I’m A Clubwoman

Grant Writing for Clubwomen II

by christy on 03/25/09 at 10:13 am

Writing a grant is a lot like writing a business plan. But don’t let that scare you. A grant proposal has several sections that allow a foundation to get to know the need in your community and how your project plans to meet that need.

Explain the need
This portion of your funding request, isn’t the time to talk about your project, but where you state as clearly as possible the need in your community. Don’t write about your desire to build a playground. Instead talk about the need for safe places to play in your community. Talk about how childhood obesity is an important issue that your community wants to take a stand against.

It helps to back up your statement of need with research performed by outside credible sources. This is where you look to the scientific community for statistics on childhood obesity. Or, if you have a playground that has fallen into disrepair, take photos. The key is to state your need succinctly, but be able to provide stories, photos, and statistics to back up your statement.

Describe your project
This is the time to talk about your project in detail. Clearly state how this project will meet the need you see in your community. This project will need to include information on your project’s goals, objectives, and performance. You can do this simply by answering the following questions: What do you hope to achieve with this project, (goal statement)? How do you plan to achieve those goals, (objective statement)? How will you measure the success of your project, (performance statement)?

Plan your budget
Give a detailed description of how you plan to spend the money you are requesting. Be sure to list the total cost of the project, even if the grant amount you’re requesting is less than the total project cost. Be specific about what the funds you are requesting will pay for.

Raising private support for your project, by getting community members involved is a good way to show grantees that your club and your community are serious about your project. Include the money that your club raised privately as a part of the budget information.

Describe your organization
This section should be a brief history of your club. Does your club have a great track record of completing projects in your community? If so, this is the time to share those details.

Write the executive summary
When you present your grant request, the executive summary will be on top, but it is often easiest to write your executive summary once you have written the rest of the request. Your executive summary should be a very succinct summary of the need you see in your community, your project, the funds you are requesting as well as how you will use them. This is the time to be brief as you will elaborate on your points in the body of your proposal. Keep this summary to one page.

Before you begin writing
Think about the total cost of your project. In my example of a playground, the cost extends beyond playground equipment to shipping charges, wood chips for the area surrounding the equipment, and installation.

How will you publicize the grant support that you receive? While many family foundations wish to remain anonymous, corporate foundations want to make sure that you’ve considered how you will publicize both your project and the grant funding you have received.

If you are requesting funds for a project in your community and have further questions, please feel free to ask in the comment section below! Are you a seasoned grant applicant? If so, please share your tips with the rest of us!