Five Grantwriting Tips to Win Federal Grants

Federal grant season is upon us. Many grant writers and nonprofit leaders alike are afraid to write federal grants. Some say federal grants are complex and difficult to understand.

Once you understand how to write federal grants, it becomes an easy process.

I want to share a few tips and tricks that my firm, Think and Ink Grant Consulting, uses to win federal grants time and time again across multiple agencies. I credit our deliberate internal processes as the "secret sauce" of our success enjoyed by many of our clients.

It's impossible to walk you through our entire process, but I want to give you some ways you and your organization can win big in federal grants.

Here are five grantwriting tips to win federal grants:

#1. Be literal.

Do not assume the reader knows what you are talking about. The way to win federal grants is to be explicit and intentional in your language. Be very clear and thoroughly address each and every part of the rubric.

#2. Pretend the reviewer reviewing your application is tired and weary because they are.

Charts, highlighting, and italics will take you far. They help break up the language and keep your reader alert. Make the reviewer's job easier by explicitly pointing out the line or section where the rubric response is. Don't make them look for it. Don't bury rubric responses in attachments. Reviewers often have a lot of applications to review in a short period of time.

#3. Every point counts.

Fully explain each part of the rubric. Exploit each opportunity to gain the maximum number of points in each section. The worst feeling in the world is not to get funded because of one point.

#4. Follow directions.

Not following directions is the easiest way of getting your entire application thrown out. Don't let this happen to you. Follow directions.

#5. Follow the rule of three. Tell them what you are about to tell them, then tell them, and then tell them what you just told them. The human brain retains information better if you help them a framework for the information, provide the information, and summarize the information provided.

This is just a quick list. I'd love the opportunity to speak with you about how our firm can help your organization win federal grants through our coveted internal process.

What tips have you found successful when writing federal grants?

-Shavonn

About Shavonn Richardson, MBA, GPC

Shavonn is the Founder and CEO of Think and Ink Grant Consulting. As a former nonprofit leader and grantmaker, Shavonn has over 20 years of experience delivering practical, real-world advice to nonprofit leaders nationwide.??Shavonn also serves as President of the Grant Professionals Association.

Shavonn earned the GPC (Grant Professional Certified) credential from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute in 2020 and is a Grant Professionals Association Approved Trainer.?Shavonn earned a BBA from Howard University in Washington, DC, and an MBA from Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

Learn more at www.thinkandinkgrants.com