In life we learn from past mistakes and successes. It’s no different in grant development. If your organization has requested grant funding in the past, find those old proposals and glean any information that is still relevant that you can use. No need to reinvent the wheel: instead of starting off on a new track each time you develop a proposal, why not reuse and recycle? Even if a proposal was not funded, there is good information to be found.
When recycling, make sure you update statistics, organizational accomplishments, and program descriptions each time. AND remember to make changes necessary to respond to the funding guidelines, and ‘speak’ the funders’ language.
Although we encourage recycling, DO NOT send the same proposal to several foundations without customizing it to the specific funder. Each funder publishes its own unique guidelines that you must follow, otherwise your grant application could end up in the RECYCLE BIN!
It’s also useful to find out who has funded your organization in the past. There could be several reasons why your organization is no longer receiving funding from a foundation, and it may be that you can re-establish the relationship with them. Make a contact and find out if your program is still aligned with their funding priorities—it’s worth a try!
When recycling, make sure you update statistics, organizational accomplishments, and program descriptions each time. AND remember to make changes necessary to respond to the funding guidelines, and ‘speak’ the funders’ language.
Although we encourage recycling, DO NOT send the same proposal to several foundations without customizing it to the specific funder. Each funder publishes its own unique guidelines that you must follow, otherwise your grant application could end up in the RECYCLE BIN!
It’s also useful to find out who has funded your organization in the past. There could be several reasons why your organization is no longer receiving funding from a foundation, and it may be that you can re-establish the relationship with them. Make a contact and find out if your program is still aligned with their funding priorities—it’s worth a try!
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