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Hints for Grant or Funding Applications

Listed below are some of the areas to watch for when submitting a grant or application for funds. These pointers are based on comments from grant reviewers and reflect common problems seen in the grants they review.

Be sure to clearly DEFINE the following:

Who you are

Don't assume the grant reviewer knows who you and the other players in your application are. This includes where you and others are in your organization, what skills, expertise, and experience you and others have and the relationship between you and the other players in the application.

What you want to do

Explain what you want to do, why you want to do it and how you will do it. Be realistic and don't take on too much. The reviewer needs to understand what you are proposing to do and to feel confident that you can do what you are proposing.

Collaborations

Will you be working with anyone else? If so, who, how will they be involved, why do you want to work with them and what are the roles/tasks each of you will carry out?

Why is your proposal interesting and important?

In other words, why should they fund you?

Follow Instructions:

If you don't understand the instructions, or don't recognize certain terms, or don't understand the rationale of the request for proposals, etc. ASK! It takes effort to write a grant proposal and you can't afford to spend time on an application that doesn't meet the criteria or interests of the funding source. (Note: for state contracts, you must ask your questions at or prior to the bidders' conference so that everyone interested in applying for funds can hear the same answer.)

Read the request for programs/funds thoroughly and be sure that your proposal:

• Answers all questions asked in the proposal.
• Answers questions in the order they were asked in the proposal.
• Addresses all points raised in the request for proposals.
• If you need to repeat information in more than one section, repeat the information.

Before You Send in Your Application:

Review your proposal against the evaluation criteria. Have you completely addressed all the issues you will be evaluated on?

Have someone else read your proposal. Does it make sense? Did they understand what you are proposing to do, who will do it, and why?

Is the application complete? Does it include all forms, discussion sections, letters and attachments requested?

Does the budget reflect what you have proposed to do?

• Do you have sufficient funds for staff of the caliber you will need?
• Do you have sufficient funds allocated for supplies, travel, equipment, postage, printing, etc. for what you are proposing to do?
• Be sure that everything you propose to do is reflected in the budget.

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