How to Improve Your Grant Proposal Writing Instantly

Writing a grant proposal takes a lot of time. More so, if writing a proposal is not among your favorite hobbies. You need to seek ways on how you can write your grant proposal. Grants help support various charities and individuals, as long as they are eligible for the usgrants.org. Therefore, you need to create time and if necessary get expertise to ensure you write a winning grant proposal. Do your research right after identifying that you need a grant for your program. To know what should be entailed in your grant proposal. This article is about ways you can improve your grant proposal writing.

Start immediately 

Do not wait to begin on your proposal writing but start right away. Start collecting and organizing your data, make an outline and start on your first draft. Plus, your first draft does not have to be perfect. The final one is the most important, the first one helps you get your thoughts on one page. So, start immediately to get yourself something to work with and make it easier for you to get the final draft. If you feel the most intimidating part is the writing process. Get it out of the way, so that you focus on editing, which also needs you to have the right skills.

Understand storytelling basics 

Humans love storytelling, and your research grant proposal will be improved by it. Since grant proposals are persuasive, you can include some elements to create a story narrative. Where there is a hero, who is the benefactor of your research and you are the guide who helps the hero solve their problem. Introduce the conflict to help your reviewer to understand what’s at stake. The other element is the solution. This explains a part that is yet to take place. It explains how the funder will help to solve the conflict. So, consider this and do not get caught up in the technical aspect while there is the humanity of the work.

Remember to edit 

Editing is vital to good writing. Some things that you can accomplish during the editing stage are tying together convincing evidence and the basics of an intriguing proposal. Also, as you edit, you need to have goals that you need to accomplish. For instance, following the funder’s guidelines and do not assume that all guidelines are similar, cross-check. Outline your project by creating an order of how and when you will accomplish your said goals. Also, account for every dollar you are asking for and align your goals with the funder’s objectives. Do this by perfecting your first draft assuring that you meet all these goals.

Understand your funding source 

Every funding source has its way of deciding on a grant recipient. Since you may end up applying for grants with various funding agencies. It is vital that you are aware of your funding sources, and that your program fits into every funding agency’s mission plan. What’s important is before you start writing your proposal, research the funder. This is to help you know which programs or projects that the agency has co-sponsored in the past. Hence, you will know if your project will be a good fit. So, as you write your proposal, consider giving few reasons why your objectives should receive the funding.

Justify your costs 

The budget you present is one of the most vital elements of your grant proposal. You need to give it careful consideration, for if you cannot justify the financial request, it will be a challenge for your proposal to get approved. Thus, before you start writing, have a list that is specific and realistic of all the expected costs associating with your program. To ensure you give a well-justified budget, get a third party who is familiar with the grant proposal process to review your budget to ensure all adds up.

Use data

Ensure that you use data to strengthen your proposal. The more data that you use in your grant proposal, the more compelling your proposal. For this reason, include data in formats such as tables, figures, conceptual overviews, and written facts and figures added to the test where it seems appropriate.