Writing Grant Proposals: The Basics

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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
Developed for the Virginia Tobacco Settlement
Foundation By R. Neal Graham, MS, CFRE
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
Introduction The following course has been
designed specifically for the Virginia Tobacco
Settlement Foundations process of grant proposal
development but not any one Request For Proposal
(RFP). It does not contain information on other
components of proposal writing, source
identification and program reporting. The
course has been divided into two phases those
activities to be undertaken before you begin to
write and those employed in the writing process.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A. The Pre-Writing Stage The work done before
you begin to write the actual proposal is most
important of the stages and where you should
spend the majority of your time. It is the
pre-thinking of the idea, the determination and
documentation of who you are and the ability to
come to a clear understanding of the concept for
the proposal that often determines where you will
seek funding and the overall success of the
effort. In too many cases, proposal writers jump
into the writing phase without doing their
homework and clearly working through the
conceptual frameworks required to write a
proposal that articulates their organizational
capabilities, the community needs and support, or
the solution to the problem. In addition,
numerous hours of work are dedicated to writing a
proposal that does not address the needs of the
funding agency or is submitted inappropriately.
All these pitfalls can be avoided.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-1. Who Are You? -- The Organization In order
to convince a funding agency to dedicate dollars
to your organization you must first understand
and be able to articulate who your organizations
is, what its capabilities are, and why it is
uniquely qualified to undertake the endeavor for
which you are seeking funding. This is done
through the collection of certain basic documents
that all organizations have on hand but which
grant writers may have difficulty in locating
within the sometime short deadlines of a grant
writing exercise. Therefore, it is important to
locate these identifying materials and keep them
at the ready.  
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics

• A-1. Who Are You? -- The Organization
• Philosophy
• Usually a relatively short document or statement
  outlining the basic mission,function and
  methodology of the organization. It should be
  clear, concise and reflect the reason your
  organization exists.
• b. Goals (short long term)
• In order to judge whether or not to fund a grant
  proposal the funding agency will wish to see how
  the proposed effort fits into the overall
  direction of the organization. The proposed idea
  should further, enhance or strengthen a stated
  goal, either short-term or long term, of the
  organization. An organization that has not
  engaged in a planning process and has not
  developed a directional strategy is less likely
  to attract funding.

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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-1. Who Are You? -- The Organization c.
Governing Body (officers, members,
terms) Identification of the governing body of
the organization serves numerous purposes. It
provides a sense of who is ultimately responsible
for the funds that are being requested.
Demonstration of competent leadership often
enhances the possibility of long term funding.
Also, the governing body may contain individuals
with sufficient name recognition to present an
image of success, connections to the community
and of stability of the organization. Board
members may be able to leverage the funds
received to the mutual benefit of the
organization and the funding agency.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-1. Who Are You? -- The Organization d. Key
Personnel Every funding agency will want to know
who will be in charge of implementing and
supervising the proposed idea. Persons such as
the Executive Director, Program Director/Manager,
Business Manager and personnel specific to the
proposals success should be identified by
position, expertise and credentials. An
organizational chart or staffing pattern is an
excellent means to communicate the chain of
command and the status the proposal will have
within the organization. If the proposal
involves positions and/or persons that are
presently not part of the staffing plan, list the
positions and the required skills on the chart
and specify that the positions will be filled
upon when the funding is secured. Often a
funding agency will require position descriptions
to accompany the proposal. These should be
current and specific.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-1. Who Are You? -- The Organization e.
Annual Report(s) Annual reports or statements
are an excellent way to communicate the success
and capability of your organization. They may
also provide financial information that the
funding source may require. f. Budget An
annual budget is another means of providing
information on the size, scope, financial
stability, breadth of resources, and
organizational commitments. Keep in mind, this
is the organizational budget, not the budget
specific to your proposal.  
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-1. Who Are You? -- The Organization g.
Sources of Funds Many funding agencies will want
to know the financial resources of the
organization and where these funds originate,
(e.g. private donors, corporate solicitations,
foundations or government agencies). This
information may be captured in an annual report
but, in case it is not, it should be disclosed.
If your organization has any restrictions on
funds it will accept, such restrictions should be
stated. h. Important Documents Most funding
agencies will ask for copies of basic documents
that identify and validate your organization
(e.g. bylaws, articles of incorporation, tax
status). Such documents should be legible,
current and on file with the appropriate agencies
in your state.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-2. The Idea All proposals come from an
original idea. Most successful proposals are
concepts that have been dreamed of, discussed
with others and carefully thought through long
before work on a grant proposal begins. It is
the generation and development of the idea and
the supporting documentation that allows the
proposal writer to be able to consider all the
aspects of the issue, what information will be
need to support it and what other resources may
be joined to make it successful.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics

• A-2. The Idea
• Local Needs
• The vast majority of successful grant proposals
  address a local need. Even projects that cover a
  large area or multiple sites can be broken down
  to smaller localities, communities, populations
  or neighborhoods. This identification of local
  needs makes the proposal more personal and allows
  for identification of individuals instead of just
  statistics.
• b. Local Issues
• As with local needs, there may be issues
  involved that are specific to that locality.
  Identification of such issues allows for the
  inclusion of opinion, values, and community
  positions in the proposal. In some cases, it is
  the local issue that will determine the success
  or failure of the proposed idea.

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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-2. The Idea c. Void in Services Having
identified the needs or the issues, many ideas
flow from the concept that the problem could be
solved if only a particular service or program
existed or, if a service does exist, how it could
be expanded. If other like services do exist, it
is important to note how they differ or are
incomplete so the organization can avoid
questions of duplication of services. The
process of specifying what that service could be,
who could deliver it, how it would be
administered and how much it might cost is often
the outline of the proposal.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-2. The Idea d. Need for Information The final
component in the generation of the idea is
information. You must be able to document needs
in an objective manner - anecdotal information or
statements will not suffice. Such information
may be obtained from surveys, research, official
records, etc. It is often the determination that
there is not enough information available to be
able to either fully understand the need or issue
or to determine if and how it can be addressed.
Funding for the gathering and analysis of
information can be a part of a proposal or a
separate proposal in and of itself. Regardless,
basic information is essential to be able to
develop the proposal and to demonstrate success
of the funded idea.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-3. The Concept Outline Organizations that
seriously think about their future will
continually develop concept papers for projects.
By thinking about what needs exist and how your
organization can fit into the solutions you
become both more prepared to respond to funding
opportunities and more aggressive in seeking
funding opportunities. There will be the
occasion when the window to respond to such an
opportunity is very short and the organization
that is best prepared is often the most
successful.   The concept outline provides
several basic components of the grant proposal.
It determines where and how the idea fits into
the overall mission and philosophy of the
organization. It requires the organization to
review its role in the community it serves. It
requires various levels of the organization to
come to consensus on what types of projects the
organization wishes to pursue. Lastly, it may
direct the organization toward particular funding
sources.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-3. The Concept Outline a. Overall
Goals Based on the idea that has been generated,
define more specifically what the organization
would like to accomplish. These goals can be
process, operational or outcome based. It may
entail internal issues such as capital
improvements, infrastructure development, staff
growth or program expansion. They will also
address external issues such as populations
served, behaviors modified or community changes
accomplished. The goals listed here should be
consistent with the broader goals of the
organization previously listed. Funding agencies
will review these goals to determine if the
proposed project goals further the organizational
goals or if they are merely an attempt to raise
funds.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-3. The Concept Outline b. Rationale (Why Do
It?, Why You?) A famous philosopher once said
that just because something can be done or even
needs to be done, it does not have to be done.
This is one of the first determinations an
organization must make - should the endeavor be
undertaken. There can be numerous needs that can
be addressed but there can be just as many
reasons not to engage in a program or project.
Issues such as timing, competing needs, internal
deficiencies, duplication of efforts, etc. can
all affect the decision to proceed. And, just as
importantly, although a need may exist, it must
be determined that your organization is in the
best position to address it. Seeking funding
just to seek funding is among the poorest reasons
to write a proposal and is among the primary
reasons proposals are not successful.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-3. The Concept Outline c. Community
Impacted As stated earlier, be able to identify
the particular areas to be impacted as
specifically as possible. They may be
communities within communities. Also, engage
representatives from the identified areas to
assist you in developing the outline. Proposals
that demonstrate collaboration and unity are more
likely to be funded. d. Specific Population(s)
to be Served As with identifying the communities,
in developing a concept outline it is critical to
be specific as to the persons or population that
will receive the benefit of the proposed idea.
If this cannot be defined or if the specific
outcomes are uncertain, go back and gather more
information.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
A-3. The Concept Outline e. Cost
Estimate Every idea has a cost factor and how
that cost is to be met must be addressed. Some
may be excellent ideas but be cost prohibitive.
Some may be more attractive to funding agencies.
Funding for projects with high staff or
administrative costs may be more difficult to
secure. Some projects may generate their own
revenue once they are operational. There may be
matching funds for some projects. Regardless,
some thought must be given to how much an idea
will cost to implement and operate and how this
fits into the overall budget of the organization.

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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics

• A-3. The Concept Outline
• Expected Outcomes
• Building upon the development of the overall
  goals, you should have some picture of what
  success will look like before you begin. The
  operational process, the methodology, the
  infrastructure, the data collected all stem from
  the outcomes that are anticipated. These
  outcomes need to be realistic, measurable, timely
  and directly attributable to your idea.
• g. Internal Organizational Support
• Too often an idea will be generated at a lower
  level of the organization and a great deal of
  energy and resources will be dedicated to its
  development only to find that, in the end, it did
  not have the support of upper management. This
  is wasteful and frustrating. Therefore, prior to
  putting time and effort into a concept, secure
  approval for its development.

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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B. The Writing Stage Based on either a response
from the funding agency, criteria provided
through a specific Request for Proposals (RFP) or
the result of funding research, the writer is now
ready to put pen to paper and develop a proposal.
If the writer has been diligent in the
pre-writing phase, much of the background work
has been done and what is left is to develop the
idea into a plan.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-1. Writing the Proposal The majority of
funding agencies will have specific guidelines
regarding the requirements of the proposal. The
golden rule is no matter how much you like your
own system - follow theirs. However, there are
basic components of every proposal. They may
vary in name, order or combination but most are
present. As a general rule, these components are
ordered from the general to the specific. There
may also be technical writing specifications to
be followed. The funding agency may list such
specifications in order to standardize the
proposals for review or to limit the volume of
the proposals content. Such items as number of
total pages, paper size, margins, fonts and font
sizes may be specified.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-1. Writing the Proposal a. Introduction A
basic statement through which you set the stage
for the proposal. It provides a synopsis of the
idea, process, focus populations, and key
outcomes. Depending on the length specified it
may also discuss the capabilities of the
organization, past accomplishments, key personnel
and evaluation strategies. Keep in mind that the
introduction is the first impression of the
reviewer write it well. b. Purpose of
Proposed Project Reflecting back to the concept
outline, this section will specify the broad
outcomes of the program or project. Usually
written in a generalized sense, the purpose
paints a picture of what the proposal is to
accomplish. It does not provide the details.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-1. Writing the Proposal c. Statement of
Need The first specific piece of information
provided to the reviewer is the statement of need
in which the writer focuses on the particular
problem to be solved. The writer must
sufficiently document the need through
statistics, research or other objective means.
Comparisons with national data other states, or
other communities can be made to more clearly
demonstrate the issue if it is to the writers
benefit. However, some care must be taken not to
paint such a bleak picture as to appear hopeless.
d. Project Description A clear and concise
description of what the project will look like
when it is fully operational. Include such items
as location of services, overall timelines, basic
materials, collaborative efforts, etc.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-1. Writing the Proposal e. Goals and
Objectives A simple rule of thumb is that goals
are the destination, objectives are the roadmaps.
Goals are more global and reflect the broad
outcomes. Objectives include specific actions,
timeframes, responsible parties, measures of
success and targeted populations. Both must be
realistic, attainable and measurable. f.
Methodology A description of the mechanisms to
be employed to accomplish the goals and
objectives. Specify strategies, techniques,
materials, tools and other means to be utilized
by the persons responsible for the completion to
the program or project.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-1. Writing the Proposal g. Organizational
Capability As the proposal writer you must
demonstrate that your organization is capable of
accomplishing the aspects outlined in the
proposed project. This is accomplished by
documenting that your organizations has
accomplished similar projects in the past, has
the present ability to accomplish this task and
is the best organization to implement the
proposed solution. Such documentation would
include key Board, staff or volunteers,
particular programs or materials, specific
access, involvement or contacts with the focus
population or community, unique insights or
understanding of the problem, program reports,
etc. Again, it is important to document that
the proposed project is consistent with the
organizational mission, its scope and its reach.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-1. Writing the Proposal h. Budget Most
funding agencies will give budget guidance. They
will specify how they wish the budget to be
delineated and what level of detail is required.
There may be restrictions on such things as
administrative costs, number of staff, equipment
purchases, amount of travel, etc. Carefully read
and follow the guidance provided and do not
significantly exceed any category. Most
agencies will require both a budget delineated by
line items and a budget narrative. Some will
provide a sample budget or a budget format.
Remember, budgets must be reasonable and
justifiable. Also, the project budget must be
consistent with the overall scope of the
organizational budget.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-1. Writing the Proposal i. Documentation of
Support Funding agencies do not like to fund a
project that will exist in a vacuum. They wish
to see you collaborate with other community
organizations engaged in similar activities.
They like to see you form coalitions or task
forces to expand the scope of the project. Such
collaboration leverages the funds granted and may
ensure the program continues after the grant
cycle ends. Documentation may include letters of
support, in-kind donations, or matching dollars.
j. Approval Forms and Clearances Some
funding sources, particularly government
agencies, will have a series of specific forms,
cover documents or statements of agreement that
require the requesting organization to have
signed by a person in authority and submitted
with the proposal.
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Writing Grant Proposals The Basics
B-2. Review Proposal As with any document that
one writes, a second opinion is always advisable
to ensure that it is correct and complete. A
proposal writer should always build a review
process into the proposal development timeline.
The reviewer should be someone familiar with the
organization and the proposal but not so close to
it that they make assumptions and skip details.
More proposals are rejected because of their
presentation than their content.
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Writing Grant Proposals The Basics

• B-2. Review Proposal
• Format
• Using a copy of the guidelines provided, review
  the proposals format to ensure it follows the
  rules and regulations as closely as possible.
  Review for such technical things as page content,
  order, style, font and margins.
• b. Spelling, Grammar, Math
• Review for correct spelling and punctuation
  (dont rely on the spell-checker function on your
  computer). Make sure the grammar is correct.
  Watch for noun/verb agreement, sentence length
  and paragraph construction. Recheck the budget
  math and column alignment.

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Writing Grant Proposals The Basics
B-2. Review Proposal c. Understandability Can
the proposal reviewer understand what it is you
are writing? Do not try to impress the funding
agency with an extensive vocabulary to the point
of making the proposal unreadable. Also be
careful with jargon, acronyms and inside
terminology that persons outside your
organization may not understand. d.
Completeness Go over the package repeatedly to
make sure that all the requested components are
present. Many funding agencies will request an
original and a number of copies. Take care that
components are not misplaced or misordered in the
copying process.
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Writing Grant Proposals The Basics
B-2. Review Proposal e. Presentation Make sure
the proposal is attractive. Print on quality
paper. Use a printer and/or copier that produces
a quality product. Bind the copies or place them
in some form of notebook. Take care not to
smudge or soil the proposal. Remember, the
proposal is a reflection of your organization.
Just as clothes make the person, the appearance
of the proposal may influence the reviewers.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-3. Submitting the Proposal Having put
significant time, energy and resources into the
development of the proposal you want it to have
every chance at being considered. Funding
agencies tell numerous stories of proposals that
are received late, damaged or never arrive at
all. These problems can be avoided by following
a few simple steps.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics

• B-3. Submitting the Proposal
• Correct Name and Address
• Make sure you know who is to receive the
  proposal and at what address. Do not assume that
  a contact person for information or technical
  assistance is the proper person to receive the
  proposal. Many funding agencies use drop boxes
  instead of their business address. Some may
  receive proposals through their business office
  rather than a particular program office. Some
  may establish a specific address for the receipt
  of a particular proposal.
• b. Correct Number of Copies
• Most funding agencies use a review panel to
  screen and critique proposals. They will specify
  the number of copies needed for this review.
  Adhere to the guidelines. Too few and the
  proposal may be rejected, too many and it gives
  the appearance your organization is careless or
  disorganized.

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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-3. Submitting the Proposal c. Package
Appropriately Place the proposal and the copies
in a package that will protect them in-route. Do
not use oversized containers. Do not use
excessive tape, string or other packaging
materials. The package should convey a
professional image. d. Send Before
Deadline The most common problem is the proposal
arriving late. All funding opportunities have a
deadline and funding agencies adhere to the
deadlines religiously. Most time and date stamp
proposals as they arrive. Any proposal that does
not arrive by the deadline is rejected.
Therefore, to ensure the proposal arrives on
time, send it well in advance.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
B-3. Submitting the Proposal e. Use Overnight
or Certified Delivery Use overnight or certified
delivery even if you do not need rush delivery to
make the deadline. It provides a tracking
mechanism that you can check on before the
deadline to ensure that the proposal arrived. If
it is misplaced it can be found. There have been
occasions where funding agencies have accepted
late submissions when it was proven that it was
the result of an error by the mailing company and
not the organization submitting the proposal.
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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics

• B-4. The Response
•   After the proposal is submitted the writer must
  wait for notification of the outcome of the
  review. The review process depends on the type
  and size of funding agency, the number of
  applicants, the funding cycles, etc. As a
  general rule the writer will know in advance
  approximately when to expect a response.

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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics

• B-4. The Response
• Positive
• If the response is positive there will be a
  period of budget negotiation, contract
  development, possible site visits, establishment
  of accounting procedures and financial reporting.
  In addition, there will the establishment of a
  reporting system to measure the progress of the
  funded project.
• b. Negative
• If the response is negative do not give up.
  Re-evaluate your process and, at the appropriate
  time, try again.

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Writing Grant ProposalsThe Basics
Conclusion While there are no guarantees in
grant proposal writing the are many things that
can be done to increase your chances of success.
This course has addressed a few of these but
the best education is experience. If you write a
proposal and it is funded congratulations,
write another one. If you write a proposal and
it is not funded review your process, project
and source and write another one. That is how
the process works. Good luck.