Whether you're new to writing grants or a seasoned pro, it's good to review best practices for applying to our grants every so often.
Eight tips for grant writing:
1) Follow directions
Pay attention to the instructions on how to submit your application or how many words to use. If it says to use “250 words or less” in a response, don’t submit a 2-page document.
2) Have a plan
There’s an adage around BCF: “plans get funded, ideas do not.” We’re excited you’re excited about your project, but you need to flesh our all the details of your project before you apply.
3) Find a proofreader
Don’t let little mistakes ruin your submission. Find a friend to read your application and have them look for any typos, missed words, missing documents and any writing that doesn’t make sense. If they don’t get it, neither will we.
4) Ask for help early
Grant applications are generally available more than two months before the due date. If you need to ask questions or request help in some way, we are far more able to help you when the due date is a couple of weeks out instead of in a couple of hours.
5) Answer every question
Never leave a question blank. Never! If a question does not apply to you, tell us that and tell us why.
6) Create quality documents!
Taking a picture of a document with your phone and scanning a document into a PDF format are not the same thing. Taking a picture causes the document to be very difficult to read and looks terrible. A scanned or "saved as" PDF version of the document is the best way to go.
If you don't have a scanner, try downloading the smart phone app "Genius Scan" - it's free and creates quality PDF documents.
7) Sign on the line!
Make sure that you have all the correct signatures required - and double check that everyone signed in the correct spot!
Get this paper circulating first so it's done when you're ready for it.
8) Keep on the lookout
We have all our grants and their deadlines on our “Grants at a Glance” sheet, but we also make announcements and put reminders up on our social media channels. You can find us on Facebook and Instagram at @BerrienCommunityFoundation.
As always, we're here to help. Give us a call at (269) 983-3304 to speak with one of our grant program professionals.
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