“A bad system will beat a good person every time.” ~ W. Edwards Deming

4.1 Introduction

Grant writing—yet another area in life where communication can make or break it. When it comes to writing a successful grant, it is paramount to create a timeline based on grant requirements, along with having a clear grant-writing process. The level of success can vary depending on how well a grant writer researches the grant opportunity they are applying for and how they plan to communicate with the funders and past recipients, even though they can be difficult to reach in some cases. There are tips and specific questions to ask that will help with writing a grant that speak to the grant review committee. Chapter 4 will encompass the communication process. It will offer tips in developing a timeline and building a checklist to help a grant writer create a systematic approach.

4.2 Planning and Organizing the Grant-Writing Process

As with anything, it is great to have a plan. The complexities of the grant-writing process make planning and establishing a systematic approach valuable. This section expands upon the previously covered topics of applying logic and persuasion in writing, appealing to funder requirements, and identifying viable funding sources, to help the grant writer develop a strategy for writing a proposal. When creating the writing plan, begin with researching the perfect funding opportunity, reviewing the grant guidelines, putting together a team, and developing a timeline.

1. Explore Funding Options

Begin by searching for grant opportunities that match your project goals. Refer to Chapter 3 for websites that offer funding of various amounts to jumpstart your project. Next, narrow down your search to a few grant opportunities that align with the project goals and get ready to study the grant guidelines.

2. Review Grant Guidelines

As discussed in Chapter 2, many writers lose a grant because they overlook a crucial requirement. To avoid missing out on funding, be sure to look carefully at the eligibility requirements. Know exactly what is needed to apply and whether your project meets the requirements.

In addition to eligibility, deadlines are just as important to keep in mind. “Wiggle room” does not exist in the world of grants. Assuming it is be acceptable to submit an application a day or two past the deadline may take the project out of the running altogether, and it is a misconception that you can call the grant officer after missing a due date. There is no such thing as “why do today what you can put off until tomorrow.” Deadlines are not flexible and need to be adhered to.

Another common misconception is that the grant writer will be compensated for the hours spent writing the grant. While they can be listed among the “key project personnel,” they will not be compensated by grant funding for work completed prior to the grant being awarded. Funds are used for work after the grant is awarded.

Finally, review the required documents and ensure all are accounted for in your application. Even if a required document does not apply to your organization, note it as “not applicable.” Missing documents may make the application incomplete or ineligible.

3. Put Together a Team

During the pre-planning and research stage, pull together a team that can help with various aspects of the grant project and application process. Be sure to include writers, key stakeholders, researchers, budget experts, and evaluation reviewers. The intricacies of the project and the type of organization will determine the expertise needed on the team. For example, a local nonprofit applying for a small grant might do best with a team of three (e.g., director, board, and/or staff members), while an educational institution applying for a million-dollar grant may benefit from the expertise of a larger team. The type of funding being applied for, public or private, will influence the team as well.

4. Develop a Timeline

Begin with the end in mind. Use the deadline as the starting point and develop a timeline with milestones for every stage of the grant-writing process. Be sure to include development with funders, addressed in Chapter 5.

5. Develop the Proposal

Once the planning and research phase is complete, the writing team can begin proposal development. The key components identified in the RFP should be discussed by the team and outlined to ensure the best outcome. Most grants have an executive summary, a concise overview of the need or problem, objectives, implementation plan, budget, and evaluation plan. Notes from these development meetings are useful when crafting the narrative, the most important part of the grant, which will be covered in detail in Chapter 5.

Editing the draft proposal and double-checking that all of the guidelines are met comes next. This should be completed by individuals with expertise in grammar and persuasive writing. The draft should be easy to read and concise. It is important to avoid jargon to ensure that funders are able to easily understand the project.

While the grant narrative is being written, other team members can compile any required supporting documents such as letters of support, resumes of active personnel, and financial statements. This is also a great time to begin developing the budget for the grant. Once this information is compiled and the narrative is complete, the full application can be put together and prepared for a final review.

Just before submitting the grant, an internal or external review of the application takes place in order to collect feedback. The grant application should be proofread one more time and formatted properly. When the final edits are completed, it is time to submit and celebrate!

4.3 Example: Grant-Writing Timeline

Below is an example of a grant-writing timeline, beginning with the research phase. The timeline continues through the follow-up, when it is determined if the proposal was successful. Other deliverables might need to be incorporated depending on the type of grant application.

4.4 The Pre-Proposal Script-Writing Process

Prior to submitting your grant application, there are experts that can answer questions to enhance your success rate. For all conversations, having a script to guide you is essential.

First, consider calling the grant program officer. Doing this can satisfy two objectives. The first objective is to obtain the application forms and guidelines that are not typically found online. The second objective, and possibly most important, is to begin building a relationship with the program officer. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, such as questions unique to your organization or project, questions about common errors, or any other questions with answers not readily available online. The time that the program officer has may be limited; mindfulness will be appreciated.

A past grant winner is another contact whose guidance can help you develop a successful proposal; they were successful, and you could be too! They can offer tips, provide insight into their success, and detail experiences they had with the sponsor. Even if your organization is pursuing a different grant, past grant winners may still be able to offer words of wisdom. There is no better way to learn than through experience.

In addition to past grant winners, connect with past grant reviewers if possible. Many can be found by directly contacting the foundation or searching online. Past reviewers have invaluable experience and possibly the most up-to-date information about the current review process or even other reviewers. It’s also an opportunity to learn about the scoring system, which can help the writers. Knowing that the reviewers are held to a tight time frame versus having unlimited time to read and score the application, for example, will change how the application is written and organized.

Consider the following questions for each conversation, taken from Proposal Planning and Writing^[1] for each potential contact.

The questions above are important, but knowing what you will say in the beginning of your call is just as important. Take time to build a script that you can follow. This will calm your nerves and help you stay on track. Begin your script with identifying information, gratitude, and something to grab the attention of the recipient. Letting your personality shine through will help build the relationship and confidence in your project; however, keep your tone and language professional. Being too casual can send the wrong message and lead the person on the other end of the line to believe you may not care about the grant or respect their time.

When the grant application period opens, grant seekers can contact the funding organization to ask questions about criteria, eligibility, and to seek any other useful information. Federal agencies typically host a webinar where they review the guidelines and answer questions.

4.5 Conclusion

Organizing how and when you plan to complete the grant objectives and knowing the right questions to ask will improve your outcome. The amount of work, time, and commitment that goes into grant-seeking and writing is tremendous, but with the right plan, it does not have to be arduous. Putting together a team and delegating tasks can break up the work and make the experience more rewarding and inclusive.

4.6 Learning Activity

Grant-Writing Checklist

Create the structure of your own grant-writing timeline based on the example above. Feel free to create a table or use Canva or a Word template. Be creative!