Grant Writing Basics

In Grant Writing, the selling of ideas in order to secure funding for a proposed program or project is the basic difference between this type of Business Writing and the writing of general Business Proposals.

Of course, as with any type of proposal, the task of moving an idea from the conceptual stage to the implementation stage can be a protracted and frustrating process. Implicit in this is the fact that even the best and most noble ideas have to be fully developed and "sold" to decision-makers.

In the Private Sector, one usually initiates the approval process by submitting a formal proposal to Company Management. Conversely, in Non-Profit Organizations, proposals are generally submitted to a myriad of entities.

That said, the funding of Non-Profit projects is normally accomplished through the awarding of Grants. Simply stated, Grants are monies allocated to bankroll a program that is intended to assess a situation or affect some positive change for a particular group or community.

Grants can be obtained from many public and private entities. Federal, State and Local Governments are obvious sources of funding, but Grants can also be be secured from universities, foundations, small businesses and corporations.

With these various funding sources available, the first step in putting together a Grant Proposal is to determine which source is the most appropriate for your particular project or organization.

Research is critical in this initial step. Leaders and "prime movers" in the community or one's local network can be excellent resources, but the Internet has also become an important research tool in the area of securing Grants.

Concurrently, you will also need to formulate specific questions as to what you want to do. In other words, what is the Grant for?

Here are some typical questions to ask yourself at this stage of your Grant Writing Project:

* What problem or situation are you addressing?
* How are you proposing to address the above?
* What do you want to accomplish?
* What resources are needed to address the situation?
* What are the anticipated problems or pitfalls?
* What expertise or skills do you (and others) bring to bear on this situation?

Be sure to answer these questions in clear and precise terms as your responses will serve as the rationale and starting point for putting together your Grant Proposal.

From here, your next step is to outline you Grant Proposal. In most cases your proposal should include all or most of the following elements:

* Cover Letter
* Proposal Summary
* Introduction of you or your organization
* Purpose of the proposal
* Objectives of the proposal
* Time frames
* Measurements
* Budgeting

Once you have fleshed out the above details, you can begin the task of finalizing your Proposal. As with all Business Writing, write clearly, succinctly and persuasively. In this regard, keep in mind that funding organizations review Grant Requests all the time, so filling up a proposal with extraneous verbiage and boilerplate will not impress anyone.

It is important to note that most funding sources will publish guidelines for completing and submitting Grant Proposals. Be sure to review these and follow them to the letter.

As a final note, be aware that your initial proposal may very well be rejected for any number of reasons. Should this be case, revise and resubmit your proposal -- if not with the same funding source, then with another. If your honestly believe in the value of your idea, you will want to exhaust every effort to get your proposal approved and funded.

For more information on this subject, as well as a look at various examples of templates you can follow when organizing your Grant Proposal, check out the Business Section of your local library or the Internet.

Sales & Marketing Communications: Tips For Writing Estimates and Proposals

The task of writing estimates and proposals is a fundamental Business Practice and one that most business people will have to face at one time or another.

Beyond professional development, this is a task who's importance to the Sales Process cannot be overstated. After all, many of us can recount stories from our own experiences as consumers where a potential sale was lost because a business failed to follow up on our sales inquiry.

Granted, putting together an estimate or proposal involves diligence, with no guarantee the effort will pay off with a sale. Nevertheless, submitting estimates and proposals is the accepted way most businesses get their goods and services into the competitive market.

That said, it is important for businesses of all types and sizes to view this practice as an opportunity to seize "new business", and not as some bothersome and potentially low-yield exercise.

Preparing Written Estimates

The format for estimates usually depends on what is customary for the seller. But regardless of how the estimate is structured, be sure to do the following:

* Summarize the project as agreed to by you and the prospect.

* Use realistic time frames for both scheduling and completion.

* List all materials and their associated costs.

* "Calculate" costs, don't guess. (Labor, Overhead, etc.)

* Spell out any additional costs or fees.

* Prepare the written estimate organized by the above categories.

* Include contact information and a follow-up date.

Preparing Formal Proposals

In content, proposals are "meatier" than estimates, but aside from substance, the major difference between an estimate and proposal is that the former is usually written from the seller's perspective, while the latter is written from the perspective of the prospect.

As you begin drafting a proposal, start by using the estimating steps as outlined above to help you calculate the raw cost data for the proposal. From here, you will need to format the proposal.

Businesses may use some boilerplate for this purpose, but it is important that you tailor the format to meet the specific needs and wants of the prospect.

When finalizing a proposal, ensure the following basic elements have been included or addressed in some specific manner:

* A summary of the issue or problem your proposal will address

* An outline of how your product or service will address the issue or problem

* The qualitative benefits of your product or service

* You or your company's experience and expertise in handling similar issues and problems

* Testimonials and references as to your company's ability to do the job

* Contact Information and a follow-up date.

Regarding writing style, be sure to write clearly, succinctly, and with enough customer-specific language to demonstrate your understanding of the prospect's wants and needs.

In this regard, note that prospects generally view their needs as unique, so be sensitive to this and use the prospect's terminology whenever possible. Simply put, reinterpreting a prospect's wants and needs is not the best way to establish rapport.

Another element you may be expected to include is an Executive Summary. For detailed and highly technical proposals, the need for a summary is pretty much a given. But if you do include an Executive Summary, condense it to a page or two at most.

When all is said and done, the prospect is looking for information to help them with a buying decision, so the more information you provide the better it is for both you and the prospect.

As a final word, be aware that it is common for a prospect to request several estimates or proposals based on different scenarios or circumstances. If this is the case, honor the request in a timely manner and be grateful for the opportunity. After all, it may not come around again.

For additional information, there are many online and desktop resources available on this subject. A quick Internet Search will yield good results for you. To help get you started, check out the related links below.

Jack

Related Links:

How To Write An Estimate

How To Write A Business Proposal