Grant Proposal Writing

Grant Proposal Writing
This brief is one in a series of tips for civil society organizations written from a funder’s perspective.
It is intended to stimulate inquiry, rather than to provide rigid instructions.
T i p s f o r S t r e n g t h e n i n g O r g a n i z a t i o n a l C a p a c i t y
Grant Proposal Writing
Project Development
Financial Systems
Resource Mobilization
Tips
for
developing
and
Tips
for
developing
and
Tips
for
establishing
an
Tips for mobilizing resources
writing a proposal, including
implementing a project and key
accountable and transparent
closer to home to strengthen
critical elements to facilitate
questions to ask in the process.
financial
system
to
build
organizational
capacity
and
project success.
financial sustainability.
d e l i v e r
b e n e fi t s
t o
t h e
community.
These tips include sections
on the purpose of a grant
Budgeting
Monitoring & Evaluation
Reporting to Funders
proposal, concept and project
Tips for preparing a budget with
Tips
for
reviewing
and
plan, organizational capacity,
an emphasis on its purpose,
Tips for
maintaining
and
assessing
progress towards
and criteria for reviewing the
steps, and components.
strengthening your relationship
objectives, identifying problems
proposal.
with funders following a grant
and strategies, and making
award.
adjustments to plans.
PURPOSE OF A GRANT PROPOSAL
• How does your proposed project reflect the mission of
your organization?
Consider the grant proposal as a presentation of your work
• What is the context in which you work? What are the
and efforts to work with and meet the needs of the
issues that the project will address? Why are these
community. It is a written document which you submit to a
critical to situation in which you work?
funder to be considered for a grant. The four basic areas it
• What are your goals, objectives, and activities?
should address are:
• What are the intended results? What changes will
1.
Concept: Funders want to know that a project fits with
occur as a result of the project?
the overall direction or mission of your organization and
• Who are the stakeholders you will work with, how
that it is addressing a compelling issue.
have they been consulted, and how will they be
2.
Project/activity: Funders review the scope of the
involved?
intervention, whether it be a project or activity, and how
• What is the timeline and required resources (financial
it will be implemented, including anticipated outcomes,
and staffing)?
staffing, timeline, monitoring and evaluation.
• How will you monitor and evaluate the project?
3.
Organizational Capacity: Funders are interested in
• How will the project continue after the grant?
evidence that your organization has adequate capacity
to implement the proposed activity and that their grant
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY
will be used efficiently.
The proposal is also an opportunity to articulate your
4.
Budget: Funders check to see if the budget corresponds
organization’s capabilities and demonstrate accountability to
with your anticipated outcomes.
your stakeholders. Some of the ways to demonstrate this are
Proposal writing is part of the process of planning your
to explore the questions:
work, which includes consultation and outreach to your
community, assessing needs and strengths, and developing
• What is your organizational structure? What are the
solutions. These tips are intended to help your organization
relevant skills of your staff and volunteers?
think through elements of a proposal. It can be used with the
• What is your governance structure and what roles and
tips on “Project Development” and “Budgeting.” In this
responsibilities does this structure have? Does it
brief, the word “project” is used to refer to a specific
include community members and leaders? Does it
intervention or activity.
include women?
• What are the organization’s most recent
CONCEPT AND PROJECT PLAN
accomplishments?
• What monetary or in-kind contributions have the
Before beginning to write the proposal, you should have a
community provided to the project?
plan for the project including discussions on these questions:
• Who else has donated to your organization?
• What networks do you belong to?
• What is your relationship with local authorities?
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Grant Proposal Writing
GRANT PROPOSAL COMPONENTS
submitting a grant proposal. Below are some of the criteria
and questions some funders may use to review, rate, and
Funders have their own guidelines, requirements, and
evaluate your proposal:
application procedures. The grant proposal is a written
description of your project plan based on the key questions
described on the first page. The proposal could also include
RELEVANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS
documentation about your organization in visual form, such
• Do the objectives and goals match the problems or
as video or photographic documentation. Funders may also
needs that are being addressed?
request a cover letter or executive summary. Before
• How will the intervention achieve its objectives?
composing the proposal, think through and outline the key
• Does the proposal involve the community or those
components below:
who are supposed to benefit from the project?
• How are other stakeholders involved?
COMPONENTS OF A GRANT PROPOSAL
• Does the proposal address the strengths and needs of
the community?
Contact
Responsible person’s name,
• Is there balance—gender, youth/adult, marginalized,
Information
organization, address, email, telephone.
ethnic groups--in project preparation and
Overview
Summary of proposal, including a
implementation?
statement on the purpose of the project
• How will the changes be measured, monitored, and
and why funds are being requested.
evaluated?
Context
Description of critical issues affecting
FEASIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY
your community and why project is
necessary. Funders may ask for a
• Has the approach been attempted elsewhere?
needs statement which provides a
scope of the problem, including
• Is the proposed approach practical?
statistics. Focus this section on what
• Is the budget appropriate for the scope of the project?
your intended project is addressing.
• What is the timeframe for the project? Is it realistic?
Project
How project will be implemented,
Description
including: measurable goals and
IMPACT
objectives, activities, beneficiaries’
• What will happen as a result of the project?
involvement, anticipated results,
timeframe, collaborating organizations
• How will it make a difference in the community?
or agencies
• Does the proposed activity have influence beyond its
aims?
Monitoring and
How project will be monitored and
Evaluation
evaluated to ensure that the project is
on track and that the results are being
SUSTAINABILITY
achieved.
• Are there lasting benefits after the intervention?
Budget
Costs for project, amount requested, in-
• Are there key partnerships with other civil society
kind contributions, and other sources of
organizations, development agencies, or government
funding. State currency and exchange
that will help sustain the project?
rate on which your budget is based.
• Have funds from other sources been identified?
Organization
Background, governance structure and
• How will the project continue after funding?
Information
composition, mission, past
• What is the plan for the project’s future?
accomplishments, staff qualifications,
internal controls, legal status.
CAPACITY
CRITERIA FOR REVIEWING THE PROPOSAL
• Has the organization succeeded in similar endeavors
of equal size, scale, and focus?
Funders base their reviews and decisions on specific criteria.
• What relevant skills do the organization’s staff and
Knowing how funders review your proposal could help you
board bring to the project?
to better articulate and improve your proposal and chances
• How is the organization governed?
for success. The questions below are provided to have a
• Is the organization legally registered?
discussion within your own organization when writing a
proposal to request a grant. They are not to be taken as
definitive procedures and processes of funders. Always
check with and follow the funder’s guidelines prior to
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Grant Proposal Writing
CREDIBILITY
Is your budget complete? Include all funding
• What is the evidence that the organization is
sources, both in cash and in-kind which could include
achieving its goals?
office space, land, or professional services valued at
• What is the organization’s relationship with the
market rates) A complete budget further creates a
community? What kind of reputation does the
positive image about the organization’s capabilities.
organization have beyond its community?
Have you demonstrated knowledge of good
• Is the organization a member of a network(s)?
practices in your field? An understanding of the
• Who are the partners of the organization?
issues show to funders that you have knowledge of
• Has the organization had any other contributions
what works and what has been tried in the past.
from external sources?
Did you include concise and specific information
that provides evidence of your organization’s
FINANCIALS
capacity as it relates to the proposed activities?
• Does the budget include income, expenses, and
contributions (in-kind, financial)? Note: some funders
require a specific percentage of in-kind contributions.
Remember that the relationship with the funder does not
end with the grant proposal and award. To maintain a good
• Are the budget items reasonable and justifiable?
reputation and relationship, respond promptly to funder’s
• What percentage of budget request is for salaries? Is
this sustainable?
inquiries for reports and provide updates on activities and
changes. Keep in mind that your reputation and your actions
• What percentage of budget request will go directly to
beneficiaries?
will impact not only your own organization, but also could
have influence on the funder’s priorities and perspectives.
• What are the internal controls? How are funds
expensed, what kind of tracking system is in place,
how are decisions made?
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ADDITIONAL TIPS
For more tips on proposal writing, see “Proposal Writing
Short Course” (available in Chinese, English, French,
Portuguese, Russian, Spanish) on the Foundation Center
Did you read, understand, and follow the
website:
guidelines of the funder? Each funder has different
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/
eligibility criteria and requirements for proposals. To
shortcourse/
save time and effort on your part, become familiar
Also see tips on “Resource Mobilization.”
with the potential funder’s specific requirements,
questions, and guidelines. Funder’s review hundreds
Note: This brief was developed based on the World Bank’s
of proposals a year and will quickly dismiss a
experience in piloting the Grants Facility for Indigenous
Peoples and information from the Council on Foundations
proposal that has been submitted without regard for
book, Grantmaking Basics A Field Guide for Funders by Barbara
the their priorities or requirements.
D. Kibbe, Fred Setterberg and Colburn S. Wilbur, 2005.
Did you follow the instructions for proposal
submission? Some funders do not accept unsolicted
proposals. Others may require a brief letter of inquiry

before submission of a full proposal. Check to see how
the proposal could be submitted.
The World Bank Small Grants Program is one of the
Did you answer all the questions clearly? Have
few global programs of the World Bank that provides direct
someone unfamiliar with your situation read your
grants to civil society organizations through the World Bank’s
proposal to see if they understand the scope of the
Country Offices. The Small Grants Program seeds and supports
project.
activities related to civic engagement that empower and enable
citizens to take initiatives to influence development outcomes.
Is your proposal format clean and easy to read?
www.worldbank.org/smallgrantsprogram
Avoid using jargon and acronyms.
Social Development Department - The World Bank
Have you articulated the understanding of your
Tips by Yumi Sera and Susan Beaudry, 2007
unique situation? A discussion of the external trends
and internal organizational challenges demonstrate to
funders that you have a good understanding of the
factors that may affect the chances of success.
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