What Funders Are Actually Looking For
Before you write a word, understand what a grant proposal is supposed to do: it persuades a program officer that your organization is the right one to address a specific problem, using a credible approach, with a realistic budget and the capacity to deliver. That's the whole job. Every section of your proposal should serve that goal.
Most unsuccessful proposals fail not because the organization does bad work, but because the application doesn't clearly explain the problem, the solution, why this organization, or what success looks like. These are writing problems, and they're fixable.
Before You Start Writing
The biggest time waster in grant writing is investing in an application you were unlikely to win. Before writing, confirm:
- You meet the eligibility requirements. Read the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) or grant guidelines, not just the summary. Check organization type, geographic requirements, years in operation, and prior award requirements.
- Your program aligns with the funder's stated priorities. A foundation that funds workforce development is not going to fund your capital campaign. Match your program to what the funder actually funds, not to what you need.
- You can meet the deadline. A Federal grant that closes in three weeks is not a realistic target if you haven't started. Rushed proposals are obvious and lose.
- You've read the scoring rubric. Most federal grants publish a scoring matrix. If "community engagement" is worth 25 points out of 100, your application needs substantial material on that topic—not a paragraph.
The Structure of a Strong Grant Proposal
Executive Summary (or Abstract)
Most proposals open with a 1–2 paragraph summary of the entire application. Write this last. It should cover: who you are, what problem you're addressing, what you'll do, who will benefit, how much you're requesting, and what outcomes you expect. Many reviewers read the abstract first and form an initial impression before reading the rest. Make it count.
Organization Background and Qualifications
This section establishes your credibility. Cover your mission, years of operation, major programs, the population you serve, and any prior experience relevant to this grant. Quantify your reach: number of clients served, geographic footprint, annual operating budget, staff size. Keep it concise—1–2 paragraphs is usually sufficient. Reviewers don't need your full history; they need to be confident you can execute this project.
Statement of Need
The needs statement answers: what problem are you solving, and why does it matter? Strong needs statements have three elements:
- Data: Use local data wherever possible—census statistics, local health data, school performance data, community surveys. National statistics establish context, but local data establishes urgency. Cite your sources.
- Human impact: Numbers are necessary but not sufficient. One well-chosen story or quote can make the data feel real. Use it strategically, not in place of data.
- Connection to your program: The needs statement should naturally set up your program description. The problem you document should be the problem your program addresses—obviously and directly.
Avoid the "mirror of misery" problem: cataloguing every problem affecting your community without demonstrating any organizational capacity to address them. The needs statement should make the funder confident that you understand the problem deeply, not overwhelmed by it.
Program Design / Project Description
This is the core of the proposal. Describe what you will do, step by step, in enough detail that a reviewer can visualize it. Cover:
- Program model: What is the intervention? How does it work? What does a participant experience?
- Evidence base: Why this approach? Reference research, promising practice models, or your own prior results. Funders want to fund approaches that have a credible theory of change.
- Target population: Who specifically will you serve? How many? How will you recruit them?
- Timeline: What happens in months 1–3, 4–6, 7–12? A simple table or list of milestones is effective.
- Staffing: Who will run the program? What are their qualifications? If you're hiring, describe the position.
- Partners: List key partners and describe what they contribute. Letters of support from partners should be included as attachments.
Evaluation Plan
The evaluation section answers: how will you know if it worked? Many applicants write this section as an afterthought, and it shows. Strong evaluation plans have:
- Outcomes, not outputs: Outputs are what you do (served 200 participants). Outcomes are what changes (80% of participants gained employment within 90 days). Funders fund outcomes.
- Measurable indicators: For each outcome, what data will you collect? Pre/post surveys? Employment records? Health screenings? Academic assessments?
- Data collection methods: Who collects the data, when, and how? How will it be stored and analyzed?
- Learning and adjustment: How will you use evaluation data to improve the program during the grant period? This signals organizational maturity.
Budget and Budget Narrative
The budget is a financial representation of your program design. Every line item should correspond to an activity you described in the project section. The budget narrative (sometimes called budget justification) explains each line: what it is, how it was calculated, and why it's necessary.
Common budget mistakes:
- Inflated or unexplained indirect costs: Know your indirect cost rate and apply it consistently. If you don't have a negotiated rate, use a de minimis rate of 10% per OMB Uniform Guidance rules for federal grants.
- Vague line items: "Supplies: $5,000" tells a reviewer nothing. "Educational materials and supplies for 200 participants at $25/participant: $5,000" is justified.
- Missing match: Many grants require a matching contribution. Confirm the match requirement and show clearly where your match is coming from.
- Budgeting for things the grant doesn't allow: Read the allowable costs section carefully. Federal grants have specific rules about what can and can't be funded.
Sustainability Plan
Funders don't want to create permanent dependency. The sustainability section explains how the program continues after the grant period ends. Acceptable sustainability sources include:
- Earned revenue (fees, Medicaid billing, service contracts)
- Other grants already secured or in the pipeline
- Integration into your organization's base budget
- Government contracts or formula funding
Be realistic. "We will seek additional grant funding" is not a sustainability plan. "We will apply the evidence from this grant period to convert the program to a fee-for-service model with Medicaid reimbursement" is.
Letters of Inquiry
Many foundations require a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) before inviting a full proposal. An LOI is 1–3 pages covering: who you are, what problem you're addressing, what you'll do, who you'll serve, and what you're requesting. Its purpose is to get invited to submit a full proposal—not to answer every question. Keep it concise and clear. Follow the funder's specific format requirements exactly.
The Revision Process
The difference between a funded proposal and an unfunded one is often editing, not content. After your first draft:
- Read it from the reviewer's perspective: does it clearly answer each section's core question?
- Cut everything that doesn't serve the argument. Grant reviewers read under time pressure. Longer is not better.
- Have someone unfamiliar with your program read the needs statement and program description. If they can explain your program back to you, your writing is clear enough.
- Check that every outcome in your evaluation section corresponds to an activity in your program description, and every activity has a budget line.
Using Technology to Find the Right Grants
A strong proposal submitted to the wrong grant is wasted effort. Before writing, make sure you're pursuing programs where you genuinely fit. FindGrants.io matches your organization's profile—type, focus areas, location, budget size—to thousands of grants from federal agencies, state programs, and foundations, ranked by alignment. Finding the right opportunities before you start writing is the most efficient investment you can make in your grants program.
After Submission
Post-submission, do two things: note the decision date in your calendar, and email the program officer to confirm receipt. Some programs allow you to ask questions after submission; most don't. If you're declined, request reviewer comments—most federal programs and many foundations will provide them. Reviewer feedback is often the clearest guide to improving your next application.