How do you incorporate feedback and revisions into your grant proposal?

When soliciting for feedback, it's best to let each stakeholder know exactly what you want from them. Are you looking for someone to edit your grammar? Are you looking for someone to enter new ideas or thoughts into the proposal? Do you need to make sure that it meets funder guidelines? This context is crucial to getting the type of information you need at any particular stage. It also helps the stakeholders feel valued, as you are much more likely to take their suggestions.

In my experience, please take that deadline for grant submission seriously. If they say “5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time” is when the grant is due, do not assume you can send it at 5:01 pm. I know this sounds trite, but we have lost grants due to dithering to the last minute about grammar and edits. Build time into your grant proposal for this and make sure it is at least a week before the grant is due. Schedule a day where the “final draft” marinates for a day before you look at it again. Commit to a “FINAL final review” but then let it go after this is done.

The biggest mistakes founders do when applying for grants are: - applying for the wrong grants - applying at the wrong time Want to stop making those mistakes? Start by creating your “Grant Strategy” in 5 steps: 1. Outline your 12-48 month roadmap in stages 2. Break down each stage into development fields 3. List all activities and costs in those categories 4. Pack those activities into different projects Then and only then… 5. Plan to apply for grants that fit your project scopes

Plan ahead to ask someone who has experience reviewing for the funding institution for which you are applying. These individuals commonly contract out their services because an "insider's perspective" is invaluable. This is the highest level of review.

Key, before acquiring feedback from others is the indispensable chat with the program officer. The flaws in your project idea, budget, timeline, key potential partners can come immediately and most reliably from this source above all others.

You can often attend webinars from the funders specific to your program. Even for grants you apply to year over year, criteria may change. Gathering feedback through this means and reading through the entire application package front to back is imperative. Know your funder and their programs well and you'll be able to quickly cross-check the relativity of other feedback against their requirements. If you summarize the requirements like a rubric for each section (e.g. budget), you can save more time. Offer to your reviewers to consider when they review a section, ensuring they're also mini-experts in what the funders seek. Or, simply use it to rate their feedback when it's received.

Consider people in your network, even friends and family, for feedback. Someone with a neutral perspective and general knowledge can offer excellent feedback for things you could take for granted and ignore as a mistake.

As a development director at a small agency, I often wrote grants that four or more staff members contributed to. I would then have to incorporate the feedback into my text. I agree that organizing the feedback - even into a bullet-pointed list, is very useful to avoid duplication and adapt feedback as needed. Then, the most important thing is incorporate the feedback so that it matches the writing style and tone of the rest of the application.

In addition, I’ve find that while not all feedback can be incorporated, or relevant to a particular project, they may offer insights into new possibilities. Listening with care and “between the lines” can help identifying future areas of engagement and possibilities; filing them in the “future projects folder” has proven helpful to me.

When receiving feedback from a funder, they'll often tell you exactly what they're looking to support, whether it's your first application with them, your 5th consecutive application, or a retooled submission. Listening to their feedback turns a "no" into a "not yet" so it's best to pay attention to what they say (sometimes picking up body language tells you what you need to know too) and incorporate it into your proposal.

As a grant reviewer/grader for more than a decade for multiple federal grant programs I can attest that our comments, critiques, and findings are factual and concentrated on what has been requested and required in a grant application. Therefore, such feedback in the federal grant review process which is usually available to the applicants should be considered as invaluable for preparing future applications.

When you receive feedback on your grant proposal, think of it as a chef tasting a dish before it goes out to the customers. First, organize the feedback by theme or section of the proposal to make it manageable. Prioritize changes based on the impact they'll have on clarity, persuasiveness, and alignment with the funder's priorities. For substantial revisions, draft new sections or data points in a separate document to compare with the original. Incorporate the changes systematically, ensuring each edit enhances the proposal’s strength without diluting your main message. Lastly, don’t forget to thank those who provided feedback, acknowledging their contribution to refining your recipe for success.

Reviewing feedback on your grant proposal is akin to sifting through a treasure chest; every piece of advice holds value, but not all will fit your map to the treasure. Start by reading through all the feedback at once to get an overall sense of the reviewers' impressions. Then, take a step back and allow yourself some time to digest the information before diving into revisions. It’s crucial to distinguish between subjective preferences and objective improvements; not all feedback will serve your proposal's goals. Look for consensus among reviewers on specific points as these areas likely need the most attention. Approach the review process with an open mind, seeing feedback as a guide rather than a critique.

Learning from feedback is not just about making immediate corrections; it's about understanding deeper lessons for future projects. After each grant submission cycle, take time to reflect on the feedback received and identify patterns or recurring themes. Ask yourself if the feedback points to a need for stronger data, clearer writing, or a more compelling narrative. Use this analysis to create a checklist or a set of guidelines for future proposals. Consider seeking out workshops or training that address any areas where you consistently receive feedback, turning perceived weaknesses into strengths. This process of continuous learning and improvement will not only enhance your grant writing skills but also increase your success rate.

Beyond the immediate task of revising your grant proposal based on feedback, consider the broader strategy of building relationships with funders and peers. Engage in conversations with your reviewers if possible, seeking clarity on feedback and demonstrating your commitment to improvement. Share your experiences and lessons learned with colleagues; this not only helps build a supportive community but also deepens your understanding. Keep a record of all feedback received across proposals to track your growth and areas for development. Remember, each round of feedback is a step towards mastering the art of grant writing, turning each proposal into a stronger, more compelling narrative that funders are eager to support.

When developing a grant proposal it is key to get feedback to maximise your chances of success in the evaluation. It is advisable to iterate your proposal, resources and budget with experts. While you may often find support from experts within your field, helping you polish the details of your project, other feedback is crucial. A perspective from outside your field of expertise will help you refine your key messages. In addition, ensure alignment with the funder's aims and scope by involving experts in the relevant call. Plan for multiple revisions and broad feedback to maximise your proposal's chances of success.

If you can, use AI to evaluate and implement feedback. I know, it's not always possible, for many reasons. But when it is, I do it as follows: - program ChatGPT4 to review feedback - assess which contributes to quality at most (and why) - suggest ways to implement feedback by giving specific examples - show how would revised text look like (based on my decision which feedback to include). You get a great draft in minutes (but you do spend some for prompting for the first use case, then this is just a click), and can further work on it in your style.