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Proposal Tips
Other Proposal Resources
Determining where to send a grant proposal is just one step in the funding process. This section provides some basic information on how to write a successful grant proposal and lists additional resources on this topic.
Researching potential funders takes time, but the results are well worth this investment. There are a two guidelines that should be at the forefront of any fundraising effort:
- Be realistic in expectations. Foundations and other grantmakers cannot meet all of an organization's financial needs. The vast majority of the money given to nonprofit organizations is actually donated by individuals. Foundations and corporations combined currently provide approximately 12 percent of all philanthropic gifts.
- Do not make the mistake of focusing all efforts on one "ideal" funder. An organization's prospect list should include a number of options. Even the most experienced proposal writers receive many more letters of rejection than they do grants. Fundraisers or development officers should avoid compiling a list of several hundred pie-in-the-sky prospects and sending off a mass mailing of a proposal. Approaching a funder for support is a highly individualized process that should be conducted in a businesslike manner.
Proposal writing is just one step in the grantseeking process, and it is not the most important step. Far more time should be spent developing the program or project and researching and cultivating donors than on the actual preparation of a proposal. As Jane Geever and Patricia McNeill, authors of The Foundation Center's to Proposal Writing, state "The proposal does not stand alone. It must be part of a process of planning and of research on, outreach to, and cultivation of potential foundation and corporate donors."
List of Acronyms
DHHS US Department of Health and Human Services
DoD US Department of Defense
DOI US Department of Interior
EPA US Environmental Protection Agency
FHWA Federal Highway Administration
HUD US Department of Housing and Urban Development
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
ORD EPA's Office of Research and Development
OSWER EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
OTAQ EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality
OWOW EPA's Office of Water, Oceans, and Wetlands
USDA United States Department of Agriculture