Grant Proposal Skill
Produces structured grant proposals tailored to the funder priorities — the most common reason grants fail is writing about what you want to do rather than what the funder wants to fund.
Required Inputs
- Funder name and grant programme
- Grant amount sought
- Project description (rough notes are fine)
- Your organisation (type, track record, capacity)
- Funder stated priorities (copy from their guidance — essential)
- Word or page limits
- Deadline
Output Structure
Project Title
[Informative and memorable. Should convey the problem being solved and the approach.]
1. Project Summary / Abstract (200-300 words — written last, placed first)
[What you will do, why it matters, who will benefit, measurable outcomes. Every sentence earns its place.]
2. Problem Statement / Need
- The problem: [Specific, evidenced — use data]
- Who is affected: [Population, scale, geography]
- Current situation: [What exists and why it is insufficient]
- Consequence of inaction: [What happens if not funded]
- Why your organisation: [Track record, relationships, expertise]
Funder test: does this problem align with [funder] stated priorities? Make the connection explicit.
3. Project Objectives
3-5 SMART objectives:
- Objective 1: [Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound]
4. Methodology / Approach
Phase 1: [Name] (Months 1-X) [What will happen, who will do it, what is produced]
Key activities:
- [Activity — specific]
What makes this approach innovative or effective: [Why this over alternatives]
5. Impact and Outcomes
| Level | Description | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Output | [Tangible deliverable] | [How counted] |
| Short-term outcome | [Immediate change] | [How measured] |
| Medium-term outcome | [Behaviour change] | [How measured] |
| Long-term impact | [Systemic change] | [How evidenced] |
Direct beneficiaries: [Who and how many] Sustainability: [How work continues beyond grant period]
6. Evaluation Plan
- Who evaluates, how, when, what is measured, how findings are shared
7. Budget Narrative
| Budget line | Amount | Justification |
|---|---|---|
| Staff costs | £[amount] | [Role, % FTE, duration, salary] |
| Travel | £[amount] | [Specific journeys named] |
| Equipment | £[amount] | [Itemised] |
| Indirect costs | £[amount] | [[X]% of direct — check policy] |
| Total | £[total] |
Value for money: [Cost per beneficiary. What could not be done without this grant]
8. Organisational Capacity
[Track record of similar projects, governance, financial management. Name previous grants and outputs — be specific]
9. Risk Register
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Risk] | H/M/L | H/M/L | [Specific mitigation] |
Quality Checks
- Every section explicitly references funder stated priorities (not just generic language)
- Problem statement includes specific data, not just assertions
- Objectives are SMART (measurable and time-bound)
- Budget narrative justifies every line with specific detail
- Sustainability section explains what happens after the grant ends
- Word limits respected
Anti-Patterns
- Do not write a generic proposal — every section must be tailored to the specific funder's stated priorities
- Do not exceed the specified word or page limits — over-length proposals are disqualified at many funders
- Do not leave the sustainability section vague — funders need to know what happens after grant funding ends
- Do not use jargon the funder's reviewers won't understand — write for the panel, not the project team
- Do not underspecify the budget narrative — every significant line item must be justified with method and reasoning
Example Trigger Phrases
- "Write a grant proposal for [project] applying to [funder]"
- "Help me write a funding application for [grant programme]"
- "Turn these project notes into a grant proposal: [paste]"
