Your Article Selection
Developing Ideas for a Grant Proposal
Developing Ideas for a Grant Proposal
To have a successful grant proposal, you must be prepared with a
carefully thought out package and make sure it is consisely
packaged.
Try to make yourself familiar with with the programs criteria
that is related to the Catalog program where you are requesting
assistance. You will need to get:
1. Funding available information 2. Application deadline 3. The
process used by the granting agency 4. Application forms 5.
Information and procedures related to your grant proposal
If you do not have any grant writing proposal experience, it may
be wise to attend a grant writing workshop or even hire a
professional grant writer. You can find them all over the
internet. Look for one with references and experience.
Developing the Idea for the Proposal
It is extremely important to first determine if the proposal
idea has been considered in your local area or state. You can
easily do a check with the legislators and your area government
agencies who are already awarding grants or contracts for
similar ideas.
If the idea already exists, you might need to reconsider the
project, unless you have significant improvements or differences
in your proposal which reflect in your project goals.
Getting Support from Your Community
Once you have developed your proposal summary, then getting
community support will be essential to your proposal. You can
look for support in the following areas:
Political Support Academic Support Professional Support Lay
Organizations Local Organizations
You will need to contact the above and try to get a letter of
support. Numerous letters of support can help in being
persuasive to to a granting agency. As a matter of fact, letters
of endorsement detailing exact areas of commitment could even be
requested as part of the proposal to a Federal agency. Try to
realize that it could take several months to develop your
letters of endorsement.
Many of the agencies will require, in writing, affiliation
agreements which is nothing more than a mutual agreement to
share services between agencies, and building space commitments
prior to your grant approval or grant award. Try holding some
local meetings with some of the top decision makers who will be
the most concerned with your grant proposal.
About the author:
Rebecca Game is the founder of Digital Women, an online
community for women in business. A 30 year entrepreneur and
dedicated to helping other women. Visit her site: Grants for
Women
http://grants.digital-women.com
For More Government Grant Money Information:
Free Guide To Government Grants