This session is all about efficient grant writing and how to make the most of the proposals you write. First, we’ll look at the broad concepts of grant writing – what to do and what not to do in terms of background, writing style, timing, etc. Then we’ll take an in-depth look at each of the proposal’s sections with an eye toward creating content that puts your agency in the best light.

1. Grant Writing 102
Hillel Bromberg
May 30, 2012
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4. Today’s Speaker
Hillel Bromberg
Director of Grants Development and Administration,
Families United in Educational Leadership
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April Hunt, Nonprofit Webinars Sam Frank, Synthesis Partnership
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5. Grant Writing 102
or
How to impress the pants off the funders
Hillel Bromberg

6. Broad Concepts
 The proposal comes last
 Appropriate funders vs. scattershot
 Do your homework

7. Broad Concepts
Approach
 Sales pitch
 Focus on the meeting the funder’s
needs, not your agency’s

8. Broad Concepts
Teamwork
 Grant writing is a group effort
 Leave time to review, not just write
 Use outside reviewers at the final stages

9. Broad Concepts
DON’T SLIP THE DEADLINE!!

10. Broad Concepts
Leverage your rejections
 Rejections are not the end of the
process
 Request reviewers’ comments
 Read the winning application(s)
 Revise and reapply

11. Broad Concepts
Writing Style
 Not academic, journalistic, etc.
 Short sentences
 Subheads
 Energetic, concise, direct writing
 Avoid jargon
 PROOFREAD! Have zero tolerance for
errors in spelling, formatting, etc.

12. Parts of the proposal
Letter of Intent
 Your purpose is not to describe the workings of
the program, but to get the reader to invite a
proposal.
 Concise
 Compelling
 Clear
 Get the reader excited

13. Parts of the proposal
Part I – About the organization (message)
Build trust by describing:
 Your mission
 Whom you serve
 Track record of achievement
 List your programs
 Size of budget
 Location
 Who runs the organization

14. Parts of the proposal
Part I – About the organization (content)
 History
 Goals & objectives (short & long term)
 Programs & services
 Organizational structure (board, staff,
volunteers)

15. Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Description of the program/project
 Don’t assume what the funder knows
 Describe your target audience (quantity,
demographics, geography, etc.)
 What project planning have you already done?
Use the “mind’s eye” test

16. Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Description of need (what is the issue you plan
to address? What is your approach? What
research supports your idea? How does your
strategy differ from others in the field?)
 Why is this situation important?
 What research did you do?
Tell a story

17. Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Specific activities (including information about
service delivery and/or timeline)
 Your work plan – what are you doing about this
problem?
 What are your outputs?
 How many units of service will you deliver over
what time frame?
 Who is doing the work and what are their
credentials?
 When and where will the work happen?

18. Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Objectives and goals for this request (how will
this grant strengthen the organization,
address the issues, make improvements, or
achieve success?)
 Prime question: what will change about your
world as a result of your program/project?

19. Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Evaluation (what are the anticipated outcomes
and how will you know if you are successful?)
 Key: be sure your evaluation plan is achievable
given your resources.
 If the evaluation will cost money, put that cost into
the project budget

20. Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Other
 aka, conclusion
 Summary of your appeal
 Mimic the funder’s words

21. The Clowes Fund works hard to build an equitable society where
individuals increase their own knowledge and take the initiative
toward their own success. Similarly, FUEL takes a very direct
approach to this problem by engaging low-income families and
giving them the understanding and tools they need to access higher
education. We believe that family ambition and engagement are
essential to individual students’ educational success and we strive
to help underserved families gain the education that will help them
move out of poverty and take their place in the economic and social
mainstream. With support from the Clowes Fund, FUEL will be able
to continue and expand its efforts with low-income and immigrant
families so they can realize their dreams of a higher education
and economic advancement.

22. Clowes mission: The Clowes Fund, a family foundation, seeks to
enhance the common good by encouraging organizations and
projects that help to build a just and equitable society, create
opportunities for initiative, foster creativity and the growth of
knowledge, and promote appreciation of the natural environment.
The Clowes Fund works hard to build an equitable society where
individuals increase their own knowledge and take the initiative
toward their own success. Similarly, FUEL takes a very direct
approach to this problem by engaging low-income families and
giving them the understanding and tools they need to access higher
education. We believe that family ambition and engagement are
essential to individual students’ educational success and we strive
to help underserved families gain the education that will help them
move out of poverty and take their place in the economic and social
mainstream. With support from the Clowes Fund, FUEL will be able
to continue and expand its efforts with low-income and immigrant
families so they can realize their dreams of a higher education
and economic advancement.

23. Clowes mission: The Clowes Fund, a family foundation, seeks to
enhance the common good by encouraging organizations and
projects that help to build a just and equitable society, create
opportunities for initiative, foster creativity and the growth of
knowledge, and promote appreciation of the natural environment.
The Clowes Fund works hard to build an equitable society where
individuals increase their own knowledge and take the initiative
toward their own success. Similarly, FUEL takes a very direct
approach to this problem by engaging low-income families and
giving them the understanding and tools they need to access higher
education. We believe that family ambition and engagement are
essential to individual students’ educational success and we strive
to help underserved families gain the education that will help them
move out of poverty and take their place in the economic and social
mainstream. With support from the Clowes Fund, FUEL will be able
to continue and expand its efforts with low-income and immigrant
families so they can realize their dreams of a higher education
and economic advancement.

24. Parts of the proposal
Budget
Expenses divide into three sections:
 personnel expenses
 direct project expenses
 administrative or overhead expenses

25. Parts of the proposal
Budget
Income divides into:
 Earned income
 Contributed income
Cash
In-kind
 Show whether each is received, committed,
pending, or to be submitted
 Ok to fill in the gap with “Other funders (to be
submitted)”

26. Parts of the proposal
Supplementary materials
 IRS letter
 Board of directors
 Most recent fiscal audit
 Budget
 Next year’s budget (sometimes)
 Other: annual report, newsletter, charts, etc.

27. Pulling it all together
 Have someone else review
 Add a cover letter
 Check guideline to see how many
copies they want and how to format
them.
 Add divider sheets with list of
supplementary materials
 Make it a neat presentation
 Get it in on time!

28. Grant Writing 102
Hillel Bromberg
wordwise@rcn.com
781-258-0124

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