If you are starting your own business, grant writing can be a powerful tool to help get things started. Most businesses require some capital to get started. Luckily, there are groups out there that want to assist you. Grant money is available from many different sources who want to help your cause or business. Many large corporations and government agencies set aside money every year specifically to be granted to the right people.

Plan Ahead

Think about the future of your business. If you are asking someone for a grant, they are going to want to invest their money wisely. They want to see that you have a plan for how your business, organization or cause is going to be successful. Figure out a budget for your venture so that you know how much you will need to effectively execute your plan.

Do Research

There are thousands of businesses, foundations, organizations and government programs that are available to assist you. It is your job to determine which grants you should apply for. Your local library system will have catalogs that list different sources for funding. These are the best grant writing tools available Check catalogs that deal with your specific venture in order to find out who qualifies and how to apply.

Summarize

Grant proposal writing starts with a summary. This is usually two or three short paragraphs that describe the basics of what you are proposing. This part of the grant proposal will give the first impression of the project. Chances are, the person reviewing it may make a decision based on this summary. It is often effective to write the summary last, so that you remember all of the key points to include.

Introduce Yourself

Introduce yourself, your company, organization or cause. Talk about the history of your organization, things you have accomplished in the past and why your grantor should be interested in this cause. This is the place where you should cite specific examples of past success so that you look credible.

The Problem

Now is when you explain why you are seeking a grant. Be very clear when explaining the problem and back it up with facts that explain how this specific grant could help solve the problem. The more specific you are, the better. Make the reader confident that you know exactly what the problem is and how to fix it with the appropriate resources.

Goals and Evaluation

Explain, very specifically, the goals and objectives of the proposed program to be funded. Tell the grantors exactly what you plan on doing with the money and how you would measure the outcomes of the project. You should have a clear process for evaluating the success of your plan.

The Future

For the grantor to feel like they are making a wise investment, they need to know your plans for sustaining the future of the project. Explain how you plan to get additional funding sources in the future. This is where you also cite other organizations and individuals who are also contributing to the project.

Budget

Eventually, you have to get down to the specific numbers. Prepare a very specific budget, showing the grantor exactly how each penny of the grant will be used. This will show that you have a solid plan and a clear way of executing it. If you are unsure how to create and format a budget, there is grant writing software that can help you.