When applying for a grant, avoid language that sounds desperate ("we need this to survive"), overpromises results ("we will eliminate..."), or relies on vague jargon/buzzwords like "innovative" or "cutting-edge". Focus on clear, data-driven, and concise language that demonstrates impact rather than just organizational needs.
Using words like “activism,” “marginalize,” and “prejudice” in a federal grant application could work against researchers. These words might flag grant applications for federal agencies, but not necessarily for nongovernmental funding.
Focus on writing a strong proposal with a broad appeal, and one that you really believe in. What is eventually going to win over the panel and evaluators is the quality of your proposal.
10 Most Common Grant Writing Mistakes
The 5 Rs of grant writing provide a framework for success: Readiness, ensuring your organization is prepared; Research, finding aligned funders; Relationships, building connections with grantmakers; Responsiveness/Writing, crafting a clear, tailored proposal that meets guidelines; and Reporting, showing impact after funding, ensuring future success. These steps move from preparation to post-award, emphasizing strategic engagement and clear communication.
7 red flags for funders in your grant proposal
20 Most Common Grammatical Mistakes in Academic Writing With Examples
The most common reasons for proposal rejection boil down to a surprisingly small set of simple and familiar failures: Deadline for submission was not met. Proposal topic was not appropriate to the funding agency to which it was submitted. Guidelines for proposal content, format, and/or length were not followed exactly.
The Targeted EIDL Advance provided funds of up to $10,000 to applicants who were in a low-income community, could demonstrate more than 30% reduction in revenue during an eight-week period beginning on March 2, 2020, or later, and had 300 or fewer employees.
List of words that the federal government has stopped agencies from using, including in grant proposals
The Project Grant Rule is a safe harbor that allows private foundations to fund a public charity's specific project, even those that include lobbying.
The letter should be written in a clear and concise manner, with a focus on how the project will benefit the community or achieve its goals. By emphasizing the writer's personal connection to the project, the personal connection model can be an effective way to persuade grant organizations to fund important projects.
The 3 Cs of writing are most commonly Clarity, Conciseness, and Coherence, focusing on making your message easy to understand, getting straight to the point, and ensuring logical flow; however, variations exist, like Compelling, Consistent, or Completeness, depending on the writing context (e.g., technical, marketing, or creative).
Another relatively easy way to fix run-ons is to separate independent clauses with semicolons. Class began; the professor lectured. The professor lectured; students took notes. The semicolon is a good solution if you have two independent clauses in your run-on sentence.
Gearoid McMahon says a successful grant proposal tells a clear, compelling research story with focused aims, feasible methods, and a strong presentation. Writing a grant proposal is a critical skill for researchers seeking funding for their projects.
There's no “grant season”—Keep sending applications out the door. While some funders will set hard deadlines for application windows, many funders allow grants to be submitted year-round.
What are the Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Grant Proposal?
What factors should I consider when deciding how much to ask for in a grant? You should consider the specific needs of your project, the funding priorities of the grantmaker, and your organization's capacity to manage and justify the requested amount.
Don'ts of proposal writing