6.1 Introduction

“It is no sign of weakness or defeat that your manuscript ends up in need of major surgery. This is common in all writing and among the best of writers.” ~ E.B. White

 

If the most important part of grant writing is developing the proposal, then time must be spent making sure all of the requirements are met. Revision and attention to grammatical make-up will ensure the best possible outcome. If the reviewers are able to clearly understand the project, that is like planting seeds in rich soil. The appearance of the proposal is just as important; added water and sunshine brings your grant to life. It should be appealing to the reviewers and use images or graphics that are relevant and catch the eye.

6.2 Importance of Revision and Adherence to Requirements in RFPs

Writing can be intimidating, but the best writers know they are not alone in the process and know not to take their revision notes personally. The first draft of the grant proposal should be written without worry about grammatical errors. This speeds up the writing process and allows the grant writer to complete the draft. Once the draft is done, it should be looked over line by line for grammatical, spelling, and word-usage errors by someone who has experience and knowledge about the mechanics of writing. Oftentimes, board members or other stakeholders have experience with editing and proofreading and are delighted to be asked to help.

Revising and proofreading the draft comes first and it is followed by crosschecking that the grant proposal meets all of the requirements of the RFP. Many grants are different, so it is good to start by reading the RFP document carefully, line by line. Spend time looking at the scope, budget guidelines, formatting rules, and evaluation methods. Look for sections titled proposal requirements, scope of work (SOW), evaluation criteria or selection process, submission instructions, and eligibility criteria. Every funder does it a bit differently, making all RFPs a bit unique. Not only are the titles different when it comes to similar requirements, but they are also located in varying areas of the document. The best writers get out their magnifying glass to be sure not to miss a thing. (Add Picture?)

In addition, looking for an RFP summary can provide a detailed overview of the funding opportunity and help grant writers decide if the RFP is in congruence with their project. Consider going to the funder’s website to look through the FAQs if they are available. As previously mentioned, some funders will allow phone calls. A great question to ask a funder if the opportunity presents itself is, what is the most common mistake that they see in the proposals they review?

RFP Requirements Checklist

Below you will find many of the requirements that must be included and followed to the tee when writing in response to a request for proposal. The requirements will vary from each request, but one thing is for sure – they need to be followed closely.

6.3 Design Tips for Enhancing Proposal Appearance

Enhancing a proposal’s appearance can mean a few different things. In the grant world, this includes making something easier to read. An example of this would be in displaying data. In the first draft, it might look like a long paragraph of writing, including in-text citations and dates. Revising a draft to include data visualization, like converting the written information into a table or chart, can enhance readability. With a bit of help from an artificial intelligence (AI) website like ChatGPT, one can ask the AI tool to convert written information into a table or chart. AI can be a helpful tool to implement data visualization, but AI is not the only way to do this. Data visualization can be created manually too. It is also helpful to check your organization’s AI policy to ensure it is allowed. Although AI tools are phenomenally easy to use, the completed work always has to be checked. There are still many times when the computer-generated brain cannot do what a human brain can. It is a great place to start, though!

There are many other ways to format a proposal to make it easier to read. Using headings and bullet lists can help with organizing the proposal and simplifying data into a snapshot rather than a lengthy paragraph. (Tip: Use the guideline section headers!) Using a number line will also make finding information and skimming easier for the reviewer.

A grant writer needs to confirm the guidelines for font – many federal grants require a specific font type and size. Be sure to include page numbers and either the recommended font or a professional one like Ariel, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Pay special attention to the requirements, but often the page numbers are located at the bottom middle or right of the page. Leave the correct amount of room for margins as directed and do not exceed the page limit.

Avoid flashy designs and overuse of bold font or italics. Unless you are writing for a private foundation that recommends creativity, save this stylistic choice for headings and key points. Having a clean background is professional and makes for easier reading. If there is a template that you are advised to use, be sure to use it. A reviewer should be able to skim your proposal in 5–7 minutes and understand the project concept. Cramming words on the page without any kind of page break will slow the reviewers down and that can have a negative outcome.

Be concise, clear, and clean.

6.4 Using Graphics and Images Effectively

Even though the recommendation is to have a clean page with clear information that is well-organized, that does not mean graphics are off limits in grant writing. Certain parts of a grant are more clear when presented in a graphic. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recommends that the grant writer “use a timeline to demonstrate the feasibility of the project… Timelines should include major tasks and milestones.”^[1]. Timelines can be inserted in a simple, easy-to-read table that includes specific tasks or action items, the date range in which the work is to be completed, and the staff member or team that is responsible for carrying out the work.

Organizational charts can offer a quick glimpse of the staff and their titles to help reviewers develop a bigger picture of the stakeholders. In conjunction with a timeline or organizational chart a grant writer may find it beneficial to include a logic model that will help illustrate the flow of the plan including inputs, activities, and outcomes.

Infographics are rarely permitted in grant proposals. They need to be clear and concise; easy to read. Keeping the proposal neat and to the point is sure to have a positive impact on the reviewers. If grant reviewers can read the proposal and score it easily, the chance of being awarded the grant increases. Keep it simple and do not miss a single requirement.

6.5 Case Studies of Visually Appealing Grant Proposals

Of course, there are graphics and data/visualization companies that will be happy to charge for use of their templates, but often the funders will have pages of examples of past successful grant proposals or templates of their own. Venngage (clicking on the link will take you to a site outside of the textbook) has multiple templates that are aesthetically pleasing and functional for a fee; however. Word and Google Docs also have templates that are a great place to start and FREE!

Here are a few examples of real-life grant proposals that included graphics that were appealing and effective.

Timeline of Activities

Winner 2023: Together Women Rise

Gateway Pet Guardians: Outputs and Outcomes

Women’s Audio Mission (WAM): Bullet list of gender-diverse youth

The above examples have a unique way of illustrating main points they wanted the reviewers to take into consideration, and they were all funded. Each of the grant proposals did a great job of staying within the grant requirements, and although the applications contained a great deal of information, it may have been strategic text breaks like these that brought the funding to their organizations.

Learning Activities