For those of us who are uninitiated on the topic, grant writing can feel like a big scary nebulous thing. An insurmountable task, only to be taken on by the truly worthy and skilled among us. This is exacerbated by the way it is discussed by a random neighbor, parent’s friend from church, or fellow bagel shop customer. “Non-profits? You better get good at grants, and quick!” they’ll warn in ominous tones. It is unclear how well-founded these warnings are, as estimates of how many grants get funded range from 10% to 50% of all applicants (depending on where you apply). Thus, the grant writing process is comparable to the college application process. In both, it is important not only to possess the qualifications established by the organization to which you apply, but also to be able to express these qualifications clearly within the parameters of the application.

Before you set out to write a grant, you must have a clear idea of the reason you are applying. Define your goals and your organization’s mission and create an outline of the project for which you are seeking funding. This will bolster your chances at preparing a successful grant application by assisting you with best identifying granting organizations whose missions are aligned with the goals of your project. Once you have selected a grant to apply for, read through all of the guidelines for that grant carefully. Make note of the stated goals and priorities of the grantmaker. Compare these to the goals and activities you compiled for your program and organization. Are they compatible? Do you meet the requirements? Will you be able to complete the application with the information you have or will you be straining to produce responses for topics that are not wholly relevant to your work? If you do not meet these conditions, you may need to reevaluate the grant for which you are applying or adjust the goals of your project.

Once you have identified both your goals and those of the granting organization and ensured that they are aligned, you are ready to begin working on your grant application in earnest. Again, read through the guidelines and instructions for the grant. The most important thing you can do as a grant writer is ensure that you follow all of the instructions. Make sure that you write clearly and succinctly. Make the required portions clear to reviewers, especially if the application is not broken up into separate sections. Do not make reviewers search for your responses. Additionally, make sure to fully explain everything you discuss. This includes avoiding jargon, technical language, and acronyms. These may be unfamiliar to reviewers, and littering your application with them will likely result in your application being set aside due to a lack of understanding or the creation of an additional burden on reviewers. Compose a clear narrative that is easy to read–in both grammar and content–and focuses only on laying out the answers to the questions posed by the application and explaining your goals. Above all, you should be aiming for clarity. There is no special formula to writing a grant that is beyond any other form of writing. If you read the instructions, follow them carefully, and make sure that your purpose is aligned with that of the grantmaker, you have set yourself up to succeed.