Checklist for Grant Success
In this uncertain grant environment, some basic steps can help increase your chances of success.
Evaluate fitness of the grant prospect for your mission and program. With so many grant options out there, some organizations succumb to the temptation to apply to programs that do not fit their mission and programs. That wastes your time for something that will most likely not yield results.
Talk to the funder or potential funder. Discussing your project with a potential funder can increase your chances of success. They can let you know if they see a fit between your project and their mission, if their programs or deadlines change, and you can let them know how these uncertain times impact you and your clients.
Double check the deadlines. Even if you apply to the same funder every year, they may have changed their priorities and deadlines. Make sure you follow their most recent protocols.
Start early to give yourself plenty of time to write a quality application ahead of the deadline – and leave time for an emergency that may erupt as a deadline approaches. Life – and illness – have a way of happening as a deadline approaches.
Take your time. When you give yourself enough time to write an application, you can slow down to take the steps to plan a good application and make sure that you write a high-quality application.
Engage your colleagues. They can provide you with data, insights, and a listening ear. Many grant professionals work alone with no or few colleagues with whom to collaborate. Find people – in your organization or community – with whom to collaborate and commiserate.
Proof and proof again. Once you have your application drafted, review it with a critical eye to make sure that you answered all the questions fully and persuasively, using both data and stories. Also ensure that your numbers match and that your budget adds up.
Ask fresh eyes to review your application for persuasiveness, completeness, and understanding. Often, staff who live and breathe your organization cannot see it objectively while the reviewers who may not know your organization need the full story. Make sure that someone unfamiliar with you and your mission find the story compelling.
Submit early. Just like you want to take your time and start the application early, plan to submit a day or so before the deadline. That way, technical issues – from a power outage to lost password – will not mean a missed opportunity. Some funders will also review the application when it comes and may let you know if you miss something and give you a chance to fix it instead of rejecting your application. Likewise, if you miscounted characters, you have time to make your answers fit.
Follow up. Whether you receive funds or not, follow up with the funder to get their reaction to your application. Even if you get funding, you can always improve – and if you do not get funding, you want to learn how to improve your application for next time.
Finally, enjoy yourself! I find great joy in strategizing and writing a grant application – and hope that you do too! These tips should help you find more success – and we all enjoy success more than failure!
