How to Write a Grant Example
Writing a proposal for a grant is challenging. Your organization has identified a need and is seeking funds to meet that need. Your work is just beginning--after deciding what you want to do about your group's goals, you need to discuss and decide on an objective, or how you will get that need met. All of this has to be written down. After these steps have been completed, you now have to choose which methods you are going to use (and list them in writing as well) in reaching your goal. You will also have to evaluate your work and provide a detailed budget.
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Things You'll Need
- Identified group need Consensus on what direction your group will take to meet its need Decisions on objective, methods and budget Plan to evaluate group's work
Instructions
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Directions
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1
Identify the need(s) of your group. Decide which takes the highest priority and rank down to the lowest priority. Discuss how your needs will be presented in your grant proposal.
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2
Establish a list of objectives your group wants to include in your grant proposal. Ensure these objectives show a clear path to meeting your group's needs. Prioritize your group's objectives according to the stated purpose (mission statement) of your group.
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3
Develop a listing of methods your group will use to meet your goals should you receive a grant. For example, you might decide to provide mentoring and education to at-risk children in a high-poverty neighborhood by setting up reading and art groups. For each objective, include a method. (See link in Resources.)
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4
Set up a detailed budget that will show how the grant money will be spent. Tie in the spending to needs identified in your proposal. Detail the costs--direct costs, personnel, travel, equipment, supplies and publication. Detail indirect costs, such as operating and administrative costs. Time spent on planning activities counts as indirect costs. Make sure to balance and plan your budget exactly. Do research on direct and indirect costs. Don't underestimate or overestimate. (See link in Resources.)
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5
Determine how much change you want your group to make; you will detail this in your grant proposal. Deciding on the degree of change means measuring conditions from before you received your grant to after you received your grant and met your objectives. Choose benchmarks to measure success and include them in your proposal. Include an example of your evaluation and indicate how the measurement will be done. Include one example of your evaluation data. Include a budget for your evaluation for items such as special computer programs, postage, phone, travel and paper.
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Include a title page, abstract, an introduction and table of contents. Remember the statements of need, objectives and methods. Add the evaluation and budget as well. Make sure the hard copy of your grant proposal is legible, easy to understand and free of typographical errors.
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Tips & Warnings
Include a history of the group you are working to obtain funding for along with its purpose in the community/agency.
Make your budget as close to actual costs as possible. Overestimating indicates you're trying to "pad" your grant proposal; underestimating gives the impression that you don't know much about your group, its needs or plans.
