Introduction

The grant writing process is important to all entities that need aid from the donors. The success of a grant proposal depends on how well it is written to capture all the key aspects that the funder should consider.  It is the duty of the proposal drafter to identify all the key elements and include them in the writing. Each step must be well captured and in an orderly manner. It is also imperative to note that most funders provide their own preferred formats for proposal writing, guiding the applicants on how to go about in writing the proposals (Yang, 2012). However, this paper will look at the general process of grant proposal writing.

The following are the major steps that one should consider when writing a grant proposal;

Preparation

One should take time to assemble all the necessary materials that are needed, contacts, and decide the kind of the grant that is needed. This step can also involve looking for the preparatory documents on grant proposal writing for easy guidance.

Define the project.

A grant proposal must begin with a clear and concise definition of the project to capture the attention of the donors from the word go. The purpose of the project is also clarified at this stage.

Write a mission statement.

The mission statement captures the objectives of the project, which implies that the writer should make the correct choice of the words to include in the statement.

Give a clear definition of the scope of the project to help in illuminating the focus of the funding search.
Determine and define the project goals in their broadness followed by the specific goals that influence how the project will focus on attaining the wide range of objectives.
Determine and highlight who are the beneficiaries of the project and how those benefits will be attained. At this point, direct and indirect benefits can be included to give the potential funder a clear view of how worthy the project is.

Funding Sources.

Identify the funding sources, their objectives and those of the project should rhyme. For instance, a grant proposal for matters concerning improving education should not be send to the donors whose are of specification if health. Therefore, it is critical to be in consistent with the potential donor’s goals and objectives.

Contact the funders.

Before settling on writing a proposal, one must think of the donor as a resource, hence ought to have the contact of the funder. Establish reliable contact with the donors and request for proposal guidelines. The contact helps in identifying the person who will address the concerns before embarking on the writing (Yang, 2012). These may include inquiries about how the funder review the proposal, budgetary preference, acceptable application, payment processes, and any other information that one may need to come up with a proposal that meets the donor’s requirements.

Proposal Guidelines.

The proposal guidelines tell about:

Submission deadlines
Admissibility
Proposal format
Review timetable
Budgets
funding goals and priorities
award levels
evaluation process and criteria
whom to contact
other submission requirements

Know The Submission Deadline.

It is advisable to submit the grant proposal before the deadline.  Proposal that are send outside the widow for receiving them are usually not considered during the evaluation process, hence the importance of sticking to the set timelines. In this respect, it is the duty of the proposal writer to find out the channels used by the funder to acknowledge receipt of the proposal.

Determine Personnel Needs.

Identify the required personnel by function. In case of outsourcing, it is advisable to make earlier communication in order to establish whether the personnel will be available for the project.

Writing the Proposal

The structure of the grant proposal should pay attention to all specifications, be concise and persuasive, and have a reasonable budget. These are the essential elements that the writer should give priority to. A standard grant proposal has its components written in a narrative manner, have a budget, appendix that carries the supportive material, and bears authorized signature. However, in some instances, proposals may be required to have summaries, budget items explanation, and certifications.

Narratives

The aims, goals, measurable objectives, and a persuasive and logical reason on why the project should be supported. This is an introductory component, hence should be well-written to capture attention of the funder and give a clear picture of what the whole project is all about.

Approach

Describe the reasonable techniques and process of achieving the set goals and aim.

Give a description of;

The scope of work
Expected outcomes,
The project activities
Personnel functions, including the names of major consultants and staff.
Method of evaluation

Project timeline

Draw a timeline for the project that encompasses all the steps that will be followed to implement the project to its final phase. The timeline should paint a picture of project’s flow, including the start time and end dates. The project timeline must be reasonable and within the proposed budget.

Schedule of Activities

State all the activities that the proposed project will cover. The aim of doing this is to give the potential funder an overview of where the funds will be used. The activities should be supportive of the objectives and goals of the project. The proposal should be within the funding amount available, writing a grant proposal that exceeds that amount that the donor can give disqualifies one from securing such funding. Determine if funding levels of the grants you select are appropriate for your project (New & Quick, 2016). Thus, the need to be within the guidelines of the funder.

Expected Outcomes

Draft all the expected project outcomes in measurable terms.  The end results of the proposals should be in congruent with the funder’s goals and priorities. Furthermore, they should be achievable and reasonable.

Credentials

The credential section give authentic and verifiable information about the party that is applying for the grant. The applicant’s capability to undertake the project is highlighted to impress the funder. Usually this includes individual or institutional competence and track record (Yang, 2012). The writer ought to avoid using falsifiable information and painting an unrealistic picture of the outcomes.

The narrative writing must satisfy or answer the following questions;

What the project wants to achieve?
The concerns t] and why they should be addressed?
Who will the direct and indirect beneficiaries of the proposed project?
What are the particular objectives that can be attained and how?
How will outcome be evaluated and measured?
How is the funding request linked to the objectives, priorities, and goals of the funders?
Who is the applicant?
How does the applicant meet the funder’s needs to qualify for funding?

Budget

Each grant proposal must have a budget, which is usually a cost projection. Therefore, the budget should be well-planned to reflect a carefully thought out project.

The budget ought to answer the following questions:

Can the funding successfully accomplish the set objectives?
Are the proposed costs reasonable or they are exaggerated?
Is the budget in consistency with the proposed activities?
Is the budget explained in detail?

It is imperative to note that most funders pay much attention on the budget section.

Supporting materials

Supporting materials ought to be included in the appendix. The materials endorse the applicant and proposed project, offer certifications, and additional information about.

Authorized Signatures

Grant proposals should have authorized signatures, lack of them can lead to the rejection by the funders. Therefore, the proposal drafter should be make sure that the needed signatures are acquired before sending the proposal to the funder.

The Submission checklist

The following issues should be verified before the proposal is submitted to the funder for consideration:

Proofread the proposal to ensure that it does not have grammatical, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. The language use should be official and understandable.
The grant proposal ought to be neat, thorough, complete, and timely.
Address the grant proposal as per the directives in the guidelines.
Use reliable address for easy communication with the funder.
Include all required documentations.

Submission

The grant proposal is submitted to the funder using the laid down procedure. The use of alternative means that is not approved by the funder usually leads to disqualification of the proposal (Driver, 2010). Consequently, the submission should stay within the guidelines offered by the donor. Official language and addresses should be used when making submissions of the proposal.

Most importantly, depending on the guidelines provided and methods of application, a cover letter may accompany the proposal. In the letter, an official request for funding should be stated and the reasons briefly explained.

Follow-Up

Based on the established channels of communication, contact the funding source to know the status, assessment, and result of the proposal. The follow up can also involve understanding the weakness of the proposal in case it was not successful for the purpose of learning how best to write it next time.

 

 

 

References

Driver, C. M. (2010). Guidelines for writing successful grant proposals for nonprofit organizations: Jumpstart your vision: a basic guide to beginner grant writers. Bloomington, Ind: AuthorHouse.

New, C. C., & Quick, J. A. (2016). How to write a grant proposal. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Yang, O. O. (2012). Guide to effective grant writing: How to write a successful NIH grant application. New York: Springer.

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