Grant applications should be treated as projects with a clear outcome or goal in mind, and for your proposal to be outstanding it should contain some certain essential elements. Knowing the right components that should make up your grant proposal marks you out for success. Funds are only available for a project that can demonstrate measurable benefits. It turns out that free money isn’t free, you’ll have to put in some work to get it.
7 ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF A GRANT PROPOSAL
1. Executive Summary in Grant Proposal
The summary, which provides a “quick and succinct” description of the remainder of the proposal, is seen by reviewers as being the most crucial component of the application. Write well here, and the reviewers will eagerly read the rest of your application.
Tip: Before writing the application, draft a brief summary statement of no more than one phrase. The comprehensive executive summary, also known as the abstract, is written last and incorporates the highlights and key ideas from the other sections.
2. Organizational Description in Grant Proposal
Your identity content probably already contains your mission statement, vision statement, core values, history, organizational structure, board, list of programs, accomplishments and awards, community collaborators, and volunteers. Which should be included is stated in each grant application.
Be ready to modify your current identify information for each award application. The majority of applications have severe character, word, and page limits.
3. Statement of Needs
Explain your actions and motivations in this area. What is the issue you attempt to solve? What real impact does your effort have on them? Who else addresses this issue or why hasn’t it been addressed previously? Why are you the one who should deal with this issue? The need statement can be use to convey both objective facts and subjective data.
4. Project Objectives
Since you’re applying for project funding, you need to state the objectives of your project in your grant proposal. Make use of the S.M.A.R.T formula which states that your objective must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time bound. Use this formula to quantify your objective for your funder.
5. Project Description
Get specific about how you will execute the project in this section of your grant proposal. Describe your projects in three different ways.
Inputs: Give details on the tasks, materials, personnel, and volunteers you’ll need to complete the project.
Strategies: Ensure you discuss briefly the methods you’ll put in place to achieve your objectives. For instance include items like facilities, transportation, support services, and curriculum you’ll employ while working on the project.
Outputs: State the outcome your project is set to accomplish.
6. Evaluation
Your project’s goal must coincide with your program’s outputs at this point for the funder to see proof that their investments if given would yield positive returns. How you plan to monitor both objective and subjective results must be detailed in your proposal. This section should include the evaluation methods you will use and tools you will use (such as software, reports etc.)
7. Budget
The project budget lays out expenses required for the project you’re addressing in the application, ensure that it is presented on a only a single page in your proposal. You must ensure that your budget is not on low neither is it too high also. State clearly how much funds will ensure the successful execution of each item on the budget.
Academic Hive provides you with a lot of resources to help you write an outstanding grant proposal. We also offer Consultancy services to help guide you throughout your application process. Do well to book a session with us.
