6 Sure-Fire Ways To Get Your Grant Application Rejected Without a Second Thought

1. Ron Flavin

2. SURE
FIRE WAYS
TO KILL YOUR
GRANT
PROPOSAL
If you’ve ever wondered about the best way to receive grant funding
for your next idea or venture, I’ve got some good and bad news. The
bad news is that there are plenty of things you can do to bury your
proposal in the stack labeled, “rejected.” The good news is that each
one of those errors and mistakes is completely avoidable.
Although every grant opportunity is different, I compiled this list of
what I believe to be the 6 most common routes that grant proposals
take to the wastebasket. The list is the product of my decades long
career both reviewing grant proposals on behalf of governments
and private organizations, as well as helping people craft their own.
These tips are easy and actionable, so read up and start writing
better grants right now.
Like most things on YouTube that are actually informative and
worthwhile, this video is long and doesn’t have many views. It does
have some quality insights however and if you’ve got the time,
watch even a few minutes of it.
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3. NOT FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS
Every grant proposal that you will ever work on will come with a set of very
specific directions. Often, these directions include simple things like how to
format your proposal, or which data points need to be included.
Failing to follow these directions precisely demonstrates a lack of attention to
detail and presents you as uninterested and uncommitted. Just think of it this
way, would you ever give money to someone that didn’t know how to fill out a
form properly? Probably not, so follow the directions and answer every question
on your application to the best of your ability and knowledge.
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This reviewer is going
to read thousands of
applications. Don’t let her
skip over yours because
you forgot to dot your I’s
and cross your T’s.

4. WORKING FROM A TEMPLATE
It can be tempting, especially if you plan to apply for multiple grants, to simply
write one stellar proposal and then make tweaks to that template as you rack
up applications. In the interest of brevity, I’ll put it this way: this is a BAD IDEA.
Reviewers are trained to look for templates and when they realize they’re
reading one, you can kiss any chance of getting funded goodbye. Take the time
to craft a unique, compelling proposal for each grant you’re interested in. It will
show that you respect the process and are committed to doing great work. And
really, that’s exactly what you’re trying to demonstrate.
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Your template might
as well be blank if
you’re going to use
one to submit your
grant proposal.

5. THINKING ONLY IN THE SHORT TERM
Ever hear that giving a man a fish feeds him for a day, but teaching him to fish
feeds him for life? Well, the lessons of that famous proverb run parallel to the
very idea of grant funding; organizations want the money they give you to
teach you how to feed yourself forever, not just to buy you a meal for the day.
Show the reviewers of your proposal that the money you want will go toward
building an operation that is sustainable in the long term. Demonstrate, at every
opportunity possible, that your business is sustainable, ready to make an impact
tomorrow and for many years to come.
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Show that your business
can keep getting better
over time and you’ll have
a much better chance of
getting funded.

6. ASSUMING THAT
READERS ARE EXPERTS
When you apply for grants, it’s most likely that the person reviewing your work
has no idea who you are, where you come from, or what kind of problem your
organization is trying to address. That’s fine, in fact it’s great. Think of this as an
opportunity to educate them and show them exactly why you deserve funding.
Don’t assume that they know what you’re talking about and don’t depend on
them to make any logical connections or leaps of imagination. Spell everything
out, as simply as possible, and ensure that all your reader has to do is read your
proposal to find out everything they would ever want to know.
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Try to think of your
proposal as a tool for
teaching students that
want to learn. Your
reviewer will want to know
everything about your
business model, so lay it
out as clearly as possible.

7. HAVING EYES THAT ARE
BIGGER THAN YOUR APPETITE
Plenty of people apply for grants and get starry eyed when they see the total
amount of funds available. They start imaging what they could do with all that
money, and believe me, they come up with some pretty wild ideas.
Don’t include any expenses and purchases just to make full use of the awarded
funds. Only include the items that are truly necessary for achieving success. A
reviewer will recognize your bloated budget immediately and they won’t like it.
Show them instead that you’re committed to completing your mission with only
the money you actually need. If you do, you’ll give yourself the look of a shrewd,
thoughtful businessman. Who doesn’t want to give money to one of those?
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Make sure your
budget is reasonable.
Only include things
you really need.

8. NOT HIRING A
PROFESSIONAL TO HELP
People are often shocked to find out that professionals like myself actually
make a living providing guidance and expert know-how to people seeking grant
funding. But like anything else, practice makes perfect and I’ve been at this a
long time.
When you work with a professional grant consultant, you not only get insights
into how the funding process works, but also actionable advice and tips for
making your proposals better. I’m all for people learning and trying new things
but when it comes to the fate of your amazing idea or business, it’s best to let
someone with years of experience put all of it to work for you.
Your Funding Is out There, Just Waiting
Finally, I want to impress upon everyone that reads my blog that it is very
possible to get funded through a grant opportunity. Organizations are actively
trying to give this money away, but it’s on you to get the ball rolling. So look
around, see what’s out there, and start applying for grants as soon as possible.
Think I’ve left out something here? I encourage you to reach out via any
one of my social media outlets, or leave a comment right here on my blog.
Finding out the best strategy to get funded is an on going, never ending
collaborative process. I’d love to hear what you have to say and the sooner
we all strike up a dialogue, the better each one of us get at writing amazing
grant proposals.
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