Preparing a grant proposal can be a complicated and stressful process. Therefore, most people involved in this process whether a grant writer or a novice, have various questions to understand it better. The questions range from where to start to if any new regulations will affect the grant process and success. Also, how the process of grant review works and what to do after a grant rejection. As you read on are 6 common questions people ask about grants.
- What are the key components of a grant proposal?
As for competitive grants you need a specific type of application. But, federal and state agencies, more so foundations, have different requirements and the basic parts of a grant application remain the same. For instance, the summary is a vital component of your grant proposal for it is the first impression you make on the reviewer. Objectives and goals are the plans of the operation that need to be at par with projects identified needs. Timelines describe the project’s plan of operation, budget, and evaluation. The budget is a vital component too, as it should align all activities mentioned directly with your budget.
- Who should be on my grant writing team?
Every grant writing team should have content experts that are project directors, and also the key administrators should be part of the team as well. The key administrators are vital as they have the authority to make administrative decisions for the project, and this is invaluable as the proposal writing is ongoing. Additionally, you can include personnel from the graphic designers, budget office, grant reviewers, editors and grant evaluators, and statisticians.
- Types of grants available for my institution and research?
State, federal, corporate and foundation grants are available to teachers, faculty, nonprofit organizations, universities, and colleges. The federal government is the primary source of grant funding, followed by individual giving and corporate and foundation support. Also, federal funding includes both formula funds or federal entitlements and competitive grants.
- What does it take to win a grant?
Most grant applications are accompanied by rubrics of scoring criteria. Read them carefully, as they have a specific guideline to help in creating a winning proposal. If the grant you are applying for has no scoring rubric. The grant guidelines provided will help you make a careful list of the items you must answer, so read through it keenly. Therefore, as you fill out the application, check off every item from the guidelines to ensure you are in full compliance with the requirements of the grants. Other than knowing what the donor needs to help you win the grant, you need to do excellent research, have a well-crafted idea, innovation, and collaboration.
- How much time does it take to prepare a grant proposal?
The amount of work and time it will take to prepare your grant application is a direct function of the team on your project. Most grants have at least five weeks between the time the application is released and when the proposal is due. If you are dealing with large and more complex grant proposals, you will need more time than just six or seven weeks. Therefore, you need to plan earlier for the application release date to have a head start and reduce some of the pressure.
- What if my grant is rejected?
The rejection of a grant depends on the scores of your application, rejection letter, or comments. If your proposal is rejected because you applied to the wrong donor or for a flawed idea, you should not reapply. Nonetheless, if you are rejected for defects in some of your activities, such as a weak evaluation, lack of examples. Speak to your donor on what needs to be fixed and reapply.
To conclude, as you develop your grant proposal, a lot more questions will arise. You can get answers to this from experienced team members in your grant administration office. While those that deal directly with your expertise will only be answered by you. Universal questions are wide and answering them effectively leads to the right direction for your funding. More importantly, success depends on extensive research, a well-crafted idea, innovation, perseverance, and collaboration.
