There’s money out there! And we are determined to help you find your share. In fact, we have a Grant Expert on staff who is committed to walking you through the maze known as Grant Proposals.
Right off, you should know that there are some readily available tips out there that can help you write an successful grant. Dr. Michael Gershowitz, a grant writing consultant, has been successfully writing grants for over 20 years. Here is an excerpt from his article Five Secrets to Writing Successful Grants:
Tell a Story
Everyone likes to read a good story. When writing your grant, don't just share statistics; tell a story, using actual incidents and names (though the names should be made-up to protect the person's identity).
Interesting Statistics The inclusion of statistics in your proposal is usually a required element, but remember to keep them as simple as possible. If the reader has to go through several numbers, it is inevitable that you will lose his/her attention.
Write Concisely
If a reader has to struggle to understand what you are trying to say, you have definitely lost his/her attention (and maybe the grant, as well). Keep words, sentences, and paragraphs short. Try not to sound false by using official-sounding language in an attempt to impress the reader. Simplify as much as possible.
Slow Down
You need to slow down the reader — not by infusing your proposal with big words but by making him/her think with phrases such as: "Think about this:", "Keep this in mind:", "Did you know … ?"
Active, Conversational Voice
Write your proposal in a conversational style, using the first-person, active voice. This will bring your project to life as well as get the reader involved in your needs. It will make the proposal easier to read and establish a connection between your project and the reader. Some federal agencies, such as the National Science Foundation, discourage this style, but for nearly 90 percent of proposals it's okay to use the conversational tone.
We want to do a better job of getting the word out: we are available to assist you in your grant writing efforts. You can help us by letting other educators know about this free resource. We're happy to do the tedious job of researching and aggregating the top available grants, plus we’re updating all the time, so check our website often.