Grants Galore
Grant Writers
The Grant Writers
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Grant writing refers to the practice of completing formal and or informal application processes by one party, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, or business - but also by individuals to another party such as a Government department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust. Such application processes are often referred to as either grant proposals or "submissions".
Elements of a good proposal
A good proposal will include the following:
Executive Summary
This is the introduction to the proposal, a place to "State Your Case Succinctly and strongly, and summarize the rest of the proposal. It should summarize the Statement of Need, Project description, Budget and Organizational Information. According to the Foundation Center - it is an "umbrella statement of your case and summary of the entire proposal". This is a key opportunity to "sell" the proposal, making sure it reflects a professional approach and capacity for excellence.
Statement of Need
Explain why this project is necessary, this is the chance to place the project into context. It may be helpful to draw on third party research to help paint the picture of the particular need being addressed, but make sure that it does not become too wordy and that it only contextualizes the project without overwhelming it.
Project Description
This is the place for the project in detail. If the Executive Summary and Statement of Need are convincing, this is where the reader will explore how the proposal comes into effect. It needs to be logical, and well-thought through. Explain the Goals, Objectives, and Performance Indicators – 1) what you are going to achieve, 2) how you are going to do it, and 3) how you are going to evaluate it..
Budget
Grant Makers are in some ways like any other successful business - they have people that understand money - and more importantly, they understand value for money. Furthermore, they want their money to achieve the best results. So here is where they are looking for evidence of good fiscal policy and practice. The Budget is where to demonstrate that, should they grant it, their money will be in safe hands. Show enough detail to demonstrate understanding of the costs and that they will be delivered according to budget.
Organizational information
Is an opportunity to sell the capacity to deliver. Include a brief history of the school or organization; outline the governance structures that oversee it, and list the main activities, audiences, and services. If there is a history of successful project delivery - include it here. If new to project work - try to draw on the experience the personnel have had elsewhere.
Conclusion
Summarize of all of the above, keep it succinct - but ensure to include reference to all the main points from the other sections. This is the chance to build the final picture of the submission for the reader. Do not at this point, add in new information that is not supported elsewhere and try to keep it brief and potent.
