15 tips on how to prepare a grant proposal for a journalism

project
jsk.stanford.edu/news-notes/2015/15-tips-on-how-to-prepare-a-grant-proposal-for-a-journalism-project/

Djordje Padejski, Fellowship impact leader

Many journalists trying to advance their innovation ideas look for grant money. Even though it
is a writing task, crafting a proposal for a grant officer can be a tough job for a journalist. We
have a tendency to use our charismatic storytelling skill, but grant writing is not creative
writing. It’s not poetry. Ideas need to be presented clearly and concisely so it’s easy for grant
funders to quickly know exactly what you want to do. Here are 15 tips on how to prepare
effective grant from a journalistic perspective.

1. Be a reporter.
Research the issue you are addressing. Act like this is your reporting job and you are covering
a story for your news organization. Find similar projects, look for their pitfalls, failures and
successes. There are some really great tools you can use beyond Google to research grants
and funders, such as the Foundation Center search tool (subscription), the Pivot alert
(subscription) or Guide Star (free). Understand the funder’s perspective — learn and take
notes!

2. Read the grant guidelines.

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Carefully read the instructions before you even submit a proposal. Maybe the funder you are
looking at is not a good fit for you. Get a better sense of the funder through the projects it has
previously supported. Sometimes you can tailor the idea to fit the specific requirements;
sometimes you cannot. It’s like working with different editors in the newsroom: There always
will be ones who don’t like your stories.

3. Word of mouth.
Do you know someone who won a grant from the foundation you are thinking of approaching?
Talk to them. Ask for an interview. Maybe you can even get advice. Grantees will always have
insights on the funder’s dos and don’ts. People like to talk about their work, especially with a
journalist.

4. One-sentence rule.
Keep your project description to one sentence no longer than 15 to 20 words. Think of it like
the lead of your project. Even the most innovative projects can be defined briefly and
described clearly. What exactly do you want to do or to develop? Do you plan to produce an
iPhone app, launch a series of events or grow your audience in Europe?

5. Define a problem or a need.

Clear definition of the problem being addressed is the key to explaining any great proposal.
However, don’t take up more space discussing the problem than your solution. Funders like to
hear what problem inspired your idea, but they are also very interested in how you are going to
tackle it.

6. Link your solution logically with the problem.

It sounds so simple, but not connecting the problem with the solution is a common grant
proposal flaw. Think about how your proposed solution answers the problem you defined.
Don’t emphasize issues you won’t address with your proposal. You don’t need to present the
whole picture and that’s very different from journalism.

7. Clearly identify the competition.

There is no harm in mentioning organizations and projects that are similar to yours.
Demonstrate you are familiar with the challenges. Make sure to explain how your approach is
different from what already exists. If you are building on previous ideas or others’ work, that’s
OK. You’re not expected to reinvent the wheel. Also, it’s highly advisable to refer to a similar
project funded by your targeted funder.

8. Examples, examples, examples.

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Refer to things people are familiar with. The tagline for my crowdfunding campaign on
Kickstarter was: “FOIA Machine is like TurboTax for government records” — and it was clear
that the project guides users in filing FOIA requests like TurboTax guides people through filing
their taxes. Usually, you will be presenting abstract ideas, so it helps to illustrate with concrete
examples.

9. Include visuals & links.

Attach visuals whenever you can. Add links to wireframes or illustrations that will help the
reader to get a better sense of your project. Now, instead of footnote you can add hyperlinks to
backup your points.

10. Key activities plan.

Break your idea into phase, be realistic about what is possible for different stages of your
project. Naturally, every project has a beginning, middle and end, like a journalism piece. Leave
enough time to kick off the project and, for example, hire a developer for the project. The end
phase should include collecting and reporting feedback. If you are building a prototype,
thoroughly explain the phases. If you are putting on an event, think about all of the things you
need to do beforehand: book a room and speakers, draft an agenda, send out invitations.

11. Resources.
Be realistic about what you really have and what you really need to execute your project. Do
you need five or 10 people on your team, full-time or part-time? Your friends may be a great
asset, but don’t be too optimistic that they will all come to help you at the end. Find the
balance to ensure you can deliver on your promises. Do not overpromise, do not
underpromise.

12. Budget.
The funding you’re requesting should match the activities you are planning and resources you
will need. And it should add up! Don’t forget to include all the costs, but double check work;
budget exaggerations and math errors will undermine your position. If you are the principal,
make sure to pay yourself, but do not spend half of the budget on your salary.

13. Details
Be as meticulous and exact as possible. Use strong and active verbs. Write in simple
language. Avoid phrases such as “could become” or other ambiguous language and
abstractions. Use facts, data and straightforward language.

14. Best person & team

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You need to convince reviewers that you and your team have the necessary skills and
background for the project. Some funders are very clear that they “won’t fund a proposal to
build a tool for journalists or reinvent the government procurement process if no one on your
team understands those spaces.” Therefore, make sure to note your related work or
references. Attach letters of support; ask your supporters to discuss why your idea is
important.

15. Vision
Try to integrate your overall vision into the proposal. Be careful not to overpromise. Few
projects are likely to “start a revolution,” or “change the world” all by themselves.

Djordje Padejski is the interim fellowship impact leader for the JSK Journalism Fellowships at
Stanford @djordjepadejski.

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