Before You Apply for a Grant: 7 Things Your Organization Should Have Ready
Finding a grant that looks like a perfect fit for your organization is exciting.
You see the amount available. You start thinking about everything your organization could do with the funding. You send the link to someone else with a message that probably says something like:
"We should apply for this!"
And maybe you should.
But before you open the application and start answering questions, there are a few things worth figuring out first.
Because one of the biggest lessons I've learned from writing grants over the years is this:
A good grant application starts long before you start writing it.
The strongest proposals usually come from organizations that already understand what they want to accomplish, why it matters, what it will cost, and what happens after the check arrives.
So before you spend hours working on an application, here are seven things your organization should have ready.
1. A Project You Can Actually Explain
This sounds obvious.
It isn't always.
"We need funding for our program" isn't quite enough.
Before applying, you should be able to explain what you're asking the funder to support in a few sentences.
What are you going to do?
Who will it serve?
Where will it happen?
When will it happen?
What will the funding pay for?
And what will be different because you did it?
If it takes 20 minutes and three people to explain the project, you're probably not ready to write the grant yet.
That doesn't mean the idea isn't good.
It just means the idea needs a little more work first.
One of the most helpful things you can do before pursuing funding is get everyone involved to agree on what the project actually is.
Trust me. That will make everything that comes next much easier.
2. A Clearly Defined Need
Funders aren't just investing in activities.
They're investing in solutions to problems.
So what problem are you trying to solve?
And more importantly:
How do you know it's actually a problem?
Maybe you have local data that demonstrates the need. Maybe there's a waiting list for a service. Maybe enrollment is growing. Maybe community members have been asking for something that doesn't currently exist.
Sometimes the strongest evidence isn't just a statistic.
It's what you're seeing every day.
The best proposals usually combine both.
Use data when you have it, but don't forget the people behind those numbers.
A funder should finish reading your proposal understanding not only what you want to do, but why it needs to happen.
3. A Realistic Budget
Please don't wait until the night before the grant is due to figure out what the project costs.
I've been around enough grant deadlines to know how quickly:
"We think it'll cost around $50,000."
can turn into:
"Why does the spreadsheet say $73,482?"
Before you apply, start building a real project budget.
Get estimates.
Talk to vendors.
Think about equipment, supplies, staffing, marketing, travel, construction, technology, professional services, and whatever else your project will actually require.
Also think about what your organization is contributing.
Are you providing staff time?
Space?
Equipment?
Cash?
Volunteer hours?
Partner support?
A thoughtful budget tells a funder something important:
You've actually thought about how this project is going to work.
And please make sure the story you're telling in the application matches the numbers in the budget.
If your proposal describes one project and your budget seems to describe another, that's a problem.
4. A Plan for Measuring Success
Eventually, almost every grant application asks some version of:
"How will you know this project was successful?"
And "people will really like it" probably isn't going to be enough.
Before you apply, think about what success actually looks like.
Maybe it's:
More people served
Increased participation
Improved outcomes
New programs offered
Students completing a program
Increased access to a service
Funds raised
Partnerships created
A project completed on time and within budget
You don't need to create an incredibly complicated evaluation system.
You just need to be able to answer:
What are we trying to change, and how will we know if we changed it?
If you can answer that clearly, writing your goals and outcomes becomes much easier.
5. Your Organizational Documents
This is the least exciting part of grant writing.
It's also the part that can create unnecessary panic when the deadline is approaching.
Depending on the funder, you may be asked for things like:
IRS determination letter
Organizational budget
Recent financial statements
Board of directors list
Audited financials
Form 990
Letters of support
Project budget
Strategic plan
Organizational history
Policies or certifications
You may not need every one of these for every grant.
But your organization should know where these documents are and who has access to them.
Nothing adds excitement to grant-writing day quite like trying to figure out who has the most recent board list while the application portal is counting down.
Create a folder.
Keep it updated.
Future you will be very grateful.
6. A Good Story
Numbers matter.
Budgets matter.
Outcomes matter.
But people remember stories.
Your grant application should help the funder understand the people, organization, school, or community behind the project.
Why does this matter?
Who will benefit?
What does the problem actually look like in your community?
What becomes possible if the project is funded?
You don't need to be overly dramatic.
You need to be specific.
Instead of simply saying:
"This project will have a significant impact on our community."
Show the funder what that impact actually looks like.
That's the difference between telling someone your project matters and helping them understand why it matters.
7. A Plan for What Happens After the Grant
This is a big one.
A grant isn't always the finish line.
Sometimes it's the starting line.
If you're creating a new program, hiring someone, purchasing equipment, or launching something that will continue beyond the grant period, think about what happens when the funding ends.
How will you sustain it?
Will your organization eventually absorb the expense?
Will you seek additional funding?
Will earned revenue support it?
Will donors or sponsors become involved?
Is the grant funding a one-time investment that doesn't require ongoing support?
There isn't one correct answer.
But there should be an answer.
Funders want to know they're helping you build something your organization has actually thought through—not creating a problem you'll have to solve 12 months from now.
One More Thing: Not Every Grant Is a Good Grant
This technically makes eight things.
I'm okay with that.
Before you apply for any grant, ask yourself:
Should we actually apply for this?
Not:
Can we apply?
Those are two very different questions.
It's easy to see available money and start figuring out how your project could fit the grant.
Be careful with that.
You shouldn't completely redesign a project your organization needs just because funding is available for something slightly different.
Before investing the time in an application, look at the fit.
Does your project genuinely align with the funder's priorities?
Are you eligible?
Is the award amount worth the time required to apply and administer the grant?
Can you meet the reporting requirements?
Does the timeline work?
Would you still want to do this project if this particular grant didn't exist?
And one of my favorite questions:
If we receive the money, are we actually prepared to do what we're promising?
Sometimes the best grant-writing decision you can make is deciding not to apply.
That leaves you more time to pursue the opportunities that really do fit.
Grant Writing Isn't Really Just Writing
A strong grant proposal isn't created by finding better words for an idea that hasn't been fully developed.
The writing matters.
But so does everything that comes before it.
The project.
The need.
The budget.
The outcomes.
The story.
The plan.
When those pieces are strong, the writing becomes much easier.
And your proposal becomes much stronger.
So the next time someone sends you a grant opportunity with:
"We should apply for this!"
Get excited.
Then ask:
"Are we ready?"
If the answer is "I'm not sure," that's a pretty good place to start.
Not sure if your organization is grant ready?
Maybe you have a project in mind but aren't sure how to turn it into a fundable proposal. Maybe you've found an opportunity and want to know if it's worth pursuing. Or maybe you know what you want to accomplish but need help putting all the pieces together.
You don't have to have everything figured out before reaching out.
We'll look at what you already have, what's still missing, and what needs to happen next.