Proposal Dos and Don’ts

DO:

Ø Follow the basic rules

Ø Request only what you need

Ø Tell the truth

Ø Take your time writing

Ø Only use an application once

Ø Feel good about asking for money

Ø Write simple, avoid jargon. Be grammatical

Ø Never assume your grant providers know what your talking about

Ø Write on an 8^th grade level

Ø Think about funding requests with other agencies (colaborations)

Ø Prove your problem

Ø Check and double check your budget

Ø Follow ALL guidelines

Ø Simple, factual, clear proposals get funded

Ø Corporations want to know “What’s in it for me?”

Ø Present hard evidence of future funding

Ø Tell the human side of your project without going overboard

Ø Focus on the benefits of the people rather than the organization

Ø Develop your organizational image and “sell” it

Ø Know all aspects of your organization which might receive funding

Ø Keep the tone positive, even when having to identify a problem or organizational shortcoming. Success, not distress!

Ø Write for the reader. Never assume that the reader knows what you are talking about

Ø Use different type styles, graphs, and tables to make a point and to give the reader a break from the narrative. (When allowed by the funder)

Ø Ask someone or a couple of different people from outside your project to read your proposal.

Ø MOST IMPORTANTLY – Follow all guidelines and deadlines and Believe that you can write a successful proposal.

DON’T

Ø Be afraid to get started. Work on a timetable, set you own goals and objectives, even if others fail to provide you with needed information.

Ø Apply if you know that you won’t get funded

Ø Focus on the benefit to the organization, focus on the benefit to the project recepients