What does it take to submit a grant proposal? A brief overview (check back in a few weeks for more in-depth coverage of these points) and YOUR grant submittal countdown!
You need money! Can YOU get grant funding?
Although there are billions of dollars available every year in grant funding, these awards, unfortunately, are not appropriate for many projects.
Four Pillars of Grant Writing Success
Grant writing can be a very tedious task, but the outcome can be highly rewarding. Grant writing is a process that involves formally proposing a request to fund a project or program. There are thousands of grants available at any given time. The trick is to find a grant that is appropriate for your cause and organization. Searching for a grant is comparable to searching for a job. There are numerous opportunities available at any given time, but there only a select few open positions that appeal to your particular talents. In the case of funder and employer, many applicants are reviewed and only a small fraction of those reviewed are chosen (in the case of a job hunt; maybe only one!). Once again, in both scenarios, if you are selected this does not guarantee a position. You may undergo further evaluation to determine an appropriate fit. Some people believe that getting a grant is easy, this is not true. Your request for proposal (or, resume) must outshine all others.
3 Dirty Little Secrets of Grant Making
Grant making is most often honest, transparent, and above all else, fair. However, like any other organization (not-for-profit or otherwise), there are a few unpredictable outcomes that can sabotage even the most well written proposal. See below for some unsavory practices to avoid.