How to Write Grants for Nonprofits | Step by Step Guide

Writing grant proposals for nonprofits is a serious undertaking, but you can achieve it with careful planning and a firm belief in the worth of your work.

The past year has been chaotic. Despite the numerous political, economic, environmental, and health crises affecting every aspect of our lives, charitable giving still takes place.

In this article, we’ll talk about grants, one of the most popular ways these funds are dispersed. We’ll discuss how to write grants for nonprofits, where to find them, sample grant proposals, and advice for aspiring grant writers.

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How to Write Grants for Nonprofits

What are Grants? The Basics

Grants are purposeful investments made to nonprofits to create or grow programs that meet the community’s needs. For nonprofit organizations, grants are a crucial component of any fundraising strategy because they can provide substantial financial support and stability.

Grants are frequently given to particular organizations to address specific problems, influence certain groups of people, or accomplish particular objectives.

For instance, you might find a grant for nonprofit organizations offering free childcare in Ohio to construct a new facility. Or a chance for New York City-based organizations that support adolescents to increase the scope of their after-school programs.

Among the many possibilities available, there will frequently be significant differences in the strictness of the grant requirements, the application procedure, and the usage of funds.

Requests for proposals (RFPs), financial opportunity announcements (FOAs), or notices of funding availability (NOFAs) are often the channels via which this information is disseminated.

In the next section, we’ll go into more detail about the various grant kinds, general trends to look out for, and popular areas to locate funds that are appropriate for your organization.

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What are the Different Types of Grants, and How Do You Find Them?

Every grant writer needs to know a few main stakeholders in the grantmaking industry. People frequently consider private foundations or corporations when considering how to fund grants.

And given that these two organizations contributed a combined $105.4 billion ($88.6 billion and $16.88 billion, respectively) in 2020, this makes sense.

Over 900 federal grants are available for groups with 501c3 status, with the federal government allocating over $721 billion of the US budget for grants in 2019.

This part will cover the many grant programs for nonprofits, along with tips on how to get grant funding for your business.

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Foundation Grants

You’re not the only one who doesn’t know what a foundation is. As “foundation” is not a legal term, there are no formal requirements for their founding or any of their activities, even though foundations are often nonprofit organizations or benevolent trusts that provide grant financing.

Information on 113,742 private foundations that actively donate to charities is available through Instrumentl’s free 990 Finder. Understanding the disparities between these very different foundations can help you write grant requests with less time and effort.

Independent Private Foundations

Independent private foundations with the biggest endowments are frequently started by lone donors or donor families. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is among the most well-known instances of this kind of foundation.

Private foundations frequently adhere to the principles, beliefs, and goals of the donor or creator of the endowment. Nevertheless, these organizations often have predetermined giving priorities, select only a small number of qualified applicants for their awards, and occasionally do not accept unsolicited requests.

Corporate Foundations

Often known as company-sponsored foundations, corporate foundations are financially independent organizations established by businesses, either with money from the company itself or from its founder(s).

These foundations frequently provide grants connected to the objectives of the company that founded them. For instance, Bank of America, like many other central banks, has a corporate giving program dedicated to promoting financial literacy and economic growth in their regions.

Community Foundations

Community foundations, often called local foundations, community trusts, or community funds, are established specifically to help a certain area, local community, or city.

These foundations are typically created to solve concerns defined by the founding group and are handled by specific trusts or pools of resources from individual donors.

Government Grants

Like all other grants, local, state, and federal government grants are given to meet a need or enhance general welfare. Government grants are set and regulated by particular legislation and their issuing government body, as opposed to foundation grants, which are decided upon and described by the founder or board of directors.

Federal Grants

Federal grants frequently take the form of contracts and include a significant amount of documentation, financial audits, and accountability. An organization that receives government grants usually spends between 80 and 200 hours writing each application. Federal grants can be scary, but if you put in the necessary effort, your organization can acquire the sizeable, consistent, and long-term funding they frequently provide.

State & Local Grants

Like federal grants, state grants are given directly from the state government’s revenue and often provide more funds. Given that the pool of qualified grantees is within the state’s boundaries, local politics may occasionally play a more prominent role in these grants. Larger counties may also use their budgets to fund regional initiatives and associations.

Finding Grants to Write for Your Nonprofit

When looking for grants, give yourself plenty of time and tread carefully. To have enough time to create a strong proposal, it’s critical to seize grant opportunities as soon as possible. The following procedures can assist you in obtaining grants for your nonprofit.

Contacting Elected Officials

To discuss your organization, services, and financial requirements with elected officials, you should take the time if you plan to apply for government grants. Contacting your city council members or the regional offices of your senators or congressional representatives may be one way to do this.

Government employees are frequently pleased to add you to a mailing list so you may receive timely updates in addition to having access to the grant information.

Keep this conversation cordial and respectful whether you speak with them on the phone or email them since you might seek their help when you submit a grant application.

Reaching Out to Foundations

You can contact the staff directly to learn more about a foundation’s grantmaking. Check their website for any publicly accessible information before making contact.

It’s always a good idea to get in touch and identify yourself and your group, whether they have a website, a lot of grant information, or none.

To save their staff’s time, come prepared with a general understanding of their organization, their priorities, and, if available, the grant information.

Using the Internet

Even the most seasoned grant writers may need help identifying fresh funding opportunities because there are so many government databases, periodicals, or online directories. These websites frequently have a limited variety of awards and are challenging to navigate.

The most complete and user-friendly grant management tool available to NGOs and grant writers is Instrumentl. Grant seekers may find, research, and track their grants in one place using a tailored process.

You can search for available grants tailored to your state and region of interest using Instrumentl’s comprehensive grant directory.

To focus your search and improve your chances of finding a funder willing to support your group, try Instrumentl’s free 990 Finder and type in “community foundation.”

You’re all set to begin. A strong and clever proposal is essential to getting grants for your nonprofit. The following section will cover what a grant proposal is and how to tell if you’re ready to write one.

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What is a Grant Proposal, and When Should You Write One?

Understanding what you’re getting into before learning how to write grants is crucial. A formal request for funding to support a nonprofit organization or one of its projects is known as a grant proposal. It resembles a contract. A proposal should be two-sided and call for cooperation from both parties to achieve a common objective.

The following are the important elements of writing grant proposals for nonprofits:

1. Program Title

2. Executive Summary

3. Description and Background of the Organization

4. Problem Statement/Need for the Program

5. Program Description

  • Goals & Objectives
  • Implementation Plan: Activities, Timeline, & Staff
  • Evaluation Plan

6. Budget/Budget Narrative

The likelihood that a proposal will be chosen ranges from 10 to 20%. Entering this highly competitive field should be carefully considered and deliberated to save your firm the necessary resources and improve your chances of winning.

Consider all the internal and external variables that may significantly impact your organization’s ability to manage, apply for, and secure grants.

Is your nonprofit grant ready? Internal Temperature Check

  • Does your company possess all the documentation required to be eligible for grants?
  • Does your nonprofit have the resources to accommodate and maintain growth?
  • Are the finances of your company in order?

Do you have a good match? External Temperature Check

  • Is the funding relevant to and supportive of your goals?
  • Does the grant meet your organization’s financial needs?
  • Is this the right time?

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Seven Steps to Writing a Grant Proposal for Nonprofits

Are you ready to dive in and begin crafting your prestigious proposal? This section will go over the seven tasks you should do before, during, and after applying to write grant proposals.

Step 1: Determine Your Organization’s Needs

You should be able to define it before persuading a funder that your group deserves and needs financial support. Ensure that your team and you agree on your goals for the grant money and what you hope to achieve with it.

Step 2: Establish Your Match

Use every opportunity to align the needs of your organization and the community with the funding sources’ interests when you’re putting up the application.

Step 3: Make an Outline

Outlining is a tried-and-true method for cutting down on writing time. It will also demonstrate to the funder that you understand their needs and offer a convincing case for why your organization deserves funding.

Step 4: Write a Compelling Story

Before reading your proposal, funders may have already received and read hundreds. Your proposal should present a compelling and convincing story about your organization, the community, and the possibility that your program will positively impact you to stand out.

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Step 5: Review, Review, Review!

Grammar errors can prevent your otherwise good proposal from being considered because they imply that you should have taken the time to edit and rewrite it. Prior to the grant deadline, allow enough time for review, peer review, and editing.

Step 6: Submit (Early!)

The process of writing a grant can occasionally take time and effort. This is particularly true if you are rushing to finish a grant application that requires a lengthy paper, letters of recommendation from external organizations, and leadership signatures.

Be realistic in your planning and provide enough time for you and your team to finish, evaluate, modify, and submit the proposal.

Step 7: Follow Up & Prepare for the Next Grant

Even if submitting a grant application (on time) is an impressive accomplishment in and of itself, your work doesn’t end there. The funder’s decision will follow, and there are a few essential considerations.

Keep in mind that they might turn down even the most worthy initiatives or organizations. You may gauge your proposal success rate and identify trends for what works and what doesn’t for your organization by keeping track of your efforts.

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FAQs

Is grant writing difficult?

Due to its complexity and the numerous components that you must learn, grant writing is frequently challenging. You’ll probably be able to pick up grant writing quickly if you have good writing abilities, a general awareness of the grant writing process, and a fundamental knowledge of grant funding.

How do I write a grant timeline?

Divide your timeline into quarters or months depending on how long the funding period is. Instead of giving precise dates, group each action into a quarter or month. Make sure to list all the activities from the time funding was allocated and its final day.

What is the most common grant application format?

The proposal format is the typical structure for grant applications.

What makes a strong grant application?

A strong grant application should be compelling, transparent, and easy to understand. Stay concise, but ensure you provide the funder enough information so they can understand your proposal and see that you’ve given it some thought. Your grant application should also include a narrative connecting the funder to your initiative.

When writing a grant proposal, how long does it take?

Writing these grants takes between 30 and 120 hours, and the length of time depends primarily on how complicated the proposal is. Applications to the federal government and significant foundations take a long time since they want a LOT of information, such as financial statements, research goals, and commercialization strategies.

Conclusion

One of the most challenging yet fulfilling aspects of a charitable career is writing grants for nonprofit organizations. When done correctly, it provides your nonprofit with the means to accomplish its objectives.

This article on how to write a strong nonprofit grant application has put you on the right track, but you should still conduct as much research as possible.

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