What should a grant proposal include?

The eight parts of almost every proposal

• Summary: what you want money for and what it will accomplish, in a short paragraph
• About you: who runs the organization or business and what you have already delivered
• The need: what problem exists, with numbers for your area rather than the whole country
• The plan: activities, who does them, and a timeline
• Who benefits: how many people, where, and how you will reach them
• Measurement: what you will count and when you will report it
• Budget: every cost, tied to an activity in your plan
• Capacity: staff, partners, and past work that show you can finish

What reviewers score

Reviewers usually work from a scoring sheet built directly from the questions in the posting. If a question has 20 points attached and you gave it two sentences, you lost most of those points no matter how good your cause is.

Write to each question in the order it is asked. Use the funder's own words for the sections so a reviewer can find your answer quickly.

The mistakes that cost the most

• Ignoring a question because it seemed repetitive
• A budget that does not add up or does not match the plan
• Big claims with no proof behind them
• Missing attachments, which can disqualify you outright
• Submitting late, because most systems close at a fixed time

Common questions

What should a grant proposal include?

Most proposals ask for the same eight things: a summary, who you are, the need, your plan, who benefits, how you will measure results, a budget, and proof you can deliver. Answer the funder's questions in the order they ask them, use real numbers, and never claim something you cannot back up with a document.