Perhaps you’ve just begun immersing in the confusing world of funders and recipients. Probably out of your own needs, probably out of desire to serve others’. But whatever your reason is, you still have a lot to know aside from being passionate on your advocacy. As a beginner in grant writing, where should you start? You need to learn the rules of the game. If you want to win the grant, pay heed to this basic grant writing guidelines.
Grant Writing Guidelines to Keep
1. Follow the directions, every bit of it.
This is a favor you do for both yours and the grantor’s sake. Take note of deadlines and requirements and see if your cause is a perfect fit for them. There are proposals that fail because they don’t suit the qualifications and requirements set by the funder. Being able to comprehend all the criterion and instructions will save your time and efforts. Plus, it wins you more points.
2. Allot time.
And a whole lot of it if you really want to win. One common mistake of beginners is thinking that grants mean easy money. No, it’s not like that. In order to make your proposal win, you have to think diligently and set aside 20-40 hours just for writing the document. A lot of time isn’t it? But don’t worry. Just think of the reward if ever the funder choose it. Bet it will be worth all the time and that trouble of trying to figure out the best words you should use to convince them. Play strictly by the grant writing instructions but never forget to write with your heart.
3. Be bold but simple.
Every word should make sense. A proposal is not something you can get away by including a few jargons here and there. You have to make your composition concise yet compelling. The trick to it is simplifying your logic as if you’re explaining to your little brother or sister. Be bold and make it appealing by blending elements of conviction with your sound logic. All readers are charmed by compositions that explain the complex through simple manner. However beware. You have to keep a steady balance between your logic and emotions when it comes to talking about the cause.
4. Detail the budget.
Funders hate to be surprised, especially when it comes to the minutes of your financial requests. You need to list a justifiable breakdown of the expenses. Make sure that they are reasonable enough for them. One of the things that blow up the chance of the fund seeker is because the budget is not clearly defined or explained. By creating a well-detailed budget plan, your funder will be assured that each spending will be worth the cause and will tend to trust you more as the representative of your cause or organization.
5. Format the proposal professionally.
Don’t neglect the overall appearance of your document. In order to make it look like you mean business, the paper itself has to package your intent. Use legitimate fonts and formal layout. File your papers accordingly and avoid folds and stain. This last grant writing instruction allows you to make the impression of a credible and sincere person you are.
