Grant proposal writing: 50 questions answered
Practical answers for NGOs, charities and community groups anywhere in the world, from the covering letter to the budget and what to do after you submit.
Open the free proposal builder Guides, templates and checklist
Getting started
What is a grant proposal?
A grant proposal is a written request to a funder, such as a foundation, government agency, corporate giving or CSR programme, international donor or philanthropist, for money to deliver a defined piece of work. It explains the need, what you will do about it, the results you expect, what it will cost and why your organisation can be trusted to deliver.
What is the difference between a concept note, a letter of inquiry and a full proposal?
A concept note or letter of inquiry is a short summary, usually two to three pages, that lets a funder decide whether to invite you to apply. A full proposal is the complete document, with detailed sections on the problem, solution, results, plan, budget and organisation. Many funders ask for the short version first, so never send a full proposal unless the guidelines invite one.
How long should a grant proposal be?
Always follow the funder's page or word limit; going over it is one of the quickest ways to be rejected. Where no limit is given, 8 to 15 pages for the main proposal is typical, with supporting documents in annexes. A concept note should usually be no more than three pages.
How far in advance should I start writing?
Allow four to eight weeks for a full proposal. Writing is rarely the slowest part: collecting registration documents, audited accounts, letters of support, quotes for the budget and sign-off from your board often takes longer. Put the deadline in your calendar two weeks earlier than the real one.
How do I find the right funder?
Look for funders whose mission, geography, grant size and eligibility rules match your project. Read their guidelines, annual reports and lists of past grants to see what they actually fund. Funding databases, government grant portals, embassy and development agency websites, and networks of other non-profits are good places to search.
Can I send the same proposal to many funders?
Keep a master proposal with your strongest text, but tailor every submission. Use each funder's language, priorities, section order and budget template, and explain why their support matters. Funders can tell when they receive a generic proposal, and it rarely succeeds.
What should I read before I start writing?
Read the full call for proposals or funding guidelines, including eligibility rules, scoring or selection criteria, required sections and attachments, formatting rules, the budget template, deadlines and reporting requirements. If anything is unclear, ask the funder's programme officer before you write, not after.
Structure and order
Which sections does a strong grant proposal include?
Most strong proposals include a covering letter, a project summary, the problem and evidence, a baseline, the people who will benefit, the locations, the solution and methodology, outputs and outcomes with indicators, an implementation plan, a budget, a sustainability and exit plan, and information about the organisation: its history, vision, mission, track record, governance and legal status. The builder covers all of these.
In what order should the sections go?
Use the funder's template if they provide one. Otherwise, follow the logic a reviewer reads in: what the project is, why it is needed, what you will do, what will change, how and when, what it costs and what lasts afterwards, then who you are and why you can be trusted to deliver it. That is the order this builder uses.
Why does the builder put the project before the organisation?
Funders invest in change, not in organisations for their own sake. Leading with the problem and your solution gets the reviewer interested in the project; your history, impact and governance then answer the next question in their mind, which is whether you can deliver it.
Do I need a table of contents?
Yes, for any proposal longer than about five pages. It helps reviewers find the sections they score. The builder adds a contents page after the cover page and covering letter; when you open the Word file, choose to update fields and Word fills in the page numbers.
What should go in the annexes?
Put supporting evidence in annexes rather than the main text: registration certificates, tax-exemption letters, audited accounts, a detailed budget workbook, letters of support from partners or authorities, CVs of key staff, a logical framework, maps and photos (used with consent). List every annex at the end of the proposal.
Do I need an executive summary?
Most funders expect one, because many reviewers read it first and some read nothing else. In this builder the Project Title section is the project at a glance: the title, a one-line summary and the key facts. Write it last, when you know exactly what the rest of the proposal says.
Covering letter
What is a covering letter for a grant proposal?
The covering letter introduces your proposal to the funder. It says who you are, what you are asking for, how much, for how long and why you are approaching this funder. It sits on its own page in front of the proposal and is signed by a senior leader of your organisation.
How long should the covering letter be?
One page. Three short paragraphs of about 250 to 300 words in total, with your letterhead, the date, the recipient and a signature, fit comfortably on a single page. If it runs over, cut it; the detail belongs in the proposal itself.
What should the covering letter include?
Include the name of your organisation, the project title, the amount requested, the project duration, one or two sentences on the problem and your solution, why this funder is the right partner, and a named contact person. A clear subject line with the project name, amount and duration helps the funder file it correctly.
Who should sign the covering letter?
The most senior person authorised to commit your organisation, usually the executive director, chief executive or chair of the board. A signature from leadership shows the funder that the request has organisational backing.
Who should I address the covering letter to?
Address a named person, such as the programme officer for your area, with their correct title. Check the funder's website or call to confirm the name and spelling. Use a general greeting such as Dear Sir or Madam only when you cannot find a name.
Can I reuse the same covering letter for different funders?
Reuse the structure, not the letter. Each covering letter should name the funder, the person, the amount requested from them and the reason their priorities fit your project. A letter that could have been sent to anyone tells the funder it probably was.
Problem, baseline and beneficiaries
How do I write a strong problem statement?
Describe the problem from the point of view of the people affected, in specific and measurable terms: who is affected, how many, where and how. Explain the cause where you can, and show what happens if nothing changes. Keep your organisation out of the problem statement; the problem is not that you lack funding.
What evidence should support the problem?
Use recent, local and credible data: official statistics, academic studies, reports from international agencies, and your own surveys or needs assessments. Cite every source with its date. A short quote from someone affected can bring the numbers to life, if you have their consent to use it.
What is a baseline study and why do funders ask for it?
A baseline study measures the situation before the project starts, such as income levels, school attendance or access to services. It gives you and the funder a starting point to measure change against. Without a baseline you cannot prove that your project made a difference.
Which groups should a baseline cover?
Break your figures down by the groups most at risk of being left behind, such as people living below the poverty line, minority, indigenous or other marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, women and girls, and children or older people. Use the official categories of your country where they exist, so that your data can be compared with national statistics.
How do I describe beneficiaries respectfully?
Describe people as partners with skills and aspirations, not as helpless victims. Use person-first language, such as persons with disabilities, avoid images or words designed to provoke pity, and never share names, photos or personal stories without informed consent. Many funders now assess the dignity of how communities are portrayed.
What is the difference between direct and indirect beneficiaries?
Direct beneficiaries take part in or receive the project's services, such as the students in a class. Indirect beneficiaries gain from the change without taking part directly, such as the students' families. Count them separately and explain how you estimated each number, so the funder does not think you are inflating your reach.
Solution, results and plan
How do I explain my methodology?
Describe what you will do, step by step, in the order it will happen, and link each step to the problem it solves. Say who will do the work, with whom, and how participants will be selected. Where your approach is based on evidence or past experience, say so.
How do I show what makes my approach unique?
Explain what you do differently from others working on the same problem and why it works better: local knowledge, community ownership, lower cost per person, a proven model, partnerships or new technology. Be specific and honest; reviewers know the field and will notice exaggeration.
What is the difference between outputs, outcomes and impact?
Outputs are what you deliver, such as 20 computer labs set up or 300 farmers trained. Outcomes are the changes those outputs cause, such as students gaining digital skills or farmers increasing their yields. Impact is the long-term change you contribute to, such as better jobs or reduced poverty. Funders pay for outputs but judge you on outcomes.
How do I write SMART objectives?
Make each objective Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. For example, instead of improving digital skills, write: by December 2027, 1,200 of 1,500 students will pass a basic digital skills test. Each objective should be something your project can realistically achieve with the money requested.
Which indicators should I use?
Choose a small number of indicators that show whether each output and outcome was achieved, that you can actually measure, and that you can compare with your baseline. Say where the data will come from, such as registers, tests, surveys or records, and how often you will collect it.
What is a logical framework or theory of change?
A logical framework, or logframe, is a table that links your goal, outcomes, outputs and activities to indicators, sources of evidence and assumptions. A theory of change explains, in words or a diagram, how and why your activities will lead to the change you want. Many institutional donors require one or both, usually as an annex.
How should I describe monitoring and evaluation?
Explain what data you will collect, how, how often and by whom, how you will use it to improve the project, and how you will report to the funder. Mention any external or end-of-project evaluation, and include its cost in the budget.
How detailed should the implementation plan be?
Detailed enough that a reviewer believes you can deliver on time. List each main activity with who is responsible and when it starts and ends, usually by month or quarter. Allow realistic time for start-up tasks such as hiring, procurement and permissions, which are often underestimated.
Budget
What makes a budget realistic?
A realistic budget is based on actual prices, such as supplier quotes, salary scales and published rates, and covers every activity in the plan, with nothing extra. Show the quantity and unit cost for each line so the reviewer can check your arithmetic. A budget that is too low worries funders as much as one that is too high.
Which costs can I include in the budget?
Usually direct costs such as staff time on the project, equipment, materials, travel, training, events, monitoring and evaluation, audit fees and a share of indirect or overhead costs. Check the funder's rules: some exclude land, buildings, vehicles, debts or costs incurred before the grant starts.
Can I include overhead or indirect costs?
Many funders allow a share of overheads such as rent, utilities, finance and management, often as a percentage of direct costs. The allowed rate varies widely by funder, so check the guidelines and state your rate and how it is calculated. Leaving overheads out entirely can leave your organisation unable to support the project properly.
What is co-funding or own contribution?
Co-funding is the part of the project cost paid from your own funds or by other donors, and sometimes in kind, such as volunteer time or donated premises. Some funders require a minimum share. In the builder, enter your own or other contribution and it is subtracted from the total to show the amount requested.
Should the budget match the narrative?
Always. Every activity in the narrative should have a cost in the budget, and every budget line should relate to an activity. Reviewers check this carefully, and a mismatch is one of the most common reasons for losing points.
Which currency should I use in the budget?
Use the currency the funder asks for. If you work in a different local currency, state the exchange rate you used, its source and its date, and consider a small allowance for exchange-rate changes if the funder permits it.
What is a budget justification?
A budget justification, or budget narrative, explains how you calculated each major cost and why it is needed, for example the number of trainers, days and the daily rate. Add it as notes below the budget table or as an annex when the funder asks for one.
Organisation and credibility
How can a small or new organisation look credible?
Show what you have already achieved, even on a small scale, with numbers and a short story. Name experienced board members and partners, attach letters of support, explain your financial controls, and ask for an amount that fits your track record. A strong partnership with an established organisation can also help.
Which legal documents do funders usually ask for?
Funders usually ask for proof of registration, governing documents such as a constitution or trust deed, tax-exemption or charity status, a tax identification number, audited accounts for recent years and a list of board members. Some countries also require permission to receive foreign funds. Keep current copies ready in one folder.
Why do funders ask about governance?
Governance shows who oversees your organisation and how money is controlled. An independent board that meets regularly, clear financial and procurement policies, safeguarding and anti-fraud policies and an annual audit all reassure the funder that their grant will be used as promised.
How do I use success stories well?
Choose one specific person or community, describe their situation before, what your work changed and what their life is like now, in a few sentences. Use real details, get informed consent for names and photos, and link the story to the outcomes you are proposing.
What should I write about sustainability and exit?
Explain what will continue after the grant ends and who will pay for or run it: communities, government services, local partners, fees or other funders. Describe a step-by-step handover, with a timeline. Funders want to know their money creates change that lasts rather than a service that stops on the last day.
Writing, formatting and submission
What writing style works best in a grant proposal?
Plain, direct language with short sentences, active verbs and no unexplained jargon or acronyms. Use the funder's own terms for their priorities. Put the most important point first in each section, and use headings, tables and bullet points so a busy reviewer can scan the document.
Which font and page format should I use?
Follow the funder's formatting rules exactly. If there are none, use a clear font such as Calibri or Arial at 11 or 12 point, generous margins, numbered pages, headings and a running header with your organisation's name. The builder exports A4 or US Letter with these settings already applied.
How should I check the proposal before I submit it?
Check it against the funder's guidelines line by line: eligibility, every required section and attachment, page limits, formatting and the budget template. Make sure the numbers in the letter, summary and budget match. Ask someone who has not worked on the project to read it, and proofread a printed copy.
What are the most common reasons proposals are rejected?
The most common reasons are that the project does not fit the funder's priorities or eligibility rules, the guidelines were not followed, the problem is not backed by evidence, the results are vague or unmeasurable, the budget is unrealistic or does not match the narrative, or the proposal arrived after the deadline.
What should I do after submitting a proposal?
Keep a confirmation of receipt and a copy of everything you sent. Respond quickly and politely to any questions from the funder. If the proposal is successful, prepare for the reporting requirements from day one. If it is rejected, ask for feedback, thank the funder, and use their comments to strengthen your next proposal.
Ready to write? The grant proposal builder turns these answers into a complete Word document, with a covering letter, contents page and budget. Made by Gachi Foundation.