If you’ve ever written a grant proposal for a for-profit organisation you’ll know how involved they can be. However, what if you’re writing grant proposals for nonprofits? Do they differ greatly in content and presentation?
In truth, yes. While the core elements remain the same, the narrative, formats and length of non-profit proposals can differ substantially.
Grant funding is essential to the operation and long-term survival of most non-profit organisations and unsurprisingly it can be incredibly competitive. So how do you ensure your grant proposals for non-profit organisations stand out from hundreds of other applications?
At Bid and Business Writers, we have the experience and skills you need to craft a winning proposal. Let us walk you through how to write a grant proposal for a non-profit and help your organisation thrive.
Similar to for-profit grant proposals, a non-profit grant proposal seeks to obtain funding for a specific project. They are often more involved and require extensive input and preparation due to the nature of the projects.
Grants can make up a significant portion of a non-profits funding. Governments, foundations and private institutions offering grants to thousands of worthy causes annually. They seek to match their available funding with the most appropriate organisation and they do this by reviewing grant proposals.
Each proposal is intended to show the funders why your organisation needs the money or is more deserving of it than other applicants.
Non-profit grant proposals are often outsourced to professional grant writers. They may also involve the expertise of a fundraising consultant, development coordinator, fundraising director, board members, community leaders and more.
Non-profit organisations, by virtue of being non-profit, often have limited resources or time to spend on the creation of lengthy grant proposals. As they rely heavily on the funding they are applying for, these proposals require focused expertise and skill.
As outlined in our previous blog regarding how to write a grant proposal. There are several steps you should follow to ensure all the most critical information is included in your proposal.
When you are writing grant proposals for non-profits, there are some extra steps to take before you can begin writing such as:
This most often means a meeting with stakeholders to ensure you are on the same page regarding what you want to do and why you want to do it. This will help you create a specific and more easily actionable plan.
Your best chance of getting a grant approved is to apply with the right organisation. You’ll achieve better results by applying with an organisation that shares similar values as yours and that has a history of approving funding for similar projects.
It is advisable to skip applying for grant from organisations that do not connect in a meaningful way with our own. There is less likelihood your grant will be well received or approved by an organisation that does not align with your mission statement or goals.
Make sure you have properly understood the organisation's proposal guidelines. Research the organisation and if possible, review sample proposals from the organisation or your peers that have dealt with this organisation in the past.
You may be required to send a Letter of Intent or LOI before you can submit a formal grant proposal. The LOI is a kind of mini proposal that helps you and the funder determine if you are a good fit for one another before you spend time preparing a complete proposal.
Once you have prepared a rough draft of your proposal, you should actively seek feedback from your stakeholders. This means sharing it with the community, board members or any other individuals invested in the proposal's outcome.
Using their thoughts and feedback you can better finetune your proposal to meet the proposal guidelines and ensure your intentions for the funding (the ‘what’ and ‘why’) are properly communicated.
Most non-profits apply for several grants at a time, this is due to the high number of rejections that comes with this process.
A non-profit never puts all its eggs in one basket! However, to reduce the risk of your grant proposal being rejected, we recommend following these top tips.
Detailed research should be included in every submission as this demonstrates that you have considered all of the funders questions and understand what is involved in delivering the best outcome.
A simple error in this area could see your entire proposal discarded without being read at all.
An organisation will be able to tell if you rushed your proposal and will be more inclined to reject it without proper review. Always give yourself proper time to both complete and review your work before submitting the proposal.
If your non-profit needs additional support in preparing exceptional grant proposals, but doesn’t have the in-house resources, the team at
Bid and Business Writers can help. We have years of experience
writing grants in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors and have a reputation for attention to detail.
Let our team coordinate your grant proposal in line with your organisations goals and have better success at receiving the funding you need. Call Bid and Business Writers today on 0482 072 929.
ask@bidandbusinesswriters.com.au
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