There are several arguments for conducting a competitor analysis, some more persuasive than others. However, the main (if unspoken) benefit of completing one is to give an organization a sense of control. Having a competitor analysis in hand fosters the belief that everything that can be done to create a winning proposal is being done. The value of the security and confidence this belief creates should not be discounted. The key is to remain aware of the limitations of the competitor analysis process and not lose sight of other activities that could have a greater impact.

Create a process to avoid these 10 common mistakes during the proposal process, and you’ll be in a good position to deal successfully with other problems that develop!

The required elements of a grant proposal vary by funder. However, some pieces of information (or “boilerplate”) are basic ingredients for almost all proposals.  Proposal guidelines are recipes, to use a cooking analogy, and the items below are staples that you should always have stocked in your informational pantry.

Grant writing, like other types of writing, is susceptible to words that have lost their impact through overuse. The three words below frequently appear in grant proposals to add emphasis or communicate progress but often fail to do either. Fortunately, they can easily be exchanged for stronger descriptive words that can be more persuasive and precise.

A go/no-go meeting should be conducted for each funding opportunity of potential interest. The meeting ensures that there has been a thoughtful, deliberative process to determine whether to respond to an opportunity. The go/no-go decision process can break down for a number of reasons.

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.

If you are interested in receiving funding from USAID, the USAID business forecast is an important resource you should be using. USAID releases the forecast quarterly. The forecast provides information about awards USAID is in the process of developing and includes grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. 

For many funding opportunities, particularly Request for Applications (RFAs) released by government agencies, you’ll have roughly six weeks to prepare and submit your response. With this six-week period in mind, you can create a proposal development plan that consists of a general timeline of draft due dates and review periods. Once you have a general outline for 6-week proposal process in place, you can then adjust it as needed for opportunities that have shorter or longer time horizons.

When the proposal work begins, and deadlines are looming, even the most experienced proposal writers can be tempted to write proposal language that is more visionary than grounded. Here are three signs that your proposal may be promising too much....

Welcome to Peak Proposals, a website created to share tools and resources for finding funding opportunities, writing competitive grants, and managing the proposal process.