Hi Hanisah,

There are many factors - but perhaps the most common considerations are:

- An established team - with good leadership from the Chief Investigator who has an established track record in successful grant capture.

- A multi-disciplinary team which spans a number of related disciplines. 

- A team that includes members who are specialists in or can multi-task i.e. project management, IT and technology, method and methodology experts - such as statisticians. 

- A good publication record across all the team.

- Adhering closely to the scope and guidelines of the awarding body.

- A carefully crafted and complete submission that is well structured and thought through  i.e. careful and accurate budgeting etc.

Perhaps the attached chapter, while nursing-focused will assist, as the principles are generic related to applying for grants.

...speak to the funders.

Thank you very much Prof Dean and Prof Alan! Really appreciate it.

Remember when preparing grant proposals:

1- The need. Clearly, describe the need your project will meet in the community.

2- Differentiation. Tell how your organization’s work is different from other nonprofits.

3- Make a difference. State how this grant will make a difference in the community.

Improve Your Foundation Grant Proposal:

1- Eliminate jargon.  Every industry has its own jargon—nonprofits are no different. Eliminate all internally used acronyms and jargon. Tell your story simply, from your heart.

2- Objective reviewer. After you finish writing a grant proposal, send it to a friend or colleague who doesn’t know anything about your nonprofit. If that person can understand it and become inspired, you will know its good.

3- Remember the 12/12/12 rule. Imagine yourself in the shoes of a program officer.  It’s midnight and she’s been working for 12 hours straight, reviewing grant proposals.  Yours is the twelfth one in the stack.  How are you going to get her attention?  How are you get her to fall in love with your organization’s mission?  The key lies in the story you tell. 

Avoid these Common Grant Writing Mistakes

1- Talking more about problems than solutions. A proposal is not a pamphlet that educates and mobilizes the public. Your proposal must show that you are familiar with the issue you're dealing with, but must, first and foremost, focus on what you are going to do about the problem or need.

2- Addressing specific problems with general solutions. A successful proposal provides a clear picture of what your organization will do to address the issue at hand. Don't just wax eloquent about the problem - provide specific details about the actions you will take to address the problem. Teitel says that a lack of concrete action might be because the writer is insufficiently aware of what's being done by her organization. Or, it could mean that the group needs to go back to their strategic planning before they try to raise funds.

3- Using buzzwords and jargon. Teitel says, "Some proposal writers confuse density with erudition." What one needs is simple prose that "tells a story or paints a picture." Avoid vague claims, trendy language, and obscure terms - they won't impress the funder and may actually cause him to dislike your proposal.

4- Budgets that don't make sense. Teitel says that, surprisingly, quite a number of proposals arrive with math errors that undermine the organization's credibility. He points out that, “...the budget should not only add up, it also has to support the logic of the proposal's narrative.”

5- Repeating exact phrases from the funder's guidelines. Just pasting phrases from the funder's guidelines into your proposal will not result in funding. All good proposals should fit the foundation's guidelines, but telling how and why they fit is what is important. Cutting and pasting just say that you've read the funder's website.

Here’s your cheat sheet when deciding whether to rally your resources to apply for grant monies:

1- Create a diversified fundraising plan, where grant-awarded money constitutes no more than 20% of your fundraising goals. This is true for any part of your fundraising plan—for example, you should be nervous if a single major donor represented much more than 20% of your revenue. √

2- Make sure you have the resources and time to research foundations and grant writing opportunities for your organization. Commit to this in advance. √

3- Find a qualified writer who has experience writing grants, or invests in grant writing training for an existing staff member. Otherwise, minor errors might leave you without a grant and be wasting precious time. √

4- Commit yourself to applying for a grant only if: You match all the foundation’s qualifications √

5- You’re willing to research and write tailored applications for each foundation √

6- You apply only for the kinds of funding you already identified you are pursuing in your fundraising plan. (e.g., Don’t decide to apply for capital funds if you really need unrestricted funding!) √

7- Understand most first-time grant applications are rejected. It’s rare to be accepted for a grant without an existing relationship with the foundation, and like all fundraising, no might mean “no for now.” Grant writing is for those willing to play the long game. √

These links may help you

http://www.contributionsmagazine.com/books/winninggrants.html

https://www.grantsedge.com/make-funders-smile/

https://racc.org/grants/tips-on-preparing-a-successful-grant-application/

https://ec.europa.eu/epale/en/blog/10-top-tips-applying-eu-funding

https://www.fundingcentre.com.au/help/writing-grant

https://www.insight.mrc.ac.uk/2015/10/05/12-top-tips-for-writing-a-grant-application/

https://beesmakehoneycc.com/2013/08/11/tips-applying-for-grants-for-the-arts-funding/

Thank you very much Sir Mohamed!

Dear Hanisah,

1. Talk to people within your institution who have already won funding from the organisation you are applying to.

2.Talk about your interdisciplinary proposal with your partner.

3.Ask people outside of academia to read your application. At the panel stage, your application won’t be reviewed by people who are experts in your specific area.

Best Wishes,

Thank you very much Dr. Aladeen!