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Writing A Grant Proposal The Easy Way By David Pierce

Before starting any grant application, one must be certain they are even qualified to receive the grant monies that may be available to them. Also, understanding the eligibility requirements is key. You must check what the agency is requesting and be prepared to show documentation as to what you are planning on doing.

The next step in the grant process is the proposal.

The proposal is a very important step because it could make or break you intentions of obtaining the grant. Many people believe these proposals are not actually read but are intended to be busy work or just additional red tape. This could not be further from the truth. The proposal is a very important aspect of the entire process. They are read and decided upon. The proposal must have a specific purpose and a very goal oriented outcome in order for it to be successful.

Many people look for outside sources to write the proposal for them. The writer must be very careful in doing this. It is so competitive and time consuming, your idea or information possibly being leaked to an outside party is not worth the risk. It is usually best for the proposal writer to gather information themselves and learn how to write a good grant proposal. There are many good books on the subject that you can purchase or borrow from the library. This is definitely the recommended route. There are also many places online that will teach you how to write your own grant proposal such as the website listed below this document. It is simply not worth the risk of not getting your proposal approved to have someone else write the grant for you.

In the proposal you must clearly state your goals and intentions for the grant. Again, this is an important task. Unlike popular belief, the government does not just hand over money easily. They want it to be used for specific purposes with an end result. If your proposal does not meet their requirements or what they have planned, your request will be denied. One must spend a significant amount of time just figuring out and putting onto paper what their goals and intentions are. You need to allow at least four to six weeks to just gather this information and put some deep thought into it.

Next you need to gather as much information as possible about your company. You will be filling out a lot of forms requesting varying amounts of data. Be sure to keep copies of everything. Some agencies even request copies of tax returns, property the business owns . If it has to do with your company, be prepared to present it to the agency.

It is very important to take your time in this endeavor. Getting in a hurry will not help matters at all. If there is a deadline, be sure to start enough ahead of time so you can have all of your paperwork together and your proposal properly written. There is nothing worse than writing a sloppy proposal with missing paperwork and information. All of this information is necessary so that the government agency will get a better understanding why your company needs the extra cash flow.

Many times the agency will request that you submit a timeline for your activities. Be sure to give this a lot of thought. Outline each activity and attach a date for it to be completed. You may want to develop a sort of flowchart when things do not go as planned. Government agencies can be stringent on timelines so be sure to develop a realistic one. Also be sure you outline the outcomes of your planned activities and any staffing needs you may require. Include a chart showing the outcomes and rates of progress for each project. It is best to include as many charts as you can bear. The more information you supply the better chances your proposal will be accepted.

Finally, include all expenses that your project will incur. It is not necessary to be as detailed on this as on the other aspects of the proposal, but you need to be as clear as possible. Itemize the major expenses such as labor and materials. These will be your biggest and most important expenses of the entire proposal, so be sure to spend some time on them. Next in line would be expenses such as rent on the building you are using, utilities then general office expenses such as computers, copiers and paper. Do not include expenses such as dining, fuel and the like. They will be trivial and spending a lot of time calculating them will not be as beneficial as devoting your time to the other areas of the proposal.

David Pierce is owner of Easy Grant Money A resource to finding and obtaining a government grant as easily as possible.

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