Writing Grant Proposals That Get Funded

Somewhere right now, a grant reviewer is reading an application from an organization doing transformative work in their community—and they're about to reject it. Not because the mission isn't worthy. Not because the program won't help people. But because the proposal doesn't speak the language funders need to hear. This guide teaches you that language.

You're the executive director of a small nonprofit who just realized that individual donations won't sustain next year's programming. Or you're a board member who raised your hand when someone asked, "Does anyone want to try writing grants?" Or you're a program manager who's been told that your new initiative depends on securing foundation funding—funding you've never sought before.

You don't have $5,000 to hire a grant writer. You don't have a development department. You have passion for your mission, a program that works, and a deadline.

This guide is for you.

By the time you finish reading, you'll know how to find grants that actually match your organization—not the thousands that don't. You'll understand what funders are really asking when they request a "logic model" or an "evaluation plan." You'll write needs statements that combine hard data with human stories in the proportions that work. You'll build budgets that funders trust instead of question.