It’s important to remember that while there is a general recipe for success in writing a grant, there is no paint-by-numbers approach. The ultimate guide to writing your grant is the individual call that you are responding to each time you write a proposal.

 

No two grant proposals will be alike, even for the same project. This is because each grant proposal must respond to the unique needs of the granting organization.

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

It may be helpful to think of your goal as not only to secure funding for your project, but to create a mutually beneficial relationship with a funding organization whose goals align with your own.

 

Therefore, this stage of development is about determining the following:

1. Your grantor’s goals

2. How your project can help the organization to meet its goals

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The primary question you should ask yourself is also the most basic: Is this grant right for my project?

 

To answer this question, first,

 

• Carefully read through the call for proposals, and understand exactly what the organization is looking for in applications. 

  • Does your project fit within the criteria given?

  • Consider annotating the call itself, drawing attention to the distinct elements of the call that you must include in your proposal.

​

 

Does your project fit the grantor’s specific eligibility criteria, e.g., you are eligible to receive their funding, your project fits their timeline, the grantor’s funds are appropriate to some part of your budget, you are able to secure a fiscal sponsor if needed, etc.? 

​

Next,

 

• Research the organization itself

  • Understand the mission, vision, and core values of the grant-making organization, and think about the ways that this specific funding opportunity supports that larger mission.

  • As you do this, think about your own project. How can you frame your project goals to match those of the vendor?

  • Remember, the vendor is looking at you and your project as a potential investment. They want to make sure that investment aligns with their own interests and will benefit them, just as it benefits you.

 

Does your project’s goals align with the grantor’s mission? How can you illustrate the mutual benefit of entering into a funding relationship?

 

• Review prior projects that the organization funded.

  • What is successful about these projects and proposals? How do they align with the mission of the organization?

  • How competitive is the grant? What is the scale of the organization? Are past recipients in a similar position to you? How might bolster your credibility, either through evidence or sponsorship?

  • Your proposal will clearly still be unique, but it can be helpful to see the ways that successful proposals directly address the vendor’s mission.

​

​

When in doubt, ask! Even after thoroughly researching your funder and reading the call for proposals, you may still have questions about what your funder is looking for, what to include, and in what format to include it. At this point, it’s always better to reach out to the funding organization and ask for clarification than it is to assume, and risk being wrong. In fact, communicating with the funding organization prior to proposal submission is often standard practice. For first-timers, especially, there is no better way to get your project noticed by the granting organization than to contact them.

​

​

​

​

​

Finding Funding

 

All of that information is great, but you may be wondering how to find grants for individual projects?

 

Many individual organizations, institutes, universities, and arms of the government award grants to individuals. If you are a scholar, it would be helpful to start by researching grant opportunities through your university, or through a university where you would like to do research. Other helpful resources include:

• Grants.gov — While this site has many more options for organizations or groups seeking funding, there are some options for individuals. Also, any individual grant that is provided by a government entity, such as the NEH or Smithsonian Institution requires applicants to apply through this site.

• National Endowment for the Humanities — The NEH provides funding for people working on projects or research directly related to the humanities. 

• GrantWatch — This website serves as a database for a wide variety of grants. You can search for specific options, or use filters to narrow your search and find options that might work for you. 

• Open Education Database compiled over 100 grant-giving sites/organizations to browse. 

​

​

​