Brittany Said:

Can I write a grant proposal if I am affiliated with a university but I do not receive a salary?

We Answered:

I suggest you to go to this website: http://www.grant4free.com

They have a lot of information. Check the right category and you may find what you are looking for. Good luck!!

Stacey Said:

does anyone know how to write a grant proposal?

We Answered:

go to the US Small business administrations website.

Also, check with your state's Dept of Commerce. They have grant programs and incubator loans for small start ups and the like. Without knowing what state you are in, I cannot get any more detailed than that..

Willie Said:

Who knows how to write grant proposal's.?

We Answered:

The first thing you need to do is gather information about your proposed plan. What are you going to do? How much is it going to cost? What are the benefits? How long is it going to take?

Once you done that you can start on writing your proposal. Typically a proposal is in five major parts

Executive summary, Statement of need, Project Description, Budget, and Conclusion.
You can add sections if you chose like an organization information section etc.

The Executive summary is just the basic information and what you plan to do. It's a quick reference to what is in your proposal and should be no more than a page.

The statement of need is why do you feel the need for this project. Why are you doing this. You need to site sources and provide support for your argument. It can be as long as you want but four pages is ideal with footnotes at the bottom.

The project description is the why you will carry out your proposal. How are you or your organization are going to accomplish your goals. What will be your methodology? How will you keep track of what goals you accomplished and the ones you didn't.

The budget is just the list of expenditures that you will require to complete your project. You can explain why each is necessary if you choose to do so.

Finally, the conclusion is the summary of your proposal. It should summarize the benefits of your proposal and away to contact you.

The link below goes into much more detail and can help you out some more.

Lois Said:

How do you write a grant proposal??

We Answered:

It is hard to find grants to start a business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for starting a for-profit business.

One possible exception is for companies developing or exporting agricultural goods, including food and forest product. Another exception could be the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/… , which fund the research and development of technological innovation that meets specific government needs.

Your best bet actually will be from the states if they offer grant programs for women (or any other special interest groups -- minorities, women, disabled, veterans, etc). Or check with non profit organizations, particularly women organizations if they offer grants. Examples include

Iowa Women's Foundation http://www.iawf.org/
New Mexico Women's Foundation http://www.nmwf.org/guidelines.html

Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/mostrequesteditems/CO…

"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."

Nonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.

Here is a listing of federal grants for small businesses. See if there is any available for individuals for starting a business -- THERE'S NONE.
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALO…

Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program

Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs

Gina Said:

Does anyone know how to write a grant proposal for a non-profit orginazation?

We Answered:

A grant is essentially a proposal. It says: This is who we are, this is how we run, this is what we do, this is our track-record, this is our need.

The most important thing to do is find out the funder is looking for and follow their guidelines example. For example, some foundations want 12 pt fonts, or 1 inch margins or they only want a 2 page proposal while others want you to fill out an online application. Some want audited financials, be sure to include everything they ask for. If you are small and lack something, ask if its okay to not send something. Don't assume. Learn what each funder WANTS and give it to them, following their directions carefully. Never submit a grant that does not follow their guidelines or does not fit what they fund (for example if a foudnation only gives to AIDS charities, dont send them a grant application if you are a cancer organization).

Also keep in mind that simply writing grants wont guarantee anything. You have to have a strong board, a great program, a great track-record of results, good accounting/financial accountability, and connections to have a real shot.

Do your homework and NETWORK. See if the Association of Fundraising Professionals has a local chapter near you where you can meet other grant writers. There is definately lingo and knowing it will help.

The unfortunate reality is that sending a poorly planned application, exagerating, etc. can ruin an organizations reputation ensuring they NEVER get a grant. And funders talk to each other. So, please, be sure you know what you are doing before you send proposals out so you have the best chance.