lenders willing to invest in your venture.
• Investors : Attract potential investors who believe in your business idea and are willing to provide financial support.
• Asset Sales : Sell assets you own to generate capital for your business.

When meeting with a loan officer, consider the following:

• Business Plan : Prepare a detailed business plan outlining your grant writing services, target market, and financial projections.
• Credit History : Ensure your personal and business credit histories are in good standing.
• Collateral : Be ready to discuss any assets you can use as collateral for the loan.
• Financial Statements : Provide financial statements, including income statements and cash flow projections.
• Use of Funds : Clearly define how you intend to use the loan proceeds.
• Repayment Plan : Present a well-thought-out repayment plan, showcasing your ability to meet loan obligations.
• Legal Documentation : Be prepared to provide legal documents such as business licenses and registrations.
• Personal Information : Your loan officer may request personal information, including tax returns and identification.

A sample list of documents needed to apply for a NEW business loan:

• Business Plan
• Credit Report
• Personal and Business Tax Returns
• Financial Statements
• Collateral Information
• Repayment Plan
• Legal Documents
• Personal Identification

Prepare thoroughly and demonstrate your business’s viability to increase your chances of securing the funding needed to launch your grant writing business.

For more, see the following:

• Getting a Small Business Loan
• Search: Grant Writing Business Start-up Loans
• Search: Grants For a Grant Writing Business

13. Software Setup

When selecting software for your grant writing business, thorough research is essential.

Implementing a program from scratch is far easier than switching systems after your data is already in another program.

Look for a company with a solid history, ensuring dependable future support. Take advantage of demos to test the software before committing. Software reviews and forums provide valuable insights from other users.

Additionally, consider software for expense tracking and financial document preparation for tax filing.

Consulting with a bookkeeper or accountant can aid in choosing the right accounting software tailored to your grant writing business.

Software types for grant writing business management and operations may include:

• Grant Writing Software : Specialized tools to streamline the grant application process.
• Project Management Software : Track grant projects, deadlines, and team collaboration.
• Accounting Software : For financial management, expense tracking, and tax preparation.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software : To manage client relationships and communications.
• Document Management Software : Organizing and securely storing grant proposals and related documents.
• Marketing Software : Tools for online marketing and client outreach.
• Time Tracking Software : For monitoring billable hours and project progress.
• Communication Tools : Email clients, video conferencing, and messaging apps for client interactions.
• Expense Tracking Software : To monitor business expenses and budgets.
• File Backup and Storage Solutions : Cloud-based services to ensure data security and accessibility.

Choose software that aligns with your business needs, streamlines operations, and enhances productivity in your grant writing endeavors.

Check out Google’s latest search results for software packages for a grant writing business.

14. Get The Right Business Insurance

Having the right insurance in place for your grant writing business is non-negotiable.

Unforeseen incidents can occur anytime, and the right insurance safeguards your business, clients, employees, and assets.

• General Liability Insurance : Protecting against accidents or injuries on your premises.
• Professional Liability Insurance : Safeguarding you against lawsuits related to your grant writing services.
• Property Insurance : Covering physical assets like computers, office furniture, and documents.
• Business Interruption Insurance : A lifeline in case of involuntary shutdown due to incidents.
• Home-Based Business Insurance : If you work from home, inform your home insurance agent to prevent nullifying your policy.

Consult a competent insurance broker to ensure you have adequate coverage tailored to your grant writing business’s needs. Being prepared with the right insurance provides peace of mind and financial security in case of unexpected events.

For more, see What to Know About Business Insurance . You can also browse the latest Google search results for grant writing business insurance .

15. Suppliers and Service Providers

Selecting Suppliers and Service Providers for Your Grant Writing Business

Establishing a reliable network of suppliers and service providers is essential when establishing a grant writing business. Here’s a list of items and services you might need from them:

• Office Supplies : Reliable sources for paper, pens, notebooks, and other stationery.
• Computers and Software : Suppliers for computers, laptops, and essential software applications.
• Internet Service Provider : A reliable internet connection is fundamental for an online-based business.
• Website Hosting : Hosting services to keep your website accessible and secure.
• Printers and Scanners : Equipment suppliers for printing and scanning documents.
• Marketing and Advertising Services : Graphic designers, advertising agencies, or freelancers to assist with promotional materials.
• Legal Services : Lawyers for contract review and legal advice.
• Accounting Services : Certified accountants or bookkeepers for financial management.
• Office Furniture Suppliers : Furnishing providers for desks, chairs, and storage solutions.
• Insurance Providers : Insurance companies for business liability and coverage.

Building strong relationships with suppliers and service providers is essential for business success. They can offer competitive prices, ensure a steady supply of necessary items, and contribute to your overall efficiency.

Respecting and benefiting them financially fosters trust and strengthens these crucial partnerships.

For More, See How To Choose a Supplier.

16. Setting Prices

Researching pricing when starting a grant writing business is paramount for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures a competitive edge.

Setting prices too high can deter potential clients, leading to lost sales.

Conversely, overly low prices might attract more customers but hinder profitability, making it challenging to cover expenses. Striking the right balance aligns your rates with the current market while emphasizing the value you offer.

This attracts clients and ensures you can sustain and grow your grant writing business while providing top-notch service. Pricing research guides your business toward a profitable and sustainable path.

See the following for more:

• Setting the Price of Your Products and Services
• Search Results for Pricing Strategies for a Grant Writing Business.

17. Physical Setup

Overview of a Grant Writing Business Setup

When establishing a grant writing business, even in the online realm, the layout and setup play a pivotal role in your operational efficiency and professionalism.

Signage: Making Your Presence Known

• Main Business Sign : Begin with a prominent sign showcasing your business name and logo. This is your virtual storefront, making a memorable first impression.
• Directional Signs : Install signs in relevant locations like parking lots, exits, and special areas. These guide clients smoothly through your digital landscape, ensuring they easily find what they need.

Office Setup: The Heart of Productivity

• Organization : Managing a grant writing business can be time-consuming. An organized office is the cornerstone of productivity. Ensure everything has a designated place, from documents to office supplies.
• Equipment : Invest in essential equipment like a reliable computer, printer, scanner, and comfortable ergonomic furniture . These are your tools of the trade, and their quality directly impacts your work.
• Software : Equip your computer with necessary software, including word processing, project management, and accounting tools. This ensures seamless business operations.
• Storage Solutions : Implement effective storage solutions for both physical and digital documents. Properly labeled files and digital organization systems streamline your workflow.
• Communication : Set up efficient communication channels, including email, phone, and video conferencing tools for client consultations.
• Internet Connection : A high-speed internet connection is paramount for online research and communication.
• Security Measures : Implement robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive client data and maintain trust.
• Ergonomics : Invest in ergonomic office furniture and accessories to create a comfortable and productive workspace.

In conclusion, setting up a grant writing business, even online, is crucial for conveying professionalism, enhancing productivity, and maintaining client trust.

Well-designed signage and an organized, fully equipped office are essential elements.

See Here are Considerations for The Setup of Your Office for tips and ideas to make your office work for you. Also, have a look at our article About Company Signs.

18. Creating a Website

The Vital Role of a Website

In the realm of grant writing businesses, having a website is non-negotiable. Here’s why it’s a pivotal asset:

1. Central Point of Contact

Your website is the primary hub for potential clients to learn about your services, expertise, and contact details.

2. Ownership and Control

Unlike social media profiles, your website is entirely owned and controlled by you when you register and host a domain name, ensuring independence and stability.

3. Marketing Powerhouse

Your website is a potent marketing tool. Utilize it to your advantage.

4. Blogging for Trust

Maintaining an active blog on your website allows you to share industry insights, tips, and expertise tailored to your audience. This positions you as an authoritative figure and builds trust among potential clients.

In summary, a well-structured website is more than an online presence—it’s the cornerstone of your grant writing business, a platform for client engagement, and a tool for establishing trust and expertise within your industry.

For more, see How to Build a Website for Your Business .

19. Create an External Support Team

Building Your External Support Team

Creating an external support team of professionals is a strategic move for your grant writing business.

These experts provide advice and services without being on your payroll, expanding your business’s capabilities. Here’s how to build your support team:

1. Identify Key Roles

Determine the essential roles required to complement your grant writing business. Consider an accountant, lawyer, financial advisor, marketing specialist, and technical advisor.

2. Establish Relationships

Start by working with professionals in these fields. Collaborate on project tasks or consult hourly to build trust and rapport.

3. Formalize Agreements

Once you’ve established trust and dependability, formalize your relationships with contracts or retainer agreements. Clearly outline the scope of work and terms.

4. Ongoing Networking

Continuously expand your external support team. Attend industry events, network, and seek recommendations to identify new professionals who align with your business needs.

5. Strategic Engagement

Engage team members strategically for specific projects or tasks where their expertise is required, optimizing cost-effectiveness.

6. Nurturing Relationships

Cultivate professional relationships over time. Regularly communicate, seek advice, and maintain a strong rapport with your support team.

7. Adapt and Grow

As your grant writing business evolves, adjust your support team to meet changing needs. Consider additional roles or specialists when required.

Building an external support team is an ongoing process that enhances your business’s capabilities and resilience. These professionals provide valuable expertise, enabling your grant writing business to thrive.

For more, see Building a Team of Professional Advisors for Your Business.

20. Hiring Employees

The following are job positions or outsourced services you may want to consider as your grant writing business grows:

• Grant Writers : Additional grant writers to handle a higher volume of projects.
• Administrative Assistant : To manage paperwork, emails, and scheduling.
• Marketing Specialist : To enhance your online presence and promote services effectively.
• Accountant/Bookkeeper : To handle financial records, taxes, and payroll.
• Research Analyst : To assist in gathering data and information for grant proposals.
• Customer Service Representative : To handle client inquiries and maintain client relationships.
• Legal Counsel : For contract review, compliance, and legal matters.
• IT Support : Manage technical aspects, including website maintenance and data security.
• Content Writer : To produce blog posts, articles, and marketing materials.
• Social Media Manager : To maintain and expand your social media presence.
• Graphic Designer : For creating visually appealing proposals and marketing materials.
• Public Relations Specialist : To manage your public image and media relations.
• Virtual Assistant : For tasks that can be outsourced, like data entry and research.
• Human Resources Manager : If you have a growing team, HR can handle hiring, onboarding, and employee relations.
• Business Development Manager : To explore new opportunities and partnerships.
• Project Manager : To oversee multiple grant projects and deadlines.

As your grant writing business expands, consider hiring or outsourcing these roles to maintain efficiency, professionalism, and quality of service.

Each position plays a crucial role in the growth and success of your business.

For more, see How and When to Hire a New Employee.

21. Getting Customers Through the Door

When you have reached this step, your business is set up and ready to go, with one more final step, which is important: getting customers through the door.

There are numerous ways to do this, like advertising, having a grand opening , word of mouth, etc.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the following sections.

Marketing Considerations

A grant writing business without customers is essentially just an idea. Success hinges on attracting the right clientele, especially in the early stages when your presence is unknown.

However, building a strong reputation over time and gaining marketing experience will ease this challenge. Marketing is a continuous effort that directly impacts revenue.

While you don’t always need a marketing agency, consider it if the fit is right. Simplify your marketing approach by focusing on raising awareness whenever the opportunity arises.

Simple methods to promote your grant writing business:

• Social Media : Establish a presence on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook platforms. Share valuable content and engage with potential clients.
• Networking : Attend industry events, join local business groups, and network online to build relationships and referrals.
• Content Marketing : Create a blog or resource section on your website. Share informative articles and guides related to grant writing.
• Email Marketing : Build an email list and send your subscribers newsletters with updates, tips, and success stories.
• Online Directories : List your business on relevant online directories and platforms like Yelp and Google My Business.
• Client Testimonials : Showcase satisfied client testimonials on your website and marketing materials.
• Community Involvement : Participate in community events or offer free workshops on grant writing to establish a local presence.
• Partnerships : Collaborate with related businesses, as mentioned earlier, for referrals and mutual promotion.
• Online Ads : Consider pay-per-click advertising on Google or social media platforms to reach a broader audience.
• Optimize Website : Ensure your website is user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and search engine optimized to appear in relevant online searches.
• Webinars and Workshops : Host online webinars or workshops to demonstrate your expertise and attract potential clients.
• Cold Outreach : Reach out to potential clients via email or phone with tailored proposals and offerings.

Remember, the key is consistency and adaptability. Evaluate the effectiveness of each method and adjust your marketing strategy as needed to maximize your reach and impact.

See How To Get Customers Through the Door and our marketing section to provide ideas to help you bring awareness to your business.

Sample Ad Ideas:

1. Sample Ad: “Unlock Funding Opportunities with Expert Grant Writers!”

Tap into grants for your business success. Our seasoned grant writers will guide you through the process. Contact us today!

2. Sample Ad: “Your Grant Writing Partner – Turning Visions into Reality!”

Transform your projects into reality with our grant writing expertise. Let’s secure your funding together. Inquire now!

3. Sample Ad: “Grants Made Easy – Your Path to Financial Support!”

Navigating grants can be challenging. We simplify the process. Get started with us and secure the funding you need.

4. Sample Ad: “Grant Success Guaranteed! Join Our Winning Team!”

Join our portfolio of successful grant recipients. Discover how our experts can elevate your grant proposals to triumph!

5. Sample Ad: “Funding Dreams Starts Here – Your Grant Writing Partner!”

Dream big, fund bigger! Partner with us for grant writing excellence. Let’s make your vision a funded reality.

Creating strategic partnerships with other businesses can be beneficial for growing your grant writing business. Here are some types of businesses you can approach for collaboration:

• Nonprofit Organizations : Nonprofits often require grant writing services to secure funding. Building relationships with local nonprofits can lead to referrals as they encounter grant-related needs.
• Accounting Firms : Accountants and CPAs may have clients needing grant funding for their businesses or nonprofit organizations. A referral fee arrangement can incentivize them to refer clients to your grant writing services.
• Law Firms : Law firms, especially those specializing in business or nonprofit law, often come across clients seeking grants. Establish partnerships with them and offer referrals in return.
• Consulting Firms : Management or strategic consulting firms may have clients seeking grants to support their projects. Collaborate with them and offer to refer clients who require their services.
• Chambers of Commerce : Local business chambers often connect businesses within a community. They can refer startups or small businesses to your grant writing services in exchange for promoting chamber events or services to your clients.
• Marketing Agencies : Marketing agencies seeking to expand their service offerings can partner with you to provide grant writing services to their clients. This can enhance their portfolio and generate referrals.
• Educational Institutions : Colleges and universities can refer faculty, researchers, or students seeking research grants or educational funding opportunities. Consider offering workshops or training programs in return.
• Technology Incubators : Incubators and accelerators nurture startups that may require grants for growth. Collaborate with them and offer referrals to startups that could benefit from their services.
• Social Media Influencers : Partner with influencers in the business or nonprofit sector. They can promote your grant writing services to their followers in exchange for exposure or referral fees.
• Government Agencies : Some government programs require grant applications. Establish connections with relevant agencies, and they may refer individuals or businesses seeking grants.
• Networking Groups : Attend local business networking events and join industry-specific groups. These connections can lead to referrals and partnerships.
• Financial Institutions : Banks or credit unions may have clients seeking grants for business expansion. Explore opportunities to collaborate and cross-refer clients.

When approaching these businesses for partnerships, consider creating a win-win arrangement. Offer referral fees, reciprocal referrals, or promotional opportunities that benefit both parties.

Building strong relationships and providing excellent service will encourage ongoing referrals and mutual success.

Points To Consider

Next, let’s review essential points for more tips, insights, and considerations before starting your grant writing business.

We will cover sections, including skills to consider, points to focus on, and equipment. Then you’ll reach the “Knowledge Is Power,” section, where you will want to use the resources for valuable information.

A List of Equipment and Supplies to Consider for a Grant Writing Business:

A grant writing business requires minimal equipment, mostly standard office supplies and some technology tools. Here’s a detailed list:

• Computer : A reliable desktop or laptop computer for research, writing, and communication.
• High-Speed Internet : A stable internet connection for online research, client interactions, and submitting grant applications.
• Printer : A printer for producing hard copies of documents and grant proposals when necessary.
• Scanner : To digitize documents, especially signatures and other physical materials required for grant applications.
• Telephone : A business phone line or mobile phone for client consultations and communication.
• Headset : A comfortable headset for clear audio during phone or video calls.
• Desk and Chair : Ergonomic office furniture for a comfortable workspace.
• Filing Cabinet : To organize and store essential documents, grant applications, and client records securely.
• Stationery : Basic office supplies such as pens, pencils, notepads, and paper.
• Binders and Folders : For organizing and presenting grant proposals and documents professionally.
• Whiteboard or Corkboard : For project planning, task management, and keeping track of deadlines.
• Shredder : To dispose of confidential or sensitive information securely.
• Backup Storage : External hard drives or cloud storage solutions for data backup.
• Software : Essential software programs include word processing (e.g., Microsoft Word), spreadsheet (e.g., Microsoft Excel), and presentation (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint) software. Additionally, you may need project management tools, accounting software, and client management software.
• Email Client : A professional email client for efficient communication.
• Projector and Screen : If you plan to host workshops or presentations.
• Security Software : Antivirus and firewall software to protect your computer and data.
• Video Conferencing Tools : Software like Zoom or Microsoft Teams for virtual meetings with clients or team members.
• Digital Camera : For capturing images or documenting events if needed for grant applications.
• Reference Books and Subscriptions : Industry-specific reference materials and subscriptions to grant databases or resources.
• Business Cards : To distribute during networking events and meetings.
• Office Decor : Items like artwork, plants, or decorations to create a pleasant workspace.

Remember that the specific equipment you need may vary depending on the scale and scope of your grant writing business and your personal preferences. This list covers the essentials to ensure a productive and professional workspace.

Key Points To Succeeding in a Grant Writing Business

Operating a successful grant writing business demands strategic focus and attention to various key points:

• Niche Specialization : Concentrate on a specific grant writing niche to establish expertise and attract a targeted client base. This sets you apart in a competitive market.
• Customer Base Building : Gaining clients can be challenging in the startup phase. Invest in marketing, networking, and showcasing your expertise to expand your customer base gradually.
• Relationship Building : Forge strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees. Trust and reliability are pillars of long-term success.
• Tailored Offerings : Provide products and services aligned with customer needs. Regularly solicit feedback to refine your offerings and stay relevant.
• Customer Feedback : Act on credible customer feedback to enhance your operations. This valuable input can provide a competitive edge.
• Customer Service Excellence : Prioritize top-notch customer service; your customers are your business’s lifeblood. Satisfied clients become loyal advocates.
• Value-Centric Approach : Continuously focus on delivering value to customers. Ensure that your services meet or exceed their expectations.
• Skilled Team : Hire the right people for each role. A capable team is pivotal to business success, contributing to efficiency and client satisfaction.
• Effective Staff Management : Treat your staff respectfully, foster teamwork, and create a positive work environment. Employee retention is crucial.
• Financial Management : Master cash flow management to maintain financial stability, enabling steady operations and growth.
• Cost Efficiency : Keep costs low without compromising quality or customer service. Efficiency enhances profitability.
• Adaptability : Stay adaptable to industry, process, and technological changes. Adapting promptly is vital for sustainability.
• Revenue Fluctuations : Prepare for revenue fluctuations with a robust financial strategy, including savings and contingency plans.
• Competition Handling : Address new and existing competition through differentiation and continuous improvement.
• Effective Marketing : Implement effective marketing strategies to raise awareness. Marketing, whether in-house or professional, is essential for business growth.

Operating a grant writing business involves a multifaceted approach. You can navigate challenges, build a strong reputation, and succeed in this competitive industry by mastering these key points.

Evaluating your skill set for a grant writing business is vital. Without the necessary skills, success is elusive. If a crucial skill is lacking, consider learning or hiring expertise. Essential skills for a grant writing business owner include:

• Writing Proficiency : Excellent written communication is a must.
• Research Skills : Thoroughly researching grants and requirements.
• Project Management : Organizing and managing multiple grant applications.
• Communication : Effective interaction with clients and organizations.
• Budgeting : Understanding financial aspects of grant proposals.
• Networking : Building relationships in the industry.
• Time Management : Meeting deadlines is critical.
• Adaptability : Navigating changing grant landscapes.
• Technical Skills : Utilizing grant software and tools.
• Analytical Thinking : Assessing project feasibility and impact.
• Ethical Integrity : Upholding ethical standards in grant writing.
• Marketing : Promoting your services effectively.
• Negotiation : Securing the best terms for clients.
• Problem-Solving : Addressing challenges creatively.
• Funding Knowledge : Staying updated on grant sources.
• Attention to Detail : Eliminating errors in proposals.
• Cultural Competency : Understanding diverse grant requirements.
• Strategic Planning : Developing long-term grant strategies.
• Legal Awareness : Knowledge of relevant regulations.
• Self-Motivation : Maintaining drive and enthusiasm.

Assess your proficiency in these areas to ensure a strong foundation for running a successful grant writing business.

Knowledge Is Power if You Use It!

Utilize knowledge as a powerful tool—access valuable industry information through provided links for the startup and operational phases of your business.

Trends and Statistics

Monitoring industry trends and statistics is essential for a grant writing business to adapt, identify opportunities, and make informed decisions.

See the latest search results for trends and statistics related to the grant writing industry.

Grant Writing Associations

Trade associations provide benefits like industry news updates and networking opportunities for professionals.

See the search results related to grant writing associations and the benefits of Joining the Chamber of Commerce.

The Top Grant Writing Businesses

Analyzing an established grant writing business can spark ideas, identify industry gaps for a competitive edge, and reveal overlooked services offered by competitors.

See the latest search results for the top grant writing businesses.

The Future of Grant Writing

Researching the industry’s future is crucial for aspiring grant writing business owners. It helps anticipate trends, challenges, and opportunities, guiding informed decisions.

See the search results for the future of the grant writing industry.

Customer Expectations

Examining search results for customer expectations in grant writing offers valuable insights to meet and exceed their needs. Uncover unaddressed issues and optimize your approach.

See the search results related to customer expectations for grant writing.

Expert Tips

Expert tips benefit both novices and experts in skill enhancement. Experts may discover new approaches, while novices gain valuable knowledge to improve their skills.

See the latest search results for grant writing to gain tips and insights.

Grant Writing Business Insights

Reviewing tips and insights can uncover valuable ideas and pitfalls to avoid, enhancing your grant writing business and industry knowledge.

See the latest search results about insights into running a grant writing business.

Grant Writing Publications

Publications are a vital source for the latest grant writing insights and ideas. Stay updated with valuable information in the field.

See the search results for grant writing publications.

Grant Writing Forums

Engage in grant writing forums to foster connections and gain insights. These platforms facilitate customer perspective understanding for improved business understanding.

See the latest search results related to grant writing forums.

Enroll in online or local courses to effectively enhance grant writing skills and business knowledge.

See the latest courses that could benefit a grant writing business owner . Also, see our management articles for tips and insights for managing your business.

Grant Writing Blogs

Subscribe to leading grant writing blogs for insights and updates. Curate your collection, ensuring value and relevance. Stay informed in the grant writing industry.

Look at the latest search results for top grant writing blogs to follow.

Grant Writing News

Stay updated on grant writing through news outlets. They cover relevant stories, providing valuable insights.

See the latest results for grant writing news.

Watching YouTube videos on grant writing is valuable for improving your knowledge in this area. Explore and learn more here: YouTube videos related to grant writing.

Privacy Overview

Grant Writing for Small Business: A Step-by-Step Success Guide

• Post author By awesome
• Post date September 5, 2023

Grant writing for small businesses involves identifying relevant funding opportunities and crafting compelling proposals that demonstrate the business’s need, viability, and potential impact.

Successful grant applications require a clear understanding of the business’s goals, a well-researched and persuasive narrative, detailed budgets and timelines, and strict adherence to the grant provider’s guidelines and submission requirements.

Understanding Grant Proposals

Proposal components.

Grant proposals are crucial for securing funding. They must include a cover letter, an executive summary, project description, game plan, eligibility requirements, specific programs, and budget. Each component, including specific programs, specific business, team, and technical assistance, serves a unique purpose in making a strong case for support.

The executive summary introduces the business and its goals. The project description outlines how objectives will be achieved. The budget details financial needs and allocations. Tailoring these elements to meet specific funder guidelines, including eligibility for grant funding and formula grants, is essential for success in the grant writing process.

Key Elements

Cover letter.

A personalized cover letter is your first impression. It should introduce your business and outline the grant amount requested, specifying if it’s for formula grants or local grants, and the project’s impact, serving as a game plan for applicants. Keep it concise and aligned with the funder’s mission to make a strong initial connection, following instructions for grant funding support during the grant writing process.

Executive Summary

The executive summary summarizes your proposal’s main points, including objectives, methods, and expected outcomes, vital in the grant writing process for following instructions and securing grant funding. It should be compelling to encourage further reading. Clarity, brevity, and effective use of resources such as information and instructions are key in the writing process of presenting your business case effectively.

Types Explained

Federal grants.

Federal grants, offering resources and information, award significant opportunities for small businesses in need, especially in research and development. Navigating federal grant applications requires understanding of compliance requirements. Use federal databases and their website information to find suitable grants, get help, and ensure alignment with your business goals by following the provided instructions.

Corporate Grants

Corporate grants award funding opportunities for small businesses and startups, with instructions and information available on their website. Understand corporate grantmakers’ goals and align your proposal accordingly. Networking and building relationships with small business corporations can open doors to valuable funding sources , help with grant writing, and award opportunities.

Preparing Your Proposal

Research first.

Before diving into writing, thorough research is crucial . It ensures your proposal aligns with the funder’s mission. Look into past award winners and review their grant funding proposals for valuable insights and information, following the provided instructions. This can help give you a clear idea of what information you need to succeed in grant funding.

Check the eligibility criteria and grant objectives meticulously. Every grant has specific requirements. Meeting these increases your chances of success.

Team Collaboration

Involving a diverse team in the grant writing process brings numerous benefits, including help for small businesses that need information. Different skills contribute to a stronger proposal. Assign roles based on expertise, such as financial planning or project management, to help use information on grant funding.

Hold regular meetings to discuss progress. This ensures everyone stays aligned with the proposal’s objectives. Collaboration fosters creativity and innovation, essential for a standout proposal that can help secure grant funding for a small business with the right information.

Writing Process

Needs statements.

Crafting a compelling needs statement is vital. It should outline the problem clearly, the need for help, and how the grant will address it by using the information. Use data and research to back up your claims.

Link this need directly to the funder’s priorities for a stronger connection, emphasizing how grant funding can help meet this need with information beneficial to small businesses. This shows you understand what they value and how your project aligns with their goals, demonstrating the need for grant funding and how this information can help.

Project Description

Detailing your project’s objectives, methodology, timeline, and personnel involved is next, which will help provide the information small businesses need. Demonstrate its feasibility and potential for success clearly. Funders want to invest in projects that show promise.

Highlight how the project aligns with the funder’s goals. This reinforces your understanding of their mission and how your project contributes to it, by providing information, help, grant, and the need.

Budgeting Strategies

Detailed budget.

A clear and justified budget is crucial in grant writing to help small businesses in need of information. It should outline all project costs and funding sources. Accuracy is key. Make sure your budget aligns with the funder’s guidelines. This shows you understand their requirements.

A budget narrative is equally important. It explains why each cost item is necessary. This transparency builds trust with funders. They see where their money goes.

Financial Planning

After crafting your proposal, focus on the project’s future. A solid financial plan demonstrates sustainability post-grant. It reassures funders that their grant investment has a lasting impact, providing the information and help they need.

Include a plan for future funding or revenue generation . This shows you’re thinking ahead. Detail your financial management practices too. Funders need to know you’ll spend responsibly.

Submission Guidelines

Final review.

A thorough final review of your small business grant proposal is crucial if you need help. It ensures the proposal’s coherence, completeness, and compliance with the submission guidelines, helping small businesses in need to secure grant funding. This step should never be overlooked. It ties directly to the budgeting strategies outlined previously, as any discrepancies between the budget and project description can lead to rejection, especially when the need for a grant to help a small business is involved.

Seeking external feedback is highly beneficial. Reach out to peers or mentors who have experience in grant writing to help your small business if you need it. Their insights can provide invaluable perspectives and help that you might have missed, especially for small businesses seeking to grant opportunities. They can help spot weaknesses in your argument or suggest improvements that make your small business grant proposal more compelling.

Proofreading is another essential step in the final review process. Look for grammatical errors and ensure your ideas are clear and concise. A well-written grant proposal not only communicates professionalism but also makes it easier for reviewers to understand your objectives and how you plan to achieve them, thereby offering help to small business.

Tracking Applications

Once your small business grant proposal is submitted, setting up a system to help track its progress is vital. This helps manage multiple applications efficiently for small business grants, ensuring you meet all deadlines and follow up appropriately.

Maintain detailed records of all grant submissions and correspondence with funders to help small business. This includes dates of submission for grant help, responses received for small business assistance, additional documents requested, and any other relevant interactions. Such records are invaluable for tracking your small business grant application’s status and preparing for future communications with the funder, which can help.

Analyzing unsuccessful small business grant applications offers a golden opportunity for learning and improvement, which can help. Identify areas where your business proposal may have fallen short by comparing it against the eligibility criteria and instructions provided by the grant funders to help you. Use these insights to strengthen future applications.

Enhancing Writing Skills

Strategic game plan.

Developing a long-term strategy for grant seeking is crucial to help your business. It involves targeting specific grant opportunities that align with your business’s needs and planning your submissions well in advance. This approach ensures you’re not just throwing darts in the dark but aiming with precision in your business grant strategy.

Setting realistic goals and timelines for each business grant application can significantly increase your chances of success. It’s important to allocate enough time for research, writing, and revision stages in the business grant process. Rushed applications are rarely successful.

Continuously refining your strategy based on outcomes and feedback is key. If an application is unsuccessful, learn from it. Adjust your approach accordingly for future submissions.

Using Rich Media

Incorporating images, videos, or infographics can make your business grant proposal stand out. These elements should not be added just for the sake of visual appeal but must be directly relevant to the business grant proposal. They should enhance the narrative and help explain complex ideas more simply.

Ensure any media used is professional and high-quality. Poorly presented visuals can harm credibility more than help it. Visuals must complement the written content in a business grant application, providing a cohesive and compelling application.

Research Winners

Studying successful grant proposals offers invaluable insights. It allows you to see what worked for others in the business and grant sectors and how you can adapt those strategies to fit your proposal. Look for patterns or common elements among business grant winners that could be applied to your own strategy.

Reaching out to past grant winners for business tips and advice can also be beneficial. They may offer practical suggestions or highlight pitfalls to avoid in business or grant applications based on their personal experiences.

Analyzing winning strategies isn’t about copying them verbatim but understanding why they were effective. Adapt these strategies to suit your unique business proposition and grant objectives.

Applying Strategically

Local grants first.

Starting with local grant opportunities for your business can be a wise move. These grants often come with less competition and are more accessible to small businesses. By focusing on these business grant opportunities, you increase your chances of success.

It’s beneficial to build relationships with local grantmakers. Understanding their business goals for community impact can give you an edge in grant applications. They look for business projects that align with their vision, making your grant application stand out.

Leverage your local networks and resources for support. Many communities have organizations dedicated to helping small businesses thrive, often through grant assistance. They can offer invaluable business advice and assistance throughout the grant application process.

Grants of All Sizes

Applying for business grants of various sizes is crucial in diversifying your funding sources. It’s a business strategy that balances risk and opportunity, ensuring a steady flow of resources and grant opportunities.

Small grants should not be overlooked. Despite their size, business grants can add up and often come with less competition. They might also require less comprehensive business grant applications, saving you time and effort.

Balancing efforts between large and small grant applications is key. Consider the potential return on investment (ROI) for each business grant opportunity. This approach ensures that you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket but rather spreading your efforts wisely in business and grant applications.

After Submission

Common mistakes.

After submitting a grant proposal, many small businesses wait anxiously for a response. However, this period can be used to reflect on the business grant application process and identify any potential errors that could have been made. Common mistakes in business grant applications include missing deadlines , which immediately disqualifies the proposal. It’s crucial to double-check all business grant submission dates in future applications.

Another pitfall in the grant application process for businesses is failing to follow the funder’s instructions or submitting incomplete applications. These oversights can lead to an automatic rejection. Businesses should ensure every question is answered and every required document, including grant applications, is included before submission.

Using overly technical language can also be detrimental. It might obscure the grant proposal’s objectives, making it hard for reviewers to understand the project’s value. Instead, aim for clarity and simplicity in describing your grant project’s goals and how they align with the funder’s priorities.

Lastly, not tailoring the grant proposal to directly address the funder’s criteria is a missed opportunity. Reviewers look for grant proposals that closely match their interests and objectives. Therefore, understanding and reflecting these grant priorities in your application is key.

Requirements Post-Grant

Understanding post-grant requirements is as important as securing the grant itself. Small businesses must prepare for reporting and audits that come with most grants. They should familiarize themselves with these grant requirements early on to ensure compliance throughout the project duration.

Maintaining good communication with the funder cannot be overstated. It builds trust and may pave the way for future grant funding opportunities. Regular updates on project progress demonstrate your commitment and responsibility towards the grant-funded project.

Setting up internal processes for monitoring and reporting on grant project progress is essential. This includes establishing clear roles within your team for who will handle reporting duties and how data on project outcomes will be collected, analyzed, and grant-related information managed. Such measures ensure you meet all post-grant requirements efficiently.

Additional Resources

Finding grants, federal databases.

Federal databases, such as Grants.gov, are treasure troves for finding government grant opportunities. They offer a comprehensive list of available grants across various sectors. Small businesses should dive deep into these resources . Familiarizing oneself with the search features is crucial. It helps in narrowing down the vast options to those most relevant.

The application processes on these platforms can be intricate. Hence, it’s advisable to understand them well ahead of time. Regular checks for updates and new grant announcements are essential. This ensures businesses don’t miss out on timely opportunities.

Corporate Databases

Corporate grant databases and websites are equally valuable for finding private funding opportunities. Many companies run corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives that include grants for small businesses. Researching these can open up new avenues for support.

Creating alerts or subscribing to newsletters from these entities can keep you informed about new grant opportunities as soon as they arise. This proactive approach can give businesses an edge in the competitive grant application process.

Grant Proposal Templates

Using templates can significantly ease the process of structuring grant proposals. They serve as a solid starting point for a grant, ensuring all fundamental aspects of a proposal are covered. However, customization is key. Each grant funder has specific requirements and guidelines that your proposal needs to meet.

It’s beneficial to review multiple grant templates to find the one that best suits your proposal’s needs. This not only saves time but also increases the chances of your grant proposal standing out.

Final Remarks

Navigating the world of grant writing for your small business can seem daunting, but armed with the right knowledge on proposal understanding, budgeting strategies, and submission guidelines, you’re set for success. Remember, enhancing your writing skills and applying strategically for grants are key steps. Don’t let the grant process after submission deter you; use it as a learning curve. The resources provided are there to guide you further.

Taking this journey can significantly impact your business’s growth, sustainability, and grant opportunities. It’s all about making smart moves, leveraging available opportunities, and utilizing grants. So, dive in, apply what you’ve learned, and remember—the effort you put in now can lead to substantial rewards down the line. Ready to make your mark? Start crafting that winning proposal today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i start writing a grant proposal for my small business.

Begin by understanding the grant requirements thoroughly. Then, outline your project’s goals, objectives, and how it aligns with the grantor’s mission. This initial step is crucial for a successful proposal.

What are key elements to include in my grant proposal?

Your grant proposal should clearly articulate your project description, objectives, target population, budget details, and the impact it will have. Transparency and specificity are key to standing out.

How can I create an effective budget for my grant proposal?

Start by itemizing all project costs realistically and justify each expense for the grant. Ensure your budget aligns with the project’s goals and the grant funder’s guidelines. Clarity and accuracy in this section are vital.

What are some tips for submitting a grant proposal?

Carefully follow the grant submission guidelines provided by the funding agency. Double-check your grant proposal for completeness and compliance with all requirements before submitting it on time.

How can I improve my grant writing skills?

Practice regularly, seek feedback from experienced grant writers, and consider attending workshops or courses on grant writing. Reading successful grant proposals can also provide valuable insights.

Is there a strategic approach to applying for grants?

Yes, research extensively to find grants that closely match your business needs and goals. Tailor each grant application to reflect how your project aligns with the funder’s priorities. Applying selectively but thoughtfully increases your chances of success.

What should I do after submitting a grant proposal?

Follow up with the grant funding agency if they allow it, but be patient as grant review processes can take time. Use this period to gather additional data or refine project plans that could strengthen future proposals.

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Blog Business How to Write a Grant Proposal [Templates Included]

How to Write a Grant Proposal [Templates Included]

Written by: Tobi Ojenike Feb 28, 2024

If you work for a nonprofit organization or are a researcher, you’ll know that a grant proposal is a document submitted to a funding agency.

Grant proposals are also known as a request for application, notice of funding opportunity, or request for quotes and qualifications.

Grant proposals are your chance to convince grantmaking bodies (agencies that distribute funds) to hand over money. Generally, grant proposals include information such as an organization’s mission and budgetary needs.

In this post, I’ll show you how to write a successful grant proposal (tips and templates included!) and then teach you how to make a grant proposal using a Proposal Maker and grant proposal templates .

Click to jump ahead:

• Factors to consider before writing a grant proposal

How to write a grant proposal

Sample grant proposal templates.

• How to create a grant proposal with Venngage

Here are some things to consider before writing a grant proposal

• Audience:  Consider your target audience and tailor your copy to their interests and needs.
• Funding:  Choose your funder carefully. Always have an alternative list of potential funders and know the long-term sustainability of your project.
• Understand the grant requirements: Every grantmaking body sets its own rules regarding goals, application deadlines, and guidelines, so make sure you understand them and can differentiate between them.
• Have a plan :  Create a specific, actionable plan for what you want to do and why. Make sure you know how your plan will achieve positive results.
• Write a draft : Research and write down each request in an outline. Plan how you’ll add visuals to give your grant proposal an extra edge.
• Be clear and concise:  Avoid writing in the past tense and use action verbs. Again, visuals can sometimes be a better option over words.
• Include supporting materials : Provide a budget of how you’ll use the funds and include evidence to substantiate any claims you make.

Other helpful tips to consider

Here are some extra tips to help you write a grant proposal that stands out.

• Start early
• Apply early and often
• Get feedback and revise your proposal accordingly
• Be brief, concise and clear
• Be organized and logical
• Be explicit and specific
• Be realistic in designing the project
• Follow up after the proposal

Grant writing can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be if you understand the basics.

In this section, I’ll give you tips on how to write grant proposals that’ll impress prospective funders (grant writers take note!).

Include a cover letter

The cover letter is not technically part of a grant proposal but they’re core to a successful grant application because it helps funders understand who you are.

Busy decisionmakers want to know who they’ll be funding and look for clues in your cover letter after reading through your proposal.

In your cover letter, don’t be afraid to bring out your personality, but also make sure you cover the basics like how your project fits with the funder’s objective.

Include an executive summary

The executive summary is probably the first (and maybe only) part of a grant proposal read by a funding organization.

It needs to be concise and summarize key points such as goal, strategy, people involved, expected results, and budgetary needs.

Here’s an example executive summary for some inspiration.

Provide organizational information

Providing organizational information in a grant proposal helps build credibility and establishes trust.

More importantly, this section allows funders to assess the alignment between their funding priorities and your organization’s goals and activities.

Therefore, make sure to answer questions like: What is your mission? Do you have an organizational history? What will be the impact of this project? What other programs or services do you render? 

Here’s an example of background organizational information you can make your own.

State your objective(s)

Early in your grant proposal, you should state the objectives of your project, the target audience, and expected results.

This underscores the feasibility of your project within a grant timeframe and can influence funders’ decision on a project’s worthiness (i.e.; the difference between a yes and no).

Here’s a great example of a grant proposal that nails this section.

Describe the statement of needs

The statement of needs section is used to build strong case for your project.

In this section, use data, facts and figures to back statements. This will be more meaningful than just words alone.

But make sure your data is accurate. There’s nothing worse than misleading information which can lead to rejections and damage your reputation.

Here’s a grant proposal template that has a customizable statement of needs.

Explain your methods and strategies

You’ve identified a problem and solution, but how are you going to achieve what you plan to do?

That’s what the methods and strategies section is for. Here, potential funders want to see how you’ll use their funds to determine if the project is viable.

For example, maybe your objective is to enhance community health through a mobile clinic initiative.

Detail each step of this process from procurement of medical equipment and vehicles, recruitment and training process for healthcare professionals, and logistics for deploying mobile clinics.

Here’s an example of a grant proposal that first lists goals and objectives and immediately provides an overview of the path to success.

Include an evaluation plan

When funders hand out money, they have certain conditions, like making sure you are held accountable of project progress. Often, you’ll only get more money to continue as you complete milestones.

The evaluation plan section is where you show funders how you’ll spend money as described in your grant proposal to ease their fears and doubts.

This section also shows funders that you have a realistic timeline for the project and that you’re not using the funds for any other purposes.

Include a project budget

Perhaps the most part of your grant proposal is the project budget. This is where you reveal exactly how you’ll be using funds.

Be transparent and provide a full overview of expenses and detail where and how it’ll be spent.

A great way to do this is to use an itemized table or financial plan.

When presenting an overall sum, make sure you don’t overstate or understate your needs. You don’t want funders to doubt your true intent or doubt project viability.

Here’s a grant proposal with a budget section you can use.

Include a financial sustainability plan

Most grant writers overlook including a long-term financial sustainability plan.

Most funders view grants as a long-term investment and want to back projects that can be sustainable even after the money stops rolling in.

Demonstrating a clear understanding of these factors shows funders that you have thoroughly considered the project’s financial trajectory and are prepared to manage it responsibly.

What should you include here? Total cost of future ownership, maintenance costs, inflation, ongoing, and future growth potential are a few ideas.

Sign off with your team information

Treat grant proposals as official documentation.

At the end of your grant proposal, include your (or your company’s) contact details. This makes it easier for the funders to reach out to you and do their research on you and your team.

Here’s an example of a grant proposal with a great ‘about us’ section.

Now that you understand the basics of a grant proposal, it’s time to get to work and create your own.

But you don’t need to start from scratch. Instead, edit these grant proposal templates and convert them into your own winning proposal

(Hint: visit the links to see the entire template).

How to create grant proposals with Venngage

If you want to create grant proposals that grab attention, look no further than Venngage.

With Venngage, you can you communicate boring technical info with engaging visuals and customize our professionally-designed grant proposal templates.

You don’t need to be a designer to use Venngage. If you know how to work Microsoft Word or Google Slides or similar tools, you can use Venngage.

Step 1 – Sign up for a Venngage account (it’s free!)

Sign up for a Venngage account for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook.

Step 2 – Go to the “Templates” page and select “Proposals”

Venngage already has grant proposal templates you can edit to suit your idea and vision.

To find them, go to our templates page and choose the “Proposals” category. After selecting it, this screen should load.  

Note :  Some of our grant proposal templates are free to use and some require a small monthly fee. Sign-up is always free, as is access to Venngage’s online drag-and-drop editor.

Step 3 – Select the “grant proposal” subcategory

Look for the grant proposals subcategory in the proposals template page and select it.

Step 4 – Customize your grant proposal

Browse our selection of grant proposal templates. Once you find one you like, click on it to launch the editor tool.

Here, you’ll be able to add your own text, change the design, and customize the template as you like.

Some of your customization options include:

• Add engaging visuals and symbols 
• Change color scheme
• Change the fonts and text to match your brand or style
• Move elements around with a drag and drop interface

For example, let’s pretend I chose this grant proposal template to customize.

Let’s edit this together.

For example, I want to replace the logo to reflect my company. Well, just select it and click the “ Replace ” feature on the top left. 

Once you click “ Replace “, a tab will open where you can select visuals from our library of icons. You can also upload an image (your logo).

By the way, our in-editor library has thousands of free, professional icons, plus diverse icons.

Now, let’s say I want to change the background color of some of my template.

That’s easy as well! Just select the text or background and select the “Replace” feature again. This time, you’ll be prompted with another pop-up where you can select a different color.

If you sign up for a Business Plan, you’ll also get access to My Brand Kit . With this, you can apply your brand colors to any design with one click. 

Step 5 – Save, share, or download your grant proposal

When your grant proposal is complete, you can save it as a PDF or PNG file if you’re on a Business Plan.

However, all users will always have access to shareable link that they can send potential funders.

Final thoughts: Create grant proposals with Venngage and secure funding today

A well-structured grant proposal with appealing visuals can make a lasting impression on funders and tip the balance in your favor.

Don’t waste your time with tools like Word, Google Docs where you’ll get limited design flexibility and visuals that don’t engage.

Instead, head over to Venngage’s grant proposal templates to give yourself a winning edge.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a grant proposal? 

The length of a grant proposal depends on the funder but a typical grant proposal is usually between 5-20 pages. The funding body might request additional documents as well, so it’s important to know funding guidelines.

What is the writing style for a grant proposal?

The writing style for a grant proposal is formal. You want to be concise and objective, so focus on clarity, impact and your alignment with the priorities of the funder.

What is the lifecycle of a grant proposal?

The grant proposal lifecycle begins with research, planning and development, followed by drafting, revising and editing the narrative and budget. Applications are then submitted before funders review and make decisions. If successful, negotiations may occur to finalize details, after which the funded project is implemented according to the approved plan. Finally, progress and final reports are submitted to the funder. This cyclical process ensures accountability and project success.

What is the difference between a proposal and grant proposal?

Proposal is a broader term encompassing various applications for funding, resources, or partnerships whereas a grant proposal specifically refers to an application for grant funding from a foundation, government agency, or other organization.

What is the difference between a grant proposal and a grant letter?

A grant proposal is a detailed document that includes the project description, methodology, financial plan, and financing rationale. A grant letter, on the other hand, can be a more straightforward request or statement of interest.

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How to Write a Grant Proposal for Your Nonprofit Organization + Template & Examples

In order to get funding for your nonprofit corporation, you may find yourself writing a grant proposal to secure nonprofit grants . A great proposal can make all the difference in whether or not your nonprofit receives the money it needs. In this article, we’ll outline what should be included in your grant proposal and we’ll give you a sample template with an example of how to be successful in your proposal.

What Is a Grant Proposal?

A grant proposal is a document that requests funding from a government agency or private foundation. The proposal outlines the nonprofit’s mission and goals, as well as how the funding will be used. A grant is similar to a business plan; the key difference is that a business plan is typically presented to a private party who will fund your organization in return for debt or equity. If creating a business plan, we suggest using an AI business plan generator or a business plan builder . If creating a grant, use the nonprofit grant proposal template below.

What Should Be Included In Your Grant Proposal?

There are several key elements that should be included in your grant proposal:

-Cover Letter/Letter Of Intent: This is a letter that introduces your nonprofit and outlines its mission. It should also explain why you are requesting funding and how the money will be used.

-Executive Summary: This is a brief overview of your nonprofit and what it does. It should include information on your target population, as well as the goals of your nonprofit and how the funding will be used.

-Needs Statement: This is a statement that outlines the problems your nonprofit is trying to solve. It should include data and statistics to back up your claims.

-Program Description: This is a description of the programs and services your nonprofit offers. It should include information on who the programs serve, as well as how they are operated.

-Budget: This is a detailed budget of how the funding will be used. It should include information on salaries, overhead costs, and any other expenses.

-Evaluation Plan: This is a plan for the evaluation process that determines the success of your nonprofit programs. It should include information regarding who will be responsible for conducting the evaluation, as well as how often it will be conducted.

-References: This is a list of references that can attest to the successful work or services offered by the nonprofit organization. References can be provided by individuals, businesses, or other organizations.

-Proof Of 501(c)3 Status: Some organizations may require proof that your nonprofit is a 501(c)3 organization. The designation as a “501(c)3” nonprofit organization certifies the exemption of federal taxes for your nonprofit.

Step By Step Process of Writing a Grant Proposal

Now that you know what should be included in your proposal, it’s time to start writing. Follow these steps to ensure that your proposal is well-written and accurate:

Identify The Problem/Program That Needs Funding

The first step in writing your proposal is to identify the problem or program that needs funding. What are you trying to solve with this grant money? Be specific and use data and statistics to back up your claims.

Research Grant Options

Before you start writing your proposal, it’s important to do your research. You should have a good understanding of the organization you are applying to and what their requirements are. Additionally, you should be familiar with the grant process and what is required of you.

Gather the Required Documents

Once you have a good understanding of the grant process, it’s time to start gathering the required documents. This will vary depending on the organization you are applying to, but may include things like your nonprofit’s 501(c)3 status, financial statements, and program evaluations.

Write a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent

The cover letter or letter of intent is your nonprofit’s introduction. In this letter, you will want to explain the mission and goals of your nonprofit organization. You should also explain why you are requesting funding and how the money will be used.

Write the Rest of the Grant Proposal

Now it’s time to start writing the rest of your proposal. Begin with an executive summary that outlines your nonprofit and what it does. Then, include a needs statement that outlines the problems you are trying to solve, followed by a program description that outlines the programs and services you offer. Next, include a detailed budget of how the funding will be used. Finally, include an evaluation plan of how you will evaluate the success of your nonprofit’s programs.

Proofread and Edit Your Proposal

Once you have finished writing your proposal, it’s time to proofread and edit it. Make sure that there are no errors and that all of the required information is included. Additionally, you may want to have someone else read it over to make sure that it is clear and concise.

Finalize and Submit

After you have proofread and edited your proposal, it’s time to submit it. Follow the instructions of the organization you are applying to and submit your proposal by the deadline.

After you have submitted your proposal, it’s important to follow up. This shows that you are interested in the grant and that you are committed to the process. Additionally, it gives you an opportunity to clarify any questions or concerns that the organization may have.

Grant Proposal Template & Example

If you need some help getting started, you can use the following template as a guide. Keep in mind that this is just a general outline and you will need to tailor it to the specific organization you are applying to.

Name of Organization:

Phone Number:

Contact Name:

We are pleased to submit our grant proposal for your consideration. Our organization, (name of organization), is a non-profit (or for-profit) corporation that is dedicated to (mission statement). We are requesting funding in the amount of $ (requested amount) for our programs and services.

The money we receive from this grant will be used to fund our (program name) program. This program provides (services offered). Last year, we served a total of (number of clients served). We are expecting to serve an increased number of (clients/patients/students, etc.) this year.

Our program is unique because (explain what makes your program special or different from others). We have been in operation for (length of time) and our track record shows that we are successful at (outcomes achieved).

Our organization is run by a board of directors who are committed to our mission. We have a staff of qualified professionals who are experienced in working with (population served). Our programs are accredited by (name of accrediting body, if applicable).

Attached to this proposal, you will find our non-profit exemption status, financial statements, program evaluations, and other supporting materials. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We thank you for your time and consideration.

(Your name)

(Your title)

A Guide to Writing a Small Business Grant Proposal

Last Updated on 

January 19, 2023

While there may be more opportunities for non-profit organizations when it comes to grant funding, grants for small business owners are not rare.

In fact, small businesses received more than $334 billion in total award obligations through the SBA in 2021 , spread across more than 9 million transactions and 7 million new awards. Over $254 million was spent through grants alone. The amount spent on grant awards has risen in 2022 as well, increasing to more than $455 million.

Federal contracts and financial assistance are out there. And that is without mentioning small business research grants and other types of non-governmental contracts and awards.

Grants for small businesses can often be a better option than a loan, as grants do not require repayment of any kind. The caveat? Your goals need to align with the goals of the organization or awarding agency you’re seeking a grant from.

Many grants are dedicated to supporting non-profit work or specific research initiatives. However, small business grants are dedicated to helping owners and founders achieve specific business goals or projects that align with a funding agency’s mission or a particular initiative.

This includes research grants designed to support businesses working on research and development that has a high potential for commercialization. As a biotech founder, CEO, or employee, this is most likely the exact type of grant you’re looking for.

Like non-profit grants, small business grants are offered through both government and non-government agencies. Furthermore, unlike loans, grants do not need to be paid back.

In this article, we’ll review small business grants, grant proposals, and how to write small business grant proposals. We’ll also review some best practices for grant writing, the differences between a “good” and “bad” proposal, the various types of grants available, and additional resources to help you write a small business grant.

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What Is a Small Business Grant Proposal?

A small business grant proposal, like a typical grant proposal, is a clear and concise presentation of what you’re proposing to do before it actually happens. It usually takes the form of a written document that you either prepare online or physically.

You send your proposal to a particular funding agency that’s providing a grant opportunity you’re interested in.

The presentation should thoroughly explain the reasons for your proposal and why you’re applying for grant funding from a specific funder. Explain the who, what, when, where, how, and why of your proposed project or program.

When you clearly and concisely explain your proposal in an organized and well-thought manner, you will have a better chance at receiving approval from the grant reviewers.

What Are the Steps to Developing a Grant Proposal?

There are several steps you should take to develop an effective proposal. First, begin with an idea, followed by planning, strategy, and success.

What is the idea you’re hoping to make a reality? It’s ideally something you’re already working on and are seeking additional funding to help continue developing, but it can also be something you’re planning on starting and need funding to begin that journey.

Once you know what you’re trying to accomplish, you need to start planning. Flesh out the details of what your program, project, or initiative is all about that you’re seeking funding for.

After planning, you’ll need to start forming a strategy. This involves detailing your approach and methodology regarding bringing your program or project to life. How will you effectively put your plan into action?

With a strategy in place for success, you’ll be able to show the funder how you will accomplish what you’re setting out to do and how you will evaluate your accomplishments, giving the funder confidence in you by showing them you’ve got a game plan.

From here, you will want to take some additional steps before you start researching grant and developing your proposal:

• Make sure your idea can be funded, as some things are not eligible for grant funding
• Read the grant application guidelines carefully, they will help you determine if you actually qualify or not
• Make note of the eligibility requirements and what the funder is requesting; you might not be eligible or have everything they’re asking for

Lastly, ask yourself:

• Is my proposal doable?
• Does it have a focused goal?
• Can you provide everything a funder is asking for in the application? (If you can’t, you’re putting yourself in a position to become disqualified, wasting time and effort)
• Is it in alignment with your own goals and, most importantly, with the goals of the potential funding agency?
• Is there a beginning, middle, and end? (Granting agencies do not fund projects forever; in fact, most grants only last a year or two, depending on who’s providing the grant)
• Can you meet the deadline? (Grants have deadlines; if you start too late, you’ll have to rush and that can lead to mistakes and disqualification)

Grant Proposal Review & Common Elements

Grant proposal guidelines and instructions vary from funder to funder. This means the required information and formatting may be different from proposal to proposal. To better understand the common elements, it can help to review grant proposal guidelines and instructions to get a sense of what will be asked of you.

In the guidelines that you can typically find on the funding agency’s website, you’ll see exactly what you need to do in order to apply for a grant. While following these guidelines and instructions does not guarantee you’ll get funding, it does increase the likelihood of getting approved.

If the guidelines provide a list of do’s and don’ts, take note. Funding agencies will have various requests for you that include things they’d like to see in your application and things they wouldn’t like to see.

There may also be a checklist for completed requirements. If that’s the case, you can use the checklist to track your progress and make sure you don’t miss anything. Budget your time to make sure you’ve got enough time to get everything together that is required of you before the deadline. You don’t want to rush. It can lead to mistakes, which will automatically disqualify you in most cases.

Similarly, if you don’t complete and submit the proposal by the listed due date, your application will automatically be denied. We can’t stress this enough—give yourself enough time!

You’ll also see in the guidelines that a grant proposal must include information submitted in a specific order. Make sure to do this, and follow the instructions for each section exactly. Funders will most likely reject your application if your proposal is not in the correct order.

There are additional requirements for proposals that can include submitting the proposal to a specific address or department, rules about how you can submit the application, and reporting leadership or major staffing changes after you’ve submitted your proposal.

Do your diligence and read the guidelines and instructions carefully. Grant proposal reviews can be the best way to learn what to expect. That said, there are some elements, or sections of information, seen across many different types of grant proposals. These can include:

• A cover sheet or letter of intent that allows the agency to estimate how many independent reviewers will be needed; it also helps the agency avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review
• A short executive summary, or “abstract” in the non-profit world, summarizing your grant proposal
• A table of contents; it should help the reviewer find what they need quickly and easily should they want to flip to a specific section
• A needs statement and problem statement describing the purpose of your project, the need you’re addressing, or problem you’re solving, and why the project is important
• A project description or narrative explaining the project you want to fund in greater detail; you can separate different ideas into sections to better explain each aspect of your project and review the expected outcomes; this description can sometimes be included in the executive summary
• A list of your goals; ideally you will pick SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timeline) goals
• A description of the methods you will use, in addition to project management plans and timeline, illustrating how you will achieve your goals and objectives
• A staffing list showing how you will staff your project
• A detailed budget explaining what the money will be used for
• A cover letter providing an introduction of yourself or your business as the grant seeker, in addition to a description of your ethos, professionalism, and proposed project or business goal

You will most likely need to include information about yourself and your business as well, including:

• Your business’s mission and history
• Your business’s financial health and stability
• Any additional support documents, usually in the form of appendices; additional records, endorsements, tax status information, personnel bios, letters of support, etc.

Including this information is not only important, it’s necessary. Without it, your application will be disqualified.

Remember, this isn’t the exact order for every grant proposal. Proposals vary from funder to funder, and each may ask for a different order that the information above should be included. It’s vital that you follow the grant’s instructions exactly and include everything that’s asked for.

Before You Start, Research

Before you start writing your grant proposal, you’ll want to research the grant or grants you are applying for and the organization to whom you are submitting your proposal. This is part of the pre-award phase, covered in more detail on grants.gov .

Also consider who your audience is, what the grant’s expectations are, and how you will achieve your goals if you secure funding. To properly prepare for your application, it’s important that you:

• Follow the steps for developing a grant proposal listed above; this means clearly defining what you want to do, why you want to do it, how you’ll do it, when you’ll do it, and who you’ll do it for—remember to be SMART when defining your goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.)
• Identify an awarding agency or organization that funds projects or goals like the one you have in mind and figure out if their goals align with your own.
• Identify a grant funding opportunity before you begin the application process; it’s important that you find a grant that matches your proposal and goals and a funder whose mission aligns with yours.
• Review the agency’s grant proposal guidelines, eligibility requirements, and instructions document to determine if you are eligible and have everything on hand that they’ll require.
• Register to apply for grants through websites like grants.gov and sbir.gov ; depending on the agency, you will have to go through several steps to register and may be required to complete different types of registration to receive all the necessary identification.
• Review any grant proposal samples you might have or can find in order to get a better understanding of what a good or bad proposal looks like.

Research will help you identify a grant you can actually apply for, an agency that will want to work with you, and a better feel of what the funder’s interests actually are. This will vary from funder to funder, but doing your research will help greatly.

How to Write a Small Business Grant Proposal

The grant writing process can be quite arduous. But, there are a variety of ways to approach it. The best way you can handle the writing process, in our experience, is to begin with great research, followed by developing an effective proposal that carefully follows all the instructions and guidelines a funding agency provides, including everything they ask for. It’s all about giving the information that is required, not pushing the information that you want.

After taking all the necessary steps, such as registering your business in the proper places, identifying a grant funding opportunity, and determining your eligibility, you’ll begin preparing your written application and developing your proposal.

Below we break down the basic approach to writing a small business grant proposal based on our own experience as a small business.

Keep in mind that this is a guide for you to learn how to write a proposal. We outline a general approach of how to write a small business grant proposal. It will help you be well-prepared to begin the writing process, but does not necessarily follow exactly how a funder will want you to put together your proposal. Remember to follow instructions carefully!

Be meticulous in your following of the proposal’s instructions. This means including all the necessary documentation, completing the required forms, and staying on top of deadlines.

Write Your Cover Letter

You can start by writing your cover letter. However, it may help to leave this till the end of your application, as you might have a clearer idea of the main parts of your proposal and their value.

That said, if you do start with your cover letter, make sure to keep it short but impactful—you need to capture the attention of the agency’s reviewers.

Say what you need without using too much fluff, being as direct as possible without missing the important parts. And make sure to connect your project and goals with the funding agency’s own. If you can make a connection between their mission, funds, and your proposed project, you will have a better chance of getting approval.

Write Your Executive Summary

Next, write your executive summary. This serves as an overview of why your organization wants the grant, what your funding needs are, and how you plan to follow through with the project. Be as engaging as possible, using short and clear sentences that concisely illustrate the main aspects of your proposal.

Introduce Your Business

You can introduce your business next. Share as much relevant information as you can about your infrastructure, history, mission, experience, etc.

Here you include a biography of key staff, your business track record (success stories), company goals, and philosophy; essentially, highlight your expertise.

Client recommendations, letters of thanks, feedback from customers and the general public are must-have things to write in a grant proposal.

Also include all valid industry certifications (ISO or Quality Certifications), licenses, and business and indemnity insurance details.

You need to show that your company or organization has the capacity and the ability to meet all deliverables from both an execution perspective but also meet all legal, safety, and quality obligations.

Write Your Needs & Problem Statements

Now, write your needs and problem statement. It should illustrate the problem you will solve and how the grant funds will help you do it. It will be important to convey the scope of the problem or need of addressing and what sets you apart from others trying to solve the same problem or need. It can be helpful to include any research you’ve done on this matter as well.

Don’t rush this section of the proposal. It’s a critical element. Craft your argument patiently, and make sure to use any supporting data and research you have to back up your argument and plan.

It’s important to keep the language simple as well, as there is a big chance the reviewer doesn’t have the same technical expertise you do. Keep jargon to a minimum, or fully explain what each term means, in order to keep things clear.

Write Your Project Description

Next, write your project description. Clearly explain your goals for the project, how you plan to achieve those goals, and how the grant funding will help. Stick to SMART objectives, ones that can be easily tracked and measured. Doing so will help you demonstrate your eventual successes to the grantor, an important part of the grant process later on.

When you explain how you plan to achieve your goals, it can help to include specific information about your project’s timeline, budget, staffing, the resources and community you’ll leverage, and why you’re in a strong position to tackle a problem or need. It can also help to explain how you will track your project and goals, evaluating your overall success.

Ideally, your project description provides a clear picture of your goals, how you will achieve those goals, what you plan to do with the funds, and how you will manage and measure your project’s progress. If you tie your goals into the funding agency’s mission or goal, you will build an even stronger case for your business.

Write a Detailed Budget

After that section, you will need to write about your budget. It’s critical that you provide a detailed project budget that outlines how you will use the funding and what your operational costs will be. This will also serve to explain your expenses and justify the amount of money you’re seeking.

Provide any financial documents you may have to back up your budget here, and try to stay within the funding limits the funding agency is offering. It’s important to neither overquote nor underquote yourself, because while you might secure the grant by underquoting, you may not walk away with enough funding for your project. Overquote and you may see your application rejected.

When we say provide a detailed budget, we mean it. Include information about all of the costs, whether they’re direct or indirect. This can include everything from personnel, materials and supplies, and equipment to travel costs, advertising, utilities, insurance, and more.

Remember to check your numbers. You want to ensure they’re accurate. Otherwise, your application might not make it through the review process. Simple errors like an incorrect decimal point or forgotten number can significantly distort your budget. If you need to, leverage a team member who is excellent with numbers.

Perform a Final Review & Have Your Team Help

After you’ve finished writing, attached all the necessary documentation, and completed the required forms, you need to review your application! Make sure you have:

• Followed all the instructions
• Stuck within the guidelines
• Included all the necessary documentation
• Completed the required forms
• Formatted your proposal correctly
• Eliminated simple spelling or math errors

It can help to have others review your application as well. They can bring a different perspective and fresh eyes to the proposal and catch things you may have missed. In fact, it can help to have as many people you trust review the proposal. When you’re confident there are no errors, it’s time to submit your proposal.

Properly Submit & Track Your Application

Depending on the funding agency you’re submitting your application to, there will be different instructions for submitting. Figuring out what these submission processes look like can sound a little daunting, but each group will provide clear instructions somewhere on their website on how to properly submit your proposal.

It will be important that, once you submit the application, you make sure to track it to address any errors that are flagged and view the assembled application to ensure it is 100% accurate.

Once you’ve submitted, you can check online that your application has all the correct information and hasn’t been flagged for errors. After making sure your proposal wasn’t flagged, all you can do is wait for a response from the funding agency.

If the review process goes well, you may be asked to provide additional information. The way this request is handled can vary from department to department. For example, the NIH uses the Just-in-Time (JIT) process, located in its eRA Commons .

If you’re selected to receive funding, you’ll be sent a notice that you have been selected for the award! In the case of the NIH and the SBIR/STTR programs, you’ll receive a Notice of Award (NoA) , the official grant award document the department uses to notify an awardee the grant has been made. From there, you will be able to access more information on how to manage the award, and what the post-award process and requirements entail.

In addition, you will gain access to a wide number of agency resources and programs, helping you maximize the benefits of your grant funding.

While the approval rating for grants has increased through 2022, grant funding is highly competitive, and there is a big chance your proposal will be rejected. Don’t give up! It’s important that you keep trying. If the review does not go well, you will be able to reach out to the program official to discuss next steps. You can review feedback, address the issues, and resubmit your application .

12 Tips for Writing A Successful Business Grant Proposal

Below are steps to writing award-winning grants that you can use to improve your proposal, potentially increasing your chances at writing a small business grant application that will get approved.

Develop a Game Plan

Create a game plan for where you’re headed. Don’t dive into effort without knowing exactly what you’re doing. You’re going to want some mode of operation to complete the grant writing process, and a game plan can help you do that. In fact, you’re already using a game plan right now: learning how to write grant proposals in an effective way.

Don’t Rush & Pay Attention to the Agency’s Goals

First and foremost, don’t rush your writing. Grant applications can be long and grueling, and it can be easy to make mistakes if you try to rush through the grant proposal writing process.

Hopefully you start early enough so that you can take your time writing before the deadline gets closer. Making mistakes can make it take even longer to complete your proposal, and will lead to a rejection.

Taking your time will undoubtedly make it easier to craft your story and proposal, leading to a more developed proposal narrative and project description before you start writing grant applications. Having a strong story and a detailed proposal will help you stand apart from other grant applicants, clearly explaining the what, why, and how of your proposal.

Use Rich Media When You Can

Use pictures, charts, and graphics if permitted. Using rich media can help your proposal come to life and convey important points in different ways. While this may be harder to do with certain applications, look for instances where you can add visuals.

Research Prior Winners

If there are previous grant winners for the specific grant you’re applying for, review their business and the project. There may be a connection or similarity between your business and a prior winner that you can integrate into your proposal.

Seeing what kinds of businesses are awarded a certain grant can help you narrow down if your business is a good fit, what you could do to increase your chances, and ultimately help you save time by not applying to a grant you’re unlikely to land.

Search Through Local Grants First

It might be easier to secure a local grant than a federal grant offered nationwide. While federal grants can be more appealing—the award is typically larger—local grants are sometimes less competitive. Start your search by looking at locally offered grants, and expand your search as you rule out grants you might be able to apply for through your city, the state and regional levels.

Apply for Grants of All Sizes

In addition to searching for local grants first, you should also pay attention to funding opportunities of all sizes. Smaller grants can sometimes be easier to secure, and doing so can even make your business more appealing to agencies offering larger grant funds. Showing the support you’ve already received can make you more attractive to grantors.

Use a Team Approach

It’s often helpful and more effective to assemble a team to write your proposal. Ideally you can include people who have review proposals before or someone who has experience as an editor. Your choices do not have to be limited to your business, you can find people outside your organization to help with the process.

Approach The Writing Process Like a Reviewer

It can help to think about your grant proposal like a peer reviewer, rather than a business owner. The funding agencies you’ll send your applications to always have long-term organizational goals and objectives that you will want to appeal to. If you can set your proposal apart from others by showing how your use of the grant funds will directly align with the funding agency’s mission, you may stand a better chance at securing approval.

Provide Up-To-Date Information & Complete All Requests

Provide relevant up-to-date information. If you provide out-of-date information, you will come across as dated. This relates to completing all requests. Remember to give the funder 100% of what they ask for. This means following instructions exactly. You want to provide the information they need, not push your information on them.

Include an Evaluation

Include an evaluation that clarifies how you will evaluate your project or program’s performance. Determine a way to evaluate the project you’ve just received funds before. Will it be internal or external? Funding agencies typically look at evaluations very favorably.

Try, Try, Try Again

Even people who have a lot of experience writing grant proposals face rejection. In fact, most applicants face rejection more than approval. That said, the grant writing process can be highly productive. You get to dial in your objectives, methodology, and more, clearly defining what problem you’re addressing, how you will achieve your objectives, and more.

Don’t let rejection stop you. Try again and incorporate whatever feedback you can get a hold of into your next proposal.

Think About Hiring a Grant Writer

It’s no secret that grant writing can be difficult. If it’s proving too difficult or time-consuming, consider hiring a grant writer to help you complete and submit your proposal. Although these professionals can be expensive to hire, it may be worth the money in the long term.

The writer will likely know the type of language to use to make your application stand out in addition to the correct formatting. Their expertise in grant writing can make the process much quicker as well.

What Makes a Good Proposal?

A good small business grant proposal has a number of identifiable characteristics. None of which are very surprising:

• Easy to understand; it doesn’t need to be sophisticated, it needs to be understandable
• Proposes something that is doable within a certain timeframe
• Clear and concise
• Details what will be done, when it will be done, and how it will be done
• Tells a compelling and exciting story; what led up to your business’s decision to go in this direction, and what benefits people will experience
• Has excellent flow and continuity
• Visually appealing
• Engages the reader and provides social proof

If your proposal has all of these characteristics, it doesn’t guarantee you will get approved. But, it does increase the likelihood you will secure the funding you need. Having a well-written and visually appealing proposal, in addition to compelling research and data, is essential.

What Makes a Bad Proposal?

Sure enough, bad grant proposals have some common traits as well. These include:

• Lacks clarity; make sure the funder knows what you’re proposing to do
• Loaded with errors; if you can’t take care of proposal, how will you treat the money you’re provided
• Unrealistic expectations
• No clear outcomes
• Lack of alignment; doesn’t match up with funder’s goals and how the funder wants to see the world
• Bores the reader; you want the proposal to excite the reader by proposing a brighter future

Bad writing, no matter the context, is just that: bad writing! Even if you believe your proposed project has all the marks of a winner, you will still need to make sure your grant proposal is well-written and thought out to help stand out from all the other applicants and make it easier for peer reviewers to understand your proposal.

Types of Grant Proposals & When to Use Them

There are several types of grants small business owners can apply for. Your eligibility for each type will depend on a number of factors. When to use each type will vary based on your proposed project and goals as well.

Federal Grants

Federal grants are a type of government grant or economic aid the US government provides from the funds made available through the general federal revenue. The government gives grants to stimulate the economy and draws from the U.S. general federal revenue. Grants can be funds for a portion of a certain project or organizational costs, or include complete funding for a project or research.

There are more than 1,000 different grant programs available to businesses and individuals that qualify, distributed by 26 grant-specific agencies across 21 distinct categories.

State Grants

State grants are need-based, state-specific awards that usually provide a smaller amount of funds than federal grants. As they are state-specific, there is often less competition, making them more attainable for small businesses. While they are smaller than a federal grant, state grants can provide the boost an organization needs to carry a project or program further, and demonstrate the project’s attractiveness to other granting agencies.

Local Grants

Local grants are awards issued by a city, county, or township, or any other local government department or agency. that stimulate the economy directly around them. Applicants are only eligible for local grants if they meet specific requirements, the most obvious being whether or not the county or city deems that the business is part of that area. This is typically true if the organization provides services to the city and its residents.

Corporate Grants

A corporate grant comes directly from a major corporation. Like federal grants, corporate grants will have various requirements, provide different amounts of funding, and be suited for specific or broad types of business or research. Companies generally set aside capital at the beginning of the fiscal year and host competitions to distribute the funds to qualified businesses.

Other Types of Grants: Nonprofits

In addition to the grants dedicated to for-profit businesses, there are four types of non-profit grants. These are dedicated to and designed for non-profit organizations and businesses.

It may not apply to you and your business, but it’s worth mentioning. The four types include: competitive grants, continuation grants, pass-through grants, and formula grants.

Competitive Grants

Nonprofits, universities, colleges, K-12 schools, and government organizations can apply for competitive grants. Occasionally, a small business may be eligible to apply as well. Competitive grants, like any grant, are submitted for approval and reviewed by a team of reviewers who make a decision to fund the proposed project or not.

Competitive grants simply mean the grant application is competitive and involves an approval process that is performed by a committee or board of directors, who base their decision on different criteria. This also means the grants are discretionary, and do not need to be awarded.

Formula Grants

Formula grants are non-competitive, and are typically awarded to support larger programs. Like a competitive grant, formula grants award funds that are distributed to businesses and organizations based on meeting specific criteria. Unlike a competitive grant, these awards are distributed to applicants based on a statistical formula and overseen by a legislative body.

All applicants that meet the criteria will receive funding, but the amount is based on certain benchmarks. This means formula grants are always awarded. Awardees can include states, local governments, territories, and other types of government organizations.

From there, states may be able to allocate money to organizations and businesses for a specific activity. The amount the awardee distributes can be based on the numbers an organization serves or the number of residents in the community.

Pass-through Grants

Like federal, state, and local grants, pass-through grants come from the federal government. The funding is distributed to a state or local government, who then passes on the funding to different organizations, institutions, and businesses. Eligible applicants can apply to states or municipalities for federal funds to stimulate the local economy and make an impact in a specific community or area.

Continuation Grants

Non-profit organizations can use continuation grants to renew a previously awarded grant for an additional amount of time. Without a continuation grant, the funding for the project would expire. These grant opportunities are also an opportunity for the awardee and funder to foster a relationship. While continuation grants are discretionary and mostly available to existing awardees, new applicants may be considered.

How to Find Grants for Small Businesses

There are different databases available online that you can access to search for various small business grants. Some are free, while others require a subscription.

Below we review government grant databases on the federal, state, and local levels, as well as corporate grants you can apply for and the databases you can use to search for private grants.

Federal Small Business Grants & Databases

Government agencies are among the biggest distributors of business grants, supporting a range of enterprises from environmental conservation to child care services. Applying may seem intimidating, but federal grants are great opportunities for small-business owners looking to grow.

Grants.gov allows you to search for grants based on category, eligibility, agency, and funding instrument type. It lists all of the grant opportunities currently available across more than a thousand different programs as well as closed and archived opportunities. It aims to simplify the grant search and application process.

SAM.gov is an official US government website. It is a central database for everyone who makes, receives, and manages federal grants and awards. Government contractors can use SAM, short for Systems for Award Management, to search for grants and contracts and view contract opportunity reports . To use the site and do business with the US government, you need to register your business. Learn more about the website’s requirements and features using its  help center .

USDA Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) offers a wide range of grant programs for agriculture- and agriculture science-based research and business initiatives. One such program,  the Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants (BRAG) program , provides funding to support research that will help regulatory agencies make “science-based decisions about the effects of introducing into the environment genetically engineered organisms (GE).” This includes a wide range of organisms, from plants, microorganisms, fish, and birds to mammals and other animals.

Businesses can view BRAG’s Request for Applications (RFA) to learn more about the grants program, funding opportunity, award information, eligibility information, and more. Businesses can also apply for a grant directly on the agency’s website.

USDA Rural Business Development Grants

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees and manages the Rural Business Development Grant program . It provides funding to strengthen and grow small businesses throughout rural communities.

In order to qualify for funding, businesses cannot have more than 50 new employees. Additionally, the business must have less than $1 million in gross revenue. It needs to also be located in an eligible rural area . Grant proposals are accepted only once per year through the local or state USDA Rural Development offices.

SBIR/STTR Programs

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs enable US-based, for-profit small businesses to become involved in federal research & development. The STTR also includes a partnership between the small business and nonprofit research institutions to formally collaborate in Phase I and Phase II.

These programs include a searchable solicitations database you can explore to find potential funding opportunities. These contract opportunities are available through different funding agencies, including the NIH, NSF, and more:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a funding database that allows researchers to search for different types of grants, contracts, and even programs that help repay loans. There is also research training and career development available. You can subscribe to their weekly email newsletter that summarizes the funding opportunities posted each week and stay up to date with what solicitations are currently open.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has an opportunities database that allows you to filter their opportunities according to different factors like award type, directorate, division, and education level. The database lists current, available opportunities with their respective due dates.

However, you can find the agency’s archived funding opportunities on its website as well. Reviewing the archived listings can give you a better idea of what the NSF has funded in the past, what they may fund in the future, and whether or not any of it applies to your R&D.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) lists funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) on their website according to offices within the department. You can search through its database based on program, fiscal year, and post date or close date. Additionally, the DOE lists Open Lab Announcements and Closed Lab Announcements as well.  

Through the Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), the US Department of Defense (DOD) offers a number of grants, contracts, and funding opportunities for organizations and small businesses performing research and development.

OSBP manages a number of DOD programs, from the Mentor Protege Program and Indian Incentive Program to DOD small business program funding, market research, procurement goals, and contracting processes and activities. You can explore the various programs managed by OSBP and search for contract or grant opportunities on its website. These opportunities are mostly applicable to small businesses interested in commercializing their R&D.

State & Regional Small Business Grants & Databases

Economic development administration.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is an agency overseen by the Department of Commerce (DOC). It provides grants, resources and technical assistance to communities based on local business needs and conditions in order to stimulate and support economic growth and development while promoting entrepreneurship.

You can search the site for current and previous funding opportunities spread across the agency’s various programs. Additionally, you can search the economic development directory for regional offices and local resources.

State Business Incentives Database

The State Business Incentives Database is a database created by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) . With close to 2,000 programs from around the US, the database gives business owners, economic developers, business development professionals, and economic researchers a place to search for and compare various incentive programs.

Its site includes a map feature you can use to search for grants based on location, and provides information on tax credits and exemptions. To use the site, you must have an account. However, accounts are only available to members of C2ER.

California Grants Portal

The California Grants Portal was developed by the California State Library. It provides a central location for state grant opportunities, allowing state grant-making agencies to add and update their award information, and for grant seekers to search the database for opportunities. This makes it possible for all state grant opportunities to be searchable online.

Each listed grant includes a summary of what is needed to apply and how, along with links that businesses and organizations can follow to learn more. To the same effect, the California Grants Portal site includes an FAQ section .

State Trade Expansion Program

The State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) , provides state and territory governments with funding to distribute to small businesses with export development.

Supported by the SBA, STEP helps small businesses cover the costs to start or expand into international markets. Funding and eligibility requirements vary based on your state, but the money can be used to participate in a variety of business activities.

California Office of the Small Business Advocate

The California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) supports economic growth and development in California, ensuring California-based small businesses and startups have the support and resources needed to search for programs and understand regulations.

CalOSBA’s many funding programs include the California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, California Dream Fund, and more.

Minority Business Development Agency Centers

The Minority Business Development Agency Centers (MBDA) is a nationally ran network of business development centers that support the growth and promotion of minority-owned small businesses. This includes helping businesses secure funding and contracts and compete in emerging markets.

Search for your local MBDA center and programs to apply for various types of funding, including state and local business grants and loans. The agency also typically holds a small-business grant competition annually. You can find contest updates on MBDA’s website.

Corporate/Foundation Small Business Grants & Databases

Many corporations and larger companies offer nonprofit and small-business grants. While some corporations work solely with nonprofits, others also provide funding to for-profit small businesses.

GrantWatch is a grant listing directory that currently features more than 28,000 grants, funding opportunities, awards, and archived grants—some of the archived grants will become available again as well. These grants come from a wide variety of sources: corporations, foundations, and government agencies on the federal, state, and local levels.

While GrantWatch can be an excellent database to search for grants , it does require that you become a member. With the free account, you gain access to a number of features and can search for grants using different dimensions, such as location and grant type.

However, if you want to get highly granular with your searches, access complete grant information, and access direct links to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) in order to apply, you’ll need to sign up for a paid account. The website also provides a wide range of resources, news, and more.

Sloan Foundation

The Sloan Foundation offers grants that support original research and education focused on science, technology, engineering, and more. The foundation’s funds are provided through the accumulated wealth of Alfred P. Sloan, and its mission is to use its funds and grantmaking abilities in the service of the public good.

The foundation selects projects to fund based on proposals submitted by both individuals and teams with original and innovative ideas. It is most interested in projects that have an expected return to society, show strong methodological characteristics, and do not yet have wide access to funding through government agencies, the private sector, or other foundations.

You can learn about the foundation’s grants , its grantmaking strategy, what it doesn’t fund, its grant application process, and more on its website. It also provides a searchable grants database you can use to see what’s currently available and archived.

GrantForward

GrantForward is a funding opportunity database and recommendation service created by academics for researchers. You can search for grants using a specific keyword, however, in order to get complete use of the site and additional searches, you’ll need to create an account. Free trials are available.

GrantForward uses a search algorithm alongside a team of specialists to continuously add new and up-to-date funding opportunities to its database, making sure your searches are as relevant and current as possible. It also provides search filters that make it easy to quickly find a funding opportunity that fits your needs.

The database includes a wide range of grant types you can search through, from fellowships to post-doctoral to equipment, facility, and organization grants. In addition to searching for grants, you can find pre-solicitations and awarded projects as well. However, you’ll need an account to complete these searches.

Instrumentl

Nonprofits and professional grant writing consultants rely on Instrumentl to match with the right funders, identify trends, and track and manage grants.

While Instrumentl works most closely with nonprofits, helping match grant writers with private and corporate grants their organizations can use to achieve specific goals, it also provides an extensive database for other opportunities. This includes federal and state grant funding opportunities.

You can search the website’s grant database by focus area, location, or foundation . In addition to its databases, you can leverage Instrumentl’s educational resources to better understand how to use Instrumentl, improve your grant writing, and more.

Visa Everywhere Initiative

The Visa Everywhere Initiative is a grant competition that offers funding to tech-forward startups across five different regions around the globe. Applicants must show how they’ve developed a product or service that creatively involves Visa’s products.

Visa will select the top five finalists in each region — and these businesses will move forward to a global finals event. The overall winner of the competition is awarded a $100,000 small-business grant. Additional grants are awarded to second- and third-place finalists, audience favorites, as well as regional and local winners.

FedEx Small Business Grant

FedEx’s annual grant competition awards more than $250,000 to 10 small businesses. This includes $4,000 in FedEx print and business services and a $50,000 grant to its three grand prize winners. While the 2022 contest has closed, it opens up again each year. Dates are posted to the company’s website once they are finalized.

The FedEx small business grant, as one would expect, is available to US-based, for-profit small businesses that have been in operation for a minimum of six months. Businesses can have no more than 99 employees. You can visit the site’s FAQs to learn more about eligibility requirements and more.

fundsforNGOs

fundsforNGO provides a wide range of resources and services for countless industries . It works to improve access to resources and enable a more sustainable environment. The organization accomplishes this by researching, developing, and curating content that supports the growth and sustainability of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals working specifically in poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

Its many features include business intelligence, training, publications, and networking. However, most importantly for you, it also provides searchable databases of grants, donors, and proposals aimed to help NGOs find the information they need and track funding opportunities. In addition to its databases, fundsforNGOs also assists with grant writing, helping you plan and create your proposals.

Additional Resources

There are additional resources you can rely on to help with your search for grant funding. This includes various organizations that provide free help for your business. Many sources you can find through sba.gov and sbir.gov, however, you can also review the agencies below.

Small Business Development Centers

Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) offer support to small businesses and entrepreneurs. There are local, regional, state, and national offices located across the country, so it can help to find one closest to you.

Some SBDCs are associated with local universities or a state’s economic development agency, as well, and can help connect you with small business grants, federal grants, and business financing opportunities. SBDCs generally offer training, counseling, and technical assistance in addition to support with grant funding.

For example, an SBDC can usually help you create a compelling business plan and pitch for your business, and help you understand how you’ll want to use the grant money you’re seeking out.

This also includes navigating the grant process. SBDC advisors have a lot of visibility locally and can help connect you with small business grants.

SCORE is a nonprofit organization supported by the SBA. It provides free entrepreneurship training, tools, and mentorship to US-based small business owners. Like SBDCs, SCORE is a free online resource entrepreneurs can access when they need help.

You can use SCORE to connect with a wide range of experts based on zip code for free. You can also request a match, search for a business mentor, or find your local chapter to get the advice or expertise you’re looking for. The SCORE mentor you’re matched with will hopefully be able to identify local grant opportunities for you and review your pitch or proposal to ensure it’s compelling and well-written.

In addition to mentorship, you can access a variety of workshops online and in-person. Browse through SCORE’s library of webinars , on-demand courses , and local workshops to find a class that can help you improve. Live classes are also available if you can’t attend workshops in person.

Grant Resources Center

The Grants Resource Center (GRC) is part of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. This subscription service helps college/university offices secure more funding from federal and private groups.

It provides publications on a fixed schedule, management resources , funding resources , and a database where you can search for grants . Searching for a grant requires an account with GRC.

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers

P rocurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) provide assistance to businesses looking to work with the US government, Department of Defense, and other federal, state, and local government agencies. Most of the assistance provided by your local PTAC is free.

If you need to determine if your business is ready for government contracting, eligible for small business certifications, register in the correct place to begin the process, or assistance with researching past contract opportunities, then your local PTAC can help. You can search the SBA PTAC database to find a center near you.

You can also work with a procurement center representative (PCR) if you need help securing government contracts. Because PCRs are able to see government procurement strategies before they’re announced, they are in a good position to help you in touch with a small business opportunity.

Additionally, PCRs also help carry out SBA policies and programs, assist small businesses with payment issues, conduct market research, and provide counseling with the contracting process.

Small Business Grant Proposal Templates

There are many free online grant proposal templates to choose from. A template can help you put together a visually appealing proposal or give you an idea of how to format your own proposal.

We suggest you use a template as a study guide or reference point rather than your actual proposal only because the grant you are applying for may require different formatting or information. That said, here are some resources that provide small business grant proposal templates:

• PandaDoc grant proposal template
• Jot Form grant proposal PDF templates
• Wise free grant proposal template
• Sample.net small business grant proposals in PDF
• Technical Writer HQ grant writing templates
• SampleTemplates grant proposal samples & small business grant proposal templates
• Template.net grant proposal word templates

Conclusion: Applying For a Small Business Grant With Confidence

As a small business owner, things can feel pretty daunting at times. Being able to cover costs, push ahead on new programs or initiatives, and keep everything going requires significant cash flow. Luckily, there are a number of grant funding sources available to small businesses in the US.

Knowing what the grant writing process looks like and how to write a grant proposal before you get started can be a great help, reducing the amount of time, energy, and effort required to put together a winning grant proposal. This guide can serve as the first step toward building the knowledge and confidence needed when applying for a grant, and will make it easier to secure the funding you need to bring your idea to light.

Excedr has worked with a number of clients who secured grant funding in order to fund research and development, specific business initiatives, and provide services to the communities around them.

In some cases, that grant funding was available to use to lease lab equipment. By leasing the lab equipment they needed, our clients were able to extend their funding and save more for their research and development efforts.

In other cases, the grant funding was able to cover a client’s R&D or business costs, freeing up more room in their budget for equipment procurement and other initiatives.

Rather than put all that extra money into purchasing a few pieces of equipment, our clients leased instead, saving money on upfront costs and spreading out payments via manageable and consistent payments. If you’re interested in learning more about our leasing program , our team will be happy to provide you with more details. Contact us and let us know how we can help with your leasing needs.

Good luck on your grant writing journey. Securing grant funding can be an amazing moment and opportunity to accomplish great things!

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Free Grant Proposal Templates

By Andy Marker | February 1, 2018

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With grant proposals, individuals and organizations can solicit funds from foundations, government entities, corporations, and other sources for projects such as scientific research, humanitarian programs, academic study, social services, and professional development. Since grant funding can be a critical component for financing an organization or allowing research to progress, crafting an effective grant proposal is key. Whether you’re creating a lengthy proposal for a government agency, using a letter format for a private foundation, or entering info into an online application, a grant proposal helps potential funders understand the importance of your project and what you plan to achieve.

To help guide you through this process, a number of grant writing templates are available below, including proposal, application, and budget forms. These free, printable templates can provide structure, offer a professional presentation, and save you time and money. You’ll find templates in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PDF formats, all of which you can customize to suit your organization and project.

Grant Proposal Templates

Generic grant proposal template.

Use this template as a guide for preparing a grant proposal. It includes typical sections, such as a statement of need, project description, goals and objectives, and budget. There’s also room to add a detailed timeline. This template provides a basic outline that you can easily modify for a range of proposals.

Download Generic Grant Proposal Template

Word  |  PDF

Nonprofit Grant Proposal Template

Many nonprofit organizations rely on grants to pay for operating expenses and provide community services. This grant proposal template for nonprofits includes sections for adding organizational background information, details about the community or population that will be served, measurable goals, and more. Remove or add sections as needed to create a customized template.

Download Nonprofit Grant Proposal Template

Research Grant Proposal Template

Present your hypothesis, literature review, research plans, and projected outcomes with this research grant proposal. This template could be adjusted to suit a scientific research proposal or academic grant application. Depending on the application requirements, you may be able to submit this document as a formal proposal, or you can use it to compile and organize all of the information that will go into your final proposal.

Download Research Grant Proposal Template

Technology Grant Proposal Template

This technology grant proposal template is geared toward teachers and schools seeking funding for technology to use in the classroom. You can use the template to describe educational goals, technology needs, program sustainability, and budget requirements. The proposal also includes a timeline section to add a detailed schedule.

‌ Download Technology Grant Proposal Template

Grant Budget Templates

Grant proposal budget template.

Create an itemized grant proposal budget that shows income and expenses over the course of a given time period. Enter funding sources and amounts along with specific costs, and the template will automatically calculate the totals. You can use this template for planning purposes, or submit it as part of a larger grant proposal.

‌ Download Grant Proposal Budget Template

Grant Budget Revision Template

If you need to request a budget revision, this template is designed to show how funds will be adjusted by reducing the amounts allotted to one or more categories and increasing funds to others. Some grant makers require a revised budget so that they can approve how funds will be used. This template also includes room for adding organization and grant details.

‌ Download Grant Budget Revision Template

Nonprofit Cash Flow Projection Template

Nonprofits can use this cash flow template for financial planning over a 12-month period. The template shows revenue and expenses on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. The template also lists common funding sources along with operating costs, which can be edited to accommodate any type of organization.

‌ Download Nonprofit Cash Flow Projection Template

Grant Application Templates

Grant application template.

This template is intended for grant makers who want to create a grant application. It has sections for collecting applicant contact information, organizational details, and a thorough proposal, including a budget. Customize the application to cover whatever questions and information need to be reviewed to accurately assess a proposal.

Download Grant Application Template

Excel  |  PDF

Grant RFP Template

Grant makers can follow this outline to create a request for proposal template. Include submission instructions, agency background information, the timeline for reviewing proposals, and any requirements for proposal content and formatting. Applicants will also want to know what criteria will be used for evaluating proposals.

‌ Download Grant RFP Template - Word

Grant Report and Evaluation Templates

Grant proposal checklist and evaluation form.

Once you have completed a proposal, use this checklist to ensure that all application requirements have been met and to evaluate the proposal’s quality and effectiveness. Consider soliciting feedback on your proposal from stakeholders or others who may be less familiar with the project and, therefore, more objective. Taking a moment to review a proposal may help reduce errors or omissions that could cost more time and money in the long run.

Download Grant Proposal Checklist and Evaluation Form

Excel    |    PDF

Grant Report Template

Grantees may be required to submit an interim or final report describing the progress and outcomes of a project. This simple template provides an outline for creating a comprehensive report, including a financial update that shows how funds have been spent. Grant makers can provide this form to grantees so they have a template to follow for creating a narrative report.

‌ Download Grant Report Template

Grant Applications and Eligibility

Grant writing varies across disciplines, and proposals range from lengthy reports to brief letters that summarize project details. A science grant proposal might be 50 pages long and include a thorough literature review, background information for key personnel, research methodology, and more. The National Science Foundation, for instance, has extensive guidelines for grant applications, and its policies and procedures are outlined in a comprehensive guide for grant applicants.

An application for a global grant from the Rotary Club, on the other hand, is much shorter, and the information required depends on the type of project to be funded. The scope of a project, the amount of funding being awarded, the type of grant maker, and other factors influence what is required from grant seekers.

Businesses are generally not eligible for grants unless they qualify for funding through local government initiatives or are involved in research and development projects that are relevant to federal programs. Some states offer small-business grants to woman- or minority-owned businesses as well as for certain industries. If your company qualifies for federal or state funding, creating a business grant proposal would entail following the guidelines for a specific grant.

Some organizations will accept a common grant application form, which allows for a standardized proposal that saves time for both grant makers and grant seekers. When researching grant opportunities, it is important to understand and follow the application requirements so that your efforts aren’t undermined by technical errors, missing information, or mistakes in the submission process.

Mastering the Grant Writing Process

Writing grants may seem to adhere to a series of linear steps, but unless you are applying for a one-time grant and will not use grant funding in the future, grant writing is a circular process that follows a funding cycle. The process begins with a goal or need that gets translated into a proposal, which is reviewed by the agency or foundation supplying the grant, and then accepted or rejected.

Whether the proposal is accepted or not, the grant writing process continues into the next funding cycle as you revise and resubmit earlier grants or apply for new ones. Nonprofit organizations, ongoing research studies, and other groups that rely on grants as a primary funding source may need to keep a calendar and dedicate a writer to planning and securing grants.

To write an effective proposal, it is helpful to not only find grant opportunities that are relevant to your project, but also understand the funding source and gear your proposal to that audience. If a funder is available to meet in person prior to your organization submitting a proposal, that can go a long way toward providing a more personal context to your project and developing an ongoing relationship. Above all, the proposal should describe a project that can realistically be carried out by the applicant based on experience, qualifications, and financial resources.

As stated earlier, grant proposals vary widely and the content is largely dictated by the application requirements of a particular funder. However, there are commonalities among grant proposals. Here is a look at some of the information typically included:

• Cover Letter: Unless you have already had a face-to-face meeting or other contact with a funder, the cover letter is the first impression of your organization and project. Provide a brief summary that emphasizes your vision and objective.
• Proposal Summary: Although included at the beginning of a proposal, an abstract or executive summary section is often written last. It provides a brief overview of a project, including how the project fits with funding criteria.
• Literature Review: Academic and scientific research grants typically include a literature review that lists and evaluates sources of preliminary research that are related to the project.
• Statement of Need: The need statement is your opportunity to show a funder why your project is important. It explains the issue, and also provides background information and relevant research or evidence to support your proposal. You present the argument for why your project should be awarded funding over other proposals.
• Organization Description and Staff: Organizational history, background and qualifications for key personnel, and a program’s mission and track record for similar projects may all be important to illustrate a trustworthy reputation and your ability to successfully implement the proposed project. You may need a separate section to outline specific roles and responsibilities.
• Project Narrative: This is where you would include a lengthier project or program description, providing a detailed look at what the project entails, specific goals, and other information. You may include some of the sections listed here, such as personnel information, objectives, and measurements for success.
• Goals and Objectives: Breaking down goals into definitive and measurable results outlines the vision for a project as well as tangible outcomes. Grant proposals from nonprofits and other organizations involved in community projects may also include a description of the community being served, information on how it will benefit, and research on the potential for community involvement.
• Methods and Strategies: Grant makers will want to see how you plan to achieve goals and objectives. You may decide to include a logic model, which offers a condensed version of your proposal outline, to provide a visual representation of the key elements of your project and how they will lead to the intended outcomes. Clarify connections among methodology, objectives, and outcomes.
• Project Timeline: A timeline for your action plan can help funders visualize the stages of your project. This may be especially useful for research projects carried out over the course of several years. You may also want to include a budget timeline.
• Evaluation: Create an evaluation plan and describe what metrics will be used to assess a project’s effectiveness or impact.
• Sustainability Plan: If a project will continue into the future, create a plan for ongoing sustainability after grant funds have been used — doing so shows funders that a project is viable for the long term.
• Other Funding: Grant makers may want to see what other sources of funding you expect to receive for your project.
• Budget: The proposal budget shows estimated expenses along with sources of revenue. It provides an itemized look at how funds will be allotted and utilized.
• Appendix: References and additional materials can be included in the appendix.

Before submitting a completed proposal, grant writers can do their own review to ensure that the proposal meets the necessary criteria and application requirements. Grant makers will in turn conduct their review process and select which proposals to fund. Once funding is awarded, the grant maker and the grantee sign an agreement that describes the terms of the grant.

There are many sample grant proposal templates online that provide examples of successful applications. For instance, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers a variety of sample proposals for scientific research, as well as small-business funding for research and development.

Top 5 Grant Writing Tips

If you are new to grant writing, here are some tips to keep in mind as you develop your proposals:

• Give yourself plenty of time. Researching grant opportunities and gathering the information needed for an effective proposal can be a time-consuming process. Start earlier than you think you need to, and create a schedule to keep your grant writing process on track.
• Keep trying. If your proposal is rejected, revise it and apply again. Persistence can pay off, and you don’t need to wait for the results of one application before applying for a different grant. Sending proposals to a diverse selection of funders may also increase your chances of being selected.
• Details matter. Be specific about how funding will be used, goals will be achieved, and data will be collected, as well as your timeline of action steps. Grant makers want to know exactly how their money will be used, what impact the project or program will have, and why the project is important.
• Follow the rules. Follow grant application guidelines exactly, including answering required questions, providing requested information, and sticking to a submission timeline.
• Pay attention to formatting. The format of your proposal may be dictated by grant guidelines or a preset application, but make sure it is organized with clear headings. Information should be easily accessible and appropriate for the given audience.

One final tip: Create a reusable template that can be adjusted for a variety of grant applications.

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When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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The Ultimate Grant Writing Guide (and How to Find and Apply for Grants)

Securing grants requires strategic planning. Identifying relevant opportunities, building collaborations, and crafting a comprehensive grant proposal are crucial steps. Read our ultimate guide on grant writing, finding grants, and applying for grants to get the funding for your research.

Updated on February 22, 2024

Embarking on a journey of groundbreaking research and innovation always requires more than just passion and dedication, it demands financial support. In the academic and research domains, securing grants is a pivotal factor for transforming these ideas into tangible outcomes. 

Grant awards not only offer the backing needed for ambitious projects but also stand as a testament to the importance and potential impact of your work. The process of identifying, pursuing, and securing grants, however, is riddled with nuances that necessitate careful exploration. 

Whether you're a seasoned researcher or a budding academic, navigating this complex world of grants can be challenging, but we’re here to help. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps of applying for grants, providing expert tips and insights along the way.

Finding grant opportunities 

Prior to diving into the application phase, the process of finding grants involves researching and identifying those that are relevant and realistic to your project. While the initial step may seem as simple as entering a few keywords into a search engine, the full search phase takes a more thorough investigation.

By focusing efforts solely on the grants that align with your goals, this pre-application preparation streamlines the process while also increasing the likelihood of meeting all the requirements. In fact, having a well thought out plan and a clear understanding of the grants you seek both simplifies the entire activity and sets you and your team up for success.

Apply these steps when searching for appropriate grant opportunities:

1. Determine your need

Before embarking on the grant-seeking journey, clearly articulate why you need the funds and how they will be utilized. Understanding your financial requirements is crucial for effective grant research.

2. Know when you need the money

Grants operate on specific timelines with set award dates. Align your grant-seeking efforts with these timelines to enhance your chances of success.

3. Search strategically

Build a checklist of your most important, non-negotiable search criteria for quickly weeding out grant options that absolutely do not fit your project. Then, utilize the following resources to identify potential grants:

• Online directories
• Small Business Administration (SBA)
• Foundations

4. Develop a tracking tool

After familiarizing yourself with the criteria of each grant, including paperwork, deadlines, and award amounts, make a spreadsheet or use a project management tool to stay organized. Share this with your team to ensure that everyone can contribute to the grant cycle.

Here are a few popular grant management tools to try: 

• Jotform : spreadsheet template
• Airtable : table template
• Instrumentl : software
• Submit : software

Tips for Finding Research Grants

Consider large funding sources : Explore major agencies like NSF and NIH.

Reach out to experts : Consult experienced researchers and your institution's grant office.

Stay informed : Regularly check news in your field for novel funding sources.

Know agency requirements : Research and align your proposal with their requisites.

Ask questions : Use the available resources to get insights into the process.

Demonstrate expertise : Showcase your team's knowledge and background.

Neglect lesser-known sources : Cast a wide net to diversify opportunities.

Name drop reviewers : Prevent potential conflicts of interest.

Miss your chance : Find field-specific grant options.

Forget refinement : Improve proposal language, grammar, and clarity.

Ignore grant support services : Enhance the quality of your proposal.

Overlook co-investigators : Enhance your application by adding experience.

Grant collaboration 

Now that you’ve taken the initial step of identifying potential grant opportunities, it’s time to find collaborators. The application process is lengthy and arduous. It requires a diverse set of skills. This phase is crucial for success.

With their valuable expertise and unique perspectives, these collaborators play instrumental roles in navigating the complexities of grant writing. While exploring the judiciousness that goes into building these partnerships, we will underscore why collaboration is both advantageous and indispensable to the pursuit of securing grants.

Why is collaboration important to the grant process?

Some grant funding agencies outline collaboration as an outright requirement for acceptable applications. However, the condition is more implied with others. Funders may simply favor or seek out applications that represent multidisciplinary and multinational projects.

To get an idea of the types of collaboration major funders prefer, try searching “collaborative research grants” to uncover countless possibilities, such as:

• National Endowment for the Humanities
• American Brain Tumor Association

For exploring grants specifically for international collaboration, check out this blog:

• 30+ Research Funding Agencies That Support International Collaboration

Either way, proposing an interdisciplinary research project substantially increases your funding opportunities. Teaming up with multiple collaborators who offer diverse backgrounds and skill sets enhances the robustness of your research project and increases credibility.

This is especially true for early career researchers, who can leverage collaboration with industry, international, or community partners to boost their research profile. The key lies in recognizing the multifaceted advantages of collaboration in the context of obtaining funding and maximizing the impact of your research efforts.

How can I find collaborators?

Before embarking on the search for a collaborative partner, it's essential to crystallize your objectives for the grant proposal and identify the type of support needed. Ask yourself these questions: 

1)Which facet of the grant process do I need assistance with:

2) Is my knowledge lacking in a specific: 

• Population?

3) Do I have access to the necessary:

Use these questions to compile a detailed list of your needs and prioritize them based on magnitude and ramification. These preliminary step ensure that search for an ideal collaborator is focused and effective.

Once you identify targeted criteria for the most appropriate partners, it’s time to make your approach. While a practical starting point involves reaching out to peers, mentors, and other colleagues with shared interests and research goals, we encourage you to go outside your comfort zone.

Beyond the first line of potential collaborators exists a world of opportunities to expand your network. Uncover partnership possibilities by engaging with speakers and attendees at events, workshops, webinars, and conferences related to grant writing or your field.

Also, consider joining online communities that facilitate connections among grant writers and researchers. These communities offer a space to exchange ideas and information. Sites like Collaboratory , NIH RePorter , and upwork provide channels for canvassing and engaging with feasible collaborators who are good fits for your project. 

Like any other partnership, carefully weigh your vetted options before committing to a collaboration. Talk with individuals about their qualifications and experience, availability and work style, and terms for grant writing collaborations.

Transparency on both sides of this partnership is imperative to forging a positive work environment where goals, values, and expectations align for a strong grant proposal.

Putting together a winning grant proposal

It’s time to assemble the bulk of your grant application packet – the proposal itself. Each funder is unique in outlining the details for specific grants, but here are several elements fundamental to every proposal:

• Executive Summary
• Needs assessment
• Project description
• Evaluation plan
• Team introduction
• Sustainability plan 

This list of multi-faceted components may seem daunting, but careful research and planning will make it manageable. 

Start by reading about the grant funder to learn:

• What their mission and goals are,
• Which types of projects they have funded in the past, and
• How they evaluate and score applications.

Next, view sample applications to get a feel for the length, flow, and tone the evaluators are looking for. Many funders offer samples to peruse, like these from the NIH , while others are curated by online platforms , such as Grantstation.

Also, closely evaluate the grant application’s requirements. they vary between funding organizations and opportunities, and also from one grant cycle to the next. Take notes and make a checklist of these requirements to add to an Excel spreadsheet, Google smartsheet, or management system for organizing and tracking your grant process.

Finally, understand how you will submit the final grant application. Many funders use online portals with character or word limits for each section. Be aware of these limits beforehand. Simplify the editing process by first writing each section in a Word document to be copy and pasted into the corresponding submission fields.

If there is no online application platform, the funder will usually offer a comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP) to guide the structure of your grant proposal. The RFP: 

• Specifies page constraints
• Delineates specific sections
• Outlines additional attachments
• Provides other pertinent details

Components of a grant proposal

Cover letter.

Though not always explicitly requested, including a cover letter is a strategic maneuver that could be the factor determining whether or not grant funders engage with your proposal. It’s an opportunity to give your best first impression by grabbing the reviewer’s attention and compelling them to read further. 

Cover letters are not the place for excessive emotion or detail, keep it brief and direct, stating your financial needs and purpose confidently from the outset. Also, try to clearly demonstrate the connection between your project and the funder’s mission to create additional value beyond the formal proposal.

Executive summary

Like an abstract for your research manuscript, the executive summary is a brief synopsis that encapsulates the overarching topics and key points of your grant proposal. It must set the tone for the main body of the proposal while providing enough information to stand alone if necessary.

Refer to How to Write an Executive Summary for a Grant Proposal for detailed guidance like:

• Give a clear and concise account of your identity, funding needs, and project roadmap.
• Write in an instructive manner aiming for an objective and persuasive tone
• Be convincing and pragmatic about your research team's ability.
• Follow the logical flow of main points in your proposal.
• Use subheadings and bulleted lists for clarity.
• Write the executive summary at the end of the proposal process.
• Reference detailed information explained in the proposal body.
• Address the funder directly.
• Provide excessive details about your project's accomplishments or management plans.
• Write in the first person.
• Disclose confidential information that could be accessed by competitors.
• Focus excessively on problems rather than proposed solutions.
• Deviate from the logical flow of the main proposal.
• Forget to align with evaluation criteria if specified

Project narrative

After the executive summary is the project narrative . This is the main body of your grant proposal and encompasses several distinct elements that work together to tell the story of your project and justify the need for funding. 

Include these primary components:

Introduction of the project team

Briefly outline the names, positions, and credentials of the project’s directors, key personnel, contributors, and advisors in a format that clearly defines their roles and responsibilities. Showing your team’s capacity and ability to meet all deliverables builds confidence and trust with the reviewers.

Needs assessment or problem statement

A compelling needs assessment (or problem statement) clearly articulates a problem that must be urgently addressed. It also offers a well-defined project idea as a possible solution. This statement emphasizes the pressing situation and highlights existing gaps and their consequences to illustrate how your project will make a difference.

To begin, ask yourself these questions:

• What urgent need are we focusing on with this project?
• Which unique solution does our project offer to this urgent need? 
• How will this project positively impact the world once completed?

Here are some helpful examples and templates.

Goals and objectives

Goals are broad statements that are fairly abstract and intangible. Objectives are more narrow statements that are concrete and measurable. For example :

• Goal : “To explore the impact of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance in college students.”
• Objective : “To compare cognitive test scores of students with less than six hours of sleep and those with 8 or more hours of sleep.”

Focus on outcomes, not processes, when crafting goals and objectives. Use the SMART acronym to align them with the proposal's mission while emphasizing their impact on the target audience.

Methods and strategies

It is vitally important to explain how you intend to use the grant funds to fulfill the project’s objectives. Detail the resources and activities that will be employed. Methods and strategies are the bridge between idea and action. They must prove to reviewers the plausibility of your project and the significance of their possible funding.

Here are some useful guidelines for writing your methods section that are outlined in " Winning Grants: Step by Step ."

• Firmly tie your methods to the proposed project's objectives and needs assessment.
• Clearly link them to the resources you are requesting in the proposal budget.
• Thoroughly explain why you chose these methods by including research, expert opinion, and your experience.
• Precisely list the facilities and capital equipment that you will use in the project.
• Carefully structure activities so that the program moves toward the desired results in a time-bound manner.

A comprehensive evaluation plan underscores the effectiveness and accountability of a project for both the funders and your team. An evaluation is used for tracking progress and success. The evaluation process shows how to determine the success of your project and measure the impact of the grant award by systematically gauging and analyzing each phase of your project as it compares to the set objectives.

Evaluations typically fall into two standard categories:

1. Formative evaluation : extending from project development through implementation, continuously provides feedback for necessary adjustments and improvements. 

2. Summative evaluation : conducted post-project completion, critically assesses overall success and impact by compiling information on activities and outcomes.

Creating a conceptual model of your project is helpful when identifying these key evaluation points. Then, you must consider exactly who will do the evaluations, what specific skills and resources they need, how long it will take, and how much it will cost.

Sustainability

Presenting a solid plan that illustrates exactly how your project will continue to thrive after the grant money is gone builds the funder's confidence in the project’s longevity and significance. In this sustainability section, it is vital to demonstrate a diversified funding strategy for securing the long-term viability of your program.

There are three possible long term outcomes for projects with correlated sustainability options:

• Short term projects: Though only implemented once, will have ongoing maintenance costs, such as monitoring, training, and updates.

(E.g., digitizing records, cleaning up after an oil spill)

• Projects that will generate income at some point in the future: must be funded until your product or service can cover operating costs with an alternative plan in place for deficits.

(E.g., medical device, technology, farming method)

• Ongoing projects: will eventually need a continuous stream of funding from a government entity or large organization.

(E.g., space exploration, hurricane tracking)

Along with strategies for funding your program beyond the initial grant,  reference your access to institutional infrastructure and resources that will reduce costs.

Also, submit multi-year budgets that reflect how sustainability factors are integrated into the project’s design.

The budget section of your grant proposal, comprising both a spreadsheet and a narrative, is the most influential component. It should be able to stand independently as a suitable representation of the entire endeavor. Providing a detailed plan to outline how grant funds will be utilized is crucial for illustrating cost-effectiveness and careful consideration of project expenses. 

A comprehensive grant budget offers numerous benefits to both the grantor , or entity funding the grant, and the grantee , those receiving the funding, such as:

• Grantor : The budget facilitates objective evaluation and comparison between multiple proposals by conveying a project's story through responsible fund management and financial transparency.
• Grantee : The budget serves as a tracking tool for monitoring and adjusting expenses throughout the project and cultivates trust with funders by answering questions before they arise.

Because the grant proposal budget is all-encompassing and integral to your efforts for securing funding, it can seem overwhelming. Start by listing all anticipated expenditures within two broad categories, direct and indirect expenses , where:

• Direct : are essential for successful project implementation, are measurable project-associated costs, such as salaries, equipment, supplies, travel, and external consultants, and are itemized and detailed in various categories within the grant budget.
• Indirect : includes administrative costs not directly or exclusively tied to your project, but necessary for its completion, like rent, utilities, and insurance, think about lab or meeting spaces that are shared by multiple project teams, or Directors who oversee several ongoing projects.

After compiling your list, review sample budgets to understand the typical layout and complexity. Focus closely on the budget narratives , where you have the opportunity to justify each aspect of the spreadsheet to ensure clarity and validity.

While not always needed, the appendices consist of relevant supplementary materials that are clearly referenced within your grant application. These might include: 

• Updated resumes that emphasize staff members' current positions and accomplishments. 
• Letters of support from people or organizations that have authority in the field of your research, or community members that may benefit from the project.
• Visual aids like charts, graphs, and maps that contribute directly to your project’s story and are referred to previously in the application. 

Finalizing your grant application

Now that your grant application is finished, make sure it's not just another document in the stack Aim for a grant proposal that captivates the evaluator. It should stand out not only for presenting an excellent project, but for being engaging and easily comprehended . 

Keep the language simple. Avoid jargon. Prioritizing accuracy and conciseness. Opt for reader-friendly formatting with white space, headings, standard fonts, and illustrations to enhance readability.

Always take time for thorough proofreading and editing. You can even set your proposal aside for a few days before revisiting it for additional edits and improvements. At this stage, it is helpful to seek outside feedback from those familiar with the subject matter as well as novices to catch unnoticed mistakes and improve clarity.

If you want to be absolutely sure your grant proposal is polished, consider getting it edited by AJE .

How can AI help the grant process?

When used efficiently, AI is a powerful tool for streamlining and enhancing various aspects of the grant process.

• Use AI algorithms to review related studies and identify knowledge gaps.
• Employ AI for quick analysis of complex datasets to identify patterns and trends.
• Leverage AI algorithms to match your project with relevant grant opportunities.
• Apply Natural Language Processing for analyzing grant guidelines and tailoring proposals accordingly.
• Utilize AI-powered tools for efficient project planning and execution.
• Employ AI for tracking project progress and generating reports.
• Take advantage of AI tools for improving the clarity, coherence, and quality of your proposal.
• Rely solely on manual efforts that are less comprehensive and more time consuming.
• Overlook the fact that AI is designed to find patterns and trends within large datasets.
• Minimize AI’s ability to use set parameters for sifting through vast amounts of data quickly.
• Forget that the strength of AI lies in its capacity to follow your prompts without divergence.
• Neglect tools that assist with scheduling, resource allocation, and milestone tracking.
• Settle for software that is not intuitive with automated reminders and updates.
• Hesitate to use AI tools for improving grammar, spelling, and composition throughout the writing process.

Remember that AI provides a diverse array of tools; there is no universal solution. Identify the most suitable tool for your specific task. Also, like a screwdriver or a hammer, AI needs informed human direction and control to work effectively.

Looking for tips when writing your grant application? 

Check out these resources:

• 4 Tips for Writing a Persuasive Grant Proposal
• Writing Effective Grant Applications
• 7 Tips for Writing an Effective Grant Proposal
• The best-kept secrets to winning grants
• The Best Grant Writing Books for Beginner Grant Writers
• Research Grant Proposal Funding: How I got $1 Million

Final thoughts

The bottom line – applying for grants is challenging. It requires passion, dedication, and a set of diverse skills rarely found within one human being.

Therefore, collaboration is key to a successful grant process . It encourages everyone’s strengths to shine. Be honest and ask yourself, “Which elements of this grant application do I really need help with?” Seek out experts in those areas.

Keep this guide on hand to reference as you work your way through this funding journey. Use the resources contained within. Seek out answers to all the questions that will inevitably arise throughout the process.

The grants are out there just waiting for the right project to present itself – one that shares the funder’s mission and is a benefit to our communities. Find grants that align with your project goals, tell your story through a compelling proposal, and get ready to make the world a better place with your research.

The AJE Team

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10 Free Grant Proposal Templates for Stellar Grant Writing

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

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Are you on the hunt for a grant?

Whether you need funding for an educational program or you’re ready to start a nonprofit, venturing into the world of grant writing isn’t for the faint of heart. But you’re here to make a difference, and that’s why you need a solid, well-structured proposal to get the funding you need. 

A polished grant proposal persuades potential grantees of your project’s viability. Maybe you’re sitting at your computer, trying to start the grant writing process, but you’ve got serious writer’s block.

You could be unsure how to format an entire grant proposal from beginning to end. Wherever you are in your journey, there’s a grant proposal template to help you.

In this guide, we’ll look at how grant proposals work, explain what you should look for in grant writing templates, and share our top 10 templates to use. ✨

What makes a winning grant proposal template? 3 tips to remember

1. clickup grant proposal template, 2. clickup grant writing scope of work template, 3. clickup chatgpt prompts for grant writing template, 4. clickup nih grant statement of work template, 5. clickup non-profit organization project proposal template, 6. clickup non-profit organization work breakdown structure template, 7. clickup community assistance program project proposal template, 8. pdf grant proposal template by signaturely, 9. word grant proposal template by wise, 10. grant proposal template by pandadoc.

What Is a Grant Proposal?

A grant proposal is a formal document outlining a request for funding. It’s usually submitted to a government agency, corporation, or any other organization offering grant funds or budget opportunities.

Successful grant proposals share information about your proposed project in a persuasive way. Not only do you need to share pertinent information about your project, but you also need to make a pretty good case for why you deserve this funding—especially if you’re asking for a lot of money. 

Every project is different, but writing grant proposals usually include:

• Cover letter: A brief intro that offers an overview of why you’re requesting funding and your eligibility for this research grant
• Executive summary: A concise paragraph detailing the problem, solution, requested grant funding amount, and expected outcomes
• Statement of need : This is a detailed explanation of the problem the project should solve
• Project description: This gives grant reviewers an outline of the project itself, detailing a timeline and methods
• Grant budget : Create an itemized financial plan showing how much you need, for what, and why
• Organizational information: This briefly explains who you are, your track record, and why you’re equipped to handle this project

Not to spook you, but grant writing is super competitive. That’s why it’s best to use a grant proposal template to lay out your ideas in the clearest, most persuasive way possible. 📚

Templates can be huge time-savers, but not all templates are helpful. If you’re on the hunt for a time-saving template, follow these tips to find the best option for your project:

• Go for an AI proposal writing tool : Struggling with writer’s block? AI tools like ClickUp AI take your project details and magically fill in your template. You should still review this copy, of course, but AI will definitely keep you on track
• Sound structure: Grant proposals can get pretty long and dry if you aren’t careful, so look for templates with built-in organization. They should have a table of contents and plenty of headings to break up the text
• Collaboration: You probably aren’t writing a proposal solo. Look for templates that allow collaborators, key personnel, and stakeholders to view and edit the proposal at the same time

10 Free Grant Proposal Templates to Get You More Grants

Sure, you could create your own grant proposal. But why spend hours making your own proposal when there are so many high-quality templates out there for the taking? 

When you need funding in a jiffy, use these 10 grant proposal templates to make your case with less time and hassle. 

Need a template that not only organizes your proposal but the application process itself? Look no further than the ClickUp Grant Proposal Template . 

This free template comes with plenty of helpful features, including custom statuses, like Open and Complete , to track every element of the grant proposal. If you’re writing proposals as a team and need to track which parts are done—and which still need your attention—this template is a major time-saver. 

Toggle between four different views to display your grant application in different formats. This template also integrates with ClickUp project management tools , so it’s perfect for adding structure to the proposal process. 

Add comments and reactions, track the time you spend working on the grant proposal, and tag staff members in just a few clicks. Leverage ClickUp’s 100+ Automations to keep your grant proposal process moving and hand off tasks between team members at the speed of light. ⚡

A project’s scope of work should outline the project itself, its goals, activities, and end results. Potential funders want to see time frames, milestones, and amount of funding in the scope of work too. 

If that sounds like a lot of information to gather on your own, we’ve got you covered. The ClickUp Grant Writing Scope of Work Template provides a step-by-step framework for you to write a solid, organized scope of work. 

This template helps you include all the necessary information to write airtight scopes of work. It comes with statuses like Draft , In review , and Finalized so you can easily track the progress of the grant writing project itself.

Add Custom Fields like Grant Name, Funding Organization, Application Deadline, and Budget Allocation to track the details of multiple grant programs without getting confused.

Best of all, this template is 100% customizable. You’re free to use the premade structure, colors, and fonts, but it’s best to drop in your own branding to make a good first impression on the funding agency.

Look, we aren’t saying you should let ChatGPT handle every aspect of your grants, but you can definitely use it to speed up the writing process. The trick to AI writing tools like ChatGPT is knowing how to prompt the AI to get quality answers, and that’s where the ClickUp ChatGPT Prompts For Grant Writing Template comes in handy. 

This guide includes tons of helpful prompts to feed to ChatGPT and generate high-quality copy for your grants, cover letter, and more. If you’re fighting writer’s block and need that proposal written, like, yesterday , this template will help you write everything at light speed with AI.

As long as you fill in the variables with your information, you’re golden. The template includes prompts like: 

• “I’m looking for tips on how to write a successful grant proposal that will convince the [grant-giving organization] to fund our [goal]”
• “I need to create a narrative that outlines the need for our [project or initiative] and why it should be funded by the [grant-giving organization]”
• “I’m looking for strategies to ensure our grant proposal stands out from the competition and will be chosen for funding”

If you don’t want to waste time flipping between ClickUp and ChatGPT, simplify things by using ClickUp AI to write your template lickety-split.

A National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant is the major league of grants. If you need a research grant or work for a health-related organization, this specific grant is a must-have.

NIH grants have their quirks, which is why we created the ClickUp NIH Grant Statement of Work Template . You’ll likely need more templates for the other portions of your grant request, but if you’re looking for help with your statement of work (SOW), you’re in the right place, friend. 

This SOW template:

• Defines project goals, deliverables, and project timelines
• Outlines your strategy
• Defines responsibilities for all team members

It includes statuses, Custom Fields, and different views to make this template your own. 

As a non-profit, you know how critical it is to secure funding to support your mission. Write more effective grant proposals with the ClickUp Non-Profit Organization Project Proposal Template .

It’s tailored to the needs of non-profit grants and includes:

• Project objectives
• A budget section
• Social impact visualizations
• An actionable plan for implementation

This sample grant proposal comes with custom statuses and Custom Fields, but we’re really proud of the Whiteboard view. Use the Project Proposal view to brainstorm project ideas and follow the Getting Started Guide view to kickstart your grant proposal. 

We know how all-consuming proposals can be. But it’s still important to keep your eyes on the prize even while you’re writing a project proposal . Make sure you have the structure in place to manage projects once you secure funding—you never know when it will be showtime!

The ClickUp Non-profit Organization Work Breakdown Structure Template breaks even the most complex non-profit tasks down into more manageable tasks. Use this template to create tasks and assign them to your team. 

It will even keep track of your progress, manage your project budget , and track expenses in the same dashboard. If you’re a scrappy nonprofit organization trying to do more with few resources, this all-in-one template is a must-have for project descriptions, research projects, and so much more.

A community assistance program (CAP) provides support to members of a specific community. CAPs provide financial aid, food, educational resources, housing assistance, support groups, and much more.

Are you looking to launch a community assistance program? The ClickUp Community Assistance Program Project Proposal Template is just the template for you. 🌻

Use the Project Proposal View to outline your specific goals and key deliverables in one place. ClickUp makes it a cinch to collaborate with your team and brainstorm ideas within the project so you create an effective grant proposal that secures funding. 

Need something with fewer bells and whistles? The PDF Grant Proposal Template by Signaturely is a free download in either Word Doc or PDF format. 

This generic grant proposal template includes formatting, headers, and sections, although it does lack the pretty colors, visuals, and collaboration features you’ll find with the other templates on this list. Even so, it’s a perfect option for anyone who wants a simpler proposal template with just the essentials. 

Bonus: Proposal Management Tools

Wise’s Word Grant Proposal Template is a Word Doc template that comes with everything you need to win funding, including:

• Executive summary
• Project overview
• Scope of work
• Terms and conditions

This is a bare-bones generic grant proposal template, though, and you’ll need to supply pretty much all of the copy for this business proposal template . We recommend using a tool like ClickUp AI to write relevant content for this free template—just be sure to double-check the copy before sending it to the grantors.

PandaDoc created a gorgeous proposal template with both formatting and content prompts. With well over 10,000 uses, this template is a popular option for creating show-stopping proposals that turn heads. 

This template works like Mad Libs, where you fill in the blank with your details. If you don’t have this information or just aren’t sure what to say, you can always use AI-powered grant proposal writing tools for inspiration. 

Just make sure you personalize this grant proposal with your own unique flair. It comes with fonts and a color scheme out of the box, but feel free to customize this document so it looks like it’s actually from your organization.

Score Grant Funding and Manage Projects on One Platform

If you’re a first-time grant writer, it might feel like you’ve got your work cut out for you. Remember, it’s not just about presenting the facts: This is your chance to communicate your vision and story. 🔮

Focus on the meat of your message and let these templates do the heavy lifting for you. The 10 templates in this guide will streamline your messaging, save time, and simplify fundraising.

But what do you do once you have funding?

After a much-needed celebration and a nap, plug your communications, tasks, deadlines, templates, and meeting notes into ClickUp.

See the difference firsthand: Create a free ClickUp account in seconds .

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How to write a grant proposal: a step-by-step guide

What is a grant proposal?

Why should you write a grant proposal, format of a grant proposal, how to write a grant proposal, step 1: decide what funding opportunity to apply for, and research the grant application process, step 2: plan and research your project, preliminary research for your grant proposal, questions to ask yourself as you plan your grant proposal, developing your grant proposal, step 3: write the first draft of your grant proposal, step 4: get feedback, and revise your grant proposal accordingly, step 5: prepare to submit your grant proposal, what happens after submitting the grant proposal, final thoughts, other useful sources for writing grant proposals, frequently asked questions about writing grant proposals, related articles.

You have a vision for a future research project, and want to share that idea with the world.

To achieve your vision, you need funding from a sponsoring organization, and consequently, you need to write a grant proposal.

Although visualizing your future research through grant writing is exciting, it can also feel daunting. How do you start writing a grant proposal? How do you increase your chances of success in winning a grant?

But, writing a proposal is not as hard as you think. That’s because the grant-writing process can be broken down into actionable steps.

This guide provides a step-by-step approach to grant-writing that includes researching the application process, planning your research project, and writing the proposal. It is written from extensive research into grant-writing, and our experiences of writing proposals as graduate students, postdocs, and faculty in the sciences.

A grant proposal is a document or collection of documents that outlines the strategy for a future research project and is submitted to a sponsoring organization with the specific goal of getting funding to support the research. For example, grants for large projects with multiple researchers may be used to purchase lab equipment, provide stipends for graduate and undergraduate researchers, fund conference travel, and support the salaries of research personnel.

As a graduate student, you might apply for a PhD scholarship, or postdoctoral fellowship, and may need to write a proposal as part of your application. As a faculty member of a university, you may need to provide evidence of having submitted grant applications to obtain a permanent position or promotion.

Reasons for writing a grant proposal include:

• To obtain financial support for graduate or postdoctoral studies;
• To travel to a field site, or to travel to meet with collaborators;
• To conduct preliminary research for a larger project;
• To obtain a visiting position at another institution;
• To support undergraduate student research as a faculty member;
• To obtain funding for a large collaborative project, which may be needed to retain employment at a university.

The experience of writing a proposal can be helpful, even if you fail to obtain funding. Benefits include:

• Improvement of your research and writing skills
• Enhancement of academic employment prospects, as fellowships and grants awarded and applied for can be listed on your academic CV
• Raising your profile as an independent academic researcher because writing proposals can help you become known to leaders in your field.

All sponsoring agencies have specific requirements for the format of a grant proposal. For example, for a PhD scholarship or postdoctoral fellowship, you may be required to include a description of your project, an academic CV, and letters of support from mentors or collaborators.

For a large research project with many collaborators, the collection of documents that need to be submitted may be extensive. Examples of documents that might be required include a cover letter, a project summary, a detailed description of the proposed research, a budget, a document justifying the budget, and the CVs of all research personnel.

Before writing your proposal, be sure to note the list of required documents.

Writing a grant proposal can be broken down into three major activities: researching the project (reading background materials, note-taking, preliminary work, etc.), writing the proposal (creating an outline, writing the first draft, revisions, formatting), and administrative tasks for the project (emails, phone calls, meetings, writing CVs and other supporting documents, etc.).

Below, we provide a step-by-step guide to writing a grant proposal:

• Decide what funding opportunity to apply for, and research the grant application process
• Plan and research your project
• Write the first draft of your grant proposal
• Get feedback, and revise your grant proposal accordingly
• Prepare to submit your grant proposal

• Start early. Begin by searching for funding opportunities and determining requirements. Some sponsoring organizations prioritize fundamental research, whereas others support applied research. Be sure your project fits the mission statement of the granting organization. Look at recently funded proposals and/or sample proposals on the agency website, if available. The Research or Grants Office at your institution may be able to help with finding grant opportunities.
• Make a spreadsheet of grant opportunities, with a link to the call for proposals page, the mission and aims of the agency, and the deadline for submission. Use the information that you have compiled in your spreadsheet to decide what to apply for.
• Once you have made your decision, carefully read the instructions in the call for proposals. Make a list of all the documents you need to apply, and note the formatting requirements and page limits. Know exactly what the funding agency requires of submitted proposals.
• Reach out to support staff at your university (for example, at your Research or Grants Office), potential mentors, or collaborators. For example, internal deadlines for submitting external grants are often earlier than the submission date. Make sure to learn about your institution’s internal processes, and obtain contact information for the relevant support staff.
• Applying for a grant or fellowship involves administrative work. Start preparing your CV and begin collecting supporting documents from collaborators, such as letters of support. If the application to the sponsoring agency is electronic, schedule time to set up an account, log into the system, download necessary forms and paperwork, etc. Don’t leave all of the administrative tasks until the end.
• Map out the important deadlines on your calendar. These might include video calls with collaborators, a date for the first draft to be complete, internal submission deadlines, and the funding agency deadline.
• Schedule time on your calendar for research, writing, and administrative tasks associated with the project. It’s wise to group similar tasks and block out time for them (a process known as ” time batching ”). Break down bigger tasks into smaller ones.

Now that you know what you are applying for, you can think about matching your proposed research to the aims of the agency. The work you propose needs to be innovative, specific, realizable, timely, and worthy of the sponsoring organization’s attention.

• Develop an awareness of the important problems and open questions in your field. Attend conferences and seminar talks and follow all of your field’s major journals.
• Read widely and deeply. Journal review articles are a helpful place to start. Reading papers from related but different subfields can generate ideas. Taking detailed notes as you read will help you recall the important findings and connect disparate concepts.

• Writing a grant proposal is a creative and imaginative endeavor. Write down all of your ideas. Freewriting is a practice where you write down all that comes to mind without filtering your ideas for feasibility or stopping to edit mistakes. By continuously writing your thoughts without judgment, the practice can help overcome procrastination and writer’s block. It can also unleash your creativity, and generate new ideas and associations. Mind mapping is another technique for brainstorming and generating connections between ideas.
• Establish a regular writing practice. Schedule time just for writing, and turn off all distractions during your focused work time. You can use your writing process to refine your thoughts and ideas.
• Use a reference manager to build a library of sources for your project. You can use a reference management tool to collect papers , store and organize references , and highlight and annotate PDFs . Establish a system for organizing your ideas by tagging papers with labels and using folders to store similar references.

To facilitate intelligent thinking and shape the overall direction of your project, try answering the following questions:

• What are the questions that the project will address? Am I excited and curious about their answers?
• Why are these questions important?
• What are the goals of the project? Are they SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Timely)?
• What is novel about my project? What is the gap in current knowledge?
• What methods will I use, and how feasible is my approach?
• Can the work be done over the proposed period, and with the budget I am requesting?
• Do I have relevant experience? For example, have I completed similar work funded by previous grants or written papers on my proposed topic?
• What pilot research or prior work can I use, or do I need to complete preliminary research before writing the proposal?
• Will the outcomes of my work be consequential? Will the granting agency be interested in the results?
• What solutions to open problems in my field will this project offer? Are there broader implications of my work?
• Who will the project involve? Do I need mentors, collaborators, or students to contribute to the proposed work? If so, what roles will they have?
• Who will read the proposal? For example, experts in the field will require details of methods, statistical analyses, etc., whereas non-experts may be more concerned with the big picture.
• What do I want the reviewers to feel, and take away from reading my proposal?
• What weaknesses does my proposed research have? What objections might reviewers raise, and how can I address them?
• Can I visualize a timeline for my project?

Create an actionable plan for your research project using the answers to these questions.

• Now is the time to collect preliminary data, conduct experiments, or do a preliminary study to motivate your research, and demonstrate that your proposed project is realistic.
• Use your plan to write a detailed outline of the proposal. An outline helps you to write a proposal that has a logical format and ensures your thought process is rational. It also provides a structure to support your writing.
• Follow the granting agency’s guidelines for titles, sections, and subsections to inform your outline.

At this stage, you should have identified the aims of your project, what questions your work will answer, and how they are relevant to the sponsoring agency’s call for proposals. Be able to explain the originality, importance, and achievability of your proposed work.

Now that you have done your research, you are ready to begin writing your proposal and start filling in the details of your outline. Build on the writing routine you have already started. Here are some tips:

• Follow the guidelines of the funding organization.
• Keep the proposal reviewers in mind as you write. Your audience may be a combination of specialists in your field and non-specialists. Make sure to address the novelty of your work, its significance, and its feasibility.
• Write clearly, concisely, and avoid repetition. Use topic sentences for each paragraph to emphasize key ideas. Concluding sentences of each paragraph should develop, clarify, or summarize the support for the declaration in the topic sentence. To make your writing engaging, vary sentence length.
• Avoid jargon, where possible. Follow sentences that have complex technical information with a summary in plain language.
• Don’t review all information on the topic, but include enough background information to convince reviewers that you are knowledgeable about it. Include preliminary data to convince reviewers you can do the work. Cite all relevant work.
• Make sure not to be overly ambitious. Don’t propose to do so much that reviewers doubt your ability to complete the project. Rather, a project with clear, narrowly-defined goals may prove favorable to reviewers.
• Accurately represent the scope of your project; don’t exaggerate its impacts. Avoid bias. Be forthright about the limitations of your research.
• Ensure to address potential objections and concerns that reviewers may have with the proposed work. Show that you have carefully thought about the project by explaining your rationale.
• Use diagrams and figures effectively. Make sure they are not too small or contain too much information or details.

After writing your first draft, read it carefully to gain an overview of the logic of your argument. Answer the following questions:

• Is your proposal concise, explicit, and specific?
• Have you included all necessary assumptions, data points, and evidence in your proposal?
• Do you need to make structural changes like moving or deleting paragraphs or including additional tables or figures to strengthen your rationale?
• Have you answered most of the questions posed in Step 2 above in your proposal?
• Follow the length requirements in the proposal guidelines. Don't feel compelled to include everything you know!
• Use formatting techniques to make your proposal easy on the eye. Follow rules for font, layout, margins, citation styles , etc. Avoid walls of text. Use bolding and italicizing to emphasize points.
• Comply with all style, organization, and reference list guidelines to make it easy to reviewers to quickly understand your argument. If you don’t, it’s at best a chore for the reviewers to read because it doesn’t make the most convincing case for you and your work. At worst, your proposal may be rejected by the sponsoring agency without review.
• Using a reference management tool like Paperpile will make citation creation and formatting in your grant proposal quick, easy and accurate.

Now take time away from your proposal, for at least a week or more. Ask trusted mentors or collaborators to read it, and give them adequate time to give critical feedback.

• At this stage, you can return to any remaining administrative work while you wait for feedback on the proposal, such as finalizing your budget or updating your CV.
• Revise the proposal based on the feedback you receive.
• Don’t be discouraged by critiques of your proposal or take them personally. Receiving and incorporating feedback with humility is essential to grow as a grant writer.

Now you are almost ready to submit. This is exciting! At this stage, you need to block out time to complete all final checks.

• Allow time for proofreading and final editing. Spelling and grammar mistakes can raise questions regarding the rigor of your research and leave a poor impression of your proposal on reviewers. Ensure that a unified narrative is threaded throughout all documents in the application.
• Finalize your documents by following a checklist. Make sure all documents are in place in the application, and all formatting and organizational requirements are met.
• Follow all internal and external procedures. Have login information for granting agency and institution portals to hand. Double-check any internal procedures required by your institution (applications for large grants often have a deadline for sign-off by your institution’s Research or Grants Office that is earlier than the funding agency deadline).
• To avoid technical issues with electronic portals, submit your proposal as early as you can.
• Breathe a sigh of relief when all the work is done, and take time to celebrate submitting the proposal! This is already a big achievement.

Now you wait! If the news is positive, congratulations!

But if your proposal is rejected, take heart in the fact that the process of writing it has been useful for your professional growth, and for developing your ideas.

Bear in mind that because grants are often highly competitive, acceptance rates for proposals are usually low. It is very typical to not be successful on the first try and to have to apply for the same grant multiple times.

Here are some tips to increase your chances of success on your next attempt:

• Remember that grant writing is often not a linear process. It is typical to have to use the reviews to revise and resubmit your proposal.
• Carefully read the reviews and incorporate the feedback into the next iteration of your proposal. Use the feedback to improve and refine your ideas.
• Don’t ignore the comments received from reviewers—be sure to address their objections in your next proposal. You may decide to include a section with a response to the reviewers, to show the sponsoring agency that you have carefully considered their comments.
• If you did not receive reviewer feedback, you can usually request it.

You learn about your field and grow intellectually from writing a proposal. The process of researching, writing, and revising a proposal refines your ideas and may create new directions for future projects. Professional opportunities exist for researchers who are willing to persevere with submitting grant applications.

➡️ Secrets to writing a winning grant

➡️ How to gain a competitive edge in grant writing

➡️ Ten simple rules for writing a postdoctoral fellowship

A grant proposal should include all the documents listed as required by the sponsoring organization. Check what documents the granting agency needs before you start writing the proposal.

Granting agencies have strict formatting requirements, with strict page limits and/or word counts. Check the maximum length required by the granting agency. It is okay for the proposal to be shorter than the maximum length.

Expect to spend many hours, even weeks, researching and writing a grant proposal. Consequently, it is important to start early! Block time in your calendar for research, writing, and administration tasks. Allow extra time at the end of the grant-writing process to edit, proofread, and meet presentation guidelines.

The most important part of a grant proposal is the description of the project. Make sure that the research you propose in your project narrative is new, important, and viable, and that it meets the goals of the sponsoring organization.

A grant proposal typically consists of a set of documents. Funding agencies have specific requirements for the formatting and organization of each document. Make sure to follow their guidelines exactly.

How To Write An Effective Grant Proposal | A Nonprofit’s Guide

Before writing a grant proposal, you must understand the basics of grant funding. In this article, we discuss the different types of grants, how to find grants that fit your organization’s needs, nine essential components of a good grant proposal, and provide you with templates, samples and tips to help you get started.

For many nonprofits, grants are very appealing. They can provide the opportunity for an organization or business to make a significant impact on its community that it would otherwise be unable to fund . But before diving into writing nonprofit grant proposals, take a moment to ask yourself:

“Does my nonprofit need to be applying for a grant in the first place?”

Writing effective grant proposals can seem like stepping into a confusing, long labyrinth, and one that comes with many strings attached.

It’s important to know if applying for grants is the right decision to fund your nonprofit, amongst many other funding sources at your disposal. And if so, how much energy should you invest in the process? Now, let’s understand the basics of grants, different types of grants, and how your nonprofit can write an effective grant proposal step by step.

What are Grants?

A grant is a bounty, contribution, gift, or subsidy (in cash or kind) bestowed by a government or other organization (called the grantor) for specified purposes to an eligible recipient (called the grantee). Grants are usually conditional upon certain qualifications as to the use, and maintenance of specified standards, or a proportional contribution by the grantee or other grantor(s). – Business Dictionary

Grants are typically awarded to nonprofit organizations for a distinct program or purpose.  Grantmakers generally focus their “giving” on:

• A specific population (such as children or organizations in New York)
• Certain types of nonprofits (such as animal shelters or environmental groups)
• Particular types of support (such as program development or funding for equipment)

What is a Grant Proposal?

A grant proposal is a request that a funder join the nonprofit as a partner to achieve specific results. It is an appeal for money (a grant) that is sent to either a profit or non-profit grant-awarding organization. Every year, many corporations, organizations, and government agencies dispense billions of dollars in grants to companies for addressing issues these organizations are interested in. At its best, a grant proposal must be a persuasive and well-supported argument for change.

Different Types of Grants

Grants can provide different types of support for your organization .

For example:

• Operating support or unrestricted funding is a grant for day-to-day operating costs. It is used to support the general work of an organization and is not dedicated to a particular purpose or project.
• Capital support is most commonly given for specific capital campaigns .  These involve building construction or acquisition, land acquisition, renovations, remodeling, or the rehabilitation of property.
• Example: Technology Grants for Nonprofits which can help nonprofits leverage technology for their mission.

Pro tip: Grant-based funding isn’t sustainable alone. It has to be part of a diversified fundraising plan. Many fundraising experts recommend that no more than 20% of your funding comes from grants. Any more than that and you risk sinking your organization if a key grant falls through.

How do I know if I should apply for a grant? And where can I find them?

Grants are not the answer to securing funds quickly or in a pinch. However, they are a great solution for nonprofits raising funds to carry out carefully planned programs.

Read more about where to find grants for your nonprofit here .

Check out winning grant proposals at Grantspace .

The most common myths about nonprofit grants

1. foundations and corporations are like santa claus..

While there’s indeed a lot of money available to nonprofits out there, over 50 billion dollars to be precise, this money isn’t just sitting there waiting for you to ask for it. You’ll need to put the work in, and the requirements can be demanding.

2. Only big nonprofits can apply.

There are grants out there for all types and sizes of nonprofits. In addition to that, while many grants are project-specific, there are plenty of grants that are unrestricted and can fund some of your operating costs or capital campaigns as well.

3. Grant writing is a mysterious, strange art.

While there’s a lot to learn about writing excellent, winning grant proposals, it’s also not magic. Once you know the basics, developing a winning nonprofit grant proposal is quite logical.

How to Write an Effective Grant Proposal [Step-by-Step]

1. Be Prepared

First, create a diversified fundraising plan – where grants are only one of the funding sources. Consider if applying for a grant is the best way to fund the desired project/campaign.

Commit yourself to applying for a grant only if you match all the foundation’s qualifications and are willing to research and write tailored applications for each foundation. Only for the kinds of funding you already identified you are pursuing in your fundraising plan. This will save everyone time and energy.

Additionally, ensure you have the resources and time to research foundations and grant-writing opportunities for your organization. Ask yourself if your organization can accomplish what is asked.

Furthermore, find a qualified writer with experience writing grants, or invest in grant writing training for an existing staff member.

Pro tip: Create a grant calendar that includes all the important dates and deadlines for grants you wish to apply for in the next year or two.

2. Don’t Be Generic

If you want to have any chance at all at getting your grant application approved, you can’t write one generic application and send off duplicates to different foundations. This makes it appear to a reviewer that your application is an afterthought, and that’s not a good thing.

The most essential guideline of them all: you need to tailor your application to whichever organization you’re submitting it to.

To do that, you’ll need to do some intense research. Carefully examine the call for proposals and the organization’s website. This can help you draw connections that may then aid you in preparing your application.

Grantmakers are usually looking for a specific cause or subject to fund, so always make sure to thoroughly read what the grantmaker is interested in understanding. Ensure that it’s relevant to your organization’s mission before applying.

Pro tip: Never compromise your mission or beliefs to get any kind of funding.

3. Data Yet Again

Data is what wins grants.

Even if you hire the most experienced grant writer , messy data throughout the organization will prevent grant writing from ever getting started. If you don’t collect relevant data, manage and update it, there’s not much that can be done.

A warm story  might get someone to give you $20 out of their pocket. But a foundation with $50,000 grants can’t give based on heart-warming stories alone.

Successful grant applications focus on the impact. The best grant proposals distill in clear and plain language the need the grant will address and the unique approach that the organization’s proposed initiative takes to do so.

Pro tip: Search the Internet for previously funded grant applications posted online by organizations that received grant awards. Study a mixture of grant applications funded by the federal government, foundations, and corporations.

Before Submitting the Grant Proposal

1. review and get a fresh perspective.

When we’ve been reading, speaking, living, and breathing our nonprofit – we can become a bit blind to the language we’re using.

Assume that the funder isn’t familiar at all with the work that you do. Write as if the funder will be hearing about your nonprofit for the first time.

Avoid jargon and abbreviations. If you’re struggling to take a step back, it can be helpful to ask someone less familiar with the work that you do to take a look and give you their feedback (e.g. a friend or a willing acquaintance).

2. Get Clear And Concise

Funders will lose interest if your application is too difficult to understand or takes too much of their time.

No one should be trying to figure out what you’re trying to say or what you’re asking for the money for. Be clear and straightforward in your request.

3. Double-Check the Grant Application

• Double-check spelling, calculations, and due dates.
• Make sure to include all the required forms and necessary attachments by checking the submissions package.
• Check that page number and font size requirements are followed and that documents are presented in the order described.
• You may need to have your CEO and the Board President sign the cover sheet or letter.
• Pay attention to character limits.
• Have another staff member review the budget lines.
• Have a clear contact from your organization.

Grant Proposals: The Basics

Before sending over a full grant proposal, you’d typically first send a letter of inquiry. Many trusts and foundations require a letter of inquiry or request for an application before submitting your application.

The letter of inquiry serves as an introduction to your project and a way to gauge interest from the funding committee. If they want additional information, they will respond with a request for a more in-depth proposal.

The letter should be no longer than two pages.

In the letter of inquiry, be as specific as possible. Add examples in a concise, succinct manner. Keep language simple and avoid ambiguous or general generic statements.

Following the letter of inquiry, if you’re invited to send a more in-depth proposal, you’d typically send a 7-10-page document providing more information about your organization, the project, the needs, and the outcomes. This proposal typically includes a cover letter and appendices, as well.

Note that some grant foundations prefer a concise proposal of about 3-5 pages instead of this typical longer proposal. This one is sometimes referred to as a letter of proposal.

9 Essential Components of a Good Grant Proposal [Template Included]

Note that different foundations and grantmakers might require a different format. Always carefully read the call for proposals before embarking on the writing process.

The grant proposal writing process consists of the following stages:

1. Proposal Summary

Provide a short overview of the entire proposal. Include the funds you’re requesting through the grant, as well as the resources that others will contribute.

2. Introduction to the Applicant

Describe your nonprofit organization and make a case for your credibility. Explain why you can be trusted to steward the funds responsibly. Also share your organization’s history, your success record, and why you’re the right fit for the project.

3. The Need/The Problem Statement

Establish the need for your project. Demonstrate who will benefit and how they will benefit. State the consequences of not funding the project and the needs not being addressed. This should be a factual, well-documented description of the situation. Share about what concerns you and why it matters.

Pro tip: Incorporate a case study of a real beneficiary your organization has served. Show a real need for a real person (of course – change the name for confidentiality reasons). Explain your time frame, and why securing funding is critical now.

4. The Objectives and Outcomes

What are the desired outcomes? Define the goals and state how you will measure whether you’ve achieved them.   Lay down the specific, measurable outcomes you expect your project activities to produce. Objectives should be consistent with your statement of need.

5. Program Plan

How are you going to execute the project? Describe how you will achieve the objectives. What will be your key activities? Provide thorough details about them. Who will do what? When and how will they do it?

6. The Capacity

You also need to explain how your organization is preparing for the project. For example, do you have adequate, trained staff and a supportive board and community? Connect this to the time frame – how will you execute your program plan in time?

7. Evaluation Plan

Describe how you’ll evaluate that the objectives have been reached. How will you track and measure whether activities are rolling out as planned? How will you know you’re succeeding and what will tell you that?

8. Program Budget

Provide a thorough and realistic budget. You must try to include details of expenses as well as other sources of anticipated revenue. For instance, such as by the applicant organization or the resources that other partners will contribute.

9. Sustained Impact

Talk about the long-term.   Does your project need continuous funds or is it a one-time undertaking? How will you continue to produce impact  beyond the period of grant funding?

Note:   Some funders may require that you attach specific documents to your proposals, such as your organization’s 501(c)(3) letter from the Internal Revenue Service, a list of your board directors and their affiliations, your current operating budget, or letters from partner organizations.

Grant Proposal Cover Letter (Format, Samples, and Tips)

Your Grant Proposal Cover Letter Must Include:

• The project is mentioned in the very first line.
• A request for the grant amount
• Description of how this project is important, and how it will further the foundation’s mission.
• List the contents of the proposal
• References to previous contacts with the foundation if any
• Contact details in case the funder wants any additional information
• A cover letter signed by your organization’s executive director

Cover Letter Format

Find the cover letter format here.

A sample cover letter and sample grant proposal can be found here .

Key Tips & Strategies for Grant Proposal Cover Letter

• Keep your cover letter brief and to the point
• Make sure it does not repeat the information that is already in the proposal
• Show the reader how well you understand the funder and how your grant fulfills the funder’s requirements
• Your first paragraph should be short and succinct. Introduce your organization and tell the funder how much money you are requesting and why.
• Include a sentence or two about what your organization does, and one research-based point that shows the need that your organization addresses.
• Limit your cover letter to one page with three or four paragraphs.
• Use the same date that you’ll be sending the complete grant application to the funding source. You want to create documents that are consistent.
• Close your cover letter with a summarizing paragraph. Share a closing thought about what this funding partnership can mean for the future of your project’s target audience.
• At the bottom of your letter, include ENCLOSURES or ATTACHMENTS.

Examples of Grant Proposals for Nonprofit Organizations (Sample):

Take inspiration from some of the most successful grant proposals:

• Kennett Area Senior Center: This application was submitted to the community foundation in the county where the Kennett Area Senior Center operates to request funding to provide needed services and assistance to local senior citizens. Read and learn from it here .
• Arts Funding Grant Proposals: This proposal is another example of a comprehensive and well-written grant proposal. Read it here .
• Sample Youth Program Funding Proposals: Here are examples of William T Grant Scholars Proposals. Read them here .

Here’s a podcast for you on growing your grant potential, that you may find helpful:

Over To You

Winning a grant is almost like completing a long-distance run. Grant applications are often rejected the first time.

It’s important to have an existing relationship with the grant-giving organization to improve the likelihood of acceptance. Like all fundraising , no might mean “no for now” and much of it boils down to relationships.

For that reason, if your grant proposal is rejected, respond graciously. Contact the funder to ask if you might try to submit again with appropriate changes or if they might still be interested later in a different project. However, don’t become a pest or turn sour – don’t burn the bridge!

You may not be able to control everything that influences the decisions of grant-givers. However, you can increase your chances of approval by clearly communicating your organization’s mission and credibility, stating the need for the project how you’ll be meeting that need, and your passion for what you are trying to accomplish.

Choose Donorbox as your donation system and check out our Nonprofit blog  for more nonprofit resources and tips.

Raviraj heads the sales and marketing team at Donorbox. His growth-hacking abilities have helped Donorbox boost fundraising efforts for thousands of nonprofit organizations.

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Four common grant proposal documents (free samples included)

• Melissa Pulis (she/her)
• July 13, 2023

Nonprofit work means paperwork. While Candid is working to reduce that burden broadly, here is one specific way we are trying to help: by providing sample grant proposal documents . 

There are four major documents that you may need to create if your nonprofit is looking for funding. Each has a different purpose and elements you’ll need to make your case to funders.  

In this blog, we share the major types of grant proposal documents, their components, and free sample resources to show you what a successful version of each one looks like. 

Letters of inquiry (LOI)

If you’re new to fundraising and grant writing, you may have not heard the term letter of inquiry , or LOI. Honestly, when you do, it’s good news. 

A letter of inquiry or LOI is something a funder may ask for in lieu of a full grant proposal. Instead of a giant stack of papers, you just need to write a few pages to create a LOI that will get the funder excited to support your cause or project.  

Sometimes, this can be the first step in a funder’s broader grant proposal process. In this case, you may be asked to complete a LOI to show whether you meet the grant criteria, so time is not wasted on a full proposal. Other times, it serves as the entire proposal. 

Here’s what a letter of inquiry should include: 

• An introduction that summarizes the letter.  
• A brief description of your organization and why this particular project is important.  
• A statement of need that convinces the reader your project meets the specific needs of those you serve. 
• A methodology that explains how you’ll do it. 
• Other funding sources that are being approached. 
• Finally, a summary of what was just said and a brief thank you to the funder for considering your organization.  

The biggest challenge is you only get a couple pages to make your case. In our LOI sample documents , you will see examples of how you can summarize projects in a compelling and concise way. 

Cover letters

This is the most important part of your grant proposal: the cover letter . Think of a cover letter as a compelling introduction to the contents of your full proposal. It’s your first chance to connect your project with the funder’s philanthropic mission.  

At minimum, your cover letter should include: 

• An introduction to your project. 
• The dollar amount of funding you need.  
• How your project and organization will further the foundation’s mission. 
• A list that outlines the proposal’s contents. 
• Contact details in case the funder wants additional information. 
• A signature from your organization’s executive director. 

Additionally, if your organization has branded letterhead, consider using it for added polish. 

In our sample documents, you’ll find three different examples of cover letters that include these aspects. 

Proposal budgets 

Proposal budgets may seem a bit dull, but many funders say it’s the first part of a grant proposal that they read. Your budget should show your credibility and impact with numbers.  

A proposal budget should include: 

• Grants and other funding contributions. 
• Earned income from events, products, and fees. 
• Direct costs, like staff time, consultants, supplies, equipment, and evaluation (such as conducting surveys or collecting feedback). 
• Indirect costs—or the invisible costs, like rent, utilities, office supplies, marketing, and administrative staff. 

Make sure your budget adds up (it’s a big red flag when it doesn’t). Not only should the math be correct, but it should also match the request for funding you’re making in the proposal.  

To see this in practice, review our proposal budget sample documents.  

Full grant proposals

Here’s the big one. Writing a full grant proposal can be a little intimidating.   

Before you begin, make sure to read and re-read the instructions from the funder. You don’t want to miss some simple but important proposal requirements, like using a specific font. 

Here are the key elements of a proposal: 

• Executive summary. This is where you’ll give a snapshot of the problem, your solution for addressing it, why your organization can help, and the amount of funding you’ll need to do so. 
• Needs statement. Next is a needs statement that shows why your project is needed and aligned with funders’ focus areas. 
• Project description. In this section, you’ll share your project’s goals and objectives, detailed activities, and information about your organization. 
• Proposal budget. Finally, a budget that shows in numbers how you’ll address the problem. 

Reading examples of full grant proposal documents can be a helpful way to get started. You can also check out our free live and on-demand trainings .  

Need more help? Our team of online librarians is here to provide resources and support. You can reach out to them by emailing [email protected] or via chat during business hours.  

• Tips & Training
• International
• Fundraising, giving, and donations
• Grant writing and proposals
• Nonprofit and charity work
• Resources and tools

About the author

Melissa is an experienced information professional who leads Candid’s Online Librarian program and oversees content creation for Candid Learning’s Knowledge Base Articles. She is passionate about librarianship, providing equitable access to information, and teaching people how to navigate online resources.

In addition to her experience leading the Online Librarian program, Melissa has extensive nonprofit experience having worked in development for both small and large Cleveland-area nonprofits and as a grants manager for a private foundation. Melissa has a Master of Library and Information Science from Kent State University.

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Kate, Digital Communications Manager, Candid says:

Yes! Head to learning.candid.org to get started.

alem tadesse says:

can i get free online training on grant writing and proposal

Yes! The amount of money you are requesting should be included. For more tips on what to include, visit our Knowledge Base Article .

Patricia says:

should the amount of money be included in the cover letter

Hailegebriel Kinfe Desalegn says:

It is helpful

Adelene Hampton says:

Thank you. I want to improve education, mathematically in the state of Louisiana. Your cupport has been most helpful and appreciated.

Gary Van Dyke says:

need grant for medical expenses

Geoffrey says:

Insightful well arranged tips on proposal writing. Want to learn more and examples

Jesus Loera says:

Good evening friends, I am Jesus Loera. Lately I have become interested in grant writing but haven't a clue where to start. I am a life long resident of Brownsville Texas. We are stuffed up against the Mexican border. Not extremely prosperous, sad to say. I work for a Community College in need of funding, I am a member of a Unitarian Church with only 6 members and I recently joined the local Freemasons. All these organizations in desperate need of finical help. I am willing to help as much as possible, but in need of some coaching.

Candid does not suggest specific funders or approach them on your behalf. But we can point you to resources that should help you in your funding search. You can check out our Knowledge Base for information on getting grants and finding donors .

Christian Wilson says:

We need additional funding in the amount of $20,000 to feed 700 people during the weekend when there are no services provided. The local funders have been tapped out and tell us that they cannot assist us. Can you advise me of other alternative funding that might be available so that we can continue to feed these families?

Leslie England says:

Greetings! We are a 501c3 trying to get a grant to buy a building for a homeless shelter in our area. We have no idea how to find grants or apply for them. Where do you begin?

Jean niyungeko Fessi says:

the information is so helpful, thanks for being resourceful.

Bruce says:

I also maintain both a paper and electronic file of key documents usually required like IRS letter, BOD list, 1page overview of organization including Mission statement, most recent 990, annual budget including income and expenses. All this helps especially with online applications!

Lorent Damaseke Mvula says:

Thanks for the knowledge and skills I have learned on grant proposals, this really sharpens my knowledge.

RMM- ED says:

Thank you for posting this!

This is super helpful, thank you!

Cindy Dashnaw Jackson says:

This is an incredible resource and a generous action, Melissa. I hope many nonprofits see this article!

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Write Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes for Your Grant Proposal

LISTEN TO THE  Grant Writing & Funding Podcast 

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Holly Rustick is a world-renowned grant writing expert and Amazon bestselling author. Holly has been coaching grant writers how to run successful 5-6 figure businesses since 2017. With two decades of grant writing and nonprofit experience, Holly is a popular keynote speaker for events all over the world, podcast host of the Top-Ranked Grant Writing podcast, a former university instructor, and is past president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She is constantly booked out to run trainings to help grant writers grow capacity, increase funding, and advance mission.

July 22, 2017

Welcome to the third part of the series.

In this article and podcast (press play above if you’d rather listen to the segment) we are going to see where the magic happens.

Once you know your problem statement as identified in podcast #4: 10 Must-haves in Your Grant Background Section , you can figure out clear objectives, goals, and outcomes.

This is the backbone of your project.

A grant is like a big jigsaw puzzle, and this section is really the backdrop and what guides you to be able to find and connect each piece of the puzzle. It’s the part of the puzzle that is the backdrop fence or the house with the clean line you use to connect the pieces. If you have your objective, you will be able to formulate a budget, implement activities, and solve your problem (and build your house).

In this segment, you will learn:

• how to write clear goals
• S.M.A.R.T. objectives
• measurable outcomes
• an action plan timeline

Let’s start by writing a clear goal. A clear goal can really be the flip-side of the problem statement. We can refer to our previous example of the Youth Soccer Rocks nonprofit (yes, fictitious) in the city of Rocking Socks City (also fictitious) who are creating a project that will serve underserved youth in their city. Their problem statement may be:

“75% of youth in the city of Rocking Socks suffer from chronic health issues compared to the national average of 12%. These staggering health issues correlate with high suicide rates, depression rates, and poor graduation rates.

The goal would basically be flipping this problem statement around:

“ Youth Soccer Rocks will provide a free soccer program for at-risk youth and provide a healthy pathway.”

Now, let’s go further and see how this goal could be connected to a larger community goal. Find out what larger community goals can be integrated into your goal. This can be mission statements from larger organizations, community plans, etcetera. The example could be that:

“ The Rocking Socks City Council Consolidated Plan includes access to health for all.”

Now you have a project goal that is connected to a larger community goal, but you also want to show what problem will be reduced. For our example, we could say that chronic health issues will be reduced by 50% for underserved youth.

Think of goals as the overarching aim, and objectives as the specific framework of what will be accomplished. Typically, you do not want to have any more than three objectives within a project. You will have many activities, but the number of overall objectives should be clear and concise. Objectives need to be S.M.A.R.T.; specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. An objective for Youth Soccer Rocks could be 100 disadvantaged youth in Rocking Socks will receive sports scholarships by the end of twelve months. Let’s break this down into each part of the acronym S.M.A.R.T., and by the end you will have one entire objective.

• Ex. Number of youth, type of youth, what their specific outcome will be.
• Ex. Number of youth (100) and number of scholarships.
• Ex. This would be balanced by the needs; i.e. If there are thousands of youth who are disadvantaged in the city and no other free soccer organizations, then this could be achievable.
• Ex. Yes, this is a possible solution to the health conditions.
• Ex. They will complete this objective by the end of 12 months.

The outcomes are what will specifically be accomplished. Include your baseline and how data will be tracked to communicate your outcomes.

What are your outcomes? Ex. In the beginning of the project, there are zero sports scholarships available to disadvantaged youth in Rocking Socks. By the end of year one, 100 youth will have received sports scholarships and participated in health checks. We will track the number of scholarships delivered and the number of youth participating in the health checks via a roster sheet.

Action Plan Timeline: Timeline and Activities

One of the most important items you can create in the design process of writing a grant is to formulate a timeline. This will include all your activities, who the person is responsible to lead the activity, and include start and end dates. Once this is created, your project is a legacy. What do I mean by that? Well, you should be able to hand over the timeline and budget to someone who gets hired from the grant, and they should be able to run the project with minimal further directions. Sure, you will want a handoff meeting and all that fun stuff, but if they have this piece in their arsenal, they can keep referring to it to stay on track with the implementation of the project. This is awesome. Remember to include items from the budget in your timeline.

Once you have identified your goals, objectives, and outcomes, you have put together the backdrop of the puzzle. Of course, you need to look at the budget to make sure that your objectives will really be achievable. If you have developed the budget for your objectives, then you are ready to flesh out the project design. In this chapter, you learned how to how to articulate your goals, objectives, and outcomes.

This is really the part where your entire grant team needs to be on board – this part coupled with the budget. Once you have this information, then the rest can be done with follow-up meetings, emails, and phone calls. Make sure your goals, objectives, and outcomes are all solutions to your problem. You would be surprised, but sometimes FOAs or RFPs do not request any or all of this information. My advice to you: include it anyway. As you can tell, your goal, objectives, and outcomes could probably all be included in one paragraph or in bullet points. But just because they are short doesn’t mean they aren’t well thought-out. So even if a funding source doesn’t request this information, but you provide it and it weaves your entire proposal together seamlessly – you will be ahead of those who don’t include it.

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WTO / Business / Proposals / 35 Successful Grant Proposal Examples (How to Write)

35 Successful Grant Proposal Examples (How to Write)

A grant proposal is a written request to an organization or government for financial assistance for ordinarily a non-profit project but can also be for a profit project.

Once the proposal is approved and the grantee selected, the grantor becomes a partner aiming to achieve the goals laid out in the proposal. In most cases, the proposal must be aligned with the grantor’s interests. It should be an influential and very well-upheld archive for change.

A grant is a non-refundable financial assistance (gift, bounty, subsidy, or contribution) given by an organization, government, or individual for a specific purpose.

It is typically given through a selection process to an eligible recipient (grantee) who satisfies the set conditions for selection. Common grantees are children, organizations, environmentalists, human and animal life, social justice activists, etc.

Grant Proposal Examples

Reviewing successful grant proposal examples can improve your writing skills when it comes to requests for grants. Winning examples are great sources to note formats, persuasive tone, keywords, and structure. Most grantors have specific requirements to align the request with the requirements. You can learn the technique by reviewing one the grantor in question has previously approved.

Types of Grants

You can request diverse types of grants from organizations or governments, depending on how they intend to use the funding. 

Some of the commonly known types are:

Operating support or unrestricted funding

Also referred to as general operating grants, they are awarded to cover operational expenses (administrative costs such as salaries, rent and utility bills, and overhead expenses) within an organization. The utilization of these is not restricted, hence the name, and they are not devoted to a particular project or purpose. They offer maximum flexibility and are the rarest type of grant.

Capital support

Capital support grants are funds given for specific capital investments. Such investments include the construction of new facilities, renovation, and remodeling of existing buildings, land acquisition, and the purchase of costly equipment. Thus, they are sometimes referred to as brick-and-mortar grants.

Program development grants or restricted funding

Program and project grants or restricted grants are the most common types of grants. As the name suggests, program and project grants are more restrictive and can only be used for the purpose specified in the grant proposal. The purpose is usually to create, support, or develop or grow programs or projects you request.

Myths About Non-Profit Grants

There are multiple factors that revolve around the requesting and awarding of grants. The most common myths are:

Grantors operate like charities with gifts

Although grantors have significant sums of money available to award out there, it is not given to anybody who asks for it. Instead, applicants must work for the grants so that the most suitable candidate is awarded. To ensure this is achieved, grantors usually set demanding requirements that applicants must meet.

Grants are only awarded to big NPOs

There are different types and sizes of grants that entities can apply for; therefore, even small entities can request them. In addition, there are no restrictions as to who can request it.

It is intricate and challenging to attain

There is a lot to take into account when coming up with an excellent and persuasive grant that will ensure you get the grant, and it is not impossible or limited to particular people. Once you learn the basics and follow the guidelines given by the grantor, you can increase your chances of getting it.

Pre-Writing Considerations

Before commencing the writing process, there are several things you ought to investigate. Firstly, getting a clear understanding of how grants work should be a priority. You can consult with mentors, professors, previous grant recipients, trusted advisers, and the granting organization to learn more about awards and how to apply for one successfully.

Other pre-writing considerations include:

• Entities and individuals seeking grants should come up with a project and develop objectives and actionable plans that outline what they should do and the reason behind the task.
• Determine how the grant will be used to obtain positive results from the intended use.
• Research and list organizations that fund projects for the type of project or actionable plan previously developed.
• Select the organization(s) to be requested for the grant and determine if their mission and vision align with the project’s objectives.
• Review the guidelines put in place by the awarding agency or organization.
• Look for samples related to similar projects or those submitted to the awarding agency and examine them for tips on how to incorporate them.

9-Steps to Excellent Grant Proposal Writing

The writing process can sometimes be lengthy, especially if there is no adequate planning. However, with enough preparation, writing a grant proposal should not be a complicated task.

In addition to planning, the guide below can be used to develop an excellent one:

Write a strong cover letter. When writing the cover letter, keep it short (three to four paragraphs), precise (amount needed, purpose, and reasons why you deserve the grant), and relatable to the reader. You should avoid repetition and compare yourself to other applicants.

Start with a brief executive summary that introduces the applicant and states what they are trying to accomplish. The executive summary should be kept brief while presenting a complete set of ideas about the request and the project at hand to the grantor. The summary can be a couple of sentences, with one page being the maximum.

Introduce the applicant. This section is meant to prove that the applicant has the ability and capacity to meet all the deliverables in execution, legal, quality, and safety obligations. Therefore, you should be objective and focus on convincing the grantor why you deserve the grant. Avoid going into too much detail to stay objective. Also, try to link your mission or goals to those of the grantor as much as possible.

Write a precise problem statement. This section will always require extensive research to prove that the solution you offer makes a difference compared to other solutions aimed at the same problem. The problem statement uses comparable data that shows how one solution is translated into positive outcomes. It should also show a sense of urgency and be objective—talk about the main problem without diverting.

Outline the goals and objectives of the project. Goals are more broad statements of what you want to do, while objectives are more definite statements of intention with measurable outcomes or results and a time frame. Remember, goals and objectives are not processes but rather measurable outcomes.

Describe the project. Outline what the project entails. This section should highlight all the moving parts of the project. Including a logic model using graphical representations of the project is an efficient way of achieving this. Ensure to illustrate how the different components are interconnected; it helps the grantor understand the project better. Moreover, your timeline should be specific and detailed about who will do what and when.

Outline the monitoring process or key performance indicators. This information shows that the success of the project can be measured at specific milestones and completions. When writing the proposal, define the internal and external evaluation procedures of the project explicitly to avoid ambiguity. 

Indicate additional funding sources and sustainability. Outline any other sources of funding (expected or already received). Additionally, grantors consider the sustainability of a project. Grant proposals for projects that have long-term benefits are more likely to be selected. Therefore, illustrating how your project is sustainable can be a significant boost towards receiving the grant. Also, indicate if the funding required will be a one-time request or progressive.

Provide the project budget. At this point, justify the amount quoted. Demonstrate the services and products that will have a monetary impact. Avoid overcharging or underquoting because this might be seen as greed and might affect the quality of deliverables. Round off numbers to create a more comprehensive budget. Accuracy should be a priority, so carry out cost research thoroughly before quoting a service or product’s price.

Components of a Grant Proposal

A well-written proposal should contain specific essential components. Regardless of the format, these components are typically included, as they will cater to most of the requirements needed by grantors.

The basic components are:

Cover letter

A cover letter contains personal traits and accomplishments that can persuade the awarding committee to review an applicant’s grant proposal. Cover letters can be formal or less formal, depending on the situation.

Executive summary

The executive summary/abstract is a concise synopsis of the overall grant proposal. It introduces the applicant and outlines the proposal, project goals, and use of the money.

Information of the applicant/organization’s qualification

The applicant’s introduction should entail pertinent information that the grantor can use to have a clear picture of who they will be awarding the grant. The information included in this section includes history, mission, infrastructure, biography of crucial staff, business track record, client recommendations, feedback from customers, experience, etc.

Problem/need statement

Also referred to as the statement of need or needs statement. The problem statement indicates a problem existing in one’s community and aims to resolve the problem. A well-crafted problem statement incorporates quantitative data.

Project description 

The project description gives an overall understanding of what the project entails: staff members, services or products, location or region, deliverables, etc.

Objectives and outcomes

Every project ought to have goals/objectives and outcomes for it to qualify as a worthwhile proposal. Objectives can be defined as what the project is meant to achieve. Objectives and outcomes ought to be SMART—measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. In addition, the goals and outcomes should connect with the audience (the community).

Program plan/design

This section addresses “how” you intend to achieve the set objectives. The information to be provided includes new recruitments, additional facilities, support services to be acquired, and methods and strategies that will be used to ensure the applicant meets the deliverables. Also includes aspects such as effective time management, discipline, and methodologies that will influence the quality of the outcomes.

Target audience

The grant proposal should clearly illustrate to whom the project is meant to benefit. Information, such as demographic criteria, can be provided to further clarify the target audience. Statistical data, such as exact figures or percentages of people in a region the project will benefit from, can also be used.

Evaluation plan

The evaluation plan indicates how you will track the progress of the project to ensure the set objectives are met. The proposal should show the timeframe of evaluation, milestones, criteria for quality measurement, requirements such as costs and skills for evaluation, and the designated person to carry out evaluations. The evaluation plan should be progressive, such that it demonstrates how success will be measured from a certain point at a specific time in the future.

Project budget

The project budget is a significant consideration. List all the services and products that will be acquired and the cost implications of each. A reasonable budget ought to have its items well described and quantified. In addition, the proposal should have a budget inclusive of indirect costs as they influence the outcomes.

Sustained impact and expectations from the project

A grant proposal can also look into the long-term impacts of the project or campaign. This section can provide a strong blueprint for the organization’s vision for the next 5 or 10 years. This section can also include projected costs subjected to inflation, potential future growth, ongoing training, decommission expenses, and the final stage of the project life cycle.

Supporting documents

Grant proposals can have supporting documents attached to support your case further. Such documents include letters of support, proof of 501 (c) status, personal resumes, a list of board of directors, tax-exempt IRS letters, etc.

Grant Proposal Examples- by Types

In case you require these documents in different categories or types, you can browse the free library of them that we have provided below for your additional ease and assistance:

General Tips for Writing a Grant Proposal

Below are some tips to assist anyone in writing a winning grant proposal:

Pay heed to the agency’s interest

Most grantors will be looking for specific keywords or items during the review process. Therefore, it is vital to note this and incorporate it into the proposal, especially in today’s world where reviews can be done automatically. However, avoid using too many of the keywords (overstuffing).

Collect the entire data

Carry out extensive research on the problem and solution the project addresses and make statements or proposals based on this data. Factual representation of information is key to persuading agencies to award grants.

Customize your proposal

Make the proposal more reader-friendly and personalized. When writing to different agencies, ensure to customize the proposal to resemble the agencies’ interests, expectations, and guidelines; these vary between agencies. As much as you can borrow items from one proposal and use them on another, avoid reusing the same document. Customizing a proposal will often require a bit of research.

Organize ideas with a numbered list

It is recommended that when you are listing items, you number them, as it improves the proposal presentation and makes it easier for the reader to skim, which might come in handy during the review process.

Do not be generic

A lack of precision (generalization) can hurt your chances of getting a grant. Remain specific to the grant and the project when writing the proposal.

Be clear and concise

Be direct and to the point. Grant proposals are not novels of what is going to happen; therefore, they should include only relevant information that the grantor can use to decide whether to award the grant or not.

Review and get a fresh perspective

Once completed, review it to ensure it is written from a perspective that can be understood by someone not involved in the same industry. Reducing or removing jargon and abbreviations can be helpful to the reader. Alternatively, have a third party review the proposal and ask them to give feedback.

Double-check the application

Look for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, calculations, and due dates before preparing the final draft. Also, check the formatting and supporting documents. Finally, review the document on whether it has met the grantor’s specifications.

Character limits, font size, page numbers, etc.

Key Takeaways

• A grant proposal is defined as a formal written request for funds to carry out a profit or non-profit project or campaign.
• Its essential elements are a cover letter, title page, abstract/introduction, institutional background, problem statement, project goals and objectives, implementation plan, evaluation plan, other funding and sustainability, project budget, and supporting documents.
• Research is part and parcel of writing a winning grant proposal.
• Writing one does not have to be intricate if you are willing to research and abide by the grantor’s guidelines.
• There are different types and sizes of grants: general operating, program and project grants, capacity-building grants, capital grants, endowment grants, matching grants, etc.
• Applicants can request grants from more than one agency at the same time.

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Planning and Writing a Grant Proposal: The Basics

Grant Proposal Writing is Exciting, Imaginative Work

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Overview Additional Resources about Grants and Grant Writing Considering the Audience, Purpose, and Expectations of a Grant Proposal Common Elements of Grant Proposals General Tips Successful Sample Proposals

So, you want to write a grant proposal? This is exciting! This means that you have valuable research to do or a particular nonprofit to build or a community resource you’re passionate about developing. You have a distinct vision for how something could be improved or advanced, and you’re ready to ask for funding or other support to help this vision become a reality.

As you reach toward this unrealized vision by developing a grant proposal, you should think about successful grant writing as an act of imagination. Professor Kate Vieira, a Curriculum and Instruction professor at UW-Madison with considerable grant writing experience, describes grant proposal writing as a creative process akin to fiction writing—these are works of imagination. Professor Vieira recommends approaching the task of writing a grant proposal with an attitude of wonder and excitement as you strive to turn your ideas into something real. You have a great idea, and you think that you’re the best person to achieve a specific goal. Now you just need to convince others to get excited about this vision as well.

On this page, we offer some ways of thinking about grant proposals and advice about the process of planning and writing a proposal. We consider grant proposals; overall purposes, audiences, and expectations in order to make this information applicable across a range of contexts. However, this general approach has important limits . First, you will need to get more tailored advice about grant writing within your specific discipline or sphere. Second, you’ll need to follow very carefully the exact instructions about proposals from the granting agencies to which you are applying.

Talk with professors, mentors, previous grant recipients, the funding agency/group you are applying to, and trusted advisers in your field to learn more about what successful grant proposals look like in your situation and to get feedback on your plan and on your drafting process.

Before you start writing your grant proposal, you’ll want to make sure that you:

• develop a specific, meaningful, actionable plan for what you want to do and why you want to do it;
• consider how your plan will achieve positive results;
• locate a granting organization or source that funds projects like the one you have in mind;
• research that organization to make sure that its mission aligns with your plan;
• review the organization’s proposal guidelines; and
• examine sample proposals from your department, peers, and/or the organization.

When you’ve done all of this, you’re ready to start drafting your proposal!

Additional Resources about Grants and Grant Writing

For students, faculty, or staff at UW–Madison, a great place to learn more about grants, grant proposal writing, and granting institutions is the Grants Information Collection at UW–Madison’s Memorial Library. Check out their website and our review of some of their materials as well as links to other useful grant resources here.

Considering the Audience, Purpose, and Expectations of a Grant Proposal

A grant proposal is a very clear, direct document written to a particular organization or funding agency with the purpose of persuading the reviewers to provide you with support because: (1) you have an important and fully considered plan to advance a valuable cause, and (2) you are responsible and capable of realizing that plan.

As you begin planning and drafting your grant proposal, ask yourself:

• Who is your audience? Think about the people from the agency offering this grant who will read this proposal. What are the agency’s mission and goals? What are its values? How is what you want to do aligned with what this agency is all about? How much do these readers know about what you are interested in? Let your answers to these questions inform how you present your plan, what vocabulary you use, how much background you provide, and how you frame your goals. In considering your audience, you should think about the kind of information these readers will find to be the most persuasive. Is it numbers? If so, make sure that you provide and explain your data. Is it testimonials? Recommendations from other collaborators? Historical precedent? Think closely about how you construct your argument in relationship to your readers.
• What are the particular expectations for this grant? Pay attention to everything the granting organization requires of you. Your proposal should adhere exactly to these requirements. If you receive any advice that contradicts the expectations of your particular situation ( including from this website ), ignore it! Study representative samples of successful proposals in your field or proposals that have received the particular grant you are applying for.
• How do you establish your credibility? Make sure that you present yourself as capable, knowledgeable, and forward thinking. Establish your credibility through the thoroughness of your plan, the intentional way that you present its importance and value, and the knowledge you have of what has already been learned or studied. Appropriately reference any past accomplishments that verify your ability to succeed and your commitment to this project. Outline any partnerships you have built with complementary organizations and individuals.
• How can you clearly and logically present your plan? Make sure that your organization is logical. Divide your proposal into predictable sections and label them with clear headings. Follow exactly the headings and content requirements established by the granting agency’s call for proposals.Grant proposals are direct and to–the–point. This isn’t a good place for you to embroider your prose with flowery metaphors or weave in subtle literary allusions. Your language should be uncluttered and concise. Match the concepts and language your readers use and are familiar with. Your readers shouldn’t have to work hard to understand what you are communicating. For information about writing clear sentences, see this section of our writer’s handbook. However, use a vivid image, compelling anecdote, or memorable phrase if it conveys the urgency or importance of what you are proposing to do.

Common Elements of Grant Proposals

General Tips

Pay attention to the agency’s key interests..

As mentioned earlier, if there are keywords in the call for proposals—or in the funding organization’s mission or goal—be sure to use some of those terms throughout your proposal. But don’t be too heavy–handed. You want to help your readers understand the connections that exist between your project and their purpose without belaboring these connections.

Organize ideas through numbered lists.

Some grant writers use numbered lists to organize their ideas within their proposal. They set up these lists with phrases like, “This project’s three main goals are . . . ” or, “This plan will involve four stages . . . ” Using numbers in this way may not be eloquent, but it can an efficient way to present your information in a clear and skimmable manner.

Write carefully customized proposals.

Because grant funding is so competitive, you will likely be applying for several different grants from multiple funding agencies. But if you do this, make sure that you carefully design each proposal to respond to the different interests, expectations, and guidelines of each source. While you might scavenge parts of one proposal for another, never use the exact same proposal twice . Additionally when you apply to more than one source at the same time, be sure to think strategically about the kind of support you are asking from which organization. Do your research to find out, for example, which source is more likely to support a request for materials and which is more interested in covering the cost of personnel.

Go after grants of all sizes.

Pay attention to small grant opportunities as well as big grant opportunities. In fact, sometimes securing a smaller grant can make your appeal for a larger grant more attractive. Showing that one or two stakeholders have already supported your project can bolster your credibility.

Don’t give up! Keep on writing!

Writing a grant proposal is hard work. It requires you to closely analyze your vision and consider critically how your solution will effectively respond to a gap, problem, or deficiency. And often, even for seasoned grant writers, this process ends with rejection. But while grant writers don’t receive many of the grants they apply to, they find the process of carefully delineating and justifying their objectives and methods to be productive. Writing closely about your project helps you think about and assess it regardless of what the grant committee decides. And of course, if you do receive a grant, the writing won’t be over. Many grants require progress reports and updates, so be prepared to keep on writing!

Successful Sample Grant Proposals

One of the best ways to learn how to write grant proposals is to analyze successful samples. We’ve annotated and uploaded three very different kinds of successful proposals written by colleagues associated with UW–Madison. We encourage you to carefully read these samples along with the annotations we’ve provided that direct your attention to specific ways each one is doing the work of a strong proposal. But don’t stop with these! Find additional samples on your own of successful proposals like the one you’re writing to help guide and further your understanding of what has worked and been persuasive.

• Sample Grant Proposal 1 (PDF) Fellowship Proposal for UW–Madison’s Center for the Humanities’ Public Humanities Exchange (HEX)
• Sample Grant Proposal 2 (PDF) Proposal for a 3–Year National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
• Sample Grant Proposal 3 (PDF) Madison Writing Assistance’s grant proposal to the Evjue Foundation

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Successful Grant Proposal Examples: The Ultimate List for 2024

Reviewed by:

January 29, 2024

Table of Contents

Writing grant proposals can be a stressful process for many organizations. However, it's also an exciting time for your nonprofit to secure the funds needed to deliver or expand your services.

In this article, we'll dig into successful grant proposal examples to show how you can start winning grant funding for your organization.

By the time you finish reading this, you'll understand the characteristics of successful proposals, examples of grant proposals in a variety of program areas, and know exactly where you can find more sample grant proposals for nonprofit organizations .

Ready? Let's dig in!

Why Should You Find Successful Grant Proposal Examples?

Whether you are a seasoned grant writer or are preparing your first proposal ever, grant writing can be an intimidating endeavor. Grant writing is like any skill in that if you apply yourself, practice, and practice some more, you are sure to increase your ability to write compelling proposals.

Successful grant proposals not only convey the great idea you have for your organization but convince others to get excited about the future you envision. Many follow similar structures and developing a process that works best for your writing style can help make the task of preparing proposals much easier.

In addition to showing what to and not to do, finding successful grant proposals can help you see significant trends and structures that can help you develop your grant writing capabilities.

Insights Straight To Your Inbox

What characteristics make a grant proposal successful.

"Grant writing is science, but it's not rocket science." - Meredith Noble

There's a lot that goes into creating a successful grant proposal. If you're feeling overwhelmed, Meredith Noble, grant writing expert, shares a straightforward step-by-step process to win funding.

1. Successful grant proposals have a clear focus.

Your first step when searching for funds is to clearly understand why you need those funds and what they will accomplish. Funders want to invest in programs they believe will be successful and impactful.

In your proposals, you want to instill confidence in your organization's commitment to the issue, dedication to the communities you serve, and capacity to fulfill the proposed grant activities.

Some questions that you may want to consider include:

• Are you looking for funds to establish a new program, launch a pilot project, or expand an existing program?
• Will your proposed program be finished in a year, or will it take multiple years to achieve your goal?
• Who is involved in your program, and who will benefit from its success?
• What problem will the proposed program address, and how is that solution unique?
• What are the specific, tangible goals that you hope to accomplish with the potential grant award?

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2. Successful grant proposals are supported with relevant data.

Before starting your grant proposal, you want to take the time to do your research and make sure that your action plan is realistic and well-supported with data. By presenting yourself as capable and knowledgeable with reliable data, a thorough action plan, and a clear understanding of the subject matter.

It can also be beneficial to include data that your organization has collected to show program impacts and staff successes. Conduct regular analysis of program activities, grant deliverables, and collect success stories from clients and community members.

Some tips for when you collect your grant research :

• Make sure that you gather data from reputable sources. For example, at government sites such as Data.Census.gov , the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for demographic data, or the U.S. Small Business, Explore Census Data Administration for industry analyses.

• Include diverse data. There may be some statistics where the numbers are enough to grab the reader's attention; other times, it may be helpful to have illustrations, graphs, or maps.
• In addition to quantitative data, qualitative data such as a story from an impacted community member may be extremely compelling.
• Make sure that the data you include is relevant. Throwing random numbers or statistics into the proposal does not make it impressive. All of the included data should directly support the main point of your proposal.
• You may find it useful to log important notes around what data you want to include in your grant proposal using a grant tracking tool such as Instrumentl .

By the way, check out our post on grant statistics after you finish this one!

3. Successful grant proposals are well-organized

Make sure to pay close attention to all of the requirements that a potential funder includes in their grant details and/or request for proposals (RFP). Your submission and all accompanying attachments, which may also include any graphs and illustrations, should adhere precisely to these guidelines.

Frequently the RFP or grant description will include directions for dividing and organizing your proposal. If, however, it does not, it is still best practice to break your proposal into clear sections with concise headings. You can include a table of contents with page numbers as well.

Standard grant proposal sections include:

• Proposal Summary: Also called the Executive Summary, this is a very brief statement (1-3 paragraphs) that explains your proposal and specifically states the amount of funding requested.
• Project Narrative: The bulk of your proposal, the Project Narrative, will do most of the work introducing your organization, the program, and describing your project. - Organization History: Who you are, what you do, where and how you do it. - Statement of the Problem: Background information on the problem and how it will be solved through the grant. - Project Description: Detailed explanation of the program you intend to implement with the grant, including a detailed timeline.
• Budget and Budget Justification: A breakdown of the project resources into specific budget categories, the amount allocated to each category, and appropriate reasons for that breakdown.

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4. Successful grant proposals are tailored to the funder.

In addition to finding the basic details on the funding opportunity and application guidelines, you should also look into the funder, their giving priorities, and history.

Funders are much more likely to select your organization among others if they clearly understand and empathize with your cause and recognize the impact your work has in the community.

For more details on establishing meaningful relationships with funders, check out our article on How to Approach and Build Grant Funder Relationships .

The first step in determining whether a funding opportunity is a good fit, do some research to ensure your organization's programs and financial needs meet the funder’s interests and resources.

A few questions to ask include:

• What are the organization’s values, written mission, and goals?
• How is what you want to do aligned with the overall mission of this agency?
• Do their giving priorities match with the vision of your proposed program?
• Will this grant cover the entire cost of your program, or will you need to find additional funds?
• Does the grant timeline meet the budget needs of your organization?
• Are there other considerations that might be useful for us to know in preparing your application?

5. Successful grant proposals are proofread!

If you have been in the grant writing game for any extended period of time, chances are that you’ve dealt with tight deadlines. Nonprofit staff often have a lot on their plates, and if you happen to find an attractive funding opportunity when there’s only a handful of days before its deadline, it may be difficult to walk away.

It is crucial to plan an appropriate amount of time to review and proofread your proposal. Grammar mistakes can make or break your submission and they are easy to fix.

General strategies for editing your proposal include:

• Use one of the many available grammar-checking software such as Grammarly or GrammarCheck.me . These online tools are often free to use and can help you quickly and accurately review your work.

• Ask other members of your team to peer-review the proposal. It is especially important to have staff working on or who are directly impacted by the program proposed to ensure everyone is on the same page. Additionally, these staff members have the most information about the program's implementation and can catch inconsistency or unrealistic promises in the proposal.
• It is also helpful to ask someone unfamiliar with your program and the subject matter discussed in the proposal. Sometimes the grant reviewer may not have the same level of knowledge you or your staff have about the subject matter, and so you want to ensure you stay away from overly-specific jargon and undefined acronyms.
• Read through it (again!). A final read-through, maybe out loud, after all the edits have been made, can help you catch overlooked mistakes or inconsistencies in the proposal.

If you're looking to start building your own nonprofit financial statement and nonprofit membership application, get started quickly by using our Nonprofit Financial Statement Template and Nonprofit Membership Application Template . The template is made in Canva, an an easy-to-use creative design tool. You can jump right in, change colors, add your logo, and adjust the copy so it fits your brand.Why start from scratch when you can use one of our templates?

The Ultimate List of Grant Proposal Examples

As stated early on in the article, every grant proposal is unique. We have curated a list of sample grants for various types of projects or nonprofit organizations. This list is in no way exhaustive, but several examples cover common program designs and focus areas that receive philanthropic support through grants.

Research Grant Proposal Samples

Finding a grant opportunity to fund research can be a challenge. These types of grants are typically intensive and require in-depth expertise, a proposed research design, explanation of methodology, project timelines, and evidence of the principal investigator(s) qualifications.

The following are examples of grant proposals in support of research projects or studies.

Harvard University - Proposal to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2009) :

Researchers at Harvard University proposed to research the “growth of policies in the United States around the use of genomic science in medicine and racial identity.”

For grants focused on research, it is important to ensure that the proposal can be understood by different kinds of stakeholders. While the research may be very specific and require some expertise to understand, the purpose and need for the research undertaken should be able to be understood by anyone.

For example, being cognizant of jargon and when it is and isn’t appropriate to use is incredibly important when developing a research grant proposal.

This proposal to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, while very detailed and specific, still lays out the intent of the proposal in laymans terms and includes the appropriate amount of detail while ensuring that a broader audience can read and understand the request and purpose of the study.

Northwestern University - Annotated Grant Proposal Sample (2016)

For individuals or organizations who are interested in developing a great grant proposal in support of a research project, Northwestern University has a catalog of grant proposal samples with annotations denoting notable strengths and weaknesses of the application.

Linked above is one such example, a grant proposal in support of a project titled “Understanding the Stability of Barium-Containing Ceramic Glazes”. Review Northwestern University’s catalog of sample proposals here for additional guidance and inspiration.

Clinical Trial Grant Proposal Sample

Clinical trials are important research projects that test medical, behavioral, or surgical inventions to prove or disprove hypotheses about their efficacy. These trials are an important component of scientific and medical advancement. Oftentimes, hospitals or research institutions require robust funding from grants to initiate a trial of this kind.

While clinical trials are highly specific and require a great deal of expert input to develop, reviewing a grant proposal sample can help you prepare should your nonprofit organization decide to pursue a funding opportunity of this kind.

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Center for Clinical and Translational Science – NIH Grant R Series Samples :

If your nonprofit organization is seeking funding for a clinical trial, a great place to begin for tools and resources is the University of Alabama’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science.

The Center’s website has several sample proposals submitted to the National Institutes of Health . For professionals hoping to submit a grant proposal in support of a clinical trial, you may find one among these excellent examples that aligns closely with your work and can guide the grant development process.

Community Garden Grant Proposal Sample

Community gardens are idyllic cornerstones of their neighborhoods, cultivating lush, green spaces where residents can build a thriving community. Some community gardens are run by nonprofits such as land trusts or are born out of special projects initiated by nonprofit organizations.

Either way, to ensure the sustainability of local community gardens, gardeners and community garden managers may need to apply for funding through grant opportunities. Below is just one grant proposal sample in support of a community garden that may help you develop your own winning community garden grant application.

Stockton University – Community Garden 2020 Proposal :

This grant proposal submitted on behalf of Stockton University does an excellent job of illustrating the success of their community garden project and justifies the need for funding to sustain the momentum of the project going forward.

This proposal is also visually compelling and well-designed, incorporating photos and color schemes that directly evoke the image of a flourishing community garden. Ensuring your proposal document is easy to read and incorporates a strong layout and design can sometimes make or break an otherwise strong proposal that is being judged in a competitive pool of applicants. Strong design elements can set your proposal apart and make it shine!

Government Grant Proposal Samples

Government grants are some of the most complex and challenging funding opportunities that a person can come across. Funding from government entities is allocated from tax-payer dollars, and as such the government employs strict requirements and rigorous oversight over the grantmaking process.

Having a successful template or sample in hand can help position you for success when you need help applying for a government grant.

National Endowment for the Humanities - Challenge Grant Proposal Narrative Sample :

Developing a grant narrative is a challenge regardless of the opportunity. Government grants, which require very specific detail, can pose an even greater challenge than most opportunities. Linked here is a successfully funded project of the Alexandria Archive Institute, Inc . through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

This project is a great example of how to develop a grant narrative that successfully addresses the stringent requirements associated with grant proposals. Note how each section is laid out, the double spacing, citations, and other key elements that are required in a government proposal to adhere to specific standards.

Even though this is a great example, also be aware that every government agency is different and while this proposal was a successful application for the NEH, other agencies may have different requirements including specific narrative sections, attachments and work plans, among other key items.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – City of Pleasantville Clean School Bus, Clean Snow Removal Trucks and Clean Bulldozers Project Proposal Sample :

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers an example grant for potential grantees to review. This sample proposal envisions a project by a local municipality to procure buses, snow removal trucks, and bulldozers that produce less emissions thereby decreasing air pollution in the region. This sample proposal is a great guide for developing a compelling narrative and weaving in evidence-based data and information to support throughout.

Conference Grant Proposal Sample

Conferences are an important aspect of a nonprofit or educational institution's operations. Conferences can help bring together like minded individuals across sectors to find solutions and sharpen their skills, and they can facilitate the formation of powerful coalitions and advocacy groups.

Identifying funding for conferences can be difficult, and requires a thoughtful, strategic approach to achieve success. Following a template or grant proposal sample can help guide you through the application process and strengthen your chances of submitting a successful application.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality – American Urological Associations Quality Improvement Summit :

This sample proposal provides an extensive template to follow for writing a successful conference grant proposal. The proposal follows an easily understood, structured narrative, and includes a detailed budget and key personnel profiles that will help anyone applying for grant support strengthen their chances of developing a high-quality application.

Dance Grant Proposal Sample

There are countless arts and cultural nonprofit organizations in the United States. According to Americans for the Arts , there are over 113,000 organizations (nonprofit or otherwise) devoted to promoting arts and culture in communities throughout the country—including dance.

Whether a theater that focuses on dance performance or a studio that teaches beginners how to appreciate the art form, there are a variety of dance-focused nonprofits that exist. Identifying strong grant proposal samples for dance-focused organizations or projects can be helpful as you work to help your dance program grow and gain revenue.

Mass Cultural Council – Dance/Theater Project Grant Sample :

This is an example proposal for an interactive dance/theatrical puppet project that focuses on engaging families. While this example captures a very unique and specific project, it also provides a good example of how to craft a case statement , write a strong project description, and develop a detailed project budget.

Daycare Grant Proposal Sample

In the United States, daycares are a vital component of childhood development, but unfortunately many families are unable to access them due to cost or accessibility. Studies show that in 2020 alone, over 57% of working families spent more than $10,000 on childcare while 51% U.S. residents live in regions classified as “childcare deserts”.

Given this, nonprofit daycares are vital to supporting future generations and providing accessible and affordable childcare for parents throughout the country. Many nonprofit daycares rely on generous funding through grants. Nonprofit day care professionals can use all the help they can get to submit winning proposals and sustain their daycare’s operations.

Relying on a high-quality grant proposal sample or template can be a huge help when working on a grant application or writing a proposal in support of a daycare.

AWE - Digital Learning Solutions – Grant Proposal Template :

While not a straightforward grant proposal sample, this grant template provides detailed guidance and helpful examples of how to respond to common questions and how to craft essential elements of a grant proposal focused on childcare and childhood development.

For example, the template provides easy to understand steps and bulleted lists for every key component of the grant proposal including a case statement, organizational capacity and information, project sustainability, project budget, and project evaluation.

Literacy Grant Proposal Sample

Promoting literacy is a very common mission for nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. and the world. Literacy projects and programs are typically provided by educational institutions or education focused nonprofits.

In fact, according to the Urban Institute , Education focused nonprofits made up 17.2% of all public charities. With numbers like these, it can be helpful to gain insights from a grant proposal sample that will help you win grants and grow your organization.

Suburban Council of International Literacy (Reading) Association “Simply Reading” – Grant Proposal Sample :

This sample proposal to the Suburban Council of International Literacy (Reading) Association (SCIRA) is a great example of a strongly developed narrative that makes a powerful case for how fostering a love for reading among young students can result in improved educational outcomes. This helpful guide provides a framework for drafting a high-quality grant narrative while also giving examples of other key proposal elements such as a project budget.

Successful Educational Grant Proposals

Educational programming can be highly diverse in its delivery. Check out these examples of successful grant proposals for education to help you get started winning funds for your next educational program.

Kurzweil Educational Systems : In addition to this being a successful grant proposal, this example also includes detailed explanations of each section and provides useful guidelines that can help you frame your proposal.

Salem Education Foundation : This foundation has posted a sample application of a school seeking funding for increasing youth enrichment opportunities for their annual grant.

This is a great example for funding opportunities that ask specific questions about your organization and the proposed project instead of requesting a general proposal or narrative.

Successful Youth Grant Proposals

These examples of grant proposals for youth programs can help you tap into one of the largest categories of charitable dollars.

Family Service Association (FSA): This example of a grant proposal that is well-written and comprehensive. It is for a community block grant focused on youth development to expand services and cover staff salaries.

The Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA): This is a sample produced by the national office of the BGCA to assist local branches in securing funds for youth programming and expanding services.

Successful Health-Related Grant Proposals

There is a large amount of funding for health-related initiatives, from healthcare grants to individuals, operational support for organizations or clinicians, and supporting researchers advancing the field. These sample grants give a bit of insight into this diverse sphere.

Centerville Community Center : Follow this link to read a grant to support community-based programming to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease prevention. This proposal does a great job of breaking down the project description, proposed activities, tracking measures, and timeline.

Prevention Plus Wellness : This is a sample grant proposal for nonprofit organizations to assist those looking to secure funds to address substance use and wellness programming for youth and young adults.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID): The NIAID has released several examples of proposal applications and scientific research grant proposal samples that successfully secured funding for scientific research related to healthcare.

Other Successful Grant Proposals

Of the over 1.6 million nonprofit organizations in the United States , your funding requests may fall out of the three general categories described above. We have included additional grants that may help meet your diverse needs.

Kennett Area Senior Center : Submitted to a local community foundation, this proposal requests funding between the range of $1,000 to $10,000 to provide critical services and assistance to local seniors.

In addition to being very detailed in describing the program details it also carefully describes the problem to be addressed.

Region 2 Arts Council: This comprehensive grant proposal requests funds to support an artist to continue expanding their skills and professional experience. This is a useful example for individual grants or scholarships for professional or scholastic opportunities in supported fields.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church: This is an excellent example of a faith-based organization’s proposal to secure funds for a capital project to repair their building. The framing of this proposal and the language in the narrative can be used to help shape proposal letters to individual donors and to foundations, which can be especially useful for faith-based organizations or other groups looking to secure funds.

Tips to Get More Successful Grant Proposal Examples

If you are interested in finding more grant proposal examples, especially those directly related to your organization's priorities and service area, you can look at a few places.

1st: Foundation Websites

Sometimes a foundation will include past proposal submissions publicly on the website. These are especially useful if you are seeking grants from the organization. You can see exactly what kind of proposals they found compelling enough to fund and see if there are any trends in their structure or language.

2nd: Online Tools and Workshops

Sites like the Community Tool Box or Non-Profit Guides offer free online resources for organizations working to support healthier communities and support social change. They provide helpful advice for new nonprofits and provide a whole suite of sample grants to help you start winning grants step by step.

You may also be able to ask other members of the Instrumentl community for their past successful grant proposals by attending our next live workshop. Hundreds of grant proposals attend these every few weeks. To RSVP, go here .

3rd: Collect your own! 

As you start submitting grants, you are also creating a collection of sample grants tailored to your subject area. Every response offers an invaluable learning opportunity that can help you strengthen your grant writing skills.

Perhaps there are similarities among proposals that do exceptionally well. If a submission is rejected, ask for feedback or a score breakdown. Then, you may be able to see what areas need improvement for the future. Read our post on grant writing best practices for more on how to evaluate your past proposals.

Wrapping Things Up: Successful Grant Proposal Examples

Grant writing is a skill that anyone can learn. And as you begin to build your skills and prepare to write your next proposal, let these examples of successful grant proposals act as a guide to successful grant writing. Don’t however mistake a useful example as the ultimate guide to winning a grant for your organization.

Make sure to keep your unique mission, vision, and voice in the proposal!

Are you ready to get started? ‍

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• About Grants
• How to Apply - Application Guide

Samples: Applications, Attachments, and Other Documents

As you learn about grantsmanship and write your own applications and progress reports, examples of how others presented their ideas can help. NIH also provides attachment format examples, sample language, and more resources below.

On This Page:

Sample Grant Applications

Nih formats, sample language, and other examples.

With the gracious permission of successful investigators, some NIH institutes have provided samples of funded applications, summary statements, and more. When referencing these examples, it is important to remember:

• The applications below used the form version and instructions that were in effect at the time of their submission. Forms and instructions change regularly. Read and carefully follow the instructions in your chosen funding opportunity and the Application Guide .
• The best way to present your science may differ substantially from the approaches used in these examples. Seek feedback on your draft application from mentors and others.
• Talk to an NIH program officer in your area of science for advice about which grant program would be a good fit for you and the Institute or Center that might be interested in your idea.
• Samples are not available for all grant programs. Because many programs have common elements, the available samples can still provide helpful information and demonstrate effective ways to present information.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

• Sample Applications and Summary Statements (R01, R03, R15, R21, R33, SBIR, STTR, K, F, G11, and U01)
• NIAID Sample Forms, Plans, Letters, Emails, and More

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

• Behavioral Research Grant Applications (R01, R03, R21)
• Cancer Epidemiology Grant Applications (R01, R03, R21, R37)
• Implementation Science Grant Applications (R01, R21, R37) 
• Healthcare Delivery Research Grant Applications (R01, R03, R21, R50)

National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

• Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Applications and Summary Statements (K99/R00, K01, R01, R03, and R21)
• NHGRI Sample Consent Forms

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

• K99/R00: Pathway to Independence Awards Sample Applications and summary statements
• NIA Small Business Sample Applications (SBIR and STTR Phase 1, Phase 2, and Fast-Track)

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

• Research Project Grants (R01) Sample Applications and Summary Statements
• Early Career Research (ECR) R21 Sample Applications and Summary Statements
• Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) Sample Applications and Summary Statements

NIH provides additional examples of completed forms, templates, plans, and other sample language for reference. Your chosen approach must follow the instructions in your funding opportunity and the How to Apply - Application Guide .

• Application Format Pages
• Annotated Form Sets
• Animal Document Samples from Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) for animal welfare assurances, study proposals, Memorandum of Understanding , and more
• Allowable Appendix Materials Examples
• Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources Plan Examples
• Biosketch Format Pages, Instructions, and Samples
• Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan Samples
• Informed Consent Example for Certificates of Confidentiality
• Informed Consent Sample Language for secondary research with data and biospecimens and for genomic research
• Model Organism Sharing Plans
• Multiple PI Leadership Plan Examples
• Other Support format page, samples, and instructions
• Scientific Rigor Examples
• Person Months FAQ with example calculations
• Plain Language Examples for application title, abstract, and public health relevance statements
• Project Outcome Description Examples for interim or final Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR)

This page last updated on: June 10, 2024

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Grant Proposals (or Give me the money!)

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you write and revise grant proposals for research funding in all academic disciplines (sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the arts). It’s targeted primarily to graduate students and faculty, although it will also be helpful to undergraduate students who are seeking funding for research (e.g. for a senior thesis).

The grant writing process

A grant proposal or application is a document or set of documents that is submitted to an organization with the explicit intent of securing funding for a research project. Grant writing varies widely across the disciplines, and research intended for epistemological purposes (philosophy or the arts) rests on very different assumptions than research intended for practical applications (medicine or social policy research). Nonetheless, this handout attempts to provide a general introduction to grant writing across the disciplines.

Before you begin writing your proposal, you need to know what kind of research you will be doing and why. You may have a topic or experiment in mind, but taking the time to define what your ultimate purpose is can be essential to convincing others to fund that project. Although some scholars in the humanities and arts may not have thought about their projects in terms of research design, hypotheses, research questions, or results, reviewers and funding agencies expect you to frame your project in these terms. You may also find that thinking about your project in these terms reveals new aspects of it to you.

Writing successful grant applications is a long process that begins with an idea. Although many people think of grant writing as a linear process (from idea to proposal to award), it is a circular process. Many people start by defining their research question or questions. What knowledge or information will be gained as a direct result of your project? Why is undertaking your research important in a broader sense? You will need to explicitly communicate this purpose to the committee reviewing your application. This is easier when you know what you plan to achieve before you begin the writing process.

Diagram 1 below provides an overview of the grant writing process and may help you plan your proposal development.

Applicants must write grant proposals, submit them, receive notice of acceptance or rejection, and then revise their proposals. Unsuccessful grant applicants must revise and resubmit their proposals during the next funding cycle. Successful grant applications and the resulting research lead to ideas for further research and new grant proposals.

Cultivating an ongoing, positive relationship with funding agencies may lead to additional grants down the road. Thus, make sure you file progress reports and final reports in a timely and professional manner. Although some successful grant applicants may fear that funding agencies will reject future proposals because they’ve already received “enough” funding, the truth is that money follows money. Individuals or projects awarded grants in the past are more competitive and thus more likely to receive funding in the future.

Some general tips

• Begin early.
• Apply early and often.
• Don’t forget to include a cover letter with your application.
• Answer all questions. (Pre-empt all unstated questions.)
• If rejected, revise your proposal and apply again.
• Give them what they want. Follow the application guidelines exactly.
• Be explicit and specific.
• Be realistic in designing the project.
• Make explicit the connections between your research questions and objectives, your objectives and methods, your methods and results, and your results and dissemination plan.
• Follow the application guidelines exactly. (We have repeated this tip because it is very, very important.)

Before you start writing

Identify your needs and focus.

First, identify your needs. Answering the following questions may help you:

• Are you undertaking preliminary or pilot research in order to develop a full-blown research agenda?
• Are you seeking funding for dissertation research? Pre-dissertation research? Postdoctoral research? Archival research? Experimental research? Fieldwork?
• Are you seeking a stipend so that you can write a dissertation or book? Polish a manuscript?
• Do you want a fellowship in residence at an institution that will offer some programmatic support or other resources to enhance your project?
• Do you want funding for a large research project that will last for several years and involve multiple staff members?

Next, think about the focus of your research/project. Answering the following questions may help you narrow it down:

• What is the topic? Why is this topic important?
• What are the research questions that you’re trying to answer? What relevance do your research questions have?
• What are your hypotheses?
• What are your research methods?
• Why is your research/project important? What is its significance?
• Do you plan on using quantitative methods? Qualitative methods? Both?
• Will you be undertaking experimental research? Clinical research?

Once you have identified your needs and focus, you can begin looking for prospective grants and funding agencies.

Finding prospective grants and funding agencies

Whether your proposal receives funding will rely in large part on whether your purpose and goals closely match the priorities of granting agencies. Locating possible grantors is a time consuming task, but in the long run it will yield the greatest benefits. Even if you have the most appealing research proposal in the world, if you don’t send it to the right institutions, then you’re unlikely to receive funding.

There are many sources of information about granting agencies and grant programs. Most universities and many schools within universities have Offices of Research, whose primary purpose is to support faculty and students in grant-seeking endeavors. These offices usually have libraries or resource centers to help people find prospective grants.

At UNC, the Research at Carolina office coordinates research support.

The Funding Information Portal offers a collection of databases and proposal development guidance.

The UNC School of Medicine and School of Public Health each have their own Office of Research.

Writing your proposal

The majority of grant programs recruit academic reviewers with knowledge of the disciplines and/or program areas of the grant. Thus, when writing your grant proposals, assume that you are addressing a colleague who is knowledgeable in the general area, but who does not necessarily know the details about your research questions.

Remember that most readers are lazy and will not respond well to a poorly organized, poorly written, or confusing proposal. Be sure to give readers what they want. Follow all the guidelines for the particular grant you are applying for. This may require you to reframe your project in a different light or language. Reframing your project to fit a specific grant’s requirements is a legitimate and necessary part of the process unless it will fundamentally change your project’s goals or outcomes.

Final decisions about which proposals are funded often come down to whether the proposal convinces the reviewer that the research project is well planned and feasible and whether the investigators are well qualified to execute it. Throughout the proposal, be as explicit as possible. Predict the questions that the reviewer may have and answer them. Przeworski and Salomon (1995) note that reviewers read with three questions in mind:

• What are we going to learn as a result of the proposed project that we do not know now? (goals, aims, and outcomes)
• Why is it worth knowing? (significance)
• How will we know that the conclusions are valid? (criteria for success) (2)

Be sure to answer these questions in your proposal. Keep in mind that reviewers may not read every word of your proposal. Your reviewer may only read the abstract, the sections on research design and methodology, the vitae, and the budget. Make these sections as clear and straightforward as possible.

The way you write your grant will tell the reviewers a lot about you (Reif-Lehrer 82). From reading your proposal, the reviewers will form an idea of who you are as a scholar, a researcher, and a person. They will decide whether you are creative, logical, analytical, up-to-date in the relevant literature of the field, and, most importantly, capable of executing the proposed project. Allow your discipline and its conventions to determine the general style of your writing, but allow your own voice and personality to come through. Be sure to clarify your project’s theoretical orientation.

Develop a general proposal and budget

Because most proposal writers seek funding from several different agencies or granting programs, it is a good idea to begin by developing a general grant proposal and budget. This general proposal is sometimes called a “white paper.” Your general proposal should explain your project to a general academic audience. Before you submit proposals to different grant programs, you will tailor a specific proposal to their guidelines and priorities.

Organizing your proposal

Although each funding agency will have its own (usually very specific) requirements, there are several elements of a proposal that are fairly standard, and they often come in the following order:

• Introduction (statement of the problem, purpose of research or goals, and significance of research)

Literature review

• Project narrative (methods, procedures, objectives, outcomes or deliverables, evaluation, and dissemination)
• Budget and budget justification

Format the proposal so that it is easy to read. Use headings to break the proposal up into sections. If it is long, include a table of contents with page numbers.

The title page usually includes a brief yet explicit title for the research project, the names of the principal investigator(s), the institutional affiliation of the applicants (the department and university), name and address of the granting agency, project dates, amount of funding requested, and signatures of university personnel authorizing the proposal (when necessary). Most funding agencies have specific requirements for the title page; make sure to follow them.

The abstract provides readers with their first impression of your project. To remind themselves of your proposal, readers may glance at your abstract when making their final recommendations, so it may also serve as their last impression of your project. The abstract should explain the key elements of your research project in the future tense. Most abstracts state: (1) the general purpose, (2) specific goals, (3) research design, (4) methods, and (5) significance (contribution and rationale). Be as explicit as possible in your abstract. Use statements such as, “The objective of this study is to …”

Introduction

The introduction should cover the key elements of your proposal, including a statement of the problem, the purpose of research, research goals or objectives, and significance of the research. The statement of problem should provide a background and rationale for the project and establish the need and relevance of the research. How is your project different from previous research on the same topic? Will you be using new methodologies or covering new theoretical territory? The research goals or objectives should identify the anticipated outcomes of the research and should match up to the needs identified in the statement of problem. List only the principle goal(s) or objective(s) of your research and save sub-objectives for the project narrative.

Many proposals require a literature review. Reviewers want to know whether you’ve done the necessary preliminary research to undertake your project. Literature reviews should be selective and critical, not exhaustive. Reviewers want to see your evaluation of pertinent works. For more information, see our handout on literature reviews .

Project narrative

The project narrative provides the meat of your proposal and may require several subsections. The project narrative should supply all the details of the project, including a detailed statement of problem, research objectives or goals, hypotheses, methods, procedures, outcomes or deliverables, and evaluation and dissemination of the research.

For the project narrative, pre-empt and/or answer all of the reviewers’ questions. Don’t leave them wondering about anything. For example, if you propose to conduct unstructured interviews with open-ended questions, be sure you’ve explained why this methodology is best suited to the specific research questions in your proposal. Or, if you’re using item response theory rather than classical test theory to verify the validity of your survey instrument, explain the advantages of this innovative methodology. Or, if you need to travel to Valdez, Alaska to access historical archives at the Valdez Museum, make it clear what documents you hope to find and why they are relevant to your historical novel on the ’98ers in the Alaskan Gold Rush.

Clearly and explicitly state the connections between your research objectives, research questions, hypotheses, methodologies, and outcomes. As the requirements for a strong project narrative vary widely by discipline, consult a discipline-specific guide to grant writing for some additional advice.

Explain staffing requirements in detail and make sure that staffing makes sense. Be very explicit about the skill sets of the personnel already in place (you will probably include their Curriculum Vitae as part of the proposal). Explain the necessary skill sets and functions of personnel you will recruit. To minimize expenses, phase out personnel who are not relevant to later phases of a project.

The budget spells out project costs and usually consists of a spreadsheet or table with the budget detailed as line items and a budget narrative (also known as a budget justification) that explains the various expenses. Even when proposal guidelines do not specifically mention a narrative, be sure to include a one or two page explanation of the budget. To see a sample budget, turn to Example #1 at the end of this handout.

Consider including an exhaustive budget for your project, even if it exceeds the normal grant size of a particular funding organization. Simply make it clear that you are seeking additional funding from other sources. This technique will make it easier for you to combine awards down the road should you have the good fortune of receiving multiple grants.

Make sure that all budget items meet the funding agency’s requirements. For example, all U.S. government agencies have strict requirements for airline travel. Be sure the cost of the airline travel in your budget meets their requirements. If a line item falls outside an agency’s requirements (e.g. some organizations will not cover equipment purchases or other capital expenses), explain in the budget justification that other grant sources will pay for the item.

Many universities require that indirect costs (overhead) be added to grants that they administer. Check with the appropriate offices to find out what the standard (or required) rates are for overhead. Pass a draft budget by the university officer in charge of grant administration for assistance with indirect costs and costs not directly associated with research (e.g. facilities use charges).

Furthermore, make sure you factor in the estimated taxes applicable for your case. Depending on the categories of expenses and your particular circumstances (whether you are a foreign national, for example), estimated tax rates may differ. You can consult respective departmental staff or university services, as well as professional tax assistants. For information on taxes on scholarships and fellowships, see https://cashier.unc.edu/student-tax-information/scholarships-fellowships/ .

Explain the timeframe for the research project in some detail. When will you begin and complete each step? It may be helpful to reviewers if you present a visual version of your timeline. For less complicated research, a table summarizing the timeline for the project will help reviewers understand and evaluate the planning and feasibility. See Example #2 at the end of this handout.

For multi-year research proposals with numerous procedures and a large staff, a time line diagram can help clarify the feasibility and planning of the study. See Example #3 at the end of this handout.

Revising your proposal

Strong grant proposals take a long time to develop. Start the process early and leave time to get feedback from several readers on different drafts. Seek out a variety of readers, both specialists in your research area and non-specialist colleagues. You may also want to request assistance from knowledgeable readers on specific areas of your proposal. For example, you may want to schedule a meeting with a statistician to help revise your methodology section. Don’t hesitate to seek out specialized assistance from the relevant research offices on your campus. At UNC, the Odum Institute provides a variety of services to graduate students and faculty in the social sciences.

In your revision and editing, ask your readers to give careful consideration to whether you’ve made explicit the connections between your research objectives and methodology. Here are some example questions:

• Have you presented a compelling case?
• Have you made your hypotheses explicit?
• Does your project seem feasible? Is it overly ambitious? Does it have other weaknesses?
• Have you stated the means that grantors can use to evaluate the success of your project after you’ve executed it?

If a granting agency lists particular criteria used for rating and evaluating proposals, be sure to share these with your own reviewers.

Example #1. Sample Budget

Jet travel $6,100 This estimate is based on the commercial high season rate for jet economy travel on Sabena Belgian Airlines. No U.S. carriers fly to Kigali, Rwanda. Sabena has student fare tickets available which will be significantly less expensive (approximately $2,000).

Maintenance allowance $22,788 Based on the Fulbright-Hays Maintenance Allowances published in the grant application guide.

Research assistant/translator $4,800 The research assistant/translator will be a native (and primary) speaker of Kinya-rwanda with at least a four-year university degree. They will accompany the primary investigator during life history interviews to provide assistance in comprehension. In addition, they will provide commentary, explanations, and observations to facilitate the primary investigator’s participant observation. During the first phase of the project in Kigali, the research assistant will work forty hours a week and occasional overtime as needed. During phases two and three in rural Rwanda, the assistant will stay with the investigator overnight in the field when necessary. The salary of $400 per month is based on the average pay rate for individuals with similar qualifications working for international NGO’s in Rwanda.

Transportation within country, phase one $1,200 The primary investigator and research assistant will need regular transportation within Kigali by bus and taxi. The average taxi fare in Kigali is $6-8 and bus fare is $.15. This figure is based on an average of $10 per day in transportation costs during the first project phase.

Transportation within country, phases two and three $12,000 Project personnel will also require regular transportation between rural field sites. If it is not possible to remain overnight, daily trips will be necessary. The average rental rate for a 4×4 vehicle in Rwanda is $130 per day. This estimate is based on an average of $50 per day in transportation costs for the second and third project phases. These costs could be reduced if an arrangement could be made with either a government ministry or international aid agency for transportation assistance.

Email $720 The rate for email service from RwandaTel (the only service provider in Rwanda) is $60 per month. Email access is vital for receiving news reports on Rwanda and the region as well as for staying in contact with dissertation committee members and advisors in the United States.

Audiocassette tapes $400 Audiocassette tapes will be necessary for recording life history interviews, musical performances, community events, story telling, and other pertinent data.

Photographic & slide film $100 Photographic and slide film will be necessary to document visual data such as landscape, environment, marriages, funerals, community events, etc.

Laptop computer $2,895 A laptop computer will be necessary for recording observations, thoughts, and analysis during research project. Price listed is a special offer to UNC students through the Carolina Computing Initiative.

NUD*IST 4.0 software $373.00 NUD*IST, “Nonnumerical, Unstructured Data, Indexing, Searching, and Theorizing,” is necessary for cataloging, indexing, and managing field notes both during and following the field research phase. The program will assist in cataloging themes that emerge during the life history interviews.

Administrative fee $100 Fee set by Fulbright-Hays for the sponsoring institution.

Example #2: Project Timeline in Table Format

Example #3: Project Timeline in Chart Format

Some closing advice

Some of us may feel ashamed or embarrassed about asking for money or promoting ourselves. Often, these feelings have more to do with our own insecurities than with problems in the tone or style of our writing. If you’re having trouble because of these types of hang-ups, the most important thing to keep in mind is that it never hurts to ask. If you never ask for the money, they’ll never give you the money. Besides, the worst thing they can do is say no.

UNC resources for proposal writing

Research at Carolina http://research.unc.edu

The Odum Institute for Research in the Social Sciences https://odum.unc.edu/

UNC Medical School Office of Research https://www.med.unc.edu/oor

UNC School of Public Health Office of Research http://www.sph.unc.edu/research/

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Holloway, Brian R. 2003. Proposal Writing Across the Disciplines. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Levine, S. Joseph. “Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal.” http://www.learnerassociates.net/proposal/ .

Locke, Lawrence F., Waneen Wyrick Spirduso, and Stephen J. Silverman. 2014. Proposals That Work . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Przeworski, Adam, and Frank Salomon. 2012. “Some Candid Suggestions on the Art of Writing Proposals.” Social Science Research Council. https://s3.amazonaws.com/ssrc-cdn2/art-of-writing-proposals-dsd-e-56b50ef814f12.pdf .

Reif-Lehrer, Liane. 1989. Writing a Successful Grant Application . Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Wiggins, Beverly. 2002. “Funding and Proposal Writing for Social Science Faculty and Graduate Student Research.” Chapel Hill: Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in Social Science. 2 Feb. 2004. http://www2.irss.unc.edu/irss/shortcourses/wigginshandouts/granthandout.pdf.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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