The Tortoise Website

The Tortoise Website
Click on image to go to Author website. "THE RACE IS NOT TO THE SWIFT." Eccl. 9:11

Thursday 21 April 2016

The Importance Of Accuracy In Grant Writing

By Michael Barnes


When corporations, universities, organizations and others need funds, fund raising is often necessary. One way in which to obtain these funds is through grant writing. Whether labeled as a grant application, proposal or request, writing can be a way to acquire much needed funds. When smaller groups and students need to raise funds, candy, cake and cookie sales have often been successful.

The most successful writers have an in-depth understanding of grantsmanship. While the fundamentals of this writing style are often universal in nature, it is important to know the audience, subject and amount requested. In addition, the process will require information related to all paid and non-paid staff related to an event or organization requesting funds.

When seeking to obtain funds, it is important to know the process from creation to completion. The best structure for creating a proposal includes observing the audience, purpose analysis, information gathering and constructing content. After which, it is essential to read, review and revise details as necessary.

Once a purpose has been defined, a team discusses the proposal, often with the writer. After which, writers generally receive a list or outline of items to include in an application. When constructing an outline, it is important to only include information important to the funding organization. Otherwise, the organization may determine the request too involved to be successful.

Most writers will have revisions regardless of how long one has been writing professionally. As such, individuals working in this area need to have a strong sense of self-esteem, patience and be willing to make multiple revisions to applications or proposals. Some of these revisions can relate to structural issues while others may relate to changes in content. Whatever the case, it is important to complete all editing in an efficient and timely manner.

Different proposals often have different guidelines related to content, structure and writing style. As such, it is imperative that a writer knows the subject matter and follow any guidelines provided by an agency. Guidelines often include information related to drafting, formatting and submitting proposals for approval. Writers following these guidelines are often more likely to obtain funding than others.

When writing a proposal or request, it is imperative to use sentences which are succinct, proper grammar and accurate spelling. These are all areas which can result in denial of a grant request. As such, organizations refused funds for these reasons can result in writers being disciplined, terminated or eliminated from use in the future. In the case of contractors, these type mistakes can often prevent positive references for other work.

Depending on the sponsoring organization, it can often take several weeks or months to receive a response. When seeking out a grant or scholarship, it is essential to submit the information on or before a posted deadline. Otherwise, it is most likely the request will be refused upon receipt. Proposals which are accepted and approved can often be finalized within a few weeks to a month as long as all parties agree on terms and conditions.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment