How to Write a Grant Proposal

Grant proposals are a part of any fundraiser's portfolio. To achieve optimal success your grant proposals should be part of your overall fundraising plan.

Grants may be from a variety of sources (such as a foundation or a government entity), but most require the same information. Here are the most common sections of grant proposals, and the information you should include. 1. Cover Letter

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Although the cover letter is written last, don't give it short shrift. It is the front porch of your grant proposal and will determine how well the rest of the proposal is received. A bad impression here will be difficult to make up later. You'll want to address your letter to a specific person, briefly state what your proposal asks for, and summarize (not repeat) the essence of your program.

2. Executive Summary The summary comes after your cover letter. It helps the grantor to understand at a glance what you are seeking. The summary can be as short as a couple of sentences, but no longer than one page. Aim to be complete (touching on the main points of your proposal) but brief. This is a taste of the proposal to come. It should entice the reader to keep going. The summary doesn't need to be wildly inventive, but it should be well-written (to impress), complete (explain what your organization does and its mission), and specific enough (include details of the proposed program) to involve the reader. 3. Need Statement This is the meat of your grant proposal. You must convince the funder that what you propose to do is important and that your organization is the right one to do it. Assume that the reader of your proposal does not know much about the issue or subject. Explain why the issue is important, and what research you did to learn about possible solutions.

The need statement must include both stories and data, and be matched to the interests of the granting organization. The goal is to convince the funder that this project solves an important societal problem, and that the funder should be completely interested in supporting it.

4. Goals and Objectives Here is where you explain what your organization plans to do about the problem. State what you ultimately hope to accomplish with the project and spell out the specific results oroutcomes you expect to accomplish. Think of goals as general and broad outcomes and objectives as the specific steps you'll take to get to those outcomes. 5. Methods, Strategies or Program Design This section is where you walk the grantor through exactly HOW you will achieve the goals and objectives you've set out earlier. You may be required to provide a logic model in this section. Make this section very detailed and logical. Include a timeline and specify who will do what and when. 6. Evaluation Section How will you assess your program's accomplishments? Funders want to know that their dollars actually did some good. So decide now how you will evaluate the impact of your project. Include what records you will keep or data you will collect, and how you will use that data. If the data collection

costs money, be sure to include that cost in your budget. Many organizations plan to hire an outside evaluator to ensure an objective assessment. 7. Other Funding or Sustainability Have you gotten committed funds from other sources? Or have you asked other sources? Most funders do not wish to be the sole source of support for a project. Be sure to mention in-kind contributions you expect, such as meeting space or equipment.

Is this a pilot project with a limited time-line? Or will it go into the future? If so, how do you plan to fund it? Is it sustainable over the long haul?

8. Organizational Information In a few paragraphs explain what your organization does, and why the funder can trust it to use the requested funds responsibly and effectively.

Give a short history of your organization, state its mission, the population it serves, and provide an overview of its track record in achieving its mission. Describe or list your programs. Be complete in this part of your proposal even if you know the funder or have gotten grants from this grantmaker before.

9. Budget How much will your project cost? Attach a short budget showing expected expenses and income. The expenses portion should include personnel expenses, direct project expenses, and administrative or overhead expenses. Income should include earned income and contributed income. 10. Additional Materials Funders are likely to want the following:

IRS letter proving that your organization is tax-exempt. List of your board of directors and their affiliations. Financial statement from your last fiscal year. Budget for your current fiscal year. Budget for your next fiscal year if you are within a few months of that new year.

11. Putting it all together Put everything together with your cover sheet and a cover letter. You may need to have your CEO and/or the Board President sign the cover sheet or letter. You do not need a fancy binder, but it should all be neatly typed and free of errors.

More About Writing Grant Proposals

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How to Develop a Grant Proposal Writing Process

Taking the Long View of Grant Proposal Writing

If you're thinking that writing a grant proposal is a quick way to solve your organization's funding problem, you should probably go into another line of work. Writing a grant proposal should not be a one-shot experiment. You don't write a grant proposal...you write many grant proposals. Grant proposal writing should be an ongoing process and an integral part of your overall fundraising program. Here are the parts of that process: 1. It all starts with your organization's funding priorities.

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Your organization should identify, on an annual basis, what your funding needs are for the near future. You will have all the programs and activities that you currently operate plus. ideas for new programs or the expansion of existing ones. Each activity or program will have a funding source or group of sources, such as your current grants, annual fund, product sales, admission fees, etc. At this point you will identify those plans or projects that are likely to translate well into grant proposals, and start the process of developing them.

2. Preparing a draft grant proposal. Before you go much further, it is wise to put together a draft grant proposal for one of the projects or programs that you've identified as a candidate for funding. At this stage you willassemble the detailed background information you'll need, decide who will write the proposal, and draft the key components of the grant proposal such as the executive summary, statement of need, project description, budget, and organizational information.
The Basics of Grant Proposals - From Summary to Budget

3. Finding potential funders for your grant proposal. With a draft grant proposal in hand, it is time to look for appropriate funders. Develop a list of criteria so that you can find funders that fit with your proposal. You'll want to identify funders that are interested in your particular location, the program area in which you work (education, poverty, health, etc), and funders that are willing to provide the amount of funds your project will need. Develop a broad list of potential funders and then winnow it down to those that best fit with your needs.
6 Steps to Finding Funders for Your Grant

4. Contacting and cultivating potential funders for your grant proposal. It is not wise to just start dropping proposals in the mail or filling out online grant applications. You will save a lot of time and error if you make a call to, or email, the foundation and speak to a program officer. Briefly explain your project and ask if it is the sort of thing the foundation is currently interested in. This might lead to unexpected information and, at the worst, will simply alert you that this particular foundation is not a good match for your grant proposal. You might find out that the foundation's interests are worth thinking about for a future project and proposal.
5 Steps to Getting Your Grant Proposal Funded

5. Packaging the grant proposal Once you've determined that your proposal is a match for a particular funder, tailor your basic proposal to that funder's priorities. Make sure you understand the funder's guidelines for grant proposals and that you follow them. Add a cover letter and any accompanying documents the funder requests and make sure the proposal is accurate and easy-to-read.
How to Write a Cover Letter for Your Grant Proposal

6. Responding to acceptance or rejection of your grant proposal. If your grant proposal is accepted, take responsibility for the follow up. This will be crucial to your ongoing relationship with the funder. Take care of the letter of agreement or contract as soon as possible. Have your board president or ED send a personal note of thanks. Schedule updates and reports. Develop a relationship that will endure.

If your grant proposal is rejected, respond graciously. Do 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. Never complain. Never call a board member. Don't become a pest. Don't burn this bridge. You may well need it later.

Getting Your Grant Proposal Budget Right

For many writers of grant proposals, the budget component can be very intimidating. However, knowing some basic principles of writing grants, such as how costs are presented, can make writing a grant less stressful. Budget Preparation for Grants Present your grant proposal budget in a way to make a very good impression on the reviewer.

Print it on a new page Align figures properly Double-check your figures Include column headings, such as: Budget Category, Requested Funds, Local Contributions, and Project Total

Organize your budget so it is easy to read and understand. Direct Costs for Grants Direct costs for your grant are perhaps the most important component in your grants budget. They represent the funds you are seeking from the funding source. The costs described below are considered direct costs. Personnel: If your program requires that you cover staff costs, you will include that salary under the category personnel. If you are hiring new staff, determining the actual salary can be tricky. One place to start is by checking with similar organizations to find out what they are paying program employees. State whether wages are based on annual salary or hourly wage If hourly, show the breakdown of hours and weeks. Such as: $10.00 per hour X 40 hours per week X 52 weeks = $20,800) Fringe Benefits: Fringe benefits are those taxes and benefits that the employer must pay for an employee. They are primarily based upon gross salary and average about 21% to 27%. Fringe benefits that are required by law include FICA (Social Security and Medicare), FUTA (Federal Unemployment Taxes/Insurance), SUTA or SUI (State Unemployment Taxes/Insurance), and Workers Compensation (on-the-job accident insurance). Other benefits include medical insurance and paid sick

leave. When listing fringe benefits in your budget, be sure to note Standard Government Fringe Benefits Package as Required by Law, in case a reviewer does not know what fringe benefits include. Travel: Many times travel can be included in the proposals budget. While travel expenses are a heavily scrutinized item, there are ways to get them approved. Make sure to provide clear formulas and documentation for why travel is necessary. Include the cost for a plane ticket, the cost of a hotel per night and the number of nights you will be staying, and a food allowance. Be sure and use realistic but conservative figures and avoid using round numbers, such as use $1,280 instead of $1,000. Equipment: Funding sources often scrutinize the purchase of equipment. To help them understand equipment costs, provide them with documentation of the program need for the equipment. Equipment costs should be well defined and include specifications. For example, you might include a highspeed copier system to be used to reproduce reports and other documents for committees, staff members, and volunteers. You should explain how the copier will help you in administering the program. Supplies: Funding sources qualify or define supplies differently. Always check with the funding source before proceeding with this section. It is also important to explain how the supplies will assist in running the program. It is also helpful to break down supplies into categories such as general office supplies, educational and training supplies, and computer supplies. In-Kind Contributions: In-kind contributions are goods or services that are donated to the organization. These services/contributions can oftentimes be used as match by many funding sources. Examples of in-kind contributions include:

volunteers use of a building and utilities advertising donation of books transportation pro-bono professional services

The value of these services or goods is estimated based on their market value. For example, a volunteer working in an unskilled position would be calculated at minimum wage dollar value. To indicate this in a budget, you might include a formula such as: 5 volunteers X $5.15 hourly X 5 hours per week X 36 weeks = $4,635 In-kind contributions can impress reviewers as they present evidence of community support for the program. Indirect Costs for Grants Indirect costs for your grant (overhead) are costs associated with administration and facilities. Such as:

Building costs Insurance Utilities Garbage Service

Usually a percentage of total direct costs can be reimbursed by a funding source only if an indirect cost rate has been negotiated and approved by the grantor. Before including an indirect costs

category in your budget, make sure you thoroughly read the RFP and Grant Guidelines. It will tell you know whether or not indirect costs apply to the grant program.