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NOTE FROM MARYN: I didn't write this - but I might as well have! This post is reprinted with permission from "The Inner Secrets of Successful Proposals" by Linda A. Long, Foundation News & Commentary. It reflects - in the words of the grantmakers themselves - what really really works when it comes to crafting an A+ proposal - making your proposal sing - and getting that proposal into the finals and out with an enthusiastic "Yes!!" And guess what - it's how we teach what we teach at GrantsMagic U!

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Let’s face it: Proposal writing can be one tough game. Do you long for guidance, maybe a little encouragement or at least some constructive criticism? Look no further; we talked to your critics themselves - the funders.

Tapping our [Foundation News & Commentary] membership database, we chatted (via phone) with program-officer types at foundations of all descriptions – big, little, medium-sized – from all points on the United States compass.

Tearing them away from the stacks of proposals sprouting in their offices awaiting review, we asked a few open-ended questions – What appeals to you most in a proposal? What separates the gems from the rest of the pile? What are definite turn-offs or pet peeves?

We had expected some reticence – after all, why would they willingly give away the secrets to the proposal-writing game? Fortunately, most interviewees responded quite readily and with enthusiasm. It only makes sense that better-quality proposals make their jobs easier, less time-consuming – dare we say, enjoyable?

The Top Tips

The advice we heard most often had an eerily familiar tone, most of it echoing a ghost-voice from the distant past – that of your high school English teacher. So some results of this query (we can’t call it a survey; there was no science involved) may sound a bit elementary.

Please, we’re not condescending to you – virtually every respondent mentioned these nine nuggets that follow. In fact, many took pains to stress that, if a proposal simply reflected the top three or four pieces of advice, then it would enjoy a huge advantage over the vast majority of its brethren in the grantseeking pile.

Top Tips for Writing Successful Proposals

1. Do Your Homework. Make sure that your program concept advances the mission of the foundation from which you are requesting funds.

2. Follow Directions. Read the guidelines; e.g., if they ask for stapled photocopies, don’t three-hole punch it, put it in a binder and use beautiful Italian paper.

3. Be Concise – More is Not Better. If you can’t explain your program concept, goals and funding needs in a clear, one-page, 250-word summary, then it’s not ready for submission.

4. Clarity Counts – Avoid High-Brow Language and Concepts. Stop with the quotes from Tolstoy, already!

5. Pass It Through an Editor, a Proofreader or At Least an Objective Pair of Eyes. A passionate voice is wonderful, but passion doesn’t excuse typos and bad grammar, which give the impression that you don’t care enough to work hard for the grant.

6. Demonstrate Collaborative Efforts. Seek out and identify like-minded organizations to partner with; foundations don’t like to see duplication of efforts, i.e., wasted money.

7. Practice “Truth in Asking.” Don’t inflate your figures, hoping to get half of what you ask for. Savvy foundation minds see right through all the budgetary tricks.

8. Think “Blueprint.” Accountability is key. Communicate program goals, a strategy for implementation and benchmarks for success.

9. Demonstrate Sustainability. Portray the foundation as a catalyst rather than as a perpetual benefactor.

1. Homework Is Worth 100 Percent of Your Grade

Do your homework really means do your research. Demonstrate an understanding of the foundation’s basic mission. Every grantmaker interviewed had noticed a marked increase in proposals that do not advance the foundation’s major priorities.

This trend seems to owe its origin in part to the growing accessibility of the Internet, which more easily connects grantseekers to grantmaker information. But improved access to information is no excuse for skipping the basic research.

“We only fund programs in [Hawaii],” says Theresia C. McMurdo, assistant secretary, the James and Abigail Campbell Foundation, “yet we routinely get proposals for projects in the continental U.S. by people who are busily yet sloppily surfing the Web.”

To circumvent the homework-avoidance problem, Lynn Russell, executive director at the Aspen Foundation, requires that potential grantees meet with her before writing their proposals; she can then let them know if they are off-track in terms of the foundation’s major priorities. “I call it the ‘interactive approach,’” she explains. “It demands more work on the front end, but lessens the work down the line that comes from people not doing their own research up front.”

2. The Truth is In the Directions

“An awful lot of what doesn’t get funded doesn’t get funded because of this simple omission – not following directions,” laments Linda Freed, chair of the Community Action Panel, AAUW Educational Foundation, echoing the concerns of most of the foundation staffers we interviewed.

For example, many said that the first thing they do with a proposal is check to see whether the grantee has included everything that the foundation guidelines specify. Almost always something is missing, which requires a phone call, which eats up staff time.

“I think that proposal-writing seminars are telling grantwriting professionals that presentation counts, so they don’t seem to believe our simple instructions are enough,” reports Meg Ross, director of programs at the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.

Freed suggests that grantees would be likely to follow directions more strategically if they adopted a strategic planning approach to the proposal-writing process; then the deadline-crunch syndrome that causes people to produce sloppy work might lose some of its power.

3. 250 Words or Less and Counting

“If grantees can communicate their needs in a clear, one-page executive summary, they will have a distinct advantage over the other proposals in the pile, because it’s so rare,” says Susan Cornell Wilkes, trustee, Peter C. Cornell Trust.

Get to the meat of the proposal fast. Reams of supplementary information and extra-credit videos may provide a nice touch, but what impresses grant reviewers more is an ability to zero in on your needs in a simple, finite context.

Another benefit of a one-page summary: “It allows me to walk to a board meeting and discuss a potential grantee’s idea intelligently, even if there’s been a big gap in time between reviewing the grant and actually recommending it,” says Stuart Burden, senior program officer, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

4. Clarity Counts

“Have confidence in clarity – simple ideas are usually the best; don’t get stuck on lofty concepts,” advises Ross. In interview after interview, our respondents made it clear that they appreciate the use of plain-spoken and reality-based language.

A lack of clarity can sometimes be traced to a team approach to grant writing. Nonprofit staff are often forced to split up the work to meet grant deadlines. This “you-do-this; I’ll-do-that” approach can diminish the quality of the proposal – it comes across as fragmented, in unrelated pieces.

5. Extra Eyeballs

If you don’t have access to an editor-proofreader type, then at least show the finished proposal to someone who has never laid eyes on it. He or she will be more apt to notice typos and other gaffes that can damage your chances for funding.

A surprising number of grantmakers reported getting proposals with the foundation’s name spelled incorrectly.

On the flip side, a handful of respondents – subscribing to the “diamond in the rough” philosophy – insisted they often find typo-ridden proposals to be the gems in the pile.

“I often find the sparks of brilliance come from the rural areas, probably because the programs are entirely volunteer-driven. The feeling of passion and the great ideas that come through override the typos and the spelling errors,” says Candy Hanford, vice president, Foundation Northwest.

6. Mix, Mingle and Collaborate

“Evidence of collaborative efforts” is a phrase that came up often in our interviews. When grantees collaborate with other nonprofits, foundations anticipate a more meaningful distribution of funds – a chance for their dollars to reach more people and have more impact.

Our interviewees offered a number of comments about ways of at least demonstrating a collaborative mindset, if not actual collaborative efforts:

Describe how your program will complement the programs of others. If you can’t demon-strate actual collaboration, it shows that you recognize what others in the field are doing.
Show a history of thoughtful collaborative effort-joint ventures, capacity-building grants and/or a merger that you helped make possible.
Give evidence of commitment and sustainability of potential collaborative partners.
Produce documentation of your partnerships, e.g., letters from coalition members.
Describe yourself and the grantmaker as collaborative partners, instead of a supplicant and benefactor.

7. Never Tell a Budgetary Lie

Many interviewees cautioned against any kind of stretching the limits or lapsing into ambiguity when it comes to budgetary issues.

The bottom line is that financials should make sense and a detailed budget shows that the grantee is communicating honestly about financial matters.

“We want to see income-based budgeting. There should be distinct reasons as to why each item is included in the budget. If the budget will increase 30-40 percent per year, then explain the funding streams that will make it possible,” says Barbara Rickard, president and CEO, Peacock Foundation, Inc.

8. Get Out the Drafting Table

The term “blueprint” – mentioned by Betsy Hubbard, former program officer, the Pew Charitable Trusts – seemed to crystallize the thoughts of many interviewees, who focused on innovative ways of introducing a strategic mindset to grantseeking in general and proposal writing in particular.

“Feasibility” is another word foundation staffers used quite often in the same context.

“Good intentions aren’t enough,” advises Hubbard. “We need to see that you have the capacity to deliver.” In their own words:

"I like to see evidence of thoughtful self-analysis about what would mean success for the proposed program, i.e., measurements of success.” – Ron Mori, executive director, Allstate Foundation
"In the most impressive proposals, the grantee has put more thought into writing the grant. For example, they include the criteria with which they are going to assess their own work.” – Stuart Burden, senior program officer, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
"A proposal should map out three stages of program development - preparation time, implementation time and follow-through time.” – Pat Lile, president and CEO, The Arkansas Community Foundation

9. A Sustainable Harvest

The concept of sustainability seems to be one that foundations are still wrestling with.

Ideally, many would like proposals to show evidence that the proposed program will succeed past the catalytic startup period and first year of operation.

“At some point an essential decision needs to be made to head the nonprofit in the direction of sustainability,” explains Pat Lile. “And to help the grantee head in that direction, the foundation needs to act as a partner rather than a monitor – forget the schoolmarm approach.”

10. Try, Try Again

Most of our respondents were genuinely interested in helping potential grantees to improve their chances of getting funding.

“If you’re turned down, it’s always a good idea to go back to the foundation and ask why, so you can learn from the experience,” suggests Rory McPherson, program officer, Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund.

Adds Steven Zwering, senior director, education, media, arts and culture, the Ford Foundation, “Remember that most foundation staffers who review proposals have also spent a good deal of time on your side of the desk – trying to get grants.”

If you enjoyed this post, please share! For more great grants tips and training from GrantsMagic U, please visit us at Go.GrantsMagic.org. And if you’re new to grantseeking and could use a getting-started boost, be sure to check out GrantsMagic U’s free Quick-Start Guide to the One-Page Grant Proposal – a simple, powerful proposal planning tool plus three-part video training to get you on your way to success!

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