how to write a grant proposal education

Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Grant Proposal

Writing a grant proposal is incredibly time-consuming.

No joke. It's one of the most complicated documents you could write in your entire life.

There are different requirements, expectations, and formats—not to mention all the prep work you need to do, like market research and clarifying your project timeline.

Depending on the type of company or organization you represent and which grants you’re applying for, your grant could run anywhere from a dozen to a hundred pages. It’s a lot of work, and we’re here to help.

In this guide to grant proposals, we offer writing steps and examples, as well as resources and templates to help you start applying for funding right away.

Types of grant proposals

Grant proposals typically fall into one of these main categories:

Research grant proposals - Research grant proposals are usually sent by university professors or private research organizations in order to fund research into medical, technological, engineering, and other advancements.

Nonprofit grant proposals - Nonprofits send grant proposals to philanthropic organizations and government agencies to acquire funds for community development, health, education, and similar projects.

Technology grant proposals - Grant proposals can also be sent by technology companies (software, hardware, solar, recycling, environmental, manufacturing, health, and other types of tech companies). These proposals are often sent to large government organizations looking for solutions to current and future problems, as well as VC firms looking to invest in smart startups.

Small business grant proposals - Local governments often give grant awards to small businesses to help them kickstart, market, or expand.

Arts grants - Grants allow artists that would otherwise lack the financial resources to devote extended periods of time to their art. They might need to complete an installation that can be enjoyed by the community as part of the grant.

Grant RFP proposals - There can also be a request for proposals (RFP) for just about anything. From multinational organizations like the UN to family philanthropic grants, you can find RFPs for a variety of projects.

How to prep before you write

Before you can sit down to write your grant proposal, you’ll need to have a deep understanding of:

Existing scientific literature (for research grants) or relevant reports and statistics

Market and competitor landscape

Current available solutions and technologies (and why they’re not good enough)

Expected positive impact of your project

The methods and strategies you’ll employ to complete your project

Project phases and timelines

Project budget (broken down into expense categories)

With these things all buttoned down, you’ll have a much easier time writing the sections that cover those details, as well as the sections that highlight their meaning and importance (such as your statement of need and objectives).

Create a document where you can play around. Take notes, write down ideas, link out to your research, jot down different potential budgets, etc.

Then, when you’re ready to write, create a fresh document for your actual grant proposal and start pulling from your notes as needed.

How to write a grant proposal (ideal format)

Now, let’s get writing.

The ideal outline for a grant proposal is:

Cover Letter

Executive summary, table of contents, statement of need, project description, methods and strategies, execution plan and timeline, evaluation and expected impact, organization bio and qualifications.

If you’re not writing a super formal grant proposal, you might be able to cut or combine some of these sections. When in doubt, check with the funding agency to learn their expectations for your proposal. They might have an RFP or other guidelines that specify the exact outline they want you to follow.

Note: In business proposals, the cover letter and executive summary are the same, and those phrases are used interchangeably. But for grant proposals, the cover letter is a short and simple letter, while the executive summary offers a description of key aspects of the proposal.

In your cover letter, you'll write a formal introduction that explains why you are sending the proposal and briefly introduces the project.

What to include :

The title of the RFP you are responding to (if any)

The name of your proposed project (if any)

Your business or nonprofit organization name

A description of your business or organization, 1-2 sentences

Why you are submitting the proposal, in 1-2 sentences

What you plan to do with the funds, in 2-4 sentences

Dear [Name], The Rockville Community Garden is responding to the city of Rockville’s request for proposals for nonprofit community improvement projects. The Rockville Community Garden is a space for relaxation, healthy eating, exercise, and coming together. We are submitting a proposal to request funding for Summer at the Garden. Every summer, parents are tasked with finding childcare for their children, and we have received countless requests to host a summer camp. We're requesting funding to cover tuition for 100 low-income children ages 5 to 12. The funds will make our summer camp accessible to those who need it most. Thank you for your consideration, [Signature] [Title]

The executive summary of a grant proposal goes into far more detail than the cover letter. Here, you’ll give

Statement of Need overview, in 2 - 5 sentences

Company Bio and Qualifications, in 2 - 5 sentences

Objectives, in 2 - 5 sentences

Evaluation and Expected Impact, in 2 - 5 sentences

Roman architecture stands the test of time until it doesn’t. Roman building techniques can last thousands of years but will crumble to dust instantaneously when earthquakes strike. Meanwhile, our own building techniques of reinforced concrete and steel last only a couple of centuries. Ancient Architecture Research firm is dedicated to modernizing roman building techniques to create new structures that are earthquake safe and sustainable. Our principle investigators hold PhDs from renowned architecture universities and have published in numerous journals. Our objectives for the research grant are to create a prototype structure using Roman building techniques and test it on a shake table to simulate an earthquake. The prototype will pave the way for our application for an amendment to the California building code to permit unreinforced masonry construction. With the success of the prototype, we will prove the safety and viability of this technique. This project will have an enormous potential impact on several crises plaguing the state of California now and in the future: disaster relief, affordable housing, homelessness, and climate migration. Unreinforced masonry construction can be taught and learned by amateur builders, allowing volunteers to quickly deploy temporary or permanent structures.

Next up, you need your Table of Contents! Make sure it matches the names of each of your following sections exactly. After you’ve written, edited, and finalized your grant proposal, you should then enter accurate page numbers to your TOC.

Next up is the statement of need. This is where you sell why you’re submitting your grant request and why it matters.

A description of who will benefit from your proposal

Market and competitive analysis

Statistics that paint a picture of the problem you’re solving

Scientific research into how the problem is expected to worsen in the future

Reasons why your small business deserves funding (founder story, BIPOC founder, female founder, etc.)

While women hold 30% of entry-level jobs in tech, they only make up 10% of C-suite positions. The Female Leadership Initiative seeks to develop women tech leaders for the benefit of all genders. Female leaders have been proven to positively impact work-life balance, fairer pay, creativity, innovation, teamwork, and mentorship.

In this section, you’ll describe the basics of your research project, art project, or small business plan. This section can be kept fairly short (1 - 3 paragraphs), because you’ll be clarifying the details in the next 5 paragraphs.

The name of your project (if any)

Who will benefit from your project

How your project will get done

Where your project will take place

Who will do the project

The Fair Labor Project will seek to engage farm workers in the fields to identify poor working conditions and give back to those who ensure food security in our communities. Trained Spanish-speaking volunteers will visit local farms and speak with workers about their pay and work conditions, helping to uncover any instances of abuse or unfair pay. Volunteers will also pass out new work gloves and canned food. Volunteers will also place orders for work boots and ensure that boots are later delivered to workers that need them.

You should also write out clear goals and objectives for your grant proposal. No matter the type of agency, funding sources always want to see that there is a purpose behind your work.

Measurable objectives tied directly to your proposed project

Why these objectives matter

We seek to boost volunteer turnout for our voter registration efforts by 400%, allowing us to reach an additional 25,000 potential voters and five additional neighborhoods.

Now it’s time to clarify how you’ll implement your project. For science and technology grants, this section is especially important. You might do a full literature review of current methods and which you plan to use, change, and adapt. Artists might instead describe their materials or process, while small business grant writers can likely skip this section.

The names of the methods and strategies you will use

Accurate attribution for these methods and strategies

A literature review featuring the effectiveness of these methods and strategies

Why you are choosing these methods and strategies over others

What other methods and strategies were explored and why they were ultimately not chosen

“We plan to develop our mobile app using React Native. This framework is widely regarded as the future of mobile development because of the shared codebase that allows developers to focus on features rather than create everything from scratch. With a high workload capacity, react native also provides user scalability, which is essential for our plan to offer the app for free to residents and visitors of Sunny County.”

You’ll also need to cover how you plan to implement your proposal. Check the RFP or type or grant application guidelines for any special requirements.

Project phases

The reasoning behind these phases

Project deliverables

Collaborators

In our experience and based on the literature,11,31-33 program sustainability can be improved through training and technical assistance. Therefore, systematic methods are needed to empirically develop and test sustainability training to improve institutionalization of evidence-based programs. This will be accomplished in three phases. In Phase 1, (yr. 1, months 1-6) we will refine and finalize our Program Sustainability Action Planning Model and Training Curricula. As part of this refinement, we will incorporate experiential learning methods3-6 and define learning objectives. The Program Sustainability Action Planning Training will include action planning workshops, development of action plans with measurable objectives to foster institutional changes, and technical assistance. We will also deliver our workshops in Phase 1 (yrs. 1 and 2, months 6-15) to 12 state TC programs. Phase 2 (yrs. 1, 2, and 3) uses a quasi-experimental effectiveness trial to assess the Program Sustainability Action Planning Training in 24 states (12 intervention, 12 comparison). Evaluation of our training program is based on the theory of change that allows for study on how a change (intervention) has influenced the design, implementation, and institutionalization of a program.7,8,11,28 We will collect data on programmatic and organizational factors that have been established as predictors of sustainability9,11 using state level programmatic record abstraction and the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT)43 to assess level of institutionalization across intervention and comparison states at three time points. Data will be used to establish the efficacy of the Program Sustainability Action Planning Model and Training Curricula. In Phase 3 (yr. 4, months 36-48), we will adapt our training based on results and disseminate Program Sustainability Action Planning Model and Training materials. - From Establishing The Program Sustainability Action Planning Training Model

A budget table with various expense categories

An explanation of what each category entails

Expenses broken down by month or year (if this fits your proposal)

Here’s an example budget table with expense categories:

You can then include a brief description of each category and the expenses you expect within them.

A great grant proposal should clarify how you will measure positive outcomes and impact.

Details on the expected impact of your project

Who will benefit from your project and how

Your plan for evaluating project success

How you will measure project success

We will measure the success of the project by monitoring the school district’s math scores. We are expecting an 8% increase in state testing scores from the fall to the spring across grades 1 through 3.

And lastly, finish up your grant proposal with a bio of your organization, your company, or yourself.

Company name

The names of people on your team

Professional bios for everyone on your team

Your educational background

Any relevant awards, qualifications, or certifications

Jane Doe received her masters in fine arts specializing in ceramics from Alfred University. She has received the Kala Fellowship and the Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence.

Successful grant proposal examples

Want to write winning grant applications?

We’ve rounded up examples of successful, awarded grants to help you learn from the best.

Check out these real examples across science, art, humanities, agriculture, and more:

Funded arts and research grants from the University of Northern Colorado

Samples of awarded proposals from the Women’s Impact Network

National Cancer Institute examples of funded grants

Institute of Museum and Library Services sample applications

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program awarded grants examples

Grant application and funding resources

To help you get started writing and sending grant proposals, we’ve found some great application resources.

Research grants:

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants

William T. Grant Foundation grants on reducing inequality

Russel Sage Foundation research grants

Nonprofit grants:

Walmart’s Local Community Grants

Bank of America’s Grant Funding for Nonprofits

Canada GrantWatch’s database of nonprofit grants

Technology grants:

Google Impact Challenges

UN Sustainable Development Goals Fund

US Department of Energy Funding

Small business grants:

US Chamber of Commerce Small Business grants

Canada Small Business Benefits Finder

US Small Business Administration (SBA) grants

Arts grants :

National Endowment for the Arts grants

Art Prof Artist Grants

Canada Council for the Arts grants

Get started with our proposal writing templates

The best way to start any proposal is with a template. A template informs your writing, while drastically speeding up the time it takes to design an attractive proposal.

All of our 75+ proposal templates can easily be adapted for any purpose, including grants or requests for funding. Try our project proposal template and make it your own by adding your executive summary, statement of need, project description, execution plan, budget, and company bio.

Start a free trial to check out all of our proposal software features , including reusable content snippets, e-signatures, viewing and signing analytics, and more.

How to Create Business Proposals Faster

November 14, 2017

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Writing Tutorial

Grant dollars are out there, and they’re waiting for you to claim them. We created this tutorial to help you, the educator, apply for a grant that will enhance your teaching.

The application process may seem intimidating at first, but you can do it! Whether this is your first foray into the realm of grants or you’ve applied for (and received) grants in the past, this guide will help you draft an effective, efficient grant proposal.

Why do you want a grant?

Before you sit down to begin filling out a grant application, ask yourself some questions. “Why do I want a grant?” “What are my long-term project goals?” “What am I looking to accomplish?”

If you can clearly answer these questions, you’re ready to move to the next step. If not, sit back and determine what it is that you (and your colleagues, students, and others) wish to achieve with a grant.

Ultimately, grant makers are in the business of funding ideas, not just materials. To write a successful proposal, you need a clear vision that you can share in the application.

Where should you apply?

Some grant-makers take applications from both individuals and organizations like schools, districts, local associations, and more. Others may fund only individuals or only groups. Read the guidelines on the grant application to ensure that your project is appropriate for the proposal request.

Target your proposal to organizations that specifically award grants to projects like yours. Investigate the organization’s mission to find a common ground with your work. And always make sure that your proposal matches up with the posted guidelines of the grant.

Network Within Your Community

As you search for grant opportunities, start with local organizations (corporations, nonprofits, government entities).  That way, you can show them immediate results if/when you receive a grant. Plus, these organizations will likely have a direct interest in the work you’re proposing – your project will benefit students local to them. (Some funders may even have students in your classroom!)

Establishing a rapport with local funders may also allow you to get your foot in the door with national organizations. You’ll be able to show results with past funders to prove your effectiveness.

Research, research, research!

Conduct research on Regional Associations of Grant-makers (RAGs). You’re on this page, so you are savvy in using the internet to identify grants available to public school educators.

Don’t stop here – continue researching all of the grants for which you may be eligible. Keep an open mind and be sure to look at any possible funders, including private, corporate, and government funding sources.

Utilize Websites and Listservs

The NEA Foundation provides a  useful guide  to a selection of available grants.

Sign up for listservs from various nonprofits that provide education grants information. Also be sure to regularly visit websites that contain grants listings.

Know the Research and Best Practices in the Field

Investigate work similar to the project you are proposing. If similar work does exist, referencing it in your application will bolster the validity of your proposed work.

Similarly, describing relevant education research can help support the strategies you propose.

Consult with colleagues, administrators, companies, and individuals 

Seek advice first and funds second. Before you begin the grant writing process, consult knowledgeable people!

Pick the brains of any colleagues who have applied for and received grants, any educators who have done work similar to what you are proposing, and any grant administrators who might be willing to provide advice while you assemble your proposal. Getting input from the people around you will help you turn the seed of an idea into a project that grant-makers will want to support.

Build relationships with potential funders

You will likely be in regular contact with the grants officer(s) at the organization(s) where you apply for grants. Be sure to learn their names! “Hi Laura” is a lot friendlier than “To whom it may concern.”

Let them know who you are, too. This won’t necessarily increase your chances of being funded, but it will allow you to ask questions and get feedback that will help you the next time around.

Establish partnerships

If possible, establish partnerships with experts in your field of study — colleagues, community members, parent-teacher organizations, etc.

Grant proposals look strongest when there is evidence of buy-in outside of the core group presenting the proposal.

Assemble a proposal preparation team

Before you write your grant, assemble a proposal preparation team of the key colleagues and associates you’ll work with during the grant.

This team should include administrators (be sure that your principal/dean is aware of and has signed off on your proposed work), school/district financial employees, colleagues, experts in the field, etc. Ask members of the team for advice – they’ll be important resources if you receive the grant.

Have confidence

You are your best salesperson. As an educator, you are doing valuable work that funders want to support. Articulate that and use it to your advantage.

Always remember that the job of any grants administrator is to give away money. Don’t be intimidated – as much as you may need grant funds, those providing grants equally need you.

Have a good reason for a grant

You’re not just asking for money. Rather, you’re requesting an investment into a project that will change students’ lives. Grant-makers expect grantees to provide not only a solid reason for a grant but also regular updates on the progress of the project.

Sure, you can vaguely ask for $5,000 for 10 laptops. But for a better chance of receiving funding, submit a proposal describing the need for $5,000 for 10 laptops for a middle school writing project that will strengthen students’ language skills. Funders provide grants for innovative projects, not just for materials.

Pay attention to the quality and feasibility of your project

Make sure that your project is realistic and doable. Ensure that the work you describe can be completed within the timeframe of the grant (usually one year). Propose work that is relevant to your students’ grade and abilities.

Keep long-term goals in mind

Ultimately, a program officer determines whether or not to fund your proposal. His or her biggest concern is your long-term goal. Make sure that your goals are clear, achievable, and measurable. Give careful thought to sustainability issues, and address the impact your project will have beyond the life of the grant.

Read and follow guidelines precisely

Follow the guidelines of the grant to which you’re applying. Address everything that is asked of you in the application, but don’t add extra items to your proposal. Depending on the organization’s policies, if you don’t follow the guidelines exactly, your proposal could be rejected.

Establish a timeline to complete the application

The process of writing a grant proposal takes time. You’ll have to write and rewrite your proposal, get your colleagues to help with proofreading, create a budget, and gather signatures. Be prepared for delays, since these steps often take longer than you expect.

For example, getting required signatures from your principal/dean and your school finance director/accountant (who will likely act as the point person for the fiscal sponsorship) can take weeks, so be sure to give them plenty of time to respond to your requests. Don’t wait until the last minute (i.e. the date of the application deadline) to ask for signatures.

Have attachments (notes of recommendation, lesson plans, newspaper articles, etc.) ready in advance as well so you can include them when you submit your application.

Write clearly

As with any written task, you should write clearly and concisely in your own voice. Use language that educators not necessarily familiar with your subject, grade, or geographic area can understand. Avoid using field- and geography-specific jargon and acronyms, since these may be lost on members of the review panel.

Keep your audience in mind and have a non-specialist review your proposal to flag jargon with which they may not be familiar.

Scour your proposal and make certain there are no typos, blank information sections, missing signatures, etc.

If your proposal is incomplete or contains many errors, the organization may reject it, regardless of the strength of the project idea.

Ask a program officer to review a draft of your proposal

If you finish your proposal early (see:  Establish a Timeline to Complete the Application), inquire with the grants officer of the organization to which you are applying to see if s/he would be willing to read your proposal and give you feedback.

Most grants officers are extremely busy, so you may not always get a response. However, grant officers are an excellent resource for grant writing (after all, their job is to review hundreds or thousands of proposals each year). So there’s absolutely no harm in sending a copy of your draft to them before you submit it officially.

Know the required content

Each funder requires different content in the proposal. Read each section of the application carefully for any grant to which you’re applying. Make sure you address each question fully.

To take a look at the required fields in the NEA Foundation’s Student Success Grant application, click here. The required fields for the NEA Foundation’s Learning & Leadership Grants can be found here.

Include an evaluation plan

In the narrative of your proposal, include a carefully constructed evaluation plan. Identify interim and final benchmarks to establish how you’ll measure the project’s success. Show how you will measure growth throughout the course of the project.

Develop a budget

All grant applications will ask you to provide a budget. In your budget, tie each line item to the learning objectives in your narrative.

Be specific, but not restrictive. Give yourself room to maneuver within the budget. (Providing a line item for “two laptop computers” is preferable to a line that reads “technology,” which is far too vague, or a line that reads “two Acer Thinkpads, serial number #00058779,” which is too specific.)

Your budget should be practical — do not ask for items that don’t directly pertain to the project you’ve proposed. Reviewers scrutinize all line items, so be sure that the expenditures you’ve presented are essential for achieving the objectives in your proposal.

Wait patiently

After you’ve submitted your application, be patient in waiting to hear back. Announcement dates are usually posted on the funder’s website, and that will tell you when to expect a response. Avoid contacting the grants officer prior to the announcement date to ask about the status of your application.

The process depends on the funder

Each funder has its own specific process for review and notification. Here, we describe the review process at the NEA Foundation. Although our process is similar to those used by other grant making entities, you should always check the methods of the particular organization you’re applying to.

Technical review

In this initial review step, the grants officer will read a proposal to ensure that it addresses all required areas. The officer will examine your proposal for, among other things:

• adherence to word limits
• required signatures
• partner contact information (if applicable)

Reading and following the requirements means that your proposal makes it to the second round. Before you submit, review your proposal carefully to make sure that it follows all guidelines!

Peer review and committee recommendations

After the preliminary review, the remaining proposals move on to the peer review. In this stage, the grants officer distributes the proposals to a committee of objective educators. They review each proposal according to a uniform rubric. After they review and score each proposal, they return the scored rubrics to the grants officer and provide recommendations of the projects they feel should be funded.

Board review and approval

From the reviewers’ recommendations, the grants officer prepares a docket containing the projects the Foundation intends to fund and shares it with the board of directors. After the board’s review and approval, the Foundation makes the grant recipients public.

Funded applicants

Organizations may notify selected grantees via email, phone call, letter, or announcement on the grant-making organization’s website.

Shortly after the notification, the grantee will receive a grant agreement. The agreement is a legally binding document that explicitly states the requirements and expectations of both the grantee and grant-maker. It must be signed by both parties.

Once both parties have signed the agreement, the grantee will receive the grant funds and may begin the funded project.

Unfunded applicants

Applicants whose projects are not funded will receive notification from the grant maker at the same time as the funded applicants. Depending on the funder, this notification may include details regarding why the proposal was not funded, information on other sources of funding, encouragement for proposal resubmission, or other resources.

If your application is not funded, it is by no means a reflection on the quality of the proposed work. Most grant makers (including the NEA Foundation) receive far more quality proposals than they could ever realistically afford to fund.

Stay committed

Statistically, a proposal is going to go unfunded more often than not. Be prepared for rejection, but continue to look for grants and apply in the future.

Ask questions

Inquire with the grants officer to see if you can get feedback on the reasons why your proposal was not funded. Don’t be shy about requesting reviewer feedback, a copy of the rubric, or tips from the grants officer.

Investigate other funding resources

Consider other funding resources for your project. Conduct internet research and ask the grants officer if s/he knows of any other grant makers that may be interested in funding your project. Check out the NEA Foundation’s  page outlining other grant opportunities  for a few ideas.

If an organization allows you to reapply for a grant, be sure to do so after making appropriate changes to the proposal. The key to any effective grant seeker is persistence, so don’t hesitate to reach for any and all possible funding sources.

Grant-writing course

We’ve developed an in-depth course that will help you navigate not only the NEA Foundation’s grant application process but also grants from any number of organizations. Whether you take this course individually or with a team of colleagues, in its entirety or in a few choice sessions, you’ll be ready to write a winning proposal.

Download  |  NEA Foundation Grant Writing for Educators  (PDF)

We are very lucky here at the NEA Foundation to receive hundreds of innovative and thoughtful applications each year, and we only wish we could fund them all. We hope you’ll find many additional opportunities in our  grant resources  and  blog . We wish you the best in your application process!

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If you work for a nonprofit organization or are a researcher, you’ll know that a grant proposal is a document submitted to a funding agency.

Grant proposals are also known as a request for application, notice of funding opportunity, or request for quotes and qualifications.

Grant proposals are your chance to convince grantmaking bodies (agencies that distribute funds) to hand over money. Generally, grant proposals include information such as an organization’s mission and budgetary needs.

In this post, I’ll show you how to write a successful grant proposal (tips and templates included!) and then teach you how to make a grant proposal using a Proposal Maker and grant proposal templates .

Click to jump ahead:

• Factors to consider before writing a grant proposal

How to write a grant proposal

Sample grant proposal templates.

• How to create a grant proposal with Venngage

Here are some things to consider before writing a grant proposal

• Audience:  Consider your target audience and tailor your copy to their interests and needs.
• Funding:  Choose your funder carefully. Always have an alternative list of potential funders and know the long-term sustainability of your project.
• Understand the grant requirements: Every grantmaking body sets its own rules regarding goals, application deadlines, and guidelines, so make sure you understand them and can differentiate between them.
• Have a plan :  Create a specific, actionable plan for what you want to do and why. Make sure you know how your plan will achieve positive results.
• Write a draft : Research and write down each request in an outline. Plan how you’ll add visuals to give your grant proposal an extra edge.
• Be clear and concise:  Avoid writing in the past tense and use action verbs. Again, visuals can sometimes be a better option over words.
• Include supporting materials : Provide a budget of how you’ll use the funds and include evidence to substantiate any claims you make.

Other helpful tips to consider

Here are some extra tips to help you write a grant proposal that stands out.

• Start early
• Apply early and often
• Get feedback and revise your proposal accordingly
• Be brief, concise and clear
• Be organized and logical
• Be explicit and specific
• Be realistic in designing the project
• Follow up after the proposal

Grant writing can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be if you understand the basics.

In this section, I’ll give you tips on how to write grant proposals that’ll impress prospective funders (grant writers take note!).

Include a cover letter

The cover letter is not technically part of a grant proposal but they’re core to a successful grant application because it helps funders understand who you are.

Busy decisionmakers want to know who they’ll be funding and look for clues in your cover letter after reading through your proposal.

In your cover letter, don’t be afraid to bring out your personality, but also make sure you cover the basics like how your project fits with the funder’s objective.

Include an executive summary

The executive summary is probably the first (and maybe only) part of a grant proposal read by a funding organization.

It needs to be concise and summarize key points such as goal, strategy, people involved, expected results, and budgetary needs.

Here’s an example executive summary for some inspiration.

Provide organizational information

Providing organizational information in a grant proposal helps build credibility and establishes trust.

More importantly, this section allows funders to assess the alignment between their funding priorities and your organization’s goals and activities.

Therefore, make sure to answer questions like: What is your mission? Do you have an organizational history? What will be the impact of this project? What other programs or services do you render? 

Here’s an example of background organizational information you can make your own.

State your objective(s)

Early in your grant proposal, you should state the objectives of your project, the target audience, and expected results.

This underscores the feasibility of your project within a grant timeframe and can influence funders’ decision on a project’s worthiness (i.e.; the difference between a yes and no).

Here’s a great example of a grant proposal that nails this section.

Describe the statement of needs

The statement of needs section is used to build strong case for your project.

In this section, use data, facts and figures to back statements. This will be more meaningful than just words alone.

But make sure your data is accurate. There’s nothing worse than misleading information which can lead to rejections and damage your reputation.

Here’s a grant proposal template that has a customizable statement of needs.

Explain your methods and strategies

You’ve identified a problem and solution, but how are you going to achieve what you plan to do?

That’s what the methods and strategies section is for. Here, potential funders want to see how you’ll use their funds to determine if the project is viable.

For example, maybe your objective is to enhance community health through a mobile clinic initiative.

Detail each step of this process from procurement of medical equipment and vehicles, recruitment and training process for healthcare professionals, and logistics for deploying mobile clinics.

Here’s an example of a grant proposal that first lists goals and objectives and immediately provides an overview of the path to success.

Include an evaluation plan

When funders hand out money, they have certain conditions, like making sure you are held accountable of project progress. Often, you’ll only get more money to continue as you complete milestones.

The evaluation plan section is where you show funders how you’ll spend money as described in your grant proposal to ease their fears and doubts.

This section also shows funders that you have a realistic timeline for the project and that you’re not using the funds for any other purposes.

Include a project budget

Perhaps the most part of your grant proposal is the project budget. This is where you reveal exactly how you’ll be using funds.

Be transparent and provide a full overview of expenses and detail where and how it’ll be spent.

A great way to do this is to use an itemized table or financial plan.

When presenting an overall sum, make sure you don’t overstate or understate your needs. You don’t want funders to doubt your true intent or doubt project viability.

Here’s a grant proposal with a budget section you can use.

Include a financial sustainability plan

Most grant writers overlook including a long-term financial sustainability plan.

Most funders view grants as a long-term investment and want to back projects that can be sustainable even after the money stops rolling in.

Demonstrating a clear understanding of these factors shows funders that you have thoroughly considered the project’s financial trajectory and are prepared to manage it responsibly.

What should you include here? Total cost of future ownership, maintenance costs, inflation, ongoing, and future growth potential are a few ideas.

Sign off with your team information

Treat grant proposals as official documentation.

At the end of your grant proposal, include your (or your company’s) contact details. This makes it easier for the funders to reach out to you and do their research on you and your team.

Here’s an example of a grant proposal with a great ‘about us’ section.

Now that you understand the basics of a grant proposal, it’s time to get to work and create your own.

But you don’t need to start from scratch. Instead, edit these grant proposal templates and convert them into your own winning proposal

(Hint: visit the links to see the entire template).

How to create grant proposals with Venngage

If you want to create grant proposals that grab attention, look no further than Venngage.

With Venngage, you can you communicate boring technical info with engaging visuals and customize our professionally-designed grant proposal templates.

You don’t need to be a designer to use Venngage. If you know how to work Microsoft Word or Google Slides or similar tools, you can use Venngage.

Step 1 – Sign up for a Venngage account (it’s free!)

Sign up for a Venngage account for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook.

Step 2 – Go to the “Templates” page and select “Proposals”

Venngage already has grant proposal templates you can edit to suit your idea and vision.

To find them, go to our templates page and choose the “Proposals” category. After selecting it, this screen should load.  

Note :  Some of our grant proposal templates are free to use and some require a small monthly fee. Sign-up is always free, as is access to Venngage’s online drag-and-drop editor.

Step 3 – Select the “grant proposal” subcategory

Look for the grant proposals subcategory in the proposals template page and select it.

Step 4 – Customize your grant proposal

Browse our selection of grant proposal templates. Once you find one you like, click on it to launch the editor tool.

Here, you’ll be able to add your own text, change the design, and customize the template as you like.

Some of your customization options include:

• Add engaging visuals and symbols 
• Change color scheme
• Change the fonts and text to match your brand or style
• Move elements around with a drag and drop interface

For example, let’s pretend I chose this grant proposal template to customize.

Let’s edit this together.

For example, I want to replace the logo to reflect my company. Well, just select it and click the “ Replace ” feature on the top left. 

Once you click “ Replace “, a tab will open where you can select visuals from our library of icons. You can also upload an image (your logo).

By the way, our in-editor library has thousands of free, professional icons, plus diverse icons.

Now, let’s say I want to change the background color of some of my template.

That’s easy as well! Just select the text or background and select the “Replace” feature again. This time, you’ll be prompted with another pop-up where you can select a different color.

If you sign up for a Business Plan, you’ll also get access to My Brand Kit . With this, you can apply your brand colors to any design with one click. 

Step 5 – Save, share, or download your grant proposal

When your grant proposal is complete, you can save it as a PDF or PNG file if you’re on a Business Plan.

However, all users will always have access to shareable link that they can send potential funders.

Final thoughts: Create grant proposals with Venngage and secure funding today

A well-structured grant proposal with appealing visuals can make a lasting impression on funders and tip the balance in your favor.

Don’t waste your time with tools like Word, Google Docs where you’ll get limited design flexibility and visuals that don’t engage.

Instead, head over to Venngage’s grant proposal templates to give yourself a winning edge.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a grant proposal? 

The length of a grant proposal depends on the funder but a typical grant proposal is usually between 5-20 pages. The funding body might request additional documents as well, so it’s important to know funding guidelines.

What is the writing style for a grant proposal?

The writing style for a grant proposal is formal. You want to be concise and objective, so focus on clarity, impact and your alignment with the priorities of the funder.

What is the lifecycle of a grant proposal?

The grant proposal lifecycle begins with research, planning and development, followed by drafting, revising and editing the narrative and budget. Applications are then submitted before funders review and make decisions. If successful, negotiations may occur to finalize details, after which the funded project is implemented according to the approved plan. Finally, progress and final reports are submitted to the funder. This cyclical process ensures accountability and project success.

What is the difference between a proposal and grant proposal?

Proposal is a broader term encompassing various applications for funding, resources, or partnerships whereas a grant proposal specifically refers to an application for grant funding from a foundation, government agency, or other organization.

What is the difference between a grant proposal and a grant letter?

A grant proposal is a detailed document that includes the project description, methodology, financial plan, and financing rationale. A grant letter, on the other hand, can be a more straightforward request or statement of interest.

Planning and Writing a Grant Proposal: The Basics

Grant Proposal Writing is Exciting, Imaginative Work

Download this Handout PDF

Overview Additional Resources about Grants and Grant Writing Considering the Audience, Purpose, and Expectations of a Grant Proposal Common Elements of Grant Proposals General Tips Successful Sample Proposals

So, you want to write a grant proposal? This is exciting! This means that you have valuable research to do or a particular nonprofit to build or a community resource you’re passionate about developing. You have a distinct vision for how something could be improved or advanced, and you’re ready to ask for funding or other support to help this vision become a reality.

As you reach toward this unrealized vision by developing a grant proposal, you should think about successful grant writing as an act of imagination. Professor Kate Vieira, a Curriculum and Instruction professor at UW-Madison with considerable grant writing experience, describes grant proposal writing as a creative process akin to fiction writing—these are works of imagination. Professor Vieira recommends approaching the task of writing a grant proposal with an attitude of wonder and excitement as you strive to turn your ideas into something real. You have a great idea, and you think that you’re the best person to achieve a specific goal. Now you just need to convince others to get excited about this vision as well.

On this page, we offer some ways of thinking about grant proposals and advice about the process of planning and writing a proposal. We consider grant proposals; overall purposes, audiences, and expectations in order to make this information applicable across a range of contexts. However, this general approach has important limits . First, you will need to get more tailored advice about grant writing within your specific discipline or sphere. Second, you’ll need to follow very carefully the exact instructions about proposals from the granting agencies to which you are applying.

Talk with professors, mentors, previous grant recipients, the funding agency/group you are applying to, and trusted advisers in your field to learn more about what successful grant proposals look like in your situation and to get feedback on your plan and on your drafting process.

Before you start writing your grant proposal, you’ll want to make sure that you:

• develop a specific, meaningful, actionable plan for what you want to do and why you want to do it;
• consider how your plan will achieve positive results;
• locate a granting organization or source that funds projects like the one you have in mind;
• research that organization to make sure that its mission aligns with your plan;
• review the organization’s proposal guidelines; and
• examine sample proposals from your department, peers, and/or the organization.

When you’ve done all of this, you’re ready to start drafting your proposal!

Additional Resources about Grants and Grant Writing

For students, faculty, or staff at UW–Madison, a great place to learn more about grants, grant proposal writing, and granting institutions is the Grants Information Collection at UW–Madison’s Memorial Library. Check out their website and our review of some of their materials as well as links to other useful grant resources here.

Considering the Audience, Purpose, and Expectations of a Grant Proposal

A grant proposal is a very clear, direct document written to a particular organization or funding agency with the purpose of persuading the reviewers to provide you with support because: (1) you have an important and fully considered plan to advance a valuable cause, and (2) you are responsible and capable of realizing that plan.

As you begin planning and drafting your grant proposal, ask yourself:

• Who is your audience? Think about the people from the agency offering this grant who will read this proposal. What are the agency’s mission and goals? What are its values? How is what you want to do aligned with what this agency is all about? How much do these readers know about what you are interested in? Let your answers to these questions inform how you present your plan, what vocabulary you use, how much background you provide, and how you frame your goals. In considering your audience, you should think about the kind of information these readers will find to be the most persuasive. Is it numbers? If so, make sure that you provide and explain your data. Is it testimonials? Recommendations from other collaborators? Historical precedent? Think closely about how you construct your argument in relationship to your readers.
• What are the particular expectations for this grant? Pay attention to everything the granting organization requires of you. Your proposal should adhere exactly to these requirements. If you receive any advice that contradicts the expectations of your particular situation ( including from this website ), ignore it! Study representative samples of successful proposals in your field or proposals that have received the particular grant you are applying for.
• How do you establish your credibility? Make sure that you present yourself as capable, knowledgeable, and forward thinking. Establish your credibility through the thoroughness of your plan, the intentional way that you present its importance and value, and the knowledge you have of what has already been learned or studied. Appropriately reference any past accomplishments that verify your ability to succeed and your commitment to this project. Outline any partnerships you have built with complementary organizations and individuals.
• How can you clearly and logically present your plan? Make sure that your organization is logical. Divide your proposal into predictable sections and label them with clear headings. Follow exactly the headings and content requirements established by the granting agency’s call for proposals.Grant proposals are direct and to–the–point. This isn’t a good place for you to embroider your prose with flowery metaphors or weave in subtle literary allusions. Your language should be uncluttered and concise. Match the concepts and language your readers use and are familiar with. Your readers shouldn’t have to work hard to understand what you are communicating. For information about writing clear sentences, see this section of our writer’s handbook. However, use a vivid image, compelling anecdote, or memorable phrase if it conveys the urgency or importance of what you are proposing to do.

Common Elements of Grant Proposals

General tips, pay attention to the agency’s key interests..

As mentioned earlier, if there are keywords in the call for proposals—or in the funding organization’s mission or goal—be sure to use some of those terms throughout your proposal. But don’t be too heavy–handed. You want to help your readers understand the connections that exist between your project and their purpose without belaboring these connections.

Organize ideas through numbered lists.

Some grant writers use numbered lists to organize their ideas within their proposal. They set up these lists with phrases like, “This project’s three main goals are . . . ” or, “This plan will involve four stages . . . ” Using numbers in this way may not be eloquent, but it can an efficient way to present your information in a clear and skimmable manner.

Write carefully customized proposals.

Because grant funding is so competitive, you will likely be applying for several different grants from multiple funding agencies. But if you do this, make sure that you carefully design each proposal to respond to the different interests, expectations, and guidelines of each source. While you might scavenge parts of one proposal for another, never use the exact same proposal twice . Additionally when you apply to more than one source at the same time, be sure to think strategically about the kind of support you are asking from which organization. Do your research to find out, for example, which source is more likely to support a request for materials and which is more interested in covering the cost of personnel.

Go after grants of all sizes.

Pay attention to small grant opportunities as well as big grant opportunities. In fact, sometimes securing a smaller grant can make your appeal for a larger grant more attractive. Showing that one or two stakeholders have already supported your project can bolster your credibility.

Don’t give up! Keep on writing!

Writing a grant proposal is hard work. It requires you to closely analyze your vision and consider critically how your solution will effectively respond to a gap, problem, or deficiency. And often, even for seasoned grant writers, this process ends with rejection. But while grant writers don’t receive many of the grants they apply to, they find the process of carefully delineating and justifying their objectives and methods to be productive. Writing closely about your project helps you think about and assess it regardless of what the grant committee decides. And of course, if you do receive a grant, the writing won’t be over. Many grants require progress reports and updates, so be prepared to keep on writing!

Successful Sample Grant Proposals

One of the best ways to learn how to write grant proposals is to analyze successful samples. We’ve annotated and uploaded three very different kinds of successful proposals written by colleagues associated with UW–Madison. We encourage you to carefully read these samples along with the annotations we’ve provided that direct your attention to specific ways each one is doing the work of a strong proposal. But don’t stop with these! Find additional samples on your own of successful proposals like the one you’re writing to help guide and further your understanding of what has worked and been persuasive.

• Sample Grant Proposal 1 (PDF) Fellowship Proposal for UW–Madison’s Center for the Humanities’ Public Humanities Exchange (HEX)
• Sample Grant Proposal 2 (PDF) Proposal for a 3–Year National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
• Sample Grant Proposal 3 (PDF) Madison Writing Assistance’s grant proposal to the Evjue Foundation

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Home » Grants » Business Grants

21 Steps to Writing a Perfect Grant Proposal for Education

Do you want to apply for education grants but don’t know how to write a proposal? If YES, here are 21 steps to writing a grant proposal for education purposes.

When we hear these words written as the title of an article, one may confuse it to mean that a student writes a proposal to solicit for funds in order to finance their educational aspiration. But seeking a grant for education simply means that a teacher or group of teachers who have identified a need in the educational system, have put together a proposal to seek funding for that project. This is aimed at improving the student’s performance or comprehension in any field it is requested for.

For example, a teacher may notice that quite a number of students may be struggling with learning the multiplication table at their school and may decide to establish some type of miniature playground that can teach the students the multiplication table within an environment that is fun.

So, the idea is that while the children are having fun sincerely, the multiplication table is taught. Sometimes the school itself may not have the extra funds to invest in such a project, so the teacher can seek for funding from grant organizations.

Some of these grant organizations may exclusively make their funds available to only schools, or there could be grant organizations that simply make grants available to eligible candidates, once they are able to prove their worth through a well written proposal.

In today’s article we will be looking at some of the major aspects of a grant proposal for education like the introduction, project description, budget and so on. We would also be discussing some tips that will make you have more grants paid.

When most people think of soliciting for funds, they may be uncertain as to whether their proposal will be good enough to get a grant. But one thing most people fail to understand is that if you never try you will never build the necessary skills that will get you receiving grants time and time again.

These tips will give you more insight on how to make your proposals grant worthy. Just in case you have never done this before, it would be good to know that usually there are staff members within the administrative board that have to approve grants that go beyond a certain amount.

So, it would be wise to ensure that you have already spoken to these people and that both the project and the amount you are seeking have been approved by the necessary admin personnel. Another interesting tip to consider when putting together a proposal of this nature is to think like the person who would be attending to the document you are about to send.

Put yourself in their shoes or in their mindset, find out questions they may be asking, points they may be looking for and concerns they may have about your intended program. When you have this kind of mindset, then you will write in a way that presents your case to the reviewer in terms they will identify with.

Tips such as these will be very helpful in giving you a well-rounded perspective on how to go about writing a grant proposal for education.

• BE OPTIMISTIC

Usually there’s a kind of negative way of thinking when it comes to writing a grant proposal. Most people think about how much they are about to ask for, then wonder if the funds are actually going to be made available. First of all, getting people to believe in what you do for them to release their support in cash or kind could be quite tasking.

With a lot of fraudulent people out there only seeking to get money to use for their own private purposes, grant organizations and sponsors have to be careful. In spite of all these negative impressions, being optimistic about your proposal is paramount; it will give you the much-needed energy to persist when the times get hard.

When you face challenges putting together aspects of the proposal, or when you face challenges getting the administrative officer to sign off on the idea, you have to see yourself receiving the grant, see yourself executing the program successfully, just be super optimistic about the entire activity and you will see it will go a long way.

Writing needs inspirational energy, and a mind that cannot see things happening cannot access great ideas to document on paper. A negative mindset can make you take too much time in writing the proposal, because you really can’t see the idea taking off. When your mind is filled with negative thoughts, any little challenge you face could be made into a mountain of issues, you will suddenly have more reasons not to write.

However, the opposite is true when you have an optimistic mindset about the outcome of the entire process. You will be full of innovative ideas for the project, set-backs will be seen as stepping stones, and difficulty would be seen as training hoops you would have to scale through. In fact, it is this kind of enthusiastic approach to getting funds that will make your team members to give themselves entirely to the process; even they would want to see you succeed with your idea.

2. GET RELEVANT PEOPLE INVOLVED

It would be better for you if you have other people working on the proposal with you. This could be other teachers who can provide other perspectives to the project. Writing a proposal can be very tasking, you may even need the assistance of professionals.

Sometimes the person you need may not be someone who knows a lot about what is needed. It might just be someone who will read through the entire proposal for typographical error or spell checks. Sometimes this pair of fresh eyes can also comment on the way grammar is used in the proposal.

3. CROSS CHECK FOR MISTAKES

It’s just like writing an exam; you may need to cross check your entire document for simple mistakes that may cause the reviewer to see your proposal as a mediocre attempt. Most times when we write things like this, we are so busy looking at the bigger picture that we do not notice some of the little mistakes that may ruin our chances at receiving actual funds.

We can make mistakes in the way we write the document, the way we put together the budget, the way we address the grant organisation and so on. This is also one of the areas where you may definitely need someone to look through the entire proposal and give you feedback on how the entire write up is structured. They too can point out glaring mistakes that may have skipped your attention.

4. UNDERSTAND THE FUNDING ORGANISATION

You will be approaching an organisation for grants for your educational project; this organisation would be more obliged if they knew you had some type of understanding as to what they do. It’s like going for an interview with a firm and not knowing anything about what that firm.

So it would be advisable to research the grant organization of your choice, find out exactly what their interests are, what their vision is, and the kind of projects they have done before and so on. When you skillfully weave this into your write up, the reviewer will have the sense that you are not just approaching them for their money, but you actually care about what they care about. This will help tremendously in getting you the funding you need.

5. SEARCH FOR A GRANT ORGANISATION

This may as well be one of the very first few tips in writing an effective proposal for your educational project. First of all, look for organizations that are willing to make finances available for projects such as these. There are some who simply focus on making grants available for schooling projects alone, there are others who would be interested in the age group of the students who would benefit from the program and there are others that focus on the impact the program can have on the community.

Spending time to seek out the actual organizations you would be soliciting for their funds would give you a strong backbone for the proposal you are writing. It takes some type of insight to actually locate the organizations that will be willing to make this available to you.

6. ANALYZE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROJECT

When looking into setting up a project like this, it would be much better to look into sustainability. Is it the kind of program that may require funding every academic session? If so would your granting agency be willing to make these monies available every academic session? How about staff, will those who volunteer their time for the program always feel okay about making their time available for the project?

These are questions you need to answer so that you will also know if you have what it takes to keep the program going. Sometimes, it doesn’t pay to start something when there are no clear-cut means of sustaining it. So, for the sake of maintaining your integrity, make sure you have paid attention to sustaining the program.

7. BE SIMPLE IN YOUR WRITING

The reviewer may not know most of the technical words that has to do with your field of expertise, so ensure you keep the wordings in your proposal simple enough for the reviewer to read through the document without getting a headache.

The truth is that you are trying to convince the reviewer about the potency of your idea; you are not trying to confuse the person. Usually when one finds it difficult to understand what is being communicated, one simply switches off. Nobody is going to grant a request for something they don’t understand.

Simplicity is the way to go when putting a document like this together. When I say simplicity, I mean in the syntax of the document not its content. It should make for an easy read, and the reviewer should be able to read through it effortlessly.

8. BE THOROUGH AND DETAILED

In order to be as thorough as you need to be, you need to spend a lot of time researching the various the project you want to execute. A person should be able to look at that proposal and see every detail of the project.

This is important because the reviewer would definitely have some questions about the project as they go through the proposal. Not only must you look into all the details, the project may require you to get into the mind of the reviewer and ask the questions he will most likely be thinking in his head.

This will ensure that there are no loopholes or places where the reviewer can develop faults with your writ up. You want to be faultless in your presentation of the facts; this type of excellent approach will definitely be an advantage to you getting the funds you need.

9. FOLLOW THE AGENCY’S GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A PROPOSAL

Some agencies have specified guidelines when it comes to grant proposals. When putting together your proposal, be sure to keep to those instructions; do not exceed the parameters they have provided for you. They may have their reasons; some may go as far as pointing out the font size you should use and how many pages the proposal should be. Adhering to the agency’s guidelines will make it easier for the agency to read your write up.

10. ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE WHAT IS NEEDED TO EXECUTE THE PROJECT

Writing the proposal is one thing, executing it is another. Sometimes the person or persons who wrote the proposals are not the people who will execute it.

If this is the case with your situation, then you may want to include certain details as to how the project can be executed so that in the situation where you are not the person to execute it, the desired outcome will still be achieved if the people who execute it follow the plans you have already laid out for the effective implementation of the project.

11. TIMELINE

It will be much better if the timeline for the completion of the project is clearly stated in the proposal. The timeline for project completion is one of the major keys to getting your proposal approved by the granting agency. Everyone who sees the proposal would know the duration of the entire program with intricate details. It informs very clearly the actual events and resources the project would require.

12. USE STATISTICAL DATA

In convincing the reviewer about your idea, stating the statistics that support your idea will go a long way in strengthening the reviewer’s conviction about your idea. The very first set of statistical data should be the one that supports your stance, the one that supports the reason why you think this project or program is worth the money you are seeking. Research and look for the actual numbers and build up your case.

Look for statistics that reveal the negative conditions that are very present within your field, these negative statistics are also part of the reasons your program should be approved, so that through the effective execution of your program, the negative statistics can be reduced.

13. EDUCATE YOURSELF ON GRANT PROPOSAL WRITING

Don’t assume you know it all, educate yourself on grant proposal writing. The more you know about writing grant proposals, the more you will get better at putting it together. Your skill for writing this type of proposal would increase as you continue to get more materials.

When you broaden your awareness as to how these write ups are made, what grant agencies are looking for and the various opportunities that are out there for those looking for grants, you will be on your way to getting more finances for your projects.

14. PUT TOGETHER THE CURRICULUM

So, the curriculum of the entire program has to be put together and it has to be designed in a way that it addresses the problem you are trying to solve. If there were not problems with the traditional way things are taught, you wouldn’t have thought to develop a new program to address those weaknesses in the former approach. So you would need to put together some type of curriculum for your proposed program.

15. IDENTIFY MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES

When you include measurable objectives in your proposal, it is most likely going to get more attention. It shows that the progress of the program on the students can be measured in very clear parameters. So, it is safe to say that if such a program is not effective it will be clear after some time, then the entire project would have to be reviewed to discover why the initial approach was not effective. Adjustments can be made to ensure better results will be achieved.

16. BE REALISTIC

When it comes to projecting how much effort it would take to actually execute the project, you have to be very realistic. Do not go over the top expressing your ability to deliver certain results or influence certain outcomes. Look at your key strengths and weaknesses and identify if you would be able to deliver on the level you have projected.

Look at the strengths and weaknesses of your team as well, because you would not be executing this plan on your own, your team members have a part to play in achieving the goals of the project.

Also, be realistic about what the students stand to gain from the entire project, being overly ambitious about these things may make expectations higher than what is necessary, hence putting yourself and your entire team under pressure to perform.

17. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

It will also help your case if you are able to present to the reviewer how this project will help the professional development of other teachers and professionals within the field where the project is focused on. This will give the reviewer the impression that this project will not only impact students who participate in it, but it will also add value to the professionals who take pride in this particular educational sector.

18. WRITE FOR THE RIGHT REVIEWER

The way you style your proposal would have to appeal to the agency or organization you are writing to. This means the way you would write to a State agency would definitely be different in style from the way you would write to a Federal agency. The same goes for if you are writing to a private funding organization. Most private funding organizations have strict guidelines as to how to go about this and so do the governmental agencies.

10 ELEMENTS OF A GRANT PROPOSAL FOR EDUCATION

When it comes to writing a grant proposal below are very important things that should make up the content of your proposal;

• INTRODUCTION

This is where you introduce yourself, your school and your project to the reviewing party. The introduction is so important because it can spell the difference between whether the reviewer would continue to read or simply put the proposal away. Be sure to explain why you intend to execute such a program, give brief indications on certain points you would be citing in the entire proposal.

The first thing you want to make sure you understand before you complete this particular section is the project. What projects have you decided on running, how will this project impact those who participate in it and the field in which it will make impact in? One suggestion is that it should be a project you are particularly passionate about and have already been nursing in your heart for a while.

You also want to briefly introduce the plan in this particular segment of the proposal, you do not need to go into details about the plan but a little summary of the various methods you intend to employ in executing the program will go a long way in making your proposal interesting for the reviewer. You should have already looked into all of the aspects of the plan before making the summary of the plan available for your introduction.

One thing that will help you put together an excellent proposal is when you get to understand why you need to write this proposal to get your grant. Your reason must be strong enough to compel you to the hard work of putting together a document like this. You must be fully convinced that such a program would be the solution to whatever challenge you may have noticed in the school.

Don’t just go into writing a proposal because you think you can, spend some time planning how you are going to put together this proposal and the kind of approach you are going to take. Look into the various aspects of the entire project and even research if such an idea had been done in any other place, find out how well it went with those students.

Also make sure you have received proper permission from the authorizing personnel before beginning your proposal. It would be very frustrating if you and your team spend so much time working on your proposal only to have it turned down by the school administrative board even before it goes before the reviewers.

• DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

Finally, you have the opportunity to go into details about the nature of the project. In the introduction, you had just given the reviewer a tip of the iceberg, so now; you have to go into full details as to how this project would be implemented.

You will be describing the various strategies you intend to use in this project, it would be much better if you carry out proper research about the methods and curriculum you want to use for the project, so that your description of the project can be convincing enough to receive a grant.

• THE NEED YOU INTEND TO MEET

For this proposal to be relevant there must be a need you intend to meet. This is the part of the proposal where you identify the problem facing the students. This is where you can freely use statistics to tell the story of the state of things and why they need to change.

Here you would explain why your method or approach to solving the problem would be effective. Get statistical data of how the methods you intend to employ for this program have worked in times past. Identify the need and further explain why this project is adequate for solving that problem.

Now you expand the solutions within the project as it has to do with solving the problem. Make sure to make this section as detailed as possible so as to really convince the reviewer of the effectiveness of your methods. Of course, you should have already done your research on how these solutions would work, your statistical data would also be plus in this particular aspect of the proposal.

• THE PLAN OF THE PROJECT

You have discussed the project in itself, but you didn’t go into the specific plans you intend to put in place to ensure that the objectives of the project are successful. This plan would include the strategies you intend to employ. The reviewer should be able to see the entire project unfold activity after activity, each of which would have its description, objectives and anticipated impact it hopes to instill in the students.

This is one of the most important aspects of the entire proposal; this is where you have to be as thorough as possible. Make sure to think about every fee that is payable to every participating body in the project. Do not forget to factor in tax payments as your grantee would most likely not make any more money available for the project once a particular amount is granted. So be sure to have done your homework, your research and anticipate all expenses as much as possible.

This is also where you need to ask for assistance from an accountant friend or someone who is good with numbers, someone who can help you look at the entire project and give you a very clear view of all the finances you would need to make the project a success.

Do not fall into the temptation of asking for more money than is required, do not pad the budget for selfish gains, it is understandable to make room for miscellaneous expenses, as one cannot anticipate every single thing that may happen as the project goes on.

• EVALUATION PLAN

You must have a way to evaluate how the entire project has been done, what needs to be improved and so on.

Looking through this entire article, you would find various tips that should help you secure the grants you need for the various educational programs you may want to establish in your school. Many have been successful with securing grants to the tune of $500,000 over the years.

So it is very possible to achieve those dreams for your school. Be sure to go through the various things discussed here and ensure that you write the best possible proposal for the project that will help with educating students in your school.

More on Business Grants

How to Write a Grant Proposal for Education

Introduction to education grants: what they are and why they matter.

Education grants are vital financial aids available to both institutions and individuals in Australia, providing the necessary support to improve education outcomes. They are essentially funds provided by an entity, often a government body, foundation, or company, that don’t require repayment. The purpose of these grants primarily centers on education enhancement, research, educational initiatives, and program support—significantly aiding the recipient’s career or societal contribution.

Education grants matter significantly due to the vast number of educational grant opportunities they present, especially in a country like Australia that values education growth and advancement. They promote innovation and experimentation in the field of education, introduce new learning techniques and assist educators and institutions to adopt them, and alleviate financial burdens. Moreover, they foster equality in education, enabling disadvantaged students to access quality education and increase their future employment opportunities.

Essentially, from benefiting schools to helping students, education grants act as a linchpin in the education sector. They can also stimulate economic growth by raising the nation’s human capital, fostering a stronger society overall. While the grant application process may seem daunting, it is important to remember the significant impacts that education grant funding can lead to in the long run.

Understanding the Basics of Writing a Grant Proposal for Education

Writing an education grant proposal is a critical first step to securing funding. It requires research, planning, and a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Start by understanding what the funding body aims to support through the grant. Align your proposal accordingly, showcasing how your project aligns with their goals or why your needs match their objectives.

Grant proposal guidelines typically necessitate a structured outline with organized sections. Each section must clearly and concisely convey your message to the grant reviewers. The initial sections often include an executive summary, statement of need, project description, budget, and organizational information. It is essential to highlight the societal benefits your project aims to achieve rather than focusing solely on individual gains.

Equally important is the demonstratable aspect of the proposal. Ensure you provide clear evidence to support your needs and objectives. It could be statistical data, testimonials, or any other relevant support that strengthens your proposal and makes a compelling case for grant approval.

Identifying Suitable Education Grants to Apply For in Australia

When looking for suitable education grants in Australia, it is best to start by defining your needs and objectives clearly. Once you are clear with your goal, the next step involves researching available education grants. Various sources offer a wealth of information on this subject, including government websites, education department portals, various foundations, and community resources.

Keep your options open, explore different types of educational grants—ranging from those offered by local, state, and federal government bodies to those available from non-profit organizations, corporations, and foundations. Each of these has specific focus areas and criteria, ensuring a variety of potential fits for different educational projects and initiatives.

Remember to select grants relevant to your needs, as it is not just about securing a grant but ensuring it aligns with your objectives and can adequately support your project. It implies looking beyond the amount of funding and focusing on whether the grant aligns with your project’s goals and projected outcomes.

Starting Your Grant Proposal: Essential Components of a Strong Introduction

The introduction is the opening view into your project, giving the first impression to the reader—often the deciding factor for whether they continue reading. Thus, creating a compelling introduction is crucial in the grant proposal guidelines.

Start by concisely explaining the project at hand— what its purpose is, its relevance, and why it requires funding. This initial statement is crucial as it sets the tone for the rest of your proposal. Also, include a brief overview of your organization or yourself, demonstrating credibility and competence.

The introduction should swiftly introduce your problem or need. This statement should be clear, direct, and supported by data, setting the stage for a more detailed needs assessment. The introduction should then conclude with an overview of your solution to the problem. This brief synopsis can point to the why’s and how’s, encouraging the reader to delve further into your proposal details.

Highlighting the Need: How to Craft a Compelling Needs Statement for Your Education Grant Proposal

The needs statement directly follows the introduction and plays a key role in your proposal. This section acts as a bridge between the introduction and your proposed solution, explaining why the problem requires immediate attention.

Make sure to convey your needs compellingly and convincingly, backed by concrete evidence. More importantly, it should align with the grant’s mission or focus. Use statistics and facts to substantiate your needs and prove the urgency of your request.

Explain why previous attempts to address this issue fell short or why this issue is still unresolved, if applicable. Highlight what repercussions continue if the problem remains unaddressed—sometimes, understanding the potential negative outcomes can be as motivating for the reader as the problem itself.

Break down the main problem into sub-problems if necessary. This approach can help structure your needs statement and make it easier for the reader to understand. Lastly, ensure your needs statement aligns with the rest of your proposal, including your budget and methodology.

Setting Your Objectives: How to Outline the Goals and Anticipated Outcomes of Your Project

A critical aspect of the grant application process is setting clear and achievable objectives. These objectives must align with the outcomes you expect from your project. They must be SMART; specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. They are critical to the success of your project, as they give your project direction and purpose. Ultimately, these objectives need to demonstrate how your project will improve the quality of education in your setting.

Firstly, outline your primary goal, which is the overall outcome you want to achieve. This should be a broad statement that encapsulates what you plan to attain. For example, “Improving student literacy levels in rural elementary schools.”

Next, break down your primary goal into smaller, more manageable objectives. These should be targeted actions that will help you achieve your primary goal. For instance, these might include “Implementing a guided reading program” or “Providing teacher training on literacy instruction.”

Fleshing Out Your Methodology: Detailing Your Plan of Action in Your Grant Proposal

Articulating your methodology within your proposal showcases your plan of action. This includes how you plan to implement your project, indicating timelines, processes, and resources needed. Sharing your methodology shows that you have a feasible plan for reaching the project’s objectives and affirms the efficiency of your project to potential funders.

A good strategy here is to use engaged language that paints a picture of the sort of change your school or organization hopes to instigate through the educational grant funding. You could say, for instance, ‘Through the implementation of a teacher mentorship program, we hope not only to improve teaching quality but also to create an atmosphere of continual professional development and support.’

Further, ensure that your methodology is evidence-based. This means using existing research or data in developing your plan of action. This not only strengthens the credibility of your proposal but also provides a level of assurance to the funders.

Creating a Budget for Your Proposal: Tips for Estimation and Justification of Costs

An essential part of your education grant proposal is the budget section. Grant proposal guidelines often call for explicit estimation and justification of costs. This offers the funders an understanding of how their money will make an impact on your educational project.

Start by listing every potential cost which connects to your project’s objectives. This should include direct costs such as resources and staff, as well as indirect costs like administration and maintenance. Prioritise transparency over all else – make sure it’s clear why each cost is necessary and how it contributes towards achieving your goals.

Finally, ensure that your budget is realistic. It’s important to show that you have thought through your budget and have a sound understanding of the financial requirements of your project. A well-planned budget reflects positively on your organization’s management and increases the likelihood of receiving the grant.

Finalizing Your Grant Proposal: How to Proofread, Edit, and Prepare Your Document for Submission

Before submitting your proposal, it’s essential to spend time proofreading and editing your document. Checking for consistencies in format, spelling, grammar and ensuring that everything is in line with the grant submission guidelines is critical. Don’t underestimate the value of a flawless, professionally presented application.

Ensure your proposal maintains a clear, concise, and compelling tone throughout, reflecting your passion and dedication to the project. This is your chance to sell your project to the grant committee, so make every word count.

Last but not least, remember to follow the proposal submission guidelines thoroughly. This includes meeting the deadline, ensuring your proposal is the correct length, and if specified, sending your grant proposal in the appropriate format.

The Review Process: What Happens After Submitting Your Education Grant Proposal in Australia

The process after submission can often feel out of your control. However, it’s crucial to understand what happens in the review phase of the education grant funding process in Australia.

Often, the grant committee will initially screen proposals for eligibility, ensuring they align with the funders’ mission and meet basic requirements. Eligible proposals then go through an intensive review. This process often includes evaluation by a review panel, consisting of experts in the field of education or the specific focus of the grant. This review process can take months to complete.

Successful applications receive a grant award letter, detailing the grant amount, conditions, reporting requirements, and other vital information. Unsuccessful applications usually receive a declination letter, sometimes with feedback for improvement in future applications.

Are you ready to turn your funding aspirations into reality? At Granton, we specialize in helping individuals and businesses navigate the world of grants, offering expert guidance on grant applications and finding opportunities that best suit their needs. Whether you’re seeking funding for a startup, nonprofit, or a specific project, our team is here to assist you every step of the way. We take the guesswork out of Grant Applications, R&D Tax Incentives, and Accelerator Programs, making the process smoother and increasing your chances of success. Ready to take the next step? Book a free consultation with us today, and let’s explore how we can help you secure the grants you deserve. Visit our website at granton.io to learn more or use our contact form to get in touch. Your grant journey starts here!

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Grant Guide

A comprehensive grant guide to preparing, writing, and applying for education funding

Across the country, the budget story is similar: Money is always tight, and sometimes because of shortfalls in state and local revenues, districts have to cut programs. That means technology ideas can fall by the wayside. Finding money for new programs is often a distant dream.  

Yet, there’s hope. If you've got a great idea for a project for your classroom, school, or district, but not the funding to make it happen, a grant may be the answer. Whether it’s a few thousand dollars for a classroom program or several hundred thousand to design and implement a district-wide plan, competitive federal, state, local, and corporate grants are available for education.

But be warned. Grant funders get lots of proposals and the competition is often fierce. 

You have to know where to look for the right grant and how to write a winning proposal. This grant guide will help you.

For specific grants and deadlines, visit Tech & Learning's Grant Calendar

Trust the Process

Applying for a grant is a process. The first step is to state the idea you want to fund clearly. Then you can search for grants that fit your situation and narrow down your list to the one that is the best match. After you’ve identified the grant offering you want, the real work begins. You’ll need a team, buy-in from stakeholders, an understanding of what the grant requires, and good grant writing skills. 

One thing to buoy your spirits through the hard work ahead is knowing that just applying for a grant is a winning proposition. The planning, research, and writing you put into the effort can serve to solidify your vision and long-term plan. It can benefit technology goals and inspire change, community building, and school improvement. And even though you may not actually win the grant, you’re way ahead when you try for the next one.

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Start with a Good Idea 

In many schools and districts, the needs have multiplied exponentially and everyone has ideas for how to address the issues. Yet there’s a difference between funding equipment needs and funding ideas that will make a difference in learning. 

Grants fund ideas, not stuff, so proposals should address pressing educational issues and problems. Grant writers have to show how your creative idea will address these issues. 

Begin the process by developing a solid idea and then gather enough supporting details to back up the concept. Explain the needs, how your plan addresses them, and how you will reach the goals. Be specific; vague intentions are not good enough. Know your school or district and how well you can carry out the plan if you win the grant. The best proposals build on something you’ve already accomplished. Success breeds success. 

► Your Next Grant Proposal: 10 Steps to Starting Over

► Education Grants: Win or Lose, What to Do Next

► 9 Grant Proposal Review Questions to Ask Yourself

► Grant Proposals: 7 Questions to Ask As You Write

► Grant Proposals: 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing

► 6 Grant Application Questions to Ask Yourself

► Education Grants: 5 Guidelines to Win One

► What Grant Judges Look For in An Application

► How to Find an Education Grant

► The 8 Key Parts of a Grant Proposal

► 7 Steps to Plan a Grant Proposal

Questions  to Ask Before Searching for a Grant Opportunity 

• Do you have a compelling idea? 
• Do you truly need the funding and can you explain why? 
• Do you have the organization skills to write the proposal? 
• Does the staff have the skills and willingness to carry out the project? 
• Do you have stakeholder buy-in? 
• Do you have the ability to write in clear, simple, convincing terms? 
• Do you have an elevator pitch: Can you express your basic idea in one sentence? 

FINDING THE RIGHT FUNDING 

One of the hardest parts of getting grants is searching for the right one. You have to know what types of funding are out there and which you’re likely to be successful in winning. Even more, you have to learn where to start looking. Some sources offer grants for specific reasons and others offer grants with general guidelines and you specify the reason you are applying. 

Types of Funding

Federal Grants

In general, the federal government offers substantial amounts of money for large programs.  

- Formula Grants: One major type of federal grant for K-12 schools is a formula grant, which means that a certain amount of money has been set aside through legislation to give to districts through their state education agencies. An example is Title I funding.  

- Program Grants: Another type of federal grant is awarded competitively. The agency determines a purpose or program for this type of grant and districts can apply. Applicants must meet all of the guidelines. Many of these federal project grants involve a long application period and a lot of support material. Some of the projects run for as much as three years. 

State Grants  

Each state determines its own way to allocate general funds and award extra funds as grants. With block grants, for example, the state requires districts to apply for funding, and districts must make a case for why they should receive the funds. Special funding is allocated for targeted programs such as special education, technology, gifted and at risk populations. The Education Commission of the States has information on programs by state here . 

Foundation Grants  

Nonprofit grants are available from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or a charitable trust, whose specific purpose is to make funds available to organizations or individuals for specific purposes including education, science, or community benefit. Some districts have created nonprofit educational associations that can apply for specific grants.

Community Grants  

These grants are often offered by local nonprofit organizations that award grants to individuals and organizations for projects that are based in and primarily benefit the community.

Corporate Grants  

There are different types of corporate grants. One comes from a corporate foundation, which is the nonprofit arm of a for-profit corporation and allows the corporation to fund efforts of particular interest. For example, a tech company might offer STEM grants to high school and college students in order to spur interest in technology careers. Another type of corporate grant is more product related and offers grant funds to purchase the corporation’s products to achieve a goal. 

Many of these grants are listed by deadline in Tech & Learning’s Grant Calendar .

INFORMAL FUNDING 

If formal applications seem too complicated for your organization or if your idea doesn’t need major funding, informal sources may be just the thing for you. There are crowdfunding options, equipment giveaways, fundraising and other resources to consider. Read the disclosure information on these sites carefully; sometimes there’s a fee or percentage the site keeps. And while some of them were designed specifically for education, others are general sites where anyone can raise money.

Crowdsourcing Funds

Crowdsourcing grants that are focused on providing support for individual classrooms began to appear approximately ten years ago. These organizations accept donations from individuals to support classrooms, teachers, or schools. Examples are Donors Choose and Adopt-a-Classroom . Donors Choose allows teachers to post requests for funding and Adopt-a-Classroom donors can target a specific school or the organization will match the donor with a classroom. In both organizations, reports are sent to the donor detailing exactly what the money was used for. Others include Digital Wish , Funding Factory , and Computers for Learning . 

Tech & Learning's more complete list of fundraising and donation sites is here .

HOW TO LOOK FOR A GRANT 

Grant Search Sites

It can be confusing to search for grants and funding, but there are organizations that can help you target the specific type of program you need. Examples include: 

Grants.gov - lists federal grants by keyword or by category. 

Candid   - a merger of the Foundation Center and GuideStar, has data tools on nonprofits, foundations, and grants. 

Grant Gopher - a searchable database of funding opportunities. 

Grants Watch - posts federal, state, city, local, and foundation grants categorized by type. 

Candid and Grants Watch require subscriptions, so check if your district or a library has one.

Narrowing the Possibilities

Once you’ve found a few programs that might work for you, read the grant guidelines again very carefully. Decide if a grant program is the right one for your needs and ideas. Make sure you are not bending either your ideas or what the grant is asking for to make it fit. The better you know what you want to accomplish and how you will do it, the easier it will be to pick the right one to apply for.

Consider outlining the basics of your plan in clear, simple terms so you can judge how well each grant offering matches what you want to do and what you need to do it. It is time well spent because you will be able to get to work writing the proposal with your outline to guide you. 

Mission: State in clear, simple, and convincing terms what your goal is and what your plan will achieve. 

Needs: Know the demographics, test results, and anecdotal evidence that prove your district, school, or class needs what you are asking for. 

Goals and Objectives: Goals are general guidelines that explain what you want to achieve. Objectives are the strategies or steps you will take to reach the goals. Be sure your goals and objectives are specific and measurable. 

Timeline: Develop a tentative but logical timeline for each stage of your project. 

Assessment. You should know how you will measure success. Know how and when the assessment will be done. 

Materials: Have a summary of the supplies and staff you will need. 

Cost: Have a fairly comprehensive and complete budget. 

BEFORE YOU WRITE 

Once you’ve found the perfect grant offering to match your plan, and have the details of your idea and the information the grant requires, get ready to write. Be as organized as possible because the competition is stiff. 

We’ve stressed that you should have a solid idea and supporting details. Remember that honorable but vague intentions are not enough. Review the grant guidelines once more to be certain that this is the right fit to meet your needs; you don’t want to adjust your idea or misinterpret what the grant is asking for. 

Remember to build commitment among stakeholders along the way. Those involved should meet, discuss, plan, and agree to contribute to the grant-writing process if needed and agree to carry out the plan if successful. Enthusiasm of participants, administrators, school board members, and other community members is important as you’ll need their support. 

Create a timeline and set deadlines for your team to write their sections, and for you to complete the work, get signatures, and make the copies you need to send so you'll be ahead of schedule. Build in a buffer in case things take longer than expected.

Questions to Ask Before You Write the Proposal 

• Why do you want this grant?
• What needs will your project address?  
• What are your short- and long-term goals? 
• Do your goals address the mission of the funder? 
• What do you need to reach these goals? 
• What are you looking to accomplish? 
• Who will be involved in the project? 
• Are you and others committed to writing the proposal? 
• Are you and others committed to carrying out the program? 
• Do other key people support the project? 
• How much money will you need? 
• What resources will be required? 
• Do you fully understand the grant’s guidelines? 

Now get ready. It’s time to write. 

WRITING IT RIGHT 

The first part of writing a proposal is to make sure you assemble exactly what the grant offering requires of you – both information and explanations. Most grants require similar components and have a similar format so the technique you’ll need is similar, too. 

You’ll include a title page, table of contents, personnel and signature pages, and more, plus appendices with related information. All of it is important, but spend most of your time and focus on the pages that contain the real substance: what you want to do; why you want to do it; how you’ll get the job done; and what you need to make it happen. You will communicate that information in the Executive Summary, Needs/Goals/Objectives, Narrative, and Budget pages.

Remember that you have to state in advance how you will know that your project is a success. Will grades go up? Will students produce something? Who will judge your success?

Whether or not you actually win a grant, remember that the process itself is important. The planning, research and writing needed often solidify your vision and long-term plan – not only for technology but also for change, community building, and school improvement. So applying for a grant is a positive experience.

The parts of a grant proposal are:

You’ll need an overview statement that briefly describes your proposal. Write this page last but you’ll include it at the beginning. Use short, clear sentences and pull excerpts from every section of your proposal.

In this section, you will detail the compelling needs of your school, district, or community; tell why your organization should get funded to run this project and state the economic situation of your district and student body. Be sure to say how the idea will impact teaching and learning. This section should be so compelling that no one could resist funding the proposal. Don’t harp on the financial needs; the overarching educational idea is what will get it funded. 

Explain the important results you expect the project will accomplish. The goals show that the plan is clear, important to achieve, and will have a major impact.

Tell what specific methods you will use to reach each goal. Be sure the needs, goals, and objectives are clearly aligned.

This is the plan of action that leads to success: what you'll do; how you'll do it; where you'll do it; and who's going to do what. Be sure to include specific details and examples. Make your idea look like a sure winner. The clarity of this section and compelling detail persuades the grant reader that this is an important idea to fund. 

The narrative has four main parts. The first should describe the organization: the size and type of student body, educational philosophy, current programs and achievements. Then you’ll explain the needs, including the problem that you want to solve. What is missing and how did you discover it? Provide any data that demonstrates your point. Next, describe your program–the goals and objectives, timeline, who is involved, what will the result be, and how you will be able to sustain the program beyond the life of the grant. Last, explain how you will evaluate your success. What data will you collect and how will you analyze it? What are the criteria you will use to measure success? Where does this program lead?

Outline what funds you need for everything you want to do by completing the budget form. Use the budget narrative to explain clearly all the items listed to show that every cent is required to guarantee success. Itemize the expenses in an easy-to-read format and explain how you will track expenditures. If you expect other sources of funding, explain how they will be used together with the grant. 

Include a personnel page to show which staff members will be part of the program and what each will do. Cite each person’s qualifications to make the program a success. Make sure that these people can take on the work. If other staff has to replace their usual jobs, build in their salaries so the district can replace them.

Evaluation Plan

Tell what you will measure and how you will measure it so it is clear how the project will demonstrate that it achieved its targets. Include clear benchmarks that will be used to evaluate success. Hiring outside evaluators can show how serious you are about determining if your plan worked.

Questions to Ask as You Write the Proposal 

• Summary/Abstract: Are you including excerpts from each section? 
• Needs: Do you detail the compelling needs of your school, district, or group and why your organization should get funded to run this project? 
• Objectives: Do you explain specific objectives and the methods you will use to reach each goal? Are the needs, goals, and objectives clearly aligned? 
• Narrative: Do you describe your action plan with specifics on how it leads to success--what you'll do; how you'll do it; where you'll do it; and who's going to do what? 
• Budget: Do you itemize every budget item and explain clearly how each is required to guarantee success? 
• Personnel: Do you show which staff members will be part of the program, how each person’s qualifications contribute to make the program a success, and what each will do? 
• Evaluation: Do you explain what you will measure, how you will measure it, and the benchmarks you will use so it is clear how the project will prove that it achieved its targets?  

Writing Skills

When you get to the narrative and budget explanation portions of your proposals, you want to be convincing . How you write is as important as what you write. In a nutshell, use clear, concise language; provide relevant details and examples; and make sure your grammar is perfect. 

Write in active rather than passive voice . For example, say, “The Program Director will file a report.” Don’t say, “A report will be filed by the Program Director.” Answer the questions that journalists use: who, what, when, where, why and how. Bullets, lists, outlines, diagrams, and tables can help clarify your ideas. 

Using action verbs will stress the positive and show you have specific, measurable goals . Choose from words such as accomplish, achieve, conduct, demonstrate, expand, generate, launch, motivate, revamp, and streamline. Employ phrases such as “Students will demonstrate…”

Avoid flowery writing and pretentious words when simple ones will do . For example, don’t write “in view of” when you mean “because” or “in the event that” when you mean “if.” 

Avoid acronyms . Use an organization’s full name so there’s no question what you’re discussing. Try to minimize jargon; if a term isn’t clear to anyone who isn’t in your field, avoid it. 

Organize your writing . Decide what purpose each section will serve and stick to it. If you need to write a long or complex explanation, you can use headings that match the criteria in the RFP to clarify the issues.   

It’s not always so easy to write a compelling proposal, but if you say exactly what you mean, you’ll have a clear and convincing argument. Consider highlighting your expertise by building on a current program that is successful. 

Remember that money matters . Watch the bottom line so that every dollar will be well spent. You can also show your seriousness by leveraging other funds. For example, find a local organization that will give you additional money, time, equipment, or extra funding if you get the grant.

In your budget section, use a spreadsheet with clear, well-organized section heads that are directly tied to specific sections of your written proposal.

Double Checking your Work 

You have to submit the best proposal that you can write. Make sure that you’ve said what you mean and mean what you’ve said – and given enough evidence to prove it. Go over your proposal using the checklists below to make sure you’ve covered everything. Also review that you’ve addressed the grant’s specific guidelines and criteria. The closer your proposal aligns with the RFP’s goals, the better your chance for success.

After you’ve finished writing your proposal, mark it Draft 1 and set it aside for a day. Go back with a little perspective a day or two later to review and edit what you’ve written.

Ask someone to be a critical reader to be sure that you are clear about what the project will do, how it will do it, and why it matters. Rewrite whatever isn’t clear or that doesn’t read well.

CHECKLISTS FOR SUCCESS

General criteria checklist.

• Is your idea for the grant significant, compelling, and actionable? 
• Does your funding proposal contain a sense of urgency? 
• Do you clearly understand the mission of the funder? 
• Is this the best organizational match for your funding request? 
• Does your application include a clear summary that articulates your vision for the project and need for the money? 
• Are there specific, measurable goals and objectives? 
• Is there alignment of your needs, goals, and objectives? 
• Does the proposal tie into the school’s overall plan? 
• Does your proposal reflect best practices for instruction and learning? 
• Have you included research data or statistics to support your project? 
• Have you defined success and how you will measure the effectiveness of the project throughout the duration of the grant? 
• Have you conveyed what the impact will be on your school or district if you are successful? 
• Have you matched your answers to the grant’s selection criteria?
• Have you allocated staff time to manage the project?
• Is there a detailed budget for your proposal?
• Have you outlined the contributions of the people associated with the application and how their expertise is critical to the project’s success?   
• Has the timeline been cross checked against the budget?
• Do you have a plan in place to submit progress reports as required by the grant? 
• What about sustainability after the funds are spent?  
• How will the needs of the community be met moving forward? 

Technology-Specific Criteria 

• Have you defined the technology required for each part of the proposal? 
• How will the technology assist in implementing the grant goals? 
• Will the technology be used to develop effective strategies for authentic learning? 
• How will the technology be used to improve student achievement or staff development? 
• Have you tied the technology expenses to the proposed budget? 

Even after others have reviewed your application, ask yourself the following questions:

Final Questions to Ask Before You Submit the Application 

Does the proposal:

• Demonstrate a compelling need for the grant?
• Include specific, measurable goals and objectives? 
• Match your answers to the grant’s selection criteria? 
• Explain the expertise of the staff?  
• Describe the commitment to making it work?
• Make it clear that the grant funds are essential?  
• Show what you mean by success and how you will measure it? 
• Steer clear of jargon? 

There’s no knowing exactly what grant readers are looking for but if you’ve checked that you included everything they asked for, your proposal should be in the running. Grant readers generally use a scoring rubric to determine how well you addressed the issues. Some parts carry more weight than others. 

The one below gives you a general idea of how this works.  

Grant Review Rubric

Take a deep breath.

When you’re certain that you’ve included everything, take a deep breath, and send it. Congratulate yourself on a job well done because whatever the result, you’ve learned a lot and created a great plan. 

What Happens Next

Eventually you will hear from the grant giver. If you win, have your plans in place and be ready to hit the ground running. Make sure that everyone involved understands the project thoroughly and knows exactly what his/her role is in it. Then do what you've said you want to do. Spend on budget items exactly. Measure what you've said you'll test. Send reports on time. Maintain enthusiasm for the project throughout its life. Evaluate the outcomes, thank everyone and keep people motivated. 

If you don't get the grant, contact the funder and ask to read the reviewers' comments about your proposal so you'll know how close you were to winning and what you might want to change for next time.

Read the summaries of projects that did win and analyze why they won. If you think your plan has merit, find another grant offering and propose it again. Maybe the proposal just needs tweaking to succeed or is easily adapted to fit another grant. Don't give up!

If the idea is important and the staff is committed, begin whatever parts you can without the outside funding. Maybe the groups that said they'd contribute funds will help you anyway.

Whether you are starting a project or thinking about the next one, always remember that seeking funds is a journey. Once you embark, there’s no return. You’ll always think about great ideas of how to improve education. And you’ll also have your grant seeking hat on and want to know what is possible. 

* Please participate in this T&L grants tips and advice survey * 

Gwen Solomon was Founding Director of The School of the Future in New York City, Coordinator of Instructional Technology Planning for New York City Public Schools, and Senior Analyst in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Instructional Technology. She has written and co-authored several books and many magazine articles on educational technology.

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How to Write a Winning Grant Proposal: A Nonprofit’s Guide to Securing Funding

Grants, which are funds awarded by an outside source and typically earmarked for a particular use, are incredibly valuable for nonprofit organizations to achieve their missions. In fact, it is not uncommon for organizations to rely on this type of funding to cover operating expenses, pay workers, and launch initiatives.

Common sources of grants include public and private institutions, including government departments, family trusts, foundations, and the like.

Because of the competitive nature of the grant process, it’s important to know how to write a grant proposal, how to evaluate which opportunities are worth pursuing, and how to effectively communicate your organization’s intentions.

What Is Grant Writing?

Grant writing is the application process required of an organization seeking certain financial awards. Crafting an impactful grant proposal takes compelling communication, clear language, and an understanding of the funding landscape. To start, it is useful to differentiate between funding sources and the types of grants they offer.

• Federal grants are a way in which the U.S. government contributes to a wide range of ideas and projects that provide public services or stimulate the economy.
• State grants vary from federal grants when it comes to administration. For example, a state grant is typically geared toward local needs as opposed to national or international causes.
• Local (city or county) grants are useful for an even smaller scope. This level of targeted support typically involves the improvement of community development, infrastructure, public services, and individual efforts by community members.
• Private grants can come from corporate or non-corporate entities, family trusts, foundations, financial institutions, or individuals. When it comes to these types of non-government grants, Candid keeps a global database of opportunities.

How to Write a Grant

These six steps will help you create a strong grant proposal, increasing your chances of achieving the funding and recognition that can drive your organization forward.

Dedicate ample time to analyzing your needs, including what areas of your organization will benefit from grants, exactly how much funding is needed, and realistic outcomes. You will want to thoroughly explore opportunities you qualify for, and allocate resources — time and personnel — to thoughtfully write your grant proposal.

2. Know what sets you apart

Grants are often highly sought after, so you’ll need to be well-versed on the ins and outs of what makes your organization unique and deserving. Conduct thorough research about your field, including the needs you serve and the impact you can make with grant funding. Share specific stories, testimonials, and experiences that stand out to you and the community at large that you serve.

3. Utilize facts and figures

Data will help prove your organization’s worth. Consider providing financial insights, information about existing partnerships, and budgeting outlooks. Use numbers to show the needs of populations you serve and project how beneficial grant funding will be, including plans for allocation.

4. Communicate clearly

Be highly sensitive to each and every requirement. These will vary by grant and must be followed. You’re the expert in your field, but your reader might not be. Write your grant proposal using clear, concise language without industry jargon if it’s not well-known. It’s important to also abide by any word counts or length requirements.

5. Fact-check and proofread

Get another set of eyes on the application to ensure nothing was overlooked, preferably someone with grant writing experience. Spelling errors, misrepresentations, and room for interpretation could all sway a grantor from accepting your proposal.

6. Educate yourself

For those interested in learning the latest nonprofit grant writing practices, USD offers a 100% online course focused on the step-by-step process of grant preparation, organization, and detailed evaluation. This course is best suited for nonprofit professionals and volunteers of all levels, including CEOs, executive directors, grant writers, and fundraising coordinators.

ESL mid-page CTA: eBook – 6 Common Mistakes in Nonprofit Management

Grant Writing Do’s & Don’ts

It’s probably clear by now that there are certain actions that will improve your chances of obtaining grant funding or quickly eliminate you from consideration. Here’s a simple breakdown of some of the most common habits to consider (and to avoid) when grant writing.

How do I know if I should apply for a grant?

Start by taking a close look at your organization’s circumstances — financial and otherwise — to evaluate exactly what areas need support. This will allow you to seek grant opportunities that are the right fit, also helping to ensure that you’ll stand out from other applicants.

Where do I find grant opportunities?

Resources like Grants.gov , Candid.org , and the Council on Foundations have searchable databases of grant opportunities. Consult your local network as well to learn about any community resources that might be available.

What are grant writing best practices?

Being prepared with facts and figures to prove your organization’s needs is important. Communicating clearly, knowing the latest industry trends, and setting yourself apart are also best practices when it comes to grant writing.

Where do I learn how to write a proposal for funding?

Courses such as USD’s online Nonprofit Grant Writing are incredibly useful to stay up to date on the latest, most effective methods. Students learn how to identify grant opportunities, step-by-step processes of grant preparation, how to integrate budgeting, and more.

What makes a grant proposal stand out?

Get specific during the grant writing process about how you will use grant funds and what beneficial outcomes are imminent. Make the grantor connect with your cause, even if this is the first time they’re learning about what you do. Include standout stories and examples to paint a clear picture of your circumstances.

What are some common mistakes in grant writing?

All too often, grant proposals include unrealistic asks, industry buzzwords that lack real meaning, and too much room for interpretation. Instead, it’s best to be as straightforward as possible and make clear what good you will be able to achieve with grant funding.

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Grant Writing 101: What is it & how do you get started?

Have you been thrown into the deep end working at a nonprofit organization and tasked to apply for grant funding for the first time? Maybe you've heard about the field, catching the buzz from a friend starting a grant writing side hustle . Or you've seen how others have pivoted their careers to launch grant writing consultant businesses.

However you found grant writing, we're glad you're here!

Grant writers are perceived to have superpowers—they know how to get free money!

Well, it's not quite that easy. There is no such thing as free money, and grant writing is a lot of hard work.

However, it is very learnable and an incredible skill set to have in your quiver. Even newcomers succeed with the right guidance and training under their belt.

This crash course in grant writing will cover everything you need to know to start approaching grant writing like a boss!

Grant Writing Essentials: Definitions & FAQs

• Grant Writing vs. Nonprofit Fundraising

The Grant Writing Process for Beginners

Understanding the grant fundraising landscape, why grant writing is such a valuable skill.

Curious about how to get into grant writing without prior experience? Check out this video to learn more.

Let’s start with the essentials: a few grant writing definitions and frequently asked questions.

What is grant writing?

Grant writing is the process of crafting a written proposal to receive grant funding from a grant making institution in order to fund a program or project.

Grant writing involves laying out your case for why the grant will do the most good for you (or your project or organization). A stellar grant proposal will clearly show the funder that your plan is the best possible choice for accomplishing your shared goals.

Think of grant writing like making a pitch to investors or lenders but to receive funding that you won’t need to pay back.

That begs the question…

What are grants?

A grant is a financial award to support a person, organization, project, or program. It is intended to achieve a specific goal or purpose. Nonprofits can use grants to complete projects, run programs, provide services, or continue running a smooth operation.

Great, now where is all of this money coming from?

Who provides grant funding?

Typically, grants are awarded to organizations from grant making institutions (also called grantors ). These include foundations, corporations, and government agencies.

Grantors provide grants to help further their goals in their communities (or around the country or world) and to support other organizations that do on-the-ground work. These goals are typically philanthropic or social in nature, but grants might also be offered for educational, scientific, or any other purpose.

Grants usually come with very specific guidelines for what the money can and can’t be used for, as well as rules for how the “winner” of the grant (or the grantee ) will report on its progress. When a grant has specific guidelines, we call these funds restricted . Restricted funding means they can only be used for the purposes laid out in the proposal and specified by the funder.

So, can anybody and everybody get grant money?

Who is eligible for grant funding?

Many different types of organizations are eligible to write proposals and apply for grant funding. Most notably, 501(c) nonprofit organizations that have IRS Letters of Determination (basically any type of legit nonprofit).

More specifically, these types of organizations are eligible for grants through grant writing:

• Nonprofits/public charities with IRS-recognized status
• Unincorporated community groups with fiscal sponsors
• Tribal organizations (and sometimes housing authorities)
• Faith-based organizations (which sometimes must provide direct social services depending on the grantor’s guidelines)
• Local governments

Exciting, right? Grants can do a lot of good for organizations of all sizes. But who’s doing the work?

Who does the actual grant writing and drafts the proposal?

All different kinds of folks! Each organization finds their sweet spot for getting the work done. Grant proposals can be written by:

• Employees of eligible organizations
• Volunteers lending their time
• Freelance grant writers providing a contract-based service
• Grant writing consultants who provide organizations with ongoing help through retainer contracts

Successful grant writing leads to positive impacts on real people and real communities. Grant writers put in the elbow grease because they care about charitable organizations and their missions. They want to see their communities thrive.

Is Grant Writing A Good Career For You?

Take the 3 minute personality quiz to find out!

How do you learn grant writing?

Grant writing is a set of specific skills and processes, so it can be taught and learned like any other subject.

There are a few different avenues you can explore to level up your grant writing skills.

• DIY Method: You can binge-watch YouTube content to pick up the bits and pieces of grant writing. This is certainly a cost-effective method! However, factoring in the stress of reinventing the wheel while riding the struggle bus of going it alone, you’re spending more time (and $$) in the long run to learn grant writing skills.
• Higher-Ed Programs: Several universities offer certifications in nonprofit management, but most do not focus solely on grant writing. For a semester or two, the curriculum will teach you the ins and outs of nonprofit organizations, which includes grant writing. These courses include a university certificate for formal education. The downside, however, is that university programs fall short of helping students bridge the gap between learning the material and actually applying it—in other words, getting paid tp use your newly acquired knowledge in the field.
• Online Courses: There’s a wide variety of online courses to help you learn how to become a grant writer. Online education is flexible for those who are looking to add grant writing as a new skill set on top of a full-time schedule (life, work, etc.) or level up their skills. Yes, even if you’re an in-house grant writer working with a nonprofit organization, professional training is applicable. You can check out a roundup of the best grant writing classes here.

Curious about how to break into grant writing without prior experience and with no added debt? The Global Grant Writers Collective is the only program of its kind to show you how to be a world-class grant writer while also building a flexible, fulfilling life you love.

Grant Writing vs. Non Profit Funding

We’ve covered all the basics, but there’s a bit more important context to understand as you launch your grant writing journey.

You know that grants provide funding to organizations to do good work in their communities, but how does this relate to the bigger concept of fundraising?

TL;DR — Grant Writing vs. Fundraising

Fundraising is how you raise money for your organization. Grant writing is one type of fundraising activity. Grant writing includes asking foundations or government entities for support while other fundraising activities usually target individual donors.

What is nonprofit fundraising?

Fundraising is generally defined as the process of soliciting financial support for a cause or project.

Central to the idea of fundraising is the collection of cash donations (although all kinds of assets can be donated). Donations can be collected immediately or over months or years, as is the case for long-term pledges of large donations to capital campaigns.

Fundraising is an essential way for most nonprofits to bring in revenue for their missions. Monies raised through general fundraising activities are often referred to as unrestricted funds and can be used for any expenses, such as staff salaries or rent. Donors can also require that their money be used in a specific (or restricted) way.

Who fundraises, and what do you need to do it?

Nonprofits are the most common group to fundraise. However, other groups like those adorable Girl Scouts selling their highly addictive cookies (our greatest weakness 😋) and people raising funds for mission trips are eligible for fundraising, too.

The only thing you technically need to fundraise is trust from your donors. But when you represent an organization, establishing trust means getting official with a 501(c)(3) designation and publishing an annual report.

Remember that fundraising isn’t so much about asking for money as it is about inviting others who have a passion for what you do to join you in your mission. Once you find them, you can do that work together—the beauty of fundraising!

How is grant writing different from fundraising?

As you can already tell, fundraising has a much broader definition than grant writing.

Fundraising can take many forms, and grant writing falls under that umbrella.

Fundraising usually refers to generating cash donations by:

• Building relationships with individual donors
• Holding fundraising events
• Making public appeals for donations and marketing your organization to the community

When you submit a proposal for a grant, it’s a one-on-one targeted pitch to a funder. You understand their past giving history. You’ve vetted them for mission alignment, and your project meets their goals for impact. The relationship between you and the funder is more formalized (though there is room for personal relationships over time).

With fundraising through individual donors, not through a grant, your approach is less formal. You likely don’t need a lengthy proposal, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a plan. To fundraise from individual donors, you may be soliciting funds from individuals whose circumstances and philanthropic interests are largely unknown to you. Your approach can usually be applied to a wider audience, whereas grant writing targets one organization with specific guidelines.

In either case, relationship-building and strategies like prospect research are very important for nonprofits.

Then what do grant writing and fundraising have in common? In both cases, you need to do research, pursue leads, prepare talking points, evaluate opportunities, and cultivate relationships. The essence of both practices is the same. What is different is the target and approach.

With all the context out of the way, let’s get to the meat and potatoes. How do you actually write a grant proposal? What are the key steps to follow?

Here it is: our signature 7-step process for writing a winning grant. We’ll summarize the key points to understand for each step, but please check out our longer grant writing process explainer for a deep dive into the nitty gritty.

• Follow your North Star (the funding guidelines). A funder will provide guidelines for their grant that all applicants need to follow to be considered. Think of these as instructions. Guidelines can vary a lot from one grant to another, so it’s important to never take them for granted (see what we did there?). Download, print, read, and reread the guidelines.
• Prepare your narrative skeleton. Every grant should tell a story, but sitting down to write a prizewinning story on a blank page is a lot easier said than done. Give yourself an easier start by outlining your proposal based on the funding guidelines themselves. These are the questions you’ll have to answer, so bake them into your story from the very start. Simple bullet points will do here—no need to lock down full sentences just yet.
• Host a kick-off meeting. Gather everyone involved in the project to get on the same page. These are all the people who’ll provide you with the information you need for the grant as well as those who’ll be involved in running the project that it funds. Remember, everyone loves an organized meeting—send an agenda and your narrative skeleton in advance, then a summary of action items after, plus an invite to a progress check-in meeting.
• Finalize your grant budget. Next, you need to know how much the project you’re proposing will cost to complete—this budget will impact all other parts of your application. For example, funders often ask for a “budget narrative” that explains how you determined your final numbers. Some grants are structured to provide a percentage of your total costs rather than a flat sum. Grab a copy of our free grant budget template when you’re ready!
• Write your narrative fast and furiously. With your budget in hand, now’s the time to start putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys). Review your grant guidelines again, and start filling in your narrative skeleton with the details it needs to paint a compelling picture. We could go on and on with all the tips and hacks we’ve learned—check them out in Step 5 of our grant writing process guide.
• Prep your key attachments. Funders usually want more than just your perfectly written document. They often ask for additional attachments like separate budget documents, a resolution, and letters of support. Some attachments, like resolutions, can take a long time to get finalized, which is why understanding your guidelines early is so important so that you can get the ball rolling quickly.
• Review and submit your grant! Phew—you made it! But you’re not done yet. Reviewing and double-checking your proposal is a must, and it should be done by an independent reviewer who hasn’t been knee-deep in the process like you. Collect and discuss their feedback, make changes, review one last time, and then hit submit (ideally a day or two before the deadline). After the adrenaline wears off, take the afternoon off.

There’s no magic formula for writing a winning grant—your proposal should always be tailored to that unique grant and funder—but there are best practices and principles that give you a reliable roadmap to follow each time. Our 7-step grant writing process condenses a ton of them into one digestible process, but for an even closer look, join our free grant writing class!

Free Grant Writing Trainings

These how-to videos offer a smattering of webinar replays from our online grant writing training and feature topics such as working remotely, project management, fundraising, and how to utilize the Freedom of Information Act for federal funding.

Essential Grant Writing Tips for Newcomers

Once you’ve mastered the steps above, you’re probably wondering how to actually put rubber to the road and get started. Here are our top 5 recommendations:

• Find a real project to work on! Try identifying a real grant opportunity and approaching a nonprofit in your community. Or if that idea terrifies you—we get it—you can start slower with sample projects and training courses.
• Commit to excellence in project management. Grant writing is complicated, no way around it. Familiarize yourself with project management best practices and you can stay organized and energized.
• Fake it until you make it. Imposter syndrome is very real, and even experienced grant writers deal with it. But don’t let it hold you back. When you invest in your grant writing skills and get real-world practice, you have something worth sharing. Build some momentum and see how far you can go!
• Have a process mindset. When you pull the mask off the big hairy grant writing monster, you’ll find it’s really just a big stack of steps and processes—learnable steps and processes. Master these, and you’ll have a reliable framework for success.
• Don’t be stubborn (said with love). Trying to go it alone when learning grant writing leads to more mistakes and wasted time and money. Grant writing is a craft, after all, and there’s a lot to be gained from connecting with fellow grant writers.

P.S. Want more grant writing videos like this one? There’s more where that came from.

Check out our YouTube channel and give us a follow!

If you’re new to grant writing (or even considering turning it into a side hustle), it’s important to understand the big picture. Why do grants matter?

Grants make up a considerable chunk of nonprofits’ operating revenue.

According to Nonprofit Impact Matters , the nonprofit sector generates roughly 31.8% of its revenue from government sources (including both grants and paid contracts) and 2.9% from foundations in the form of grants.

It’s generally recommended that grant funding should provide 10-20% of a nonprofit’s total annual budget.

Funding from foundations is growing.

Total giving from foundations reached $105.21 billion in 2022, a 2.5% increase from the year before, and it’s part of a continued upward trend. Put another way, foundations provided 21% of total giving to nonprofits , or $1 of every $5 given to charity.

This is one of only a few areas that saw growth when adjusted for inflation. Family foundations (founded by families as a way to better manage their philanthropic activities) and corporate foundations have led the charge.

Grants are an important part of a safe revenue mix.

Nonprofits need to have diversified revenue streams so that they can rely on other ways to generate money when one shrinks or dries up.

Grants are an essential part of this equation, especially as a turbulent economy causes individual donors to rein in their spending. Case in point—the 2023 Giving USA Report found that giving from individuals declined 6.4% in 2022 (or 13.4%, when adjusted for inflation), a finding that sent shockwaves through the nonprofit world.

But when a nonprofit has a sturdy fundraising program, grant writing process, and an active grant opportunity pipeline, it becomes much easier to weather the storms and keep on doing the good work their communities need.

This leads us to a logical conclusion (which you might have already caught onto)...

Grant writing is an incredibly valuable skill because:

• It’s always in demand.
• It helps nonprofits secure the diverse funding they need to thrive.
• It drives on-the-ground good by funding projects and programs.

Competition for grants will only get tougher as giving from foundations grows and donor habits keep changing in the coming years.

The right unicorn of a grant writer can make a world of difference for nonprofit missions of all sizes and build the fulfilling career they want: a win-win!

Study up on grant writing best practices. Stretch your grant writing muscles by taking a free class or investing in more lessons, coaching, and community (like through the Global Grant Writers Collective ).

Whether you’re looking to win more funding for your nonprofit or break out into a new freelance field, anyone can succeed with grant writing with the right preparation and practice.

Want to learn more? We know you do. We recommend these additional resources:

• Can I Make Money as a Grant Writer?
• Three Possible Career Paths Through Grant Writing Training
• Why Start a Side Hustle Grant Writing?
• Grant Writing for Nonprofits: Our Top 10 Tips
• Tips for Writing Your First Draft of a Grant Narrative
• Top Mistakes Grant Applicants Make (And How to Avoid Them)
• A Review of the Top 10 Grant Databases

Free Grant Writing Class

Learn the 7-steps to write a winning grant application and amplify the impact you have on your community.

About the author...

Alexis Swenson serves as Unicorn Coach and Content Director for Learn Grant Writing. The product of small-town northwestern Minnesota, she is a self-declared “old soul” and grounded free spirit. She has secured over $2.7 million in grant funding in her career. Alexis writes to help people learn, laugh, and not be so hard on themselves.

Want To Learn More?

We made this video to answer your questions about how to build a career in grant writing without the fear of where you will find clients or the fear of failure. We cover the top three mistakes that keep people from making the leap from a soul-sucking job to something more meaningful.

Watch Video

Customized Training For You

Listen to the audiobook, take free grant writing class, free grant writing resources, take our career fit quiz, take our business diagnostic audit quiz.

How to write a winning grant proposal

• Stephen Robertson (he/him)
• February 7, 2023

Writing a proposal for a project grant can feel like a daunting task, but with the right guidance, it doesn’t need to be a bewildering endeavor. Like climbing a mountain, it helps to have a path to follow to reach its summit, or in this case, a map of sorts to guide you to your desired destination—a compelling proposal that unlocks funding to advance your mission-driven work.     In this blog, we will share the key elements of a typical project proposal and best practices for how to approach drafting each section to help you secure the grant you seek. 

Key elements of a grant proposal 

Executive summary  .

Often, your executive summary will be the first spot funders look to decide if they want to continue reading the entire proposal. Although an executive summary is typically included at the beginning of your final grant proposal, it’s best to tackle writing this section last given its importance. Your executive summary provides a snapshot of your overall proposal and often includes: 

• The problem or need you’re seeking to address, or your proposal’s need statement. 
• A brief description of the project, including your goals and objectives. 
• Information about your organization and its experience addressing your proposal’s key need or problem. 
• How much money that you are asking the funder to consider granting you.  

Need statement  

Your need statement is where you’ll convince your prospective funder of the urgency of addressing your proposed problem or need in one page or less. In this section, do your best to succinctly peak the prospective funder’s interest in your specific project by incorporating data-driven insights and human stories that bring your need to life. Once completed, it should seek to answer these questions: If your project is funded, how will it be better and for whom, and why should this particular funder care?  

Given you are competing with other applicants, don’t forget to align your need statement with your funder’s objectives. After all, the best way to get a funder to care about your solution is to explain how it overlaps with the focus areas of their foundation.   

Project description  

Your project description should delve deep into the specific activities of your project and how they will benefit your target demographic. This section should include a detailed outline that explains exactly how, when, and by whom the project will be executed and completed. An additional tip for success: Consider emphasizing any collaborations and partnerships with other organizations on similar efforts to boost your credibility. 

Project goals and objectives  

When it comes to grant proposals, it is important to understand the difference between goals and objectives. Goals are typically broad, general statements of need, while objectives are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timebound ( S.M.A.R.T. ). It is also important to discuss whether the issue is currently being addressed, and how your solution or organization will be better than the status quo.  

Organizational information  

In your grant proposal, you should provide more information about your organization. This is where you can showcase your mission, organizational history, as well as the impacts of your other programs and/or services. In this section, you can highlight your nonprofit’s accomplishments, staff’s expertise, and track record of success in your community. When approaching writing this section of your proposal, aim to include details that help the funder see why your organization is best suited to solve the problem or need at hand, if awarded the grant.     If you are wondering how to get started, consider showcasing the information in your Candid nonprofit profile . 

Project budget  

Here you’ll get down to the dollars and cents required to address your need or problem. Your project budget will ideally mirror the associated direct and indirect costs of the items outlined in your project description, such as staffing, rent, supplies, promotion, and the like. In this section, you will also want to detail the revenue sources you are planning to use to fund the project. Another tip for success: Be sure to explain how you will continue to support and sustain the project—beyond the specific grant you are seeking.      For a more in-depth understanding of how to create a project budget, be sure to check out this free training on the topic. 

With this roadmap to guide your efforts, you’re ready to begin writing a successful grant proposal. If you’re interested in some additional tips and pointers, be sure to also consider the following best practices: 

• Start with an outline to help you better prepare, organize your thoughts, and guide your efforts. 
• Do your research to understand who you are approaching and what their priorities are by exploring the information on their website, the types of nonprofits and issue areas they fund using Foundation Directory , and the like. 
• Focus on the funder’s objectives and use your powers of persuasion to make them understand that your approach is in their best interest. 
• Always follow the funder’s guidelines and keep your language clear and concise. 
• Tap into the power of your colleagues’ feedback, and don’t forget to revise and edit your proposal before submitting it. 

To learn even more, visit learning.candid.org where you can find free resources and sample documents or join us for our three-week, in-depth Proposal Writing Bootcamp to help you craft a winning grant proposal. 

• Tips & Training
• Budgets and financials
• Fundraising, giving, and donations
• Nonprofit and charity work

About the author

Stephen lives to create order out of chaos by developing people-centered systems and training programs that maximize efficiency and impact. Coming from four-generations working in the social sector, Stephen experienced in university the positive power of business to shape people’s lives – empowering them to develop a growth mindset and providing them with the tools and social support to lift themselves out of poverty.

Stephen started his career at Enactus, a global network of students, academicians, and business executives committed to using business acumen for societal progress. In his roles as Regional Program Manager and Director of United States Programs, Stephen created direct training and train-the-trainer programs implemented across 500+ universities with over 18,000 students involved in over 3,000 social impact projects and entrepreneurial ventures.  Directing the development of the organization’s first online training center providing internal and external constituents with on-demand training modules and resources, Stephen delivered capacity building workshops for staff and external constituents across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Central America.

At Candid, Stephen ideates on ways to better serve the network of over 500+ partner organizations providing tools and resources to nonprofits through the creation of efficient internal systems and processes related to territory management. In addition, Stephen assists in an annual flagship research effort to create financial snapshots of the field and works with individual community foundations to benchmark their performance against peers and perform deep analyses of their own operating models.

Insatiably curious, Stephen spends his free time traveling, specifically to places in nature that inspire wonder or cultures vastly different from his own to expand his mind, listening to science and psychology podcasts, and gardening. He also writes and produces original music, merging his love of R&B/Gospel music with electronic music, fusing global sounds from his travel across six continents and 23 countries.

Stephen holds a B.B.A in Business Management with a minor in Theology and Leadership Studies from Evangel University.

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Kyoko Uchida says:

https://learning.candid.org/resources/sample-documents/

Allan mailon says:

Can i have a sample copy of the grant proposal. Am planning to open an initiative program which will support vulnerable children to access good education,healthy and better living.

Alexander W. Wesley says:

Thanks for your programs! I am a beneficiary of your training programs, I earned two certificates from your institution. I am excited about your programs! Every time I accessed your website there was something new to learn. This lesson has inspired me very well!

Kate, Digital Communications Manager, Candid says:

Hi Tumi, we tested the documents and all of them seem to be downloading correctly. Was there a specific document that you had trouble downloading?

Tumi Mabena says:

Thank you for such great content. I tried to download a number of sample proposals but they seem to be corrupted from your end. Please could you look into it. I'm in South Africa.

We have free examples of grant proposals in our Sample Documents page .

Mr. KAKOZI AMISSI JEAN MARIE says:

I am happy for the details provided

I would be the happiest to see samples of grant proposal if you dont mind

Owino says:

Quite educative, thanks

Keshini Wijegoonaratna says:

The strategies and key areas indicated are noted. Thank You

Ntahli Griffiths says:

We have a community based organization which like also to empower vulnerable groups of women in community and would like to write a winning proposal.

Christopher L. Lunguya says:

Very important and useful information, Well done.I cannot express my thanks to Candid

Justine says:

Very important information, thank you so much

Nestor Ogarro says:

Nice and credible

Very good and reliable

Miatta T. Sawyer Davis says:

That depends a little on what information you want! Head to our Contact Us page for information on how to reach us for different products or for educational resources.

R. White says:

How can I reach you

Louis Mwewa says:

I have the article very interesting and educative.

We have lots of resources to help you write a grant proposal! Get started here: How do I write a grant proposal?

Gerard Foisape says:

Can I know how to write a proposal

Charles says:

Help me how can writte a propsol

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How To Write a Grant Proposal: Guide + Templates

Fundraising practices.

Megan Allison

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Nonprofit grant proposals can be a daunting task for fundraisers, but it’s a key way to help gain more sustainable funding for your organization. From finding the right grants to writing and applying for them, grant proposals require a lot of research and attention to detail! Even experienced fundraisers can feel overwhelmed, but by following a planned process and some best practices, you can take the stress out of appealing to grant funders. 

• What is a grant proposal?
• 5 best practices for writing a convincing grant proposal

How to write a grant proposal for nonprofits in 11 basic steps

• Where to find grant opportunities
• Grant proposal templates
• Grant proposal do’s and don’ts

What is a grant proposal? 

A grant proposal is a structured document that outlines the need for funding, your nonprofit’s objectives, the proposed project’s scope, and the budget you need to accomplish your project. It serves as your voice when grant funders are reviewing proposals, and it can decide whether you secure the grant or not. 

Nonprofit grant proposals need to tell a moving story about your organization’s mission and vision while adhering to the stringent guidelines set forth by the grant maker. Writing a good grant proposal requires attention to detail, strategic thinking, and a compelling solution to a problem.  

What do you write in a grant proposal? 

Before you start writing your grant proposal, you need to know the key parts to include when writing your proposal .  

• Cover letter: Your cover letter is the first impression you make on the grant review committee. Include big accomplishments and details that will help persuade the reviewers of the success of your work.  
• Executive summary: The summary is a snapshot of your proposal. Create a concise but compelling way to capture your mission, the project’s scope, and the budget in a single page. 
• Statement of need: Dive deep into the problem your nonprofit is trying to solve with grant funding. Use data to make a clear case for why the funder’s support is crucial to the impact you can make. 
• Project description: Your description details how your organization intends to address the problem identified in your statement of need. Approach this with clear and tangible solutions to the issue at hand. 
• Organization background : Show your nonprofit’s history, current programs, and any previous successes that demonstrate your capacity to handle the project you’re proposing for the grant. 
• Budget: Go into detail about how exactly you plan to use the grant funding for your program. 
• Sustainability plan: The fundraising world is looking more to sustainability to ensure organizations are getting to the root of a problem rather than just applying a short-term bandage. Outline how your program can continue long-term to help the problem at hand.  
• Overall impact: Bring the grant review committee back to the main goal of your proposal by highlighting the overall impact your project aims to achieve. 

Each component of your grant proposal serves a unique purpose! Use your nonprofit’s voice to help ensure the work you do is highlighted through each part. 

5 best practices for writing a convincing grant proposal 

1. make sure you have everything you need for your application. .

The guidelines for the grant you’re applying for should have all the information you’ll need to collect to apply for the grant. Two things you should make sure you have before you apply are your mission statement and any required paperwork. Your mission statement should be clear and explain your nonprofit’s purpose to provide a first impression for funders.  

There are a few types of paperwork you may need to meet the grant’s eligibility requirements. Funders may request financial statements or annual reports, as well as other documentation on your nonprofit to be submitted with your proposal. Make sure you can match all the eligibility criteria before preparing your proposal to avoid wasting energy on applications that are ineligible for approval. 

2. Tell a powerful story. 

Grant funders are looking for projects that can create a lasting impact in their communities. To show your organization can create long-term change, use success stories that can be backed with data to show what your nonprofit can do. Emotional pull is an important part of the grant writing process, but numbers help solidify your funding request.  

Craft a story that paints a clear image of your nonprofit’s identity, both visually and narratively. Share both successes and challenges to build a realistic visual of how your organization solves problems.  

3. Research previous winners. 

Before writing, research the grant you’re applying for and who the previous grant awardees are. Understand what the grant funders value to ensure your proposal is aligned with those priorities. Studying winning proposals from the past can provide insight into what works best for a specific funder. Look for common elements across different winners and structure your proposal in a similar fashion without losing your nonprofit’s voice. 

4. Writing clearly and concisely. 

Avoid using overly specific jargon and be as clear as possible. You’re an expert in your field, but the grant funders might not be. Your proposal might make perfect sense to you, but to others, it could take too much time to understand. Your communication needs to come across clearly, convey why your project matters, and how it will address the funder’s priorities. Make a checklist to guarantee you hit every point in your narrative. 

5. Double check your work. 

Proofread your proposal multiple times and have others review it as well. Typos and grammatical errors can detract from the power of your message. It also helps you ensure that your messaging is consistent throughout the proposal and that you’ve met all necessary guidelines.  

1. Finding the right grants to apply to 

Look through well-established grant databases, set up Google alerts, check out company foundations, and network with other nonprofits to keep track of available grants that align with your mission and find one that will fit your program needs. 

2. Making a list of guidelines you must match 

Create a checklist of the grant’s guidelines that need to be met in the proposal you submit. This helps you ensure accuracy and thoroughness throughout the writing process and provides an easy resource when double checking your work 

3. Summarizing your work 

In a few sentences, summarize what your nonprofit does and the primary focus of your work and the project you’re submitting for the grant. You can use this summary as a baseline for creating your nonprofit voice for the proposal, as well as use it to make first impressions when networking with potential funders. 

4. Illustrating the problem you solve 

Use real examples and statistics to help you illustrate the problem you’re tackling. You can show the urgency and need for solutions to the problem by providing tangible evidence of the issues occurring within your community.  

5. Specifying goals and objectives 

Your project needs to have specific goals with metrics you can measure to show your success. These goals should be directly related to resolving the problem you’ve identified in your community. Your objectives should also be something you can reasonably accomplish.  

6. Explaining your project plan 

Detail the steps of your project to achieve your objectives. Be specific about who will do what, when, and how to give an overview of the proposed timeline. You should also include how each step will help you move towards your objectives.  

7. Proposing your budget 

The budget is a key component of your grant proposal. Every line item should be justified and directly tied to activities that will help you achieve your goals. Your budget needs to be reasonable and fit within what the grant is able to offer in funding.  

8. Planning your evaluation 

Decide which metrics you’ll use to measure the success of your project. This part of your proposal demonstrates your commitment to accountability and your capacity to manage the grant. Pick a few key ways the funders can evaluate your program.  

9. Ensuring sustainability 

Show how you’ll maintain the project’s success after the funds from the grant are exhausted. Present a realistic, long-term plan for continuation. Your grant proposal doesn’t just fund a project with short-term results–it should initiate a change or growth that’s sustainable without continuous support from the funder. 

10. Revising your proposal 

Never rush the review process! After completing your first draft, provide a copy to a few reviewers to ensure your message gets across. You should also review yourself a few days after finishing up your draft to get a fresh look. You’ll be surprised how a clear head can help provide new insights. 

11. Following Up 

If you haven’t heard back within a reasonable time, it’s okay to follow up with the grant funders. Keep it simple and check if they’ve had a chance to review your proposal. You can also ask the grant review committee to provide feedback on your proposal to help you improve for your next proposal. 

Where to find grant opportunities 

There are a couple places you can look when trying to find grant opportunities . Well-known grant databases, such as grants.gov or GrantWatch , can be great resources to do a wide search of grants. You can also look at large corporations to check if they provide grants, such as Carnegie Foundation or Bank of America . Local government branches that work within your cause are also great resources for grants. You can also network with your board members or other nonprofits to find grant opportunities that you already have a connection with.  

Here are 10 more places to find grants:

• National Endowment for the Arts
• GrantFinder
• Economic Development Directory
• Walmart Foundation
• Coca-Cola Foundation
• Aldi Cares Community Grants
• Candid’s Foundation Directory
• GrantStation
• Home Depot Foundation

Grant proposal templates 

If you’re looking for a place to start, use this grant proposal template: 

Cover letter

Dear [Grantor’s name],

Introduce your organization and thank the grantor for the opportunity to apply. Then, provide a brief overview of your nonprofit, including your mission, goals, and any unique strengths that set your organization apart.

Next, describe the specific project you’re seeking funding for. Explain the problem or need it addresses, the objectives of the project, why your organization is well-suited, and the intended outcomes. Include one or two examples of relevant experience that show your organization’s ability to complete the project.

Thank the grantor for considering your application and provide contact information to answer any questions they may have.

Executive summary

Provide a brief summary of your proposal that provides the grantor the most important details of your project. Explain what your organization does, why the project is important, who the project helps, and an overview of your suggested budget in a concise manner. Be sure to include the items listed below.

• Mission statement
• Problem statement
• Objective of the project
• Intended outcomes
• Funding request

Statement of need

Provide context about the issue or challenge that your organization is addressing with this project. Describe the problem in depth and highlight its impact on the community using key statistics about the problem. Provide examples of how this project aligns with your nonprofit, as well. Include images and data graphs to provide a visual of the issue.

Project description

Provide an overview of your proposed project, including its objectives, activities, and intended impact. Outline the specific activities and steps needed to achieve the project’s purpose, as well as details about each activity. Let the grantor see your staffing structure and what responsibilities each role will have in the project.

Include a timeline of key deadlines for your project into smaller phases and explain which activities will take place during each phase. The goal of this section is to show a thorough and transparent plan to the grantor. Break this section down into the sections listed below.

• Activities and action plan
• Staffing structure
• Project manager
• Roles and responsibilities

Organizational background

Use this section to introduce your organization to the grant reviewer and establish credibility. Restate your missions and values, and describe the different services and programs currently offered by your nonprofit to show your experience in similar projects.

Detail any previous achievements your organization had serving the community to provide credibility and a record of success to your proposal. Include any relevant qualifications your nonprofit has in your cause that could help with accomplishing your proposed project.

Provide an explanation and estimation for each expense of your project (materials, marketing, technology, administration, etc.). The grantor will want to know exactly how you plan to use the funds provided by the grant, so be as specific as possible in your budget when showing how your expenses directly contribute to achieving the project objectives.

Link each line item from the proposed budget to your project’s goal to show each expenses’ part in achieving the desired impact. Provide a chart or graph to add a visual representation of the budget.

Sustainability plan

Outline your nonprofit’s strategy for creating long-term sustainability of the proposed project. These plans should include where future funding will come from, what plans you have for long-term staffing of the project, and what ongoing support the program will receive from your organization.

This section is to show the grantor that the project will provide a reliable solution for the problem and not a short-term fix that relies purely on the grant fund.

Overall impact

Provide a detailed overview of the impact the proposed project will have on the community. Describe what the long-term benefits of the project will be on the community and how this impact can be measured by the grantor. Specify objective metrics that the grantor can use to examine the accomplishments of the project and include what metrics would need to be reached to indicate success.

AI prompt ideas 

Consider using AI to generate new ideas for the different sections of your proposal. It can help you add a fresh perspective to your proposal or save you from writer’s block. Here some prompt ideas to help you fuel your writing process: 

• “Write a one-page executive summary of [insert proposal sections] highlighting [your organization] accomplishments.”  
• “Create a data table of [public program data] to show the success of [program name].”  
• “Describe how [project mission] could help solve [community problem].”   
• “Use [project estimates] to create a budget for [program name].”  
• “Define the overall impact of [project plan] on [community problem].”  

Grant proposal do’s and don’ts 

Use these grants do’s and don’ts as a reminder for writing the best grant proposal you can.  

Do prepare well ahead of time 

Grant proposals need to be a well-planned effort, not a last-minute scramble. Planning ahead can help you make a more polished proposal. 

Do communicate a consistent message 

If it doesn’t feel like your proposal matches your mission, you’ll be less likely to receive the grant. Ensure the messaging of your proposal matches your nonprofit’s mission and branding.  

Do show transparency 

Be open about how your nonprofit works and how you use funds. Transparency shows the grant funders that your organization is trustworthy to follow through with your proposal.  

Don’t submit without creating a connection 

Your proposal isn’t just a document–it’s an overall approach to creating financial partnerships for your organization. Don’t submit your proposal without reaching out and connecting with your potential funder. 

Don’t skim the guidelines 

The guidelines provided for each grant are specific to the grant and are required by the funders to get their funding. Missing out on a guideline can mean you lose your chance at the grant. 

Don’t be vague on your impact 

The grant funders want to see results. Making vague claims about what your organization can do without backing it with data can undermine your credibility. 

Final thoughts 

The grant proposal process can be challenging, but the results are well worth the effort. Successfully securing a grant can provide more sustainable financial support needed to accomplish your nonprofit’s next big project and make a meaningful impact in your community. 

Every word in your proposal should lead the review committee back to the main problem your project can solve with the help of the grant. Tell your story and make a compelling case for why your nonprofit deserves funding and how you can change the world. 

Additional resources 

Use these additional resources to help you find and write grant proposals for your organization.  

• Quick Guide to Grants for Nonprofits: Tips, Resources & More . Use this guide for more tips and resources for writing grant proposals.  
• How to Find & Engage The Right Grant Funders For Your Nonprofit . Find grant funds to apply to using this guide.    
• How To Find And Get Grants . Check out this webinar on how to find and get grants.  
• Demystifying the Grants Lifecycle: Grant Seeking Lessons and Pro-tips from the Field . Watch this video to learn tips on getting grants from experts in the field.   

About the Author

Megan is a writer at Qgiv who takes pride in helping nonprofits. In her freetime, she enjoys reading, music, and playing with her two cats.

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Course Details Heading link Copy link

Topics covered.

• Grant Writing: Getting Started
• Anatomy of a Grant Proposal
• Writing the Proposal, Part 1: Needs Statement, Goals and Objectives
• Writing the Proposal, Part 2: Drafting Strategies to Meet Objectives
• Preparing the Budget and Documenting Sustainability
• Evaluation, Supplementary Materials and Final Steps

Course Benefits

• Understand the multi-faceted context in which a grant proposal is both generated and reviewed
• Research and identify an appropriate funder for a given proposal
• Develop a clear proposal outline and proposal in response to funder guidelines
• Prepare the narrative portion of a grant proposal including: needs statement; goals and objectives; methods and design, timeline and plan for sustainability
• Prepare a basic budget
• Construct a basic evaluation component
• Identify and prepare supplementary proposal materials

Required Text

Browning, B. A. (2008).  Perfect Phrases for Writing Grant Proposals: Hundreds of ready-to-use phrases to present your organization, explain your cause, and get the funding you need. McGraw-Hill.

Special Features

• Weekly readings and resources to inform your understanding of the grant writing process
• Individual “studio” activities offering opportunities to cultivate practical skills
• Original case studies and problem-based learning activities
• In-depth weekly discussions on the real-life challenges and opportunities of grant writing
• A small class size generally limited to 25 participants

This is an instructor-led course delivered entirely online. It is highly interactive and requires 8-10 hours per week of active participation on discussion boards and completion of assigned projects.

How to Write a Proposal for an Education Project

by Heather Skyler

Published on 10 Dec 2018

The purpose of an education proposal is usually to secure grant money and get approval for a specific education project. Often, an entire team is involved and will collaborate to put the proposal together. Whether it's the idea of one person or of many, a proposal for an education project generally follows a basic format.

Start With an Abstract

The abstract is a concise paragraph or a single page that explains the entire purpose and scope of the proposal. Similar to a blurb on the back of a book, the abstract gives you a short version of the whole. Abstracts help to focus readers and guide them through the proposal. While the proposal starts with an abstract, some people find it easier to write this section last so it essentially acts as a summary of the entire report.

Write the Needs Assessment or Statement of the Problem

There is a reason you are proposing this plan or idea – to fulfill a specific need or solve a problem – so the first section should clearly explain what the need is or describe the problem that will be solved. This section is very important, and the content should be clear and concise. For example, you are proposing a program to improve the math scores of eighth-grade students. Describe the current state of their grades and show why these students would benefit from your program.

The needs assessment section should also explain how you've analyzed the needs of this particular group and why the implementation of the project will be helpful. How did you identify the eighth-grade project participants? How did you determine that your project could be successful with this group? Don't describe the entire project or plan in detail here. That comes next.

Include the Program Description

Now you've come to the meat of the proposal. What exactly is your proposed idea? Describe the nature of the project and show how it will lead to improving student performance. It's a good idea to keep the focus of the project limited so it can be implemented effectively within the time and budget constraints of the project. In this section, also include the project's goals and objectives. Explain what you plan to achieve and lay out the timeline.

Let's say your idea to improve eighth-grade math involves building a specialized computer game that can match the pace of a single student's progress. You'll outline how long it will take to develop and test the game, then lay out how many students will test your project and what variables you'll use to measure success.

Describe How the Project Will Be Implemented

The implementation section provides a more detailed explanation of how exactly you will operate the project. You gave a brief outline of this in an earlier section, but here is your chance to further explain the objectives, activities, instructional methods, materials and assessments that will be essential for the implementation and evaluation of the project.

List the Key Personnel

Identify each member of the project team and describe their duties and responsibilities. Indicate the amount of time this team will devote to the project. Provide a short bio for each team member, highlighting their backgrounds and achievements and revealing why they are a good fit for this project.

Budget and Justification

In this section, create a detailed budget. State the total amount you are requesting, then break down the spending for each part of the project. For our eighth-grade math example, this could include staff salaries, computers and other related costs.

Methods and Measurement Tools

Describe exactly the methods you will use to measure the success or failure of the project. It is important to connect the ideas in this section to the rest of the plan. This section should illustrate the strategies you plan to use to determine the extent to which you are attaining the project's objectives. List the data you plan to collect and the assessment measurements you will use. Provide a timeline for collecting the data and explain your strategies for compiling and reporting evaluation results.

Education proposals are typically long and very detailed. They also involve lots of initial research and revision. This is a nutshell version of how you can put one together, but any successful proposal for a major project should be thorough and well-written.

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