The higher education funding landscape is more challenging than ever, placing heightened pressure on institutions to identify and secure diverse sources of support. While some institutions have a full cross-campus team of dedicated development professionals and grant writers, others may only have one or two, leaving faculty and administrators to search and apply for funding opportunities on their own. Regardless of the size of your team or the scope of your proposal, these seven approaches can help guide your grant-seeking efforts.
1. Lay the groundwork.
Before applying to a new opportunity, be sure you understand the proposal guidelines and review the evaluation criteria. Is your institution eligible to apply? Does your vision match the funder’s priorities? Attending informational webinars or scheduling one-on-one meetings with prospective funders can often clarify shared goals and help determine if the opportunity is a good fit. Be sure to be prepared with an overview of your potential proposal before meeting with the funder.
2. Involve the right people.
While one person should serve as the primary author, be sure to include colleagues with expertise in program planning, grant writing, budgeting and finance, and regulatory compliance. Who else could partner with you? Engage them early and meaningfully. Who else needs to have a voice? Be sure to seek feedback from potential participants, community members, and others with a vested interest in specific opportunities.
3. Keep an organizational perspective.
Let your institution’s mission and strategic goals serve as your north star, demonstrating how the funding opportunity both advances your work and aligns with the funder’s priorities. Highlight your institution’s organizational competence and expertise. What are the short- and long-term impacts for both your institution and potential audiences?
4. Tell the story.
Build a reader-friendly proposal, integrating cultural relevance throughout. Imagine you are the grant reviewer and have limited knowledge of the institution or the idea that is being proposed. Can you easily follow the narrative, and does it tell a strong story? What concepts need clarification? Avoid jargon and keep acronyms to a minimum.
5. Substantiate the story.
Don’t assume that the importance of your ideas and proposed activities is self-evident. Convey what has worked and been impactful in this vein of work from past activities, and make it clear that your proposal builds on that knowledge base. Be specific in your writing, using data points, literature reviews, needs assessments, and pilot studies to show your due diligence; anecdotal evidence can provide powerful substantiation, as well.
6. Use strategies that will facilitate the process.
Regularly refer back to the funder’s guidelines and evaluation criteria. Build in time for internal review by a colleague who has not been directly involved in the drafting process, and use that person’s feedback to strengthen the proposal. Stay organized by utilizing a comprehensive checklist and detailed timeline that outlines who is responsible for each deliverable and when.
7. Allow extra time!
Plan to submit the proposal at least 24 hours before the formal deadline to have time to troubleshoot against potential issues. Proofread and then proofread again. Double-check that all formatting and content requirements have been met—funders can and will reject a proposal for non-compliance.
Tips From the VentureWell Member Community
“No matter the idea, the funders are going to want to know what impact your idea will have beyond just the immediate audience you are addressing. The broader the impact and the more succinct that you make that case, the better your chances of being awarded.”—Jason Black (pictured above, left)
“I recommend trying to use AI to find grants. It can help identify funding opportunities without the cost burden of a subscription to a big database.”—Zen Parry
“You’ve got to figure out how to align your funding needs with an agency or foundation’s priorities. Go to their website, look at who they have funded in the past year or two, and read the annual reports.”—Steve Tello
“Talk to the program officer before writing or submitting a grant. The agency often has priorities that are not stated in the call for proposals.”—Bruce Maxim
For more guidance, download Proposal Writing Guidance and Tips prepared by the VentureWell Development team.
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