MorrisonGrants

OK, you need to know more than three things to write a successful proposal.  However, getting these right can save you a lot of time and headaches.

1.   The worst reason to apply for a grant:  The worst reason to apply for a grant is because there’s money.  Despite what you might hear on late-night TV, there really aren’t grants for everything, but that doesn’t stop some applicants from pounding square pegs into round holes.  You may have to modify your project some to fit the criteria, but don’t get so blinded by the money that you end up changing your project to the point that it no longer does you any good.

2.   Make sure you are eligible:  One of the main reasons grant applications fail is because they weren’t eligible to begin with.  Most grant programs spell out the eligibility requirements in detail; don’t take shortcuts.  Eligibility covers more than just what type of entity the applicant is.  Eligibility usually covers:

§ the nature of your project

§ where you want to do it

§ when you want to do it

§ how you will actually spend the money

§ how you will meet any required match. 

Be sure to cover all the bases.

3.   Why grantors grant:  Grantors vary significantly but they all give grants for one of two reasons (or a combination of the two):

§ there’s something they want done

§ there’s someone they want to help.

The grantor’s motive is an important consideration when deciding who might be the best source of funds for your project.

Trying to save the environment?  Look to environmental agencies and environmentally-focused foundations, not organizations that focus on disadvantaged social groups.  Want to save the family farm?  Look to agencies and foundations that focus on preserving small farms, not those trying to break agricultural trade barriers into Europe.

There’s more to it than this, but you can’t go too far wrong by 1) making sure the money would work for you (not the other way around); 2) proving that you are actually eligible before spending days, weeks, or months on a proposal that would ultimately be rejected; and 3) knowing why someone might want to give you money in the first place.