Go the Extra Mile to Get the Grant Funding

Summary covering Chapter 8 of Get That Grant Book  by Weisblat

The grant proposal frames your program plan, explains why it is important, and for whom it will make a difference. Below are five tips to go the extra mile and get awarded the funding for your program.

1. 1. 1. Research the mission of the funding body and what programs/groups they have funded in the past, how much funding they have provided, and if their mission fits your vision.
      2. Meet with someone from the funding agency in person or communicate with them via email/social media. Give them your cocktail conversation and begin developing a relationship with them.
      3. Speak with a previous grant winner for this particular grant. Get insight on their experience in order to make yours similar and/or better.
      4. Don’t forget the reason for the program and your drive…The vision of the program should always be the focus.
      5. When writing your proposal make it clear and precise.

Putting forth a little more effort, outside of writing the proposal, will help you more than anything else. It will enable you to get answers to your questions, that otherwise will be unknown. You can find out information about what you can do to make your proposal stand out from others. Also, you may be able to find out if there are other unsolicited funds to support your program. You may be able to have your proposal reviewed ahead of time for feedback. By meeting and developing a rapport with a member of the funding agency, you can ask about the grant review process and more. If you are able to get in contact with someone who was awarded money from this organization before, you can receive a different perspective.

For example,

• What were some of the struggles past grant winners faced, and how they were resolved?
• How much money was granted to grantees compared to their asking budget?
• What was favored most about past proposals?

Don’t hesitate to ask as many questions as you can and research as much as you can because the vision of your program is the big picture here. If you want your program funded in order to make a difference in other lives, you must work hard to achieve this. Meeting and greeting with the right people, research, and implementing a good structure for your proposal is the root of your labor. As we can see from previous blogs in this series, a grant proposal can appear to be repetitive. However, the proposal needs to consistently stay clear and precise. Long drawn out explanations are not the key, it is addressing questions and potential questions so there aren’t any gaps within your proposal.

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