Writing Successful Grants KnowledgeBase

This KnowledgeBase archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.

The Writing Successful Grants KnowledgeBase is an online resource aiding education professionals in their pursuit of public and private grants to support local programs. Its five elements contain information and resources that assist the grant seeker with developing their project, writing the grant proposal and managing the grant upon its award.

Task 2: Match Project Ideas with Grant Funders' Interests and/or Requirements

Guideline: Before developing the grant proposal, the grant seeker should assure the project idea is in line with the funding source's philanthropic interests. Each foundation has guidelines for grant seekers specifying interest areas for which they are willing to fund projects. Matching grant funders' interests or requirements with the project idea enhances the prospects of submitting a successful grant proposal.

Resources

Checklists

Checklist for Funding Source

This document offers a series of questions to ask when determining whether a grant funder would be an appropriate source of project funding. Guidance is offered with each questionas to where to look for answers.

Tools

Grant Planning Form

This link to grant writing resources at the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education website provides a form for outlining the basic provisions of the envisioned grant proposal. The form may be useful to grant seekers when matching grant ideas to grant funders' interests.

References

Applying for Funding from Family Foundations

This Foundation Center's article addresses applying for funding from family foundations.

Foundation Giving Trends

This report summarizes the findings of the Foundation Center's report on giving trends. The information may be useful to grant seekers to understand the philanthropic environment.

National Science Foundation Grant Proposal Guide

This link to the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Grant Proposal Guide provides the requirements for submitting a grant proposal to the NSF. Though the guide's content is specific to the NSF, grant seekers may in general find its content useful when planning a grant proposal.