The 4 Crucial Places to Ask for Money in a Grant Proposal

Miss Just 1, and Your Request Could be Denied

Some novice proposal writers may feel uncomfortable asking a foundation for money to support their organization’s programs. They might even make the mistake of asking for, “anything you can give.” Although the writer may feel this approach shows flexibility, it will not result in funding.

Foundation representatives want to know exactly how much you need and how the funds will be used. According to the Canadian Million Dollar Round Table Foundation’s grant application, “It is easier to award funds when the committee can see specifically where the funding will be used. Knowing exactly how a grant will be used by an organization can be a major factor in the approval or denial of a grant request.”

Before you write your grant proposal, take time to review the scope of your program and determine how much you need from the foundation. Hang a note with the dollar amount and a few sentences describing the program above your computer, because you will refer to it frequently. Reviewers will expect to see the request 4 times in your proposal. The key places to state your request include:

• The cover letter
  The cover letter acts as a personal introduction to your proposal and is the first place where you should mention exactly how much you need and how the gift will be used. Try to include your request in the first paragraph. Since the cover letter is often removed before copies are given to the review panel, remember to repeat your request in other sections of your proposal.



• The executive summary
  Reviewers often use the executive summary as CliffsNotes before they decide if they want to read the rest of your proposal. For this reason, always state the exact amount of your request and how it will be used in the first paragraph.



• The conclusion
  The conclusion of a grant proposal is your, “call to action.” Ask the foundation to give you a specific amount of funding to be used for a specific program by a specific date. You can also use the conclusion to explain how you will recognize the foundation for their generous gift.



• The budget
  The lines in your budget should break down exactly where the funds will be directed. Do not use vague words to describe your line items. For example, list “Dell PC with monitor” instead of “equipment.” When you proofread your proposal, make sure the dollar amount shown in your budget matches the amount requested elsewhere in your proposal.

Source: http://www.freshfundraising.ca/Ask.html 

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