Writing a Grant Proposal — Four Keys to Success

Unsure about what reviewers want to see in your grant proposal? Get educated! This publication assists you in discovering and incorporating the universal rules of proposal writing that can make you a competent grant writer and improve your chances of receiving funding for your project.

Writing a Successful Grant Proposal

Four main rules encompass what writers should do when drafting a proposal: (1) assume nothing, (2) make the proposal readable, (3) adopt a positive, confident tone, and (4) follow the rules of the funding agency. Following these few basic guidelines for writing your proposal can help you accomplish your funding goals.

1. Assume Nothing
   When constructing a proposal, remember that the funding agency knows nothing about you or your project. This means you must identify yourself and your project as they relate to demographics and geography. Define all internal terms and spell out acronyms when you first use them. If the proposal is long, write out the acronym in several places. This creates ease of reading, which will allow the reviewer to focus on the content of your proposed project.

2. Make the Proposal Readable
   An unreadable proposal becomes an unread proposal. Create a flawless masterpiece, and be kind to your reviewer. They are interested in your project and should never be tripped up by typos or bad grammar. Create uniformity throughout the proposal by checking and re-checking data for timeliness and accuracy. Break up the page with logical paragraphs. Most importantly, have someone else read your proposal. Having a second, third, or fourth set of eyes can mean the difference between a mediocre proposal and an excellent one.

3. Adopt a Positive, Confident Tone
   Use assertive language. Sound like you believe in your idea because it is your job to sell it as a product. Hesitant language like, "We may be able to…" does not inspire confidence in your idea. Instead, substitute, "We plan to… ." Use active voice whenever possible. For example, use, "Federal funds will match the funds requested" instead of, "The funds requested will be matched by Federal funds." Finally, remember that you are asking for assistance, not begging, and use a tone that properly conveys this.

4. Follow the Rules of the Funding Agency
   Not adhering to the formatting guidelines detailed in the funding announcement may cause your proposal to be rejected before it is even read. Therefore, make sure to read all instructions carefully, taking note of preferred or mandatory font and font size, margin and line spacing, length, etc. Does the funding agency want color signatures in the original proposal? How many copies do they want? Are they adamantly against binders or paperclips? Such instructions are easy to follow and critical to the proposal process. If your organization is an eCivis Grants Network client, you can easily access the funding announcement, program guidelines, and all other instructions in the Files section of each funding opportunity.

Following these steps will put you well on your way to writing a credible proposal. This applied knowledge will have an impact throughout your proposal and will be noticeable in the proposal's tone, formatting, and readability. Your statement of need will display your confidence in the necessity of the project. Your project description will be typo-free and crystal clear. These tools will display the strength of your writing and, thus, the strength of your project.