A Guide to Writing an Effective Grant Proposal | Bruce Laishley | Philanthropy / Community Involvement

Bruce Laishley
2 min readFeb 10, 2023

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A grant is a type of funding that organizations, like foundations, government agencies, and trusts, provide to support various charitable projects and ideas. These types of grants encourage philanthropy and help those who are looking to make a positive impact on the world around them. Unlike a loan, grant funding generally requires no repayment.

How to Write an Effective Grant Proposal

Although it can be very time-consuming to create a grant proposal, it’s important to make sure that you cover all of the necessary details in order to get the most out of the application. In addition to the information on the project, a good grant proposal should also include a variety of other factors, such as the intended use of the grant and the goals of the organization.

One of the most critical factors of a successful grant proposal is the cover letter. This should be included in the application if it’s for a corporation or foundation, and it should also be formatted in a way that makes it easy for the organization to read. You should introduce your main points in the cover letter but differentiate them from the rest of your proposal.

Next, you’ll want to include an executive summary. This brief paragraph should provide an overview of the project and the grant request, as well as the expected contribution and the project’s objectives. A successful grant proposal should additionally be formatted to make it easy for the potential funding organization to read.

A good grant proposal should also include a strong statement of need, which should consist of supporting evidence and data that show how your organization can help solve the specific problem that you’re addressing. This should be included in the document along with other relevant information pertaining to the sense of urgency.

One of the most important factors that an evaluation will look at is the implementation of the project’s goals. Before you start working on the grant, make sure that you have a clear understanding of the multiple factors that will affect the project’s success. Another aspect that should be included in the document is an estimate of how you will be able to secure future funding.

One essential factor that you should include in the document is the organization’s mission statement. This should be accompanied by a track record of how your organization has been able to achieve its goals and provide a positive contribution to the community.

Finally, you will want to ensure that you include the organization’s budget. This should have a list of all of the expenses that will be covered by the project, as well as the amount that will be allocated for the staff members and overhead costs.

Originally published at https://brucelaishley.org on February 10, 2023.

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Bruce Laishley

For over 50 years, Bruce Laishley has been a Punta Gorda, FL staple and pillar of his community. To learn more about Bruce, visit brucelaishley.net.