Blog Topics
Click the “+” sign to see the list of posts under each category or scroll down to view all posts organized by publication date.
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Answers to the Most Commonly Asked Questions We Receive about Grants
What Should You Be Doing: Fundraising or Pursuing Grant Money?
Setting Yourself Up to Win a Foundation Grant Before the Funding Opportunity Comes Out
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Using Evaluation Criteria to Prepare a Stronger Grant Proposal
Is It Possible to Submit the Same Proposal to Multiple Funders?
Good, Better, Best: Three Tips for Transforming a Mediocre Grant Proposal into a Great One
The Fastest Way to Prepare a Compliant, Responsive Grant Proposal
How to Increase the Odds that Your Grant Application Will Be Funded
Tips for Creating an Organizational Chart for a Grant Proposal
How to Write a Grant Proposal Part II: What Will You Need to Prepare?
6 Strategies to Make the Grant Proposal Submission Process Less Stressful
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The Research Phase Grant Writers Can't Afford to Skip
Background research is a necessary step in the proposal process. The research produces information that can guide and support the project design while also demonstrating to the donor that the applicant has an understanding of the broader context behind the issue the project will address.
In this post, we review what is typically meant by background research. In particular, we discuss what is meant by a literature review in the context of proposal writing and describe a process for conducting it. At the end of the post, you’ll find resources and templates you can adapt and use for your own research needs.
Writing (or Is It Reading?) Your Way to Better Grant Proposals
Training sessions on writing frequently do not improve proposal writing skills. In this post, we talk about what habits contribute to better writing skills and how organizations can offer more proposal writing opportunities to their staff without the risk of submitting substandard proposals.
Using AI to Write Grant Proposals
Can you use artificial intelligence (AI) to write your next grant proposal? New companies like Grantable and Grant Assistant believe the answer is yes. But can you truly step away from the process and rely on an AI tool to do all the work? Probably not—at least not yet. However, AI tools can reduce the work associated with writing a proposal.
Paths to Becoming a Grant Writer
We’ve written several posts over the years about how to write grants. We’ve also written about the pros and cons of being a grant writer. But one thing we haven’t done is write about how to become a grant writer. We’re going to cover this topic now, sharing three different paths.
Project Budgeting Tips for New Grant Writers
If you’ve never prepared or managed a project budget, the budget piece can be intimidating. To help new grant writers, below is a list of several strategies you can employ to make the budgeting process easier and more accurate.
Thinking of Becoming a Grant Writer? Read This First.
Based on our experiences writing grants for nonprofits as employees and as consultants, we’ve compiled what we regard as some of the most important factors to consider before you decide to become a grant writer.
Answers to the Most Commonly Asked Questions We Receive about Grants
Each month, we receive a significant number of emails with questions about how to get grant funding and where to look for funding, as well as more specific questions related to securing grants for particular types of projects. While there are always a few questions that require tailored answers, most of the questions we receive fall into a handful of categories.
Follow This Plan and You’ll Never Miss a Proposal Deadline
While we can't guarantee that your proposal will result in an award, we are confident that if you follow the process outlined below, your proposals will be submitted on time.
Finding Funding for Research
Our blog posts typically focus on grant strategies for nonprofit institutions. In this post, we’re going to focus on a different topic for a more targeted audience. The topic is research funding. The content is most relevant to US-based academics. However, many of the principles also apply to researchers based outside of the US as well as to nonprofits.
When Is It Appropriate to Contact Program Officers
Program officers at foundations can be a valuable resource for nonprofit organizations. Often a short phone conversation with a program officer can quickly resolve any questions you might have related to eligibility, project scope, funding priorities, and application guidelines.
Discover Funding Trends Through a Landscape Analysis
As part of developing your funding strategy, you’re going to want to confirm that the funders you are interested in are reasonable prospects. This is where a funder landscape analysis enters the picture. A landscape analysis involves an in-depth review of a specific group or class of funders to identify funding trends and programmatic priorities.
How to Increase Your Chance of Success if You've Never Written a Grant Before
No matter which group you are in, totally new or relatively new to grant writing, you can benefit from the following five strategies to turn your project ideas into a funded grant proposal.
Searching for a Position as a Grant Writer? 5 Websites You Need to Know About
Below are five websites that frequently post job announcements for grant writers, proposal managers, and resource development staff. These job boards specialize in listing positions at nonprofit organizations and academic institutions.
