Filling out Grant Applications
One of the best ways for nonprofit organizations to acquire the capital funding necessary to operate their programs is to solicit for nonprofit grants. Nonprofit grants usually are given to organizations from the local, state or federal government agencies or private organizations, and depend on the proper methiod of filling out grant applications. Many nonprofit organizations are great at fundraising and soliciting for donations but for whatever reason they have not ventured into sourcing funding from nonprofit grants. When soliciting for a nonprofit grant from either a government agency or private organization, you will need to create a grant proposal, Filling out Grant Applications. The grant proposal will introduce your organization to the positional funding source, give them a clear understanding of your organization’s purpose and give a decryption of your organization’s planned programs and specific objectives. It will also provide a clear description of your organization’s purposed budget, your specific qualifications, and a conclusion wrapping up all of the information. Below you will see an outline of a nonprofit grant proposal.
Cover Letter (one page)
- Provide a clear, concise overview of the organization, purpose and reason for and amount of the funding request while fillint out the grant applications.
A Full Proposal includes the following proposal sections: Executive Summary, Introduction (Organizational Background), Problem Statement (Need Statement), Objectives, Methodology,
Evaluation, Sustainability, Budget and an Appendix.
Executive Summary (1-2 Pages)
- This summary is the most important component of your nonprofit grant proposal. Summarize all of the key information, when filling out grant applications, and convince the grantmaker to consider your proposal for funding.
Problem Statement (3-4 Pages)
(Needs Assessment)
- Statistically document the specific situation, opportunity, problem, issue, and/or need, existing in the community your proposal addresses.
Program Goals and Objectives (1 – 2 pages)
- Describe the outcome of the grant in measurable terms; including the proposed project outcome and accomplishments when filling out grant applications.
Methodology (4 + Pages)
- Describe the process to be used to achieve the outcome and accomplishments.
Evaluation (1 – 2 Pages)
- Explain how you will measure the effectiveness of your activities when filling out grant applications.
Sustainability (1-2 Pages)
- Determine the long term financing of the program, after the initial funding period has concluded.
Budget
- When filling out grant applications, clearly describe costs to be met by the funder and all other funding sources; outline both administrative and program costs.
Appendix
- IRS501(c)(3) letter of tax exemption determination
- Your organization’s most recent annual report
- A list of your Board of Directors and Trustees, their board titles, their contact information, qualifications, and affiliations
- Your organization’s most recent financial audit (if unavailable, please submit the last two years of financial statements or your most recent Form 990)
- A list of foundation, corporate, and major individual support (including givers name, address, amount donated, and date donated) with the amount that was given for the last fiscal year.
- A list of foundation, corporate, and major individual donations (including givers name, address, amount donated, and date donated) for the current fiscal year.
- A Personnel Chart which shows the employee, their staff position, their work duties, their qualifications, their hours per week, and their yearly salary.
- Program or organization brochure
- Letters of support and/or recommendation from influential members of the community.
- Project Timeline
For specific projects, include separate budgets for the general operating and the special project. Show income and expenses in columnar form (according to general accounting/bookkeeping principles).
Hopefully this article will allow your organization to add a new funding source to the fundraising, donations, and soliciting that you are currently undertaking. When filling out grant applications be sure that your grant proposal clearly introduces your organization to the positional funding source, gives them a clear understanding of your organization’s purpose, and provides a description of your organization’s planned programs and specific objectives. It should also provide a clear description of your organization’s proposed budget, your specific qualifications, and a conclusion wraps up all of the information.
There is an easier way, Grant funding operations coordination by CharityNetUSA. There are costs associated with this, but probably much less than the cost of the time involved with you and your staff generating and preparing, filling out grant applications and the complicated package required by the grant provider. And that is only one grant proposal, what if you could work with an organization that has prepared hundreds if not thousands of non-profit grant proposals for similar organizations? The savings in associated costs of filling out grant applications due to the experience of such an organization as CherityNetUSA.com and time it may save your organization could be substantial. The additional contacts for similar grant filings could make it well worthwhile to discuss your particular non-profit grant needs with a representative at CharityNetUSA.com and could be the difference between securing the funding and spinning your wheels.
As with any award, Grants are never 100% assured by any applicant, but with the help of a long established company which deals primarily in the area of Non-profit Business complexities to help in filling out grant applications, your odds of securing a grant is naturally greatly increased. In today’s market any edge is important, and CharityNetUSA.com can be just the edge you need!
These are the keys to filling out grant applications, if you have questions we are here for you:
If you would like more information on filling out Grant Applications and the full range of services offered to the nonprofit community please contact CharityNetUSA by visiting www.CharityNetUSA.com or call 1.877.857.9002


