Knowing how to write a winning proposal is one of the stumbling blocks to securing funding through grants. This is because potential funders usually have a lot of expectations and set rigid criteria that applicants must meet before accepting your request. Failure to meet their expectations would in most cases lead to automatic dismissal of your proposal. To avoid this you need to properly structure the proposal, include the relevant content, and format the document appropriately. This is why you need a grant proposal template to act as a roadmap for the proper layout and styling of the grant proposal so that you can write more effectively.
Designed for use by non-profit organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, healthcare providers, community groups, individual researchers and scholars, and businesses, this template offers a consistent and accurate framework for writing your grant proposal. It is reusable and can be applied regardless of the type of project.
Grant Proposal
Grant Proposal
How to Use the Grant Proposal Template to Secure Funding
Grant proposals vary widely as the content is determined by multiple factors such as the funder’s or application requirements, project type, industry specifications, etc. However, through research, we have established commonalities in such proposals and incorporated them in the design of this template. Here is a look at how the role of each template section in the grant proposal.
The contents of a grant proposal usually vary depending on factors such as the application requirements, project type, industry specifications etc. However, there are key components that make up almost all grant proposals. These key components have been incorporated in the design of this template. To better understand them, here is a breakdown of each component and its importance in the grant proposal:
Proposal fundamentals
Proposal fundamentals are identification and contact information of the project and parties involved. They are the first items on the grant proposal. They are necessary for correspondence and record-keeping purposes. It is important to include this information so that you can introduce yourself and the project to the funder. When filling out this section you need to document the official project title, date of submission, name and address of proposal owner and recipients’, the figure amount requested, and how long the project will last.
Summary
The summary gives the reader an idea of what your proposal entails without going too much into detail. It is meant to spark their interest in your project. To complete this section, start by introducing your organization, line of work, why you are writing the proposal, and how much funding is needed. Then, describe your project by stating its objectives, who it aims to benefit, and tangible deliverables. Next, use the ‘need for funding’ section to justify why you need the financial assistance. A proper good way to convince funders is by illustrating how your project addresses a specific need in the community; you can do this by highlighting a problem and the solution your project offers. Finalize this section by outlining the expected impact of your project and how it meets the funder’s criteria of selection.
Statement of need
The statement of need helps you address the questions “which need will you be addressing? Why it exists under the current conditions? Can it be verified by credible means? Do the stakeholders acknowledge or share your sentiments?” This section is the core of your proposal. It presents a lot of data and case-specific information. Quantitative data like statistics and qualitative like real-life examples, testimonies, and stories can be included here. Such information contextualizes the problem.
This section has been structured such that you begin by describing the issue in the ‘issue overview’, then indicating any assessments or research done to ascertain its existence in the ‘community needs assessment,’ section. In the ‘gap analysis’ section explain why the issue exists by indicating how the available resources and interventions are inadequate hence the need for additional support. Stakeholder involvement shows you have engaged the people who are directly affected by your project. So, when filling the ‘stakeholder involvement’ section, make sure to identify the stakeholders and define their interest in your project and role in implementing it.
Goals and objectives
Goals and objectives demonstrate to the potential funder that you have solutions for the problem identified above, how you intend to assess its success, and how they align with the funder’s priorities. This information illustrates the feasibility and direction of your project while showing that you have a strong grasp of what needs to be done.
When filling out this section, it is important to understand that your goals can be broad and idealistic but objectives must be specific and measurable outcomes. The objectives can be short-term, intermediate, and long-term. As you fill the last entry of this section, review the funder’s priorities and criteria for the grant and link your goals and objectives appropriately.
Program plan
A program plan provides a breakdown of the activities or steps to be carried out to achieve the set objectives and the associated schedule to help the funder visualize the stages of your project. This informs the funder of what the funds will cover and helps them understand your strategy for achieving the set objectives. Also, you need to include a timeline showing the chronology of the projects events from start to finish. The plan also highlights the partnerships and collaborations you intend to seek to assist you in different capacities as well as how you intend to manage anticipated challenges and uncertainties.
This section has been designed in a logical structure where you first break down the project into the main activities or events that match the project goals and objectives, then for each indicate the projected date of completion. When writing the timeline, you can first indicate the project’s start and end dates then allocate each activity a duration based on the amount of work it entails. Then, indicate each partnership and collaboration and the significance of each. For risk management, identify each probable risk and your proposed strategy to mitigate it.
Capacity
Indicating your organization’s capacity to successfully implement the project reassures the funder and enhances their confidence in the decision to award you the grant. This section is thus crucial in influencing the funder’s decision. When filling this section, start by describing your experience, expertise, and resources at your disposal that will be used to implement the project. Then, mention key personnel that will be spearheading key activities of the project. Be detailed and include their roles and qualifications as indicators of their capacity to influence the project’s success. Then, highlight infrastructure such as equipment, facilities, and organizational structures (protocols, culture, processes, etc.) in place to improve project implementation. Lastly, indicate any previous achievements relevant to your project you have had for the funder to reference as a measure of your capabilities and record of your organization’s track record.
Evaluation plan
An evaluation plan documents how and when the project’s success will be monitored and evaluated so that its impact on the targeted audience can be determined. Most funders usually emphasize the need for accountability and thus they prefer grant proposals that offer a framework for determining the return on investment. To address this aspect, this section prompts you to provide an evaluation plan that outlines the framework to be followed, performance metrics, and data analysis and reporting procedures. In the last item ‘continuous improvement,’ you should describe the process of utilizing feedback obtained from periodic evaluations to modify the project variables and improve any shortcomings.
Program budget
The budget gives a breakdown of how you will utilize the requested funding if awarded. A program budget demonstrates your degree of transparency and accountability in terms of money allocation. It ensures the funder knows each expense associated with the project. This program budget is slightly advanced as it includes three parts – the budget narrative, income and funding sources, and sustainability plan.
When filling out this section, start by justifying each budget item (expense) by indicating its significance in implementing your project in the ‘budget narrative’ entry. For each expense, start by providing the name followed by a detailed explanation. Then, enlist them in the grid where you summarize the expenses into figures, for example, dollar amount. Under the ‘income and funding sources’ part, enlist all your sources of funding including the potential grant. Then, provide a plan and strategies for meeting the financial needs of the project after receiving the grant. You can indicate your intentions to apply for the next grant cycle or other potential grants available in your field.
Sustained impact
Indicating the sustained impact informs the funder of the long-term gains of your project to the beneficiaries. Including this information increases your chance of approval as funders are known to prefer projects with sustained impacts. This section has been divided into four parts to allow you to highlight the project’s impact in various contexts.
To appropriately fill this section, start by describing the long-term benefit of the project to the direct beneficiaries. Then, describe how the project will ensure the attained positive outcomes are prolonged or continued. In the ‘scaling up’ part, describe how the successes of the project can be replicated in different contexts such as in a different location or a new target population. Lastly, in the ‘partnerships and collaborations’ segment, enlist any partnerships and collaborations you intend to pursue to ensure the identified long-term impact is sustained.
Organization information
An organization’s background information describes the structure, history, purpose, personnel, and impact in its line of work. This information helps in establishing the credibility of your organization as well as fostering familiarity and trust. Funders will use this information to identify similarities and interests with your organization.
In the ‘about us’ segment, discuss what your organization does, how it was founded, and what it stands for. Then, you should highlight any programs and initiatives you are undertaking or have undertaken that would complement what you intend to do with the project. Then, you should document key figures in your organization and include their roles and qualifications. Finalize this section by outlining real-life accounts of how your organization has impacted the community in the ‘impact stories’ segment.
Appendix
The appendix allows you to provide additional information that you would like to share with the funder but did not include in the prior sections of the template. It may include images, data, documents, reference materials, etc. that can help you strengthen your case and persuade the funder to award you the grant.
Fill this section by indicating the file name, describing what it entails, and where the reader can access it in the grid. You can enlist any questionnaires, letters of approval, recommendation letters, graphs, etc. that are relevant to the proposal.
FAQs
Can I adjust the format of the grant proposal template?
The template can be used as it is as it has been designed to include all the fundamental elements. However, the grant guidelines should guide your formatting. So, be sure to check the specific guidelines and write your grant proposal accordingly.
Can the template be personalized?
Yes. The template is available in MS Word, Google Docs, and Open Document format that gives you full control of personalization.
