Communications > Grant Writing > Strategy
Grant Writing
We’ve all heard the news for many years. Raising funds is tough. The economic troubles of recent years have hit organizations especially hard. Competition for grants is fierce.
Despite all of this, I don’t know many groups focused on social issues that are afraid to meet challenges. Providing services to youth, preventing violence, developing low-income housing – the Chicago region is full of organizations that know all about tackling the toughest issues of the day.
My job is to determine what’s working, how to tell a group’s story – and how to tailor it for a specific grant that includes a strong narrative about a group’s history, compelling and organized information about a program that needs funding, strong outcomes, and more.
I have experience researching and writing successful grants for foundations as well as federal grants. For groups looking for new funders, I produce research reports that can provide them with a wide range of prospects – and establish a grants calendar for the coming months and year.
Key Steps:
- Learn about your funding needs and history
- Review grant materials
- Establish an outline for each grant project (or grant research project)
- Write grant proposal
- Revise