“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

5.1 Introduction

The most intense stage of grant development is writing the proposal. The previous chapters introduced rhetoric, requirements, and readiness. Now, it is time for the “rubber to meet the road.” Chapter 5 illustrates the components of a grant proposal and amplifies the importance of concise writing. It includes a detailed look at the various components of a proposal, how to craft a budget, and case study examples of successful proposals. In the appendix, there will be resources for checking grammar and a guide for using artificial intelligence (AI) to check the elements of the proposal and revise a working draft.

5.2 Components of a Grant Proposal

Writing a grant proposal is a structured process. It requires clearly and concisely presenting a project to a possible funder. The narrative should be authentic and highlight a problem in the community that aligns with the funder’s mission and can be measured with clear deliverables.

1. Introduction

The introduction of the proposal shares the purpose of the project and the reason for seeking funding. In a concise manner, the introduction will summarize the project’s purpose, goals, and objectives as well as the target audience and anticipated impact. Additionally, it is important to demonstrate how the project aligns with the funder’s mission or interests and highlight any relevant experience.

2. Background Information

Provide historical information about your nonprofit including experience completing similar projects, if possible. If this is not possible, include information about any past projects that you completed successfully. Explain the impact of the project(s) on the target population and illustrate their positive outcomes.

3. The Need or Problem

The funders need a clear understanding of the need or problem that your proposal is trying to address. Utilize statistics, data, and experiential examples to help clearly define the problem at hand. Fully describe what your project will accomplish and how you plan to follow through; include enough information to help reinforce the need for the project. Grant writers need to demonstrate a sense of urgency by explaining how or why the issue is important now.

The need or problem affects a specific population that could benefit from relief or funding. Identify your target audience and geographic region. Ask yourself, who is my project serving, where is it occurring, and what is it accomplishing? It is up to the grant writer to tell a story that appeals to the funder and meets the needs of the community. Drawing a clear picture of how the lives of people in the community will be impacted with the funds granted through the project helps the funders connect to the proposal emotionally. If using an example of a similar project in a different community, the claims must be supported with credible sources.

Finally, when describing the problem, experienced grant writers can illustrate how existing efforts are not enough. They know where the gaps are and can demonstrate how the grant funding will fill those gaps.

4. Methodology

The methodology section of a grant proposal details the plan for executing the project. This section is detailed and includes a timeline with milestones. It concisely describes the specific actions, activities, and strategies that will be used. This is also a great time to address any interventions that will be made and key personnel that will be directly involved in the activities funded by the grant. Savvy writers will list the qualifications of the staff and the resources needed in regard to technology, facilities, and partnerships.

Maryann Ledin, a Wisconsin grant writer and educator from Northwood Technical College, shares other key sections that should be included:

• Project Objectives: Explain the milestones, overall goals, and any other objectives your project seeks to accomplish. Provide quantitative statements for each, as appropriate.
• Project Timeline: Include the project’s start and end dates, as well as important dates in between that correspond with the activities outlined in your Project Objectives section. Doing this will allow the reviewer to see what you plan to accomplish in a quick glance.
• Key Staff: Include the key staff that will be contributing to each of the activities, goals, outcomes, and milestones in your project. List each staff member separately and include an explanation of their role in the project.
• Project Outcomes: Explain what will be solved, created, or ongoing by the end of the project. What is the expected overall impact on the target population and geographic region that you are serving? Provide quantitative statements that can be measured at the completion of your project. Tie this section back to your project description, but do not confuse your project outcomes with project objectives. This section must address what your project will look like at completion as well as project sustainability.

5. Scalability

Another element that funders find important is scalability, or the ability to take what is done at a small level and scale it up. Funders like to be able to clearly envision how other communities, organizations, or institutions could build something similar in their areas. Remember to include how the project itself can grow as well!

6. Evaluation and Dissemination

The proposal must include how the success of the proposed outcomes and objectives will be measured after the performance period. The reviewers need to be able to easily identify what the goals of the project are and how to measure progress. To track progress, qualitative and quantitative data collection are imperative. It is also important to show how the grant project lead will conduct pre- and post-assessments.

A grant proposal should include tentative or estimated outcomes, though actual outcomes may be hard to articulate. Creating or hiring an evaluation team is necessary to ensure the project is meeting milestones. Successful grants regularly check the status of the project’s outcomes, tracking progress and making adjustments as needed throughout the performance period.

Consider how the findings or outcomes of the project will be disseminated after the project is complete. In many cases, the evaluation team will complete this portion of the grant process. When the grant term is complete, the evaluation team should have a full report ready to be presented to stakeholders, professionals, other organizations, and the public. Some grants are successful enough for national recognition, allowing the grant to scale up. Reporting the project’s outcomes through conferences, webinars, social media, or the news makes it possible for others to utilize the findings to improve their projects, as well.

5.3 Crafting a Compelling Narrative

As mentioned in Chapter 1, rhetoric makes all the difference when it comes to grant writing. Writers must take the audience into account. Preparing to write the narrative means getting to know the funder and project partners, if relevant. To build a compelling narrative, the writer should tell a story that makes the reader empathize with the problem from the beginning. This can be accomplished with rhetorical language, using voices from the community (ethos) combined with current data (logos). The language should align with the values of the funder, but jargon is best left out. The narrative should be organized and easy to read and understand.

Each section should build on the previous one, guiding the reader through the narrative with formatting, such as headers and bullets, that makes it easy to follow. The use of concrete details such as numbers, timelines, staff responsibilities, and resources help the reader visualize the project. Breaking up the narrative with tables and bullets gives the reader’s eyes a slight break, as well.

Finally, it is challenging but critical to find a balance between facts and emotion in a proposal. When writing the narrative, be specific and real. Be professional but human, confident but humble. Writers can be passionate, but they need to also be grounded. Be ambitious but make plans that can actually work.

5.4 Case Study: Successful Proposals

Below you will find examples of successful proposals. There are many that can be found online. Looking at the proposals of previous grant winners can help the writer identify important items to include and help increase the likelihood of being awarded the grant.

1. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) – Sample Applications:^[1] NIAID offers a comprehensive collection of sample grant applications and a summary of statements from funded research projects. These samples span across various grant types and have won career development awards.
2. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) – Sample Grant Applications:^[2] NIDCD provides examples of successful grant applications and summary statements for research project grants and exploratory/developmental research grants. These samples can guide applicants in preparing competitive proposals.
3. GrantStation – Award-Winning Grant Proposals:^[3] GrantStation showcases a selection of award-winning grant proposals recognized for their effectiveness as well as their adherence to sound grant writing principles. These examples span various sectors and are available to GrantStation members.

5.5 Learning Activities

Building a Detailed Budget

Imagine you are responsible for attaining the funding for a new engagement area at a children’s museum. Using the examples below as a guide, create a detailed budget for the project based on what its probable needs might be. Similar to the grant checklist, feel free to create a table or use Canva or a Word template. Be creative!

Below are three different examples of budget tables from hypothetical grants.

Example 1: Small Foundation Grant

Grant: Local Arts Foundation – Community Mural Project

Grant amount requested: $15,000

Example 2: Federal Government Grant

Grant: USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program

Grant amount requested: $200,000

Example 3: Nonprofit Health Grant

Grant: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Health Communities Initiative

Grant amount requested: $500,000