Writing Grant Proposals

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How To Write Your Grant Proposal

Guide to writing the most irrestible grant!

Writing a grant proposal can be as simple as following the directions in your application packet. Add a little flair and your grant application can stand out, making your chances of selection better. Every agency bestowing grants has different rules for application, which is why reading the packet you receive thoroughly is so important. The government is a stickler for details so, if you can't follow directions or if you make just one small mistake, your application will be disqualified. There are reference sources in your library to consult about grant proposal writing in addition to the advice given here. It's best to read as much as you can in preparation for your grant writing duties. If you are requesting a grant for a specific idea or project, contact the agency (after you receive the packet) to see if they have recently awarded any grants for this type of work. If they have, it may be that no further grant money is available for that project. You will then have to come up with another idea to obtain your dollars. Whatever your idea, try to enlist written support from individuals in your community who may know you and like your idea. Grant applications backed by letters from local government, community and business leaders improves your chances of receiving the award. Federal grant money may actually require these letters of endorsement. Your application packet will inform you of the specific requirements. Even if not required, support letters are encouraged. It gives further credence to your idea and may make the difference if the grant award comes down to a couple of applications and the agency is forced to choose. If you have a partner or two who have a different expertise than you, add their names and qualifications to the overall proposal. Having assistance on the project often encourages agencies that make grants available, as the project's chances of completion are heightened. It is a sound move to bounce your idea(s) off the agency individuals who will be considering your grant request. Many of these employees have been there a substantial length of time and will be well versed in the ins and outs of grant obtainment. They often appreciate that you asked their advice up front and it can do wonders for you in terms of saving time and effort if you're headed down the wrong track.

You could make, if convenient, a personal visit to the specific agency to meet the individuals who will be considering your proposal. There may be pertinent reference information in the agency that can help you with your proposal. It always helps to put a name to a face and a professional look will help you in their estimation.
By all means, stay in contact with these people, especially if they work in the agency to which you will be submitting your bid(s). Even if you don't get a positive response from the first grant proposal, keep in touch! They can often tip you off to what future projects have a chance of being funded. If it's in your area of expertise, you have an inside track to the next fund availability.

You are not likely to be the only person writing for grant money, so you have to do a better job of it than your competitor. You need to make sure that there is:

A need for your idea or project
Sufficient research done on your part to satisfy the grantors
No question that you are the best candidate to receive the grant
Time enough for you to review the application process and prepare your grant proposal
Then you will be ready to write your first proposal draft.

Remember that a successful grant proposal is thoughtfully planned, neatly and concisely packaged, and must be extremely well thought out and prepared. The proposal must convince the prospective donor of a couple of things. That a problem need of significant magnitude exists, and that the applicant agency has the means and the imagination to solve the problem or meet the need. There are many basic grammatical and formatting rules that should be applied to the proposal. Many basics such as using 11-12 point "Arial" font throughout the grant. Also, for readability reasons, use the largest size font that while making the grant easy to read, does not appear to be overblown in proportion. Also, it is recommended that you use 10 point "Arial" font for the figure and table legends.
You should allow about one inch on each side for your borders as well.

If the grant proposal is not in response to an RFA (request for application), before you start writing, talk to the program director to find out whether the ideas and the hypothesis that you are putting forward will be welcomed with enthusiasm.
Give yourself at least four months to write a grant proposal with the goal to have the grant ready about one month prior to submission. Use the last month to polish the writing, and the style of presentation. Also, be absolutely sure to read the instructions for writing the grant carefully and try to strictly adhere to them. Grants will be quickly rejected for too many mistakes in following the agency's requirements.

Write a succinct proposal that can be easily understood by those who are not necessarily experts in the field. Use layman's terms, whenever applicable. It is best if you can get the grant reviewed by at least three individuals; one expert in the field, a non-expert scientist, and a third individual who can assess the English grammar and the style of the proposal. Revise the manuscript according to the best suggestions of these individuals.
If the page limit to the grant proposal is 25, try to write a proposal that fits 20-23 pages. Use the additional space for stylistic alterations, as after a few pages, these do increase the page count.

Separate different sections of the grant so that various pages do not look monotonous. This can be accomplished by making some sections bold, italicizing other sections, and using numbering to identify sections and subsections of the grant. Add adequate spaces where required, and left justify the text but avoid the right justification of text.

Provide the figures and tables immediately after they are being cited, and be sure to provide clear figures and table legends. Try to reserve some space for the last pieces of data that you may wish to include in the preliminary data section of the grant.
Write a clear hypothesis, and clearly spell out the specific aims of your proposal.
Avoid putting too much information in any specific section of the proposal. Putting too much detail in the method section may prevent you in putting adequate emphasis in the design section.

For each specific aim, provide a section in the experimental design that discusses alternative strategies and ideas to test the hypothesis. Try to spell out the shortcomings and pitfalls, and how to solve them.
Provide preliminary data that shows that the methodologies can be successfully accomplished.

If necessary, call the program director to find out how to insure that the reviewers will obtain the original copies of the manuscript, which will include the glossy figures.
If the grant does not get funded, and before attempting to revise the grant, contact the program director to find out additional information that may not be included in the "summary statement". When you revise the application, try to first summarize the shortcomings indicated in the "summary statement", and then respond to each one carefully. Try to be neutral and neither antagonistic nor conciliatory.

A courteous style of writing will help reviewers and they certainly and perhaps unknowingly become your advocates for making their jobs easier. However, this should be done with care and sparingly, and should not be used excessively since it may adversely affect the reviewer. The items indicated above should be italicized to bring the attention of the reviewer to them so that they easily and quickly get the points that you would like to be grasped by the reviewers.

Spell check the document carefully before mailing. There is nothing that will kill an otherwise great proposal faster than a careless spelling error.
Try to send the proposal by express mail, at least several days prior to the due date. Do not assume that the grant has been received. If possible, call express mail service to verify that the grant has been received by the granting agency. Do not mail the grant on the day before the grant is due.