Grant Writing

Grant writing is referred to the process of submitting and winning government and private grants. Grant writing involves are large amount of writing, but it also includes the assembly of budget and supporting documents for a grant proposal.

Government Grant Writing

How to grant write for the government is an important topic to secure the $500 billion in federal grants. The key to government grant writing is to follow directions and properly register for Grants.gov, which is the main site to submit federal grants. The registration process is a multi-step effort that involves: finding and documenting an organization’s Dun and Bradstreet Number (DUNS), registering for the Central Contract Registry (CCR), and designating an agency contact or Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). These steps and acronyms can intimidate new grant seekers, therefore Grants.gov has detailed information and FAQs on its web site.

The actual writing of a government grant involves responding to questions in the Request for Proposals. Typically, the grant proposal has a written narrative of no more than 30 pages about the agency, the program, goals, and measurable outcomes. Often government grant writing has strict limits on content and length. If an agency does not respond to the specific elements in an RFP, the application may be deemed unresponsive and denied.

Foundation and Corporate Grant Writing

Private grant writing tends to have less requirements than government grant writing. However, every funder has its own requirements and deadlines that must be followed. It is becoming more common that grant applications must be submitted electronically. Usually, an applicant must register into a grant writing system, which is usually only a username and password.

How to Improve Grant Writing

Grant writing tends be more successful if it follows a logical structure. The typical structure of a grant proposal is to present a community need and how the agency addresses that need. Most grant proposals require the documentation of goals, objectives, and activities to meet the need. Additional information may include information about the agency’s history and capacity in delivering programs and statements about the agency’s fiscal health.

Grant writing need not be overly complicated or use academic language. However, the grant proposal must make a persuasive case as to why funding is important and how it will be used to the public benefit. It is acceptable to cite outside research and publications to support a case for support. However, information needs to be properly cited and not plagiarized.