Research applications for grants template

Introduction
Applying for grants is sometimes a tricky subject. When applying you need to take into
consideration a few factors, .you must be on top of your material. You must know all the ins
and outs; you must know the backstory so that you can expand all the points.
Always make sure you have done extensive research on the topic and know as much
information as possible.
1- Understand the research project we are raising funds for.
2- Understand how to formulate a proposal
3- Understand the process of applying to grants

Review the process

 Time: Have you really got enough time to rewrite this before the deadline, if you
have to? If not, think about holding back till the next round. You don’t want to blow your
chances for good. If you’ve left it till the night before, that’s not a good sign.
 Internal consultation: Before submitting any research, grants make sure that you
have answers to the following questions;
 Has it been checked with everybody in Intisar Foundation?
 Do we know who needs to be involved?
 ,Has it been approved by the Board?

 Funder consultation: Always check the outline of the grant application with the
Individual in charge.
 Proofreading: Has the submission been read by someone at Intisar foundation? If
yes, you are good to go. If no, do not submit before approval!

Review the framework

 Cover letter: Does the submission include a cover letter describing how our project
will further the Grantmaker’s mission?
 Executive summary: Does the submission include an executive summary that says
clearly:
 Why the grant is needed?
 What the grant money will be used for?
 How much money is being requested?

 Attachments: Does the format allow for attachments?

If yes, are all the attachments clearly labelled with Intisar Foundations Logo?
  Completeness: Does the proposal address every single item or criterion in the grant
giver’s guidelines ?

Review the style

 Language: Is the language specific, accurate, concise, and clear? Is it bureaucratese
or personal? Does it contain any obviously recognizable professional jargon (unless
explained), any weasel words, or any clichés? Is the language indirect and tentative (“It
seems that it is possible that we might…”) or strong and positive (“We will…”)?

 Title: Is the project title a boringly neutral descriptor (such as Proposal to Request
Funding to Develop a Youth Membership Register) or does it make a positive statement
(Reducing Juvenile Violence by Involving Young People in Community Sports)

 Grammar: Is the proposal written in the active voice (“We will collect data on…”) or
in the less forceful passive voice (“Data will be collected on….)? Is the proposal written in
the first person (“We will…”) or the less emphatic third person (“The project will…”)

 Simplicity: Is the proposal written mainly in short, simple, declarative subject-verb-

object sentences

 Accuracy: Has the proposal been checked and rechecked for typos and misspellings?
Don’t leave that to the spellchecker.

Review the layout

 Compliance: Does the submission follow to the letter the Grantmaker’s specifications
on margins, spacing, type size, word count, etc?
 Blanks: Have all the blanks been filled in, even if it’s with “Not applicable”?
 Brevity: Is the proposal as brief as possible (and no briefer)?
 Clarity: Are acronyms spelled out in full at first use (e.g. Deductible Gift Recipient
[DGR]), and if there’s any possibility of confusion, at every use?

Review the budget

 Numbers: Does the proposal contain a detailed budget? Do the budget numbers add
up? Have you had this checked by someone else?
  Other funding sources: Does the submission disclose any funding you’ve got for the
project from other agencies?
 Back-up: Do you have a back-up plan for your proposal if you are granted only part
of the funding you want?

Review the Intisar Foundation’s details

 Skills: Does the proposal include a section demonstrating that Intisar Foundation has
the skills, knowledge and ability to make the project a success?
 Commitment: Does the proposal commit our organization to some further work in
this area even if we don’t get the grant (that is, does it show you really think the project is
vital)?
 Fit: Does the proposal not only show that Intisar Foundation can deliver the project
but show that are the best fitted to deliver it?

 Partnerships: Does the proposal demonstrate constructive partnerships with all other

players with interests in the area? Does the proposal contain letters of commitment from
all the partners you’ve mentioned?

Review the project

 Evidence: Does the proposal set out the project in such a way as to demonstrate
factually, with supporting data, the existence of a problem? Does it show why the problem
is significant and a high priority?

 Methods: Does the submission have a solutions section that sets out the project’s
methods clearly? Does the solutions section show why these methods were adopted and
alternatives rejected?

 Case: Does the proposal make a clear and consistent argument for the project?

 Objectives Does the proposal specify project objectives that are realistic, achievable,
and measurable?
Review the Grantmaker

 Terminology: Does the submission use the same terms and key terms used by Intisar
Foundation.
 Name: Does the submission have the Grantmaker’s name right? Use the full name.
 Reporting: Does the proposal include a process for regular reporting to the
Grantmaker? Does it contain monitoring guidelines?
 Benefits: Does the proposal establish (and quantify) the benefits that will flow from
the project to the beneficiaries and to the Grantmaker?
 Database: Have you put the Grantmaker on you excel sheet to monitor progress.

Review future details

 Sustainability: Does the submission show that the project can excel and be replicated
after publication?
 Replicability: Does the proposal show that the project is replicable? Widely
applicable? Capable of national/international impact?
 Scaleability: Does the proposal show that the project’s success would be scaleable to
a larger project?
 Learning: Does the proposal include provision for dissemination and diffusion of the
project’s learnings?
 Longevity: Does your submission show that you’ll be around for the long term?

Review the message

 Uniqueness: Does the proposal show why this project is unique, innovative, and
different from (and better than) existing programs, or does it sound like a thousand other
proposals and a hundred other programs?
 Comprehensibility: Does the proposal assume too much knowledge of the area? Too
little?
 Conclusion: Is there a conclusion summing up the problem, your solution, its
anticipated impact, its cost, your request, and the projected benefits?
 Energy: Does the whole proposal communicate your enthusiasm, your energy, and
your commitment? Is it a lively read?