Preparation for a Grant Proposal
Foundations receive a vast number of proposals each year requesting funding for innumerable organizations and projects. A majority of these proposals are rejected for one reason or another. Most commonly, they are rejected for insufficient information regarding the nature of the project or the intended use of the funds. Other proposals are turned down, not because of such deficiency, but because the proposal is sent to a foundation or funder that does not give grants to their particular type of proposal. Proper preparation and research can reduce or eliminate such an embarrassing faux pas in the nonprofit sector. Careful planning must be undertaken, incorporating research into the specific issue your project is to address, the expected effects of your project, the costs of your project and even research into the foundations and organizations from whom you intend to solicit funding for your project. In this article, we will attempt to show the basic elements of necessary in preparing a grant proposal and in selecting potential funding sources. These guidelines can be used for a variety of grant applications but, due to significant differences in funding source guidelines and expectations, we encourage you to read the guidelines of each funding source carefully. Often funding source guidelines will include a description of what types of grants they offer and what kinds of organizations or projects qualify for those grants. Knowing this information can help you be better prepared with a persuasively written proposal that is sent to the appropriate funding source or sources.
Preparation
Most grant proposal writers find the steps necessary for proper preparation to be excessively time consuming. Yet they are the most vital segment in preparing grant-winning proposals. When done properly, the preparatory research will simplify and speed the actual writing process and make for a more successful grant proposal. The preparation phase can be broken into seven fundamental steps.
Define the Project
In the first step the proposal writer must gain an understanding of the purpose the project serves and write a clear mission statement. This allows the writer to define the scope of the project and to focus the search for funding sources. As a part of this definition, the writer must establish the project goals and then identify what objectives will define the focus of the work to accomplish those goals. Objectives can differ greatly, depending on the priorities of the organization or even of the individual writer. What one organization or writer might consider critical may seem to be insignificant to another. The next part of this definition process is to determine who will benefit from the grant. Beneficiaries to a grant are not always who you initially think they are. A grant to establish a scholarship fund will benefit students, of course, but so will the community through the student having upgraded economic skills to contribute to the economic health of the community. The businesses within the community will also benefit from the improved skills of the student and, in some small measure; the nation itself will be slightly better positioned economically. In short, the benefits of a grant extend far beyond the one it is “targeted” to. The last part of the definition process is to explain the expected outcomes of the project in specific measurable terms and establish an expected timeline, allowing time for the planning phase, time to search for potential funders, time for the writing of your proposal and, of course, the intended starting date of the project itself. The timeline can be extended to include benchmark achievement points and even specific dates for future evaluation of the projects effectiveness. The timeline should be updated periodically to account for proposal submission deadlines, grant award dates, etc.
Finding the Right Funding Sources
There are many sources of information on grant funding organizations. Some cities have foundation centers or special sections of the public library that have numerous directories of grant-giving foundations and nationwide philanthropists. There are also fundraising publications and online or computerized databases that have this type of information in them that can automate your funding source search somewhat. Do not limit yourself to only one source for this information. Organizations and philanthropists listed in one may not be found in other sources. When looking at the funding source information, pay particular attention to their list of supported activities. This list is your first clue as to which source matches the need, purpose and goals of your project. Sending a funding request for a school or day care to a foundation that only supports medical or environmental causes is a waste of your time and the foundation’s. By prescreening potential sources in this manner, you improve the professional image of your organization. Once you have prescreened the potential sources, it is time to make first contact. This will be a preliminary contact only, not your actual request for funding. Focusing on only those organizations that appear to fund projects like yours, contact the potential sources and request their proposal guidelines and, if available, a list of projects they have previously funded through the grant program. During this contact, don’t forget to ask about floor and ceiling funding amounts (minimum grant size and maximum grant size) along with information about average grant size and typical range of awards. Another thing to ask is if the funder might have other grant programs or know of other sources your project may be eligible for. Think of the potential funder as a resource not only of funds, but of knowledge as well. During the contact, you should attempt to identify a project officer who can address your questions. Grant-making organizations occasionally offer technical assistance if requested, including the review of proposal drafts and advice on their improvement. Inquiring about how proposals are reviewed and decisions made is another important contact point. A part of the review and decision process may be a consideration of budgetary requirements and required matching funds from other sources. Matching funds could, in some cases, include in-kind contributions, meaning the contributor supplies goods and services that they normally sell or charge fees for. Related to this are the payment processes of the foundation and how they might affect the cash flow of your organization. Remember, always maintain a courteous attitude with potential investors. The contacts you make, even if unproductive at present, may end up valuable later. At times a rejection by one organization may end up an approval by another due to the first organization’s recommendation. Remember; stress that this first contact is an information gathering contact only. Establishing this fact should, hopefully, soften any resistance and gain the cooperation of your contact person. Regardless, don’t burn any bridges at this stage. An organization’s apparent reluctance to speak to you at this time in all probability does not reflect the worthiness of your project or the source’s usefulness. It could just as easily reflect the organization’s ability, financially, to fund new projects at that moment. Knowing you are only seeking information for future use may break through this resistance.
Researching Proposal Guidelines
At this point, with any luck, you now have a copy of the potential source’s proposal guidelines. Read these carefully two or three times, taking notes just like you would in a classroom each time. These guidelines are filled with important information and details you will need to prepare your proposal. Usually the guidelines will contain information on submission deadlines, eligibility requirements, the expected proposal format, a review timetable, the sources funding goals and priorities, examples of awards and the available levels, tips on the evaluation process and criteria and whom to contact with your completed proposal. On occasion the guidelines may include funder specific requirements that also must be addressed in your proposal. Think you’re ready? Okay, read the guidelines one last time to make sure.
Determine Your Personnel Needs
One thing many people forget at this point is identifying the personnel and services you will need to complete your proposal. Check with your advisors, staff and volunteers regarding their availability. Sometimes getting them onboard with the project will require negotiated compensation for their time or extra effort on the proposal project. This will, of course, affect the budget considerations on your project and will need to be disclosed in the appropriate proposal section. Never assume that these people will be available for every project. Just as with any business, your organization’s staff, advisors and volunteers also have lives outside the organization and will respond much better and will be much more loyal if you respect this fact.
Maintaining Your Timeline
Now that you have all the basics, this is an excellent time to update your timeline. Don’t forget to include sufficient time before the submission deadline for you to write multiple drafts, solicit reviews of the drafts, perform necessary additional research, and to prepare a formal, impartial critique of your proposal. Prior to submission it must be polished for clarity, content and format, which takes time and must be reflected in your timeline. Also, keep in mind the format and content requirements of the funder. Improperly formatted or incomplete proposal packets may cause the funder to either reject your proposal outright or, if you are luck, to return the proposal to you for the necessary corrections. It is also important to follow up on the proposal once delivered. The follow up insures that the funder received the proposal and allows you an opportunity to check on its status. The time required for all this should be factored into your timeline.
Respect the Submission Deadline
You should plan submitting your proposal by the submission deadline (preferably well before). Be realistic on anticipating the time you need in preparing your proposal. It is important to inquire concerning the funder’s policies on late proposal submissions (if allowed at all) and any exceptions to these policies. Some provide for mail or weather delays, others do not. You should plan accordingly.
What We Can Do For You
Many of our writers have extensive experience in the nonprofit sector and can easily assist you with the research and development of your grant proposal. Some have, themselves, submitted such proposals for the financing of their expenses while writing novels and other books on a vast range of topics. With this experience and their talent in research and writing, our writers are fully qualified to assist you in the preparation of your proposal. All we need is your order and details regarding your project.
