The Essentials of Grant Writing

Mena GainpaulsinghInternational Fundraising Consultancy

www.ifc-canada.ca

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The key to successful applications…

• Good project design that meets a real and defined need

• Strong rapport with your funder & excellent fit

• Ensuring all elements of your proposal link together

• Being SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-Related)

• Satisfying the funder’s needs

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Knowing what you want• The need that you seek to address (more later!)• The Project:• Type of activity

• Outputs• The “services” or activities you will offer

• Inputs: • What you put into the project that costs money

• Outcomes:• The difference you will make• Demonstrate impact!

• Costs: • How much do you need? • How do you know that you need this amount?

Does it all fit together?

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Finding your funders• Who do you think would be interested in:

• your project?• Your approach?• Your beneficiaries?• Your outcomes?• Your geographical area?

• Where do you start? • Your existing funders (recency, frequency, and value)• Previous applications (even if they said no)• Personal connections (board, staff, other donors, beneficiaries etc)• Networking• Research/prospecting – Grant Connect, Big Online, CRA website, Ajatracker, Charityvillage• Cross fertilization?

What do you, or your networks, ALREADY do that could create a better connection with your potential funders? Who do you meet? How would you engage them?

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Step 1: Getting to know your prospect

• Read the guidelines & their website!• Look at other projects funded• - types of projects (core or project?)• - amounts funded (not their range)• -geographical areas funded

• Think about the enclosures/attachments early on in the process• Get to know them! • Visit => call => email• Find out if a good fit; other details not on website etc• Ask advice => amount; project• Get permission to submit• Ask if they would review• Match your outcomes to theirs

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Demonstrating the need• What if you didn’t exist? (or, who would cry if you

died?) Broader implications of your demise?• Any alternatives to you?• What issues do you address? What barriers do you

overcome? Do you tackle the roots of the issue?• Impact upon beneficiaries (who are you

beneficiaries?)• Local and national context of your work• Handling preconceptions/misconceptions• Evidence of the need – surveys, research,

consultations, knowing what works etc

THEN you think about your organization’s need for funds?

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Monitoring & Evaluation• Monitoring mechanisms• Registers, monitoring

forms, feedback• Target related

• Measuring outputs• Measuring deliverables, beneficiary numbers, geographical spread

• Measuring outcomes• Measuring impact• Qualitative & Quantitative; user satisfaction• Evidence of reduction in a problem

Ultimately, how can you prove that you’ve made, or are making, a real difference?

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Your Costs• Based upon the outputs you will deliver & the inputs you will put into delivering them• Direct project costs:

• Revenue:• Staff & Volunteer-related costs• Venue hire (if appropriate)• Publicity & Marketing• Materials• Professional fees• Licences, registrations and permits• Office costs; stationery• Monitoring and evaluation• Fundraising/revenue generation

• Capital costs:• Equipment• Furniture• Vehicles• Premises• ITC equipment

• Overheads:• Appropriate percentage of organizational costs eg rent, heating, lighting etc• Salaries of core staff

• Additional:• Include taxes where appropriate• Costs in line with inflation, or with increase in activity.• Show where there is a shortfall.

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After submission

If approved:• Call your funder immediately to thank them!• Set up procedures to meet reporting requirements

If declined:• Ask for feedback (if you’ve earned the right)• Ask what needs to change to apply again• Ask if you can re-apply, process, deadlines, direct contact• Know when to move on

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Some things to remember…

• Your USP:• Doing something different or better• Reaching more people, reaching different people

• Having Impact:• Getting the most impactful info in early eg uniqueness,

seriousness of the problem• Showing wider difference the organisation makes• Proof points – stories & statistics to demonstrate need

and impact• Empowerment, not pity

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Final tips• Make sure previous reports are together!• Don’t guess, work it out!• Have bid buddies:• Someone who is good at writing succinctly• Someone who can write eloquently• Someone who knows nothing about your project

• Have a checklist and go through again once finished (or ask someone else to go through it)

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