This document provides an overview of the major steps for developing a successful grant proposal. It discusses searching for funding sources, preparing to write by studying the request for proposals, and how to structure the various sections of a proposal such as the need statement, goals and objectives, methodology, evaluation plan, budget plan, continuation plan, introduction, and summary. Key steps are outlined for developing each section and wrapping up the full proposal. The document emphasizes following the instructions in the request for proposals and continuously improving grant writing skills.

1. FUNDAMENTALS OF
GRANT WRITING
presented at
“Fueling Efficient Nonprofits:
Michigan SuperConference 2009”
hosted by
Michigan Nonprofit Association
held at
Hyatt Regency
Dearborn, Michigan
May 5, 2009
Thomas A. Jones, Consultant
East Lansing, Michigan
www.tajones.com
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2. Here are some of the major steps you will need to know in order to develop a
successful grant proposal.
Searching for Funds
The very first step in grant writing is to write a PREliminary Proposal (PREP).
This preliminary description will help you to solidify your thinking about some
basic features of your proposal idea. Writing it will force you to consider and
decide what is the essence of your idea. It need not be lengthy - a page or less –
nor detailed.
PREP should describe the condition, problem, and need the proposal addresses;
the improvements that will be made; what your organization will do to make the
improvements; how success will be determined; how the Project will be continued
if it is successful; and how much it is likely to cost.
The next step is to browse the Internet for potential funding sources. Major sources
of grant funding are the federal, state, and city governments, and foundations. The
Internet is practically inexhaustible when it comes to information on potential
funding sources. You can often access these sources with your search engine by
entering key words or phrases from your PREP.
Preparing to Write
Once you have found a suitable Request for Proposals (RFP), you need to study it
carefully and highlight frequently used phrases. If you do not fully understand
something in the RFP, then ask someone who is likely to know or contact the
funding source. Many funding sources hold a pre-application meeting or bidders'
conference. If such a meeting is offered, go and be prepared to ask questions.
Then, prepare a work plan to guide proposal development. Start by completing a
checklist or grid listing the major sections of your proposal, as specified in the
RFP. Finally, you need to organize the staff, materials, and data required to
develop your proposal. One important decision is whether to use a writing team,
or to go it alone.
Grant proposals typically contain up to eight sections. Here are some tips on
preparing them.
RULE: Always start a section by reviewing the RFP, then follow the
instructions.
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3. Need Statement
Need Statement answers the question: “Why are you applying for this grant?”
This is where you define the conditions, problems, and community needs that your
organization is committed to meeting. Analyzing community problems and needs
is one reason that grant writing represents a journey of discovery – you start the
journey by learning about conditions in your community that need improvement.
Key steps in developing the Need Statement are:
Step 1: Review the RFP
Step 2: Describe conditions in your community
Step 3: Describe problems created by the conditions
Step 4: Describe what is needed to solve the problems
Goals and Objectives
Goals and Objectives answer the question: “What do you want to accomplish
with this grant?” Goals are “end states.” They describe what the conditions or
problems will be like at the end of the grant project. Goals are abstract, broad, and
long-range. Objectives also indicate what you want to achieve, but in different
ways. Objectives are concrete, specific, focused, subject to direct measurement,
and short-range in nature. Like Goals, Objectives relate directly back to the Need
Statement. Key steps in developing Goals and Objectives are:
Step 1: Review the RFP
Step 2: Review your Need Statement
Step 3: Determine your Goals and draft Goal statements
Step 4: Determine what Objectives will enable you to accomplish
the Goals and draft Objective statements
Methodology
The Methodology answers the question: “How will you accomplish your
Objectives?” The Methodology flows from the Goals and Objectives, just as Goals
and Objectives flow from the Need Statement. The Methodology spells out the
resources you will use and the tasks you will complete in implementing your
project. Key steps in developing the Methodology are:
Step 1: Review the RFP
Step 2: Delineate tasks
Step 3: Determine resource needs
Step 4: Develop a timetable
Step 5: Formulate a management plan
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4. Evaluation Plan
The Evaluation Plan answers the questions: “How well is the Methodology
working? Are you meeting your Goals and Objectives? If not, why not?” The
Evaluation Plan flows from your Methodology, and ties all the way back to your
Need Statement, and Goals and Objectives. Evaluation involves a whole series of
questions about the processes and outcomes of the project. Key steps in developing
the Evaluation Plan are:
Step 1: Review the RFP
Step 2: Clarify who will be using the results
Step 3: Develop a series of questions and evaluation measures
Step 4: Determine how and when to collect data
Step 5: Describe how findings will be reported and used
Budget Plan
The Budget Plan answers the questions: “What financial resources will be needed
to implement the project and where will they come from?” The Budget Plan flows
from the Methodology. The Budget Plan estimates the costs of operating the
project, and shows your sources of project funding. Like the Evaluation Plan, the
Budget Plan forces you to reexamine the Methodology, verifying whether or not it
is realistic and doable. Key steps in developing the Budget Plan are:
Step 1: Review the RFP
Step 2: Estimate expenses
Step 3: Determine expected revenue
Step 4: Develop budget narrative
Continuation Plan
The Continuation Plan answers the question: “How do you intend to continue the
project, if it is successful, after the grant funding ends?” If your proposal is truly
rooted in your strategic and long-range plans, then the organization could convert
the project into a regular, ongoing program and fund it as part of its annual
operating budget. Key steps in developing the Continuation Plan are:
Step 1: Review the RFP
Step 2: Describe your continuation plans
Step 3: Identify continuation commitments
Step 4: Describe your organization’s record in continuing
past projects
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5. Introduction
The Introduction answers the question, “Why should your organization be
awarded this grant?” From reading the Introduction, reviewers should be
convinced that your organization has the capacity, experience, qualifications, and
record of achievement to successfully carry out the project. It should be clear that
your organization has a history of providing needed services in the community and
a reputation for meeting high standards of quality. It should also be clear that your
organization is well managed and financially sound. Key steps in developing the
Introduction are:
Step 1: Review the RFP
Step 2: Describe organization’s mission, strategic priorities,
and goals
Step 3: Describe history, target populations, programs, and
services
Step 4: Describe organization’s qualifications
Step 5: Identify partner organizations and their qualifications
Summary
The Summary answers the question, “What is this proposal all about?” It may
also be called “Abstract.” The Summary is a longer and more detailed version of
the PREP you wrote while preparing to write. It is the last major component you
write. It must capture the essence of all the thinking and all the work that has gone
into the proposal. Key steps in developing the Summary are:
Step 1: Briefly describe your organization
Step 2: Describe the problems and needs
Step 3: Describe how the proposal addresses the problems
and needs
Step 4: Indicate what results are expected
Step 5: State the budget for the project
Step 6: Briefly describe continuation plans
Wrapping it Up
This is the point where inexperienced grant writers often face real panic. It is the
point in your journey where – having spent weeks writing the proposal, itself – you
realize how much has yet to be done. But, if your work plan is comprehensive and
realistic, then you should have little trouble pulling it all together and wrapping it
up.
RULE: Build in extra time to deal with unexpected events.
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6. Key steps in Wrapping it Up are:
Step 1: Review the RFP
Step 2: Consolidate drafts; spell check and paginate proposal
Step 3: Assemble appendices and draft Table of Contents
Step 4: Conduct technical reviews
Step 5: Revise proposal, obtain signatures, and make copies
Step 6: Submit the proposal
Five ways to continuously improve your grant writing are to (1) write grants, (2)
study reviewer comments, (3) conduct your own review, and (4) become a
reviewer yourself, and (5) get extra training.
Thomas A. Jones, Consultant
East Lansing, Michigan
www.tajones.com
May 2009
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