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Basics of Grant Writing
by Jill Richards
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Overview
Basics of Grant Writing
Grants help add funds to your organization's budget. The key to successful grant writing is to identify sources that give to causes like yours. Once you've found them, you need to craft your proposal. Corporations and foundations offer private grants. Federal, state and local governments provide public grants, mainly to nonprofit organizations. Some funders prefer a brief letter of inquiry from organizations for which they do not have a funding history. Others will consider a full proposal. By doing research before you begin, you can employ a targeted approach that is more likely to receive funding.
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Research
Doing thorough research before you start writing the grant application makes the process much easier. You should seek funders who have historically given to organizations with missions similar to yours. One valuable resource is GuideStar, where you can find information on a foundation's assets and giving history (see Resources). GuideStar often provides foundations' IRS Form 990, which details to whom they've given and the amount for each year. Organizations like Donors Forum offer not only financial information on foundations but also workshops on how to write grants. Corporations often have an office of Corporate Giving that provides detail on the types of efforts they support.
As you research, you should create a master list of organizations that you will target for grants. This list should contain the funder's assets, the average gift size, any information on how they want to be contacted and any applicabale deadlines.
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Letter of Inquiry
Sometimes a foundation or corporation will ask to be contacted using a short letter of inquiry (LOI) first rather than with a full blown proposal. According to GrantProposal.com, an LOI takes less time to consider than a proposal does and helps the funder screen out unsuitable applicants. From your perspective, it means you don't waste time writing a long proposal to an organization that might not be interested in funding a grant.
Usually 1 to 2 pages in length, the LOI should help the funder understand how you fit their giving guidelines, outline the need, explain the project or method used to address the need and specify the amount you are requesting.
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Proposal
A proposal is longer than a letter of inquiry and should be targeted to the funder. In your research, you will have noted if the funder has any proposal guidelines that must be followed. Often a full proposal will expand upon the points in a letter of inquiry (noted above) and require additional information such as a project budget. A funder might also require that certain specific questions be answered within the document. Be sure to point out any ways your organization is innovating to solve the problem and explain how the funder can help.
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The Request
Determining the amount of money to ask for is one of the most difficult parts of grant writing. That's where you will again rely on your research. By studying the funder's Form 990, you can find the number and amount of past gifts given to organizations like yours. Tailor your request to that of a similar organization that received funding for a comparable project. Some experts advise that if you are new to the funder, your request should be on the low end of their giving range. That way, you can increase the amount in future requests as you build credibility.
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Writing Tips
Personalize your proposal or LOI for each request. While you may have a standard template you use, make certain that your final request meets the needs and follows any guidelines of the funder. Write from the funder's viewpoint. Why should they fund you? Many organizations need money, so saying simply that you are worthwhile and need support is generally not persuasive. Showing that you are solving a critical problem using innovative methods that can be shared with the funder's other grantees is often more persuasive.
