How Can a Regular Person Write a Grant?

As difficult or as time consuming as it sounds, it really is not that difficult for a regular person to write a grant. Grants are typically awarded to organizations to help offset costs of programs or general funding. If you are holding a program that costs a lot of money, it is possible to write a grant and receive some funding toward the program.

Doing the research

The first part about grant writing is doing research. You need to find out what grant opportunities are available and which ones would fit your needs. Those that give out grants typically have limitations as to what they will fund, such as a particular kind of program or not funding general operation expenses. You need to read everything about any grant that may fit your needs. You don't want to put the time into writing a grant if the person giving out the grant won't fund the program you're trying to get support for.

Contacting the grant provider

This step is crucial in the grant process. The providers of the grant will be more likely to award the grant to you if you have talked to them either on the phone or in person. Tell them the type of program you have or what you need the funding for and see if they seem interested in helping you. If so, then let them know a grant application will be coming. This way they know to expect it and may consider giving you the grant before someone else who they have not talked to.

Applying for the grant

This is probably the most difficult part of the grant process. Make sure you have printed off the requirements to apply for the grants you are applying for. Many require a lot of information that may take time to get a hold of, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time before the grant is due. Most applications require a proposal be written up. If you're not that great at writing, see if you can find someone to help you. You need to provide statistics and information about the program or what you want funded. Make sure you include all the necessary documents and information in the proposal. Many proposals require different things, so you can't use the same proposal for every application.

Submitting the proposal

If you are mailing the application, make sure you get it in the mail in plenty of time to arrive before the deadline. Before you send your grant application, go through the requirements again to ensure you are submitting everything asked for. Once you ensure you have everything, it can be sent out. Then the waiting begins.

Receiving the news

You can call to follow up on the status of your application at any time, but make sure you give at least a week before calling to make sure the company awarding the grant has had time to receive and look at the application. Most companies will give you a time line as to when to expect the news. Most will take at least 30 days to make a decision.