Step 4: Write for the Reader

Any proposal should offer a concise plan to fill a need or solve a problem, and your reader will evaluate your plan according to how well your written presentation answers questions about what you are proposing, how you plan to do it, when you plan to do it, and how much it is going to cost.

Don’t assume that the funder knows much about your subject area. Most grant readers and evaluators are generalists. They will probably know something about topics like Shakespeare, water pollution, and HIV/AIDS, but you should not assume that they are familiar with “Troilus and Cressida,” taconite disposal methods or Kaposi’s sarcoma. If your topic is complex, you might add an informative article or suggest some background reading.

Therefore, to present the information well, you should begin by ascertaining – not assuming – the level of knowledge that your audience possesses and take the positions of all your readers into account. You might also provide, for those outside of your specific area of expertise, an executive summary written in non-technical language, or you might include your own glossary of terms that explains technical language use in the body of the proposal. Don’t take for granted that everyone who reads your proposal understands your jargon.

The most basic composition of a proposal, as with any other written document, is simple; it needs a beginning (the introduction), a middle (the body of material to be presented) and an end (the conclusion or recommendation).

Step 5: Research Your Prospective Funders

Research prospective grant funders using one of Schoolhouse Partners’ nine directories, or by utilizing our online database known as GrantSelect. Thoroughly search for requests for proposals from grant funders that might match your proposed project. Both the hard copy and online versions of the database provide a wealth of information concerning how-to, when-to, who-to, and so on. Search there using vital keywords, such as “education,” “elementary and secondary education” or “children and youth.”

After you identify several potential funders, follow the funders’ specifications for a first approach, which should be by an initial telephone contact, email, letter or the submission of a full request. Your goal is to pre-qualify your request and to learn the name of a person at the foundation to whom you can direct your final grant proposal. This is essential, so that your grant submission does not get lost in the shuffle of things.