Successful Grant Proposal Writing in 2024, Step by Step, with Pro Tips

Whether you need grants for small business, grants  for individuals, or grants for non-profits, this video covers the latest trends in successful grant  writing, step by step, plus pro tips to help you take your project to the next level! Step number  one: Learn what grant funders are actually looking to support. We'll start with the always-popular  government grants. At the time I film this, the current trend is to put more grant dollars  toward disaster aid, college access, child care, mental

health, food assistance, and workforce  development. Pro Tip: Contact the office of your federally-elected officials. There is a  directory link below to find them, because one of their services is to list the different ways  these grant opportunities will work in your state. This is different if you are an individual.  I suggest starting with government benefits instead of grants, at benefits.gov linked below.  Next are private foundations, which award grants mostly to non-profits and individua

ls. Pro Tip:  By and large, foundation grants are for projects, and the funds last for one year. Individuals are  eligible for scholarships or grants for local programs that are tightly focused on a community  need. Another Pro Tip: Local community foundations are a great place to start your grant journey!  You can find them in the global directories, linked below. There are also corporations,  which offer three types of community support. Pro Tip: Grants are not the biggest source of  corporate

support. There are also sponsorships. But you really need to check out this current  trend and best kept secret: large corporations and small businesses alike give employees  time to volunteer in the community, which results in - get this - hundreds or thousands  of corporate dollars awarded to the non-profit funders' requirements. Grant funders usually  have a website to detail their grant process, or a phone number or mailing address to request  details. In either case, you need to answer two

questions to see if this grant is right for you.  Question One: Does the funder give where you live? If your business is in Portland,  but the funder supports Los Angeles, there is no match. Don't apply. Question  Two: Does the funder support what you do? If your nonprofit provides physical therapy, but  the funder only supports after school programs, that is not a match. Don't apply. To find a grant  in the first place, check out my always growing library of Grant Chatter videos and find what 

fits your location and topic, from Australia to veterans. Step number three: Build a competitive  grant proposal. I define competitive in two ways. The first is under your control: make sure  you submit a complete grant proposal, on time, and with any additional documents requested by the  funder. For specifics, refer to my How to Write a Grant playlist, which includes my earliest video,  so you'll also get a good laugh at my newbie video skills. The second definition of a competitive  grant pr

oposal is partly out of your hands: Grant funders receive so many proposals that  usually only 10 percent make it to the review stage. But a complete grant proposal significantly  increases your likelihood of being in that 10 percent. Step number four: Wait for the funder to  review and respond. Congratulations for making it to this point! That is its own accomplishment.  Now you wait. Grant funders have set schedules to review proposals and announce their awards.  This usually takes a few month

s. Government grants can take over a year. Step number five:  Be encouraged. Grant writing is complex, and grant dollars are not guaranteed, but your  hard work will leave you with well-crafted project descriptions and up-to-date organizational  documents, which you can use in other proposals or with donors or investors. Plus, you can get  an outside perspective on what you're doing, and that can better help you serve your customers  and your community. Thanks for watching.