FREE 7+ Sample Grant Application Templates in PDF | MS Word

In a world run by money, the human population consists of different classes—the poor, lower-middle class, middle class, upper-middle class, and the wealthy. While not everyone fits into the wealthy category, some people are dependent on grants as a way of surviving, or perhaps, to accomplish certain goals. Who knows? You might need financial aid for research, scholarship, or any special event. But, it isn’t right to simply wait for a fairy godmother to pop up and give you the needed funds. The formal way is to consider a grant application, which involves a document that outlines your profile, what you do, and what you plan to achieve. And how can you appeal to organizations that provide grants? Continue scrolling down.

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What Is a Grant Application?

Grant application refers to an official document made by a grantee, aka the recipient of a grant. And this application is an appeal or proposal submitted to the grantor, aka the corporation, agency, foundation, or organization that disburses the money. In most cases, the grant’s nature is monetary based. Therefore, grant applications provide full information about why a grantee needs funding in the hopes that the grantor will cover the finances involved.

How to Write a Grant Application

Grant writing is the procedure taken when an individual or group wishes to apply for funding from a bigger organization, government agency, or private entity. But how exactly do you write a grant application? Bear in mind that the writing process should not be rushed because grantmakers can easily reject applications, especially if the grant request does not make sense or is not properly planned. So in this section, we laid out the easy steps to write a grant application effectively.

Step 1: Know the Grantmakers

Before writing anything, who are these grantmakers? Be sure to know them first. You do not need to meet them personally since you can research. For example, have you seen similar projects to yours that were given grants by this grantor? There is a chance for your proposal to be accepted if similar works were granted, as it shows they are interested in funding. Also, how often have these grantmakers accepted applications? Tracking records and researching will help you discover how to appeal to them. Do not forget to focus on knowing what the grantor’s qualifications and requirements are to boost your application’s success rate.

Step 2: Summarize the Proposal

The last thing grantors want to spend time with is reading lengthy proposals. Some of them may get busy, so it works best to summarize the proposal first. But, never leave out the important details. First, let them know who you are. Are you from a nonprofit organization or just an individual party in need of funds? Next, state what you want to accomplish and why the grantor should fund you. Grant applications are not solely about sharing what you wish to achieve because it also comes down to why grantors should care. And after that, you can estimate the expected budget. Be sure to keep the application short, easy to understand, and impactful.

Step 3: Be Straightforward

To keep the information short, expect to be straightforward in grant writing too. The prospective grantor may end up confused with details that are all over the place. Observe a strategic way of organizing everything together for a better chance of being approved. For example, you set a timeline on the proposed project or event so grantors will know the sequence of events. You can even highlight or enumerate the goals of the project rather than writing long paragraphs. Whatever works in presenting information more effectively will be encouraged.

Step 4: Be Realistic

Review everything you wrote and check if you think what grantors might ask will be answered. If the answer is yes, then it is nearly ready to submit. Lastly, how realistic are your plans and objectives written there? And do you think the estimated financial support you need from the grantmaker is too much? Look back into it. Indeed, grant applications begin with an idea. But maybe the idea is not worth funding at all. An example is when you want a scholarship, yet you are financially capable of going to school. Or perhaps, you ask too much money for such a very small project. Realistic plans would undoubtedly pay off.

FAQs

As a grant seeker, do not aim to bribe grantors to be disbursed with money. Prove to them why you and your proposed project deserve a grant. And instead of wasting your breath explaining the details of wanting a grant, you can use our printable grant application samples. You simply select your preferred template and begin writing. Since you already know how to write it, as discussed above, your application will pay off. Download now!