Every year, corporations, foundations and government agenciesdispense billions of dollars in grants to companies for addressingissues these organizations are interested in. Writing good grantproposals is a valuable skill. You can learn much of what you needto know to write a successful proposal by talking to the agencyoffering the grant. The main parts of a grant proposal are:
- Abstract. This brief summary, about a half-page long,should clearly describe your proposed project, much like anexecutive summary of a business plan.
- Needs statement. This describes the situation or problemyour proposal will address, including supporting evidence. Itshould focus on the problem you hope to solve with the grant moneyand make the case that the problem is fixable, that this is theappropriate agency to take on this problem, and that the problem issignificant enough to warrant funding
- Project description. This part of the proposal describesthe project, explaining how it will solve the problem. It shouldconvince the reader that your way is the best way.
- Goals. This section should describe the desired outcomeof your project. Discuss both long-range goals and specific,short-term objectives, as well as the precise effect to be achievedand the means you will employ. It should be reasonable, measurableand bound to a specific time frame.
- Action plan. The action plan is a step-by-stepdescription of sequential activities that must be completed toachieve the objectives. It should clearly and specifically say whowill do each step, what will be done and when.
- Evaluation. This describes how the project will bemonitored and its results evaluated. It should cover the criteriafor measuring progress, say who will be conducting the evaluations,and tell when evaluations will be held.
- Budget. This is where you tell how you’ll use the moneyyou receive. It should be within the amount you’re asking for, berealistic, and include only eligible expenses. Make it detailedenough to satisfy anyone’s curiosity on the question of how themoney will be spent, and make sure everything adds up.
