How to Write a Grant Executive Summary

The Executive Summary is considered by some to be the most important component of a grant proposal because it gives the funds provider the first impression of your proposal. Grant committee members can see at a glance how well the idea for which you are requesting funding fits within their mission. Some fund providers use the summary to sort the proposals into preliminary piles, labeled "good possibilities," "maybes" and "doubtfuls." The time and effort you spend on perfecting your Executive Summary are well worth it if it results in placement in the first pile.

Things You'll Need

• Grantmaker's guidelines
• Grant application form, if the fund provider has one
• Grant project budget figures

Instructions

1. Carefully read the grantmaker's guidelines and the grant application form, if the fund provider has one, to learn what length they require or expect your Executive Summary to be. Some fund providers require the summary be only one paragraph long; some limit the number of words or characters; others allow half a page. Once you know what length you are working with, you can plan your summary accordingly.

2. Write the complete grant proposal first, so you have all the details fresh in your mind prior to writing the Executive Summary. Having clarified all the components of the proposal during the writing process makes it easier to capture their essence when you are writing the Executive Summary.

3. Write a brief description of your organization, as if the grantmaker was unfamiliar with it. Use only one sentence or two for this, as you want to use most of the allotted space for describing your proposal.

4. Introduce the project by stating its title, then encapsulate the highlights of your proposal in the allotted length, including the results you intend to achieve with this funding. If the funding will result in bringing several objectives to fruition, list them all, if space allows. If space is limited, describe those objectives that will have the highest impact.

5. State the need this proposal will address. Keep this statement as positive as possible, in order to assure the fund provider that the results you wish to achieve are indeed possible. State the dollar amount you are requesting, and the time frame of the project.

Tips & Warnings

• Have someone who hasn't seen your proposal read it to make certain they understand everything. This insures that outsiders (like grant committee members) will understand it, too. People affiliated with your proposal are familiar with its needs, so they may not catch inconsistencies or gaps that others can spot.

• Follow the grantmaker's specifications for the summary precisely.

References

• Indiana University Student Foundation