A style sheet is a useful tool to capture your (or your organization’s) preferences for how to handle basic style questions. The style sheet is not exhaustive—it won’t replace a style guide such as The Chicago Manual of Style—but it should cover many of the common style questions that affect how a document looks. Your employer may already have developed a style sheet to ensure uniformity across the various types of publications it produces. If your employer does not have a style sheet, it is worth taking time early in the proposal process to create one that incorporates not only basic style elements but also the specific requirements for the grant application you're working on.

Writing grant proposals requires skills in a number of areas, including the use of software programs like Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat,  knowledge of funders, and the ability to write compelling prose. There are several ways to build your skills in these areas.

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.