Grant proposal template
A grant proposal tells a funder what problem you will address, how you will do it, what it will cost and how you will know it worked. Most funders ask for the same core sections in roughly this order. Use the template below as a starting draft. Where a funder publishes its own format or page limits, follow theirs.
Free to copy and adapt. Square brackets mark what you replace. Nothing here is tied to a particular funder. Read each funder's guidelines for required headings, page limits and attachments before you paste a finished draft into their application form.
The template
Summary
One paragraph a busy reviewer can read first. Write it last, once every other section is settled and you know exactly what the project will cost and deliver.
[Organization name] requests $[amount] over [period] to [what the project does] for [who benefits] in [where]. The need: [the problem in one sentence, with one figure]. Over [period], the project will [main activities] and aims to [the main measurable result]. Our track record: [relevant results in one line].
Statement of need
Show the problem with evidence from your own community. Reviewers trust a local figure from a named source far more than a national statistic that could describe anywhere.
In [place], [the problem, stated plainly]. According to [source and year], [figure]. Those most affected are [who, and how it affects them]. Current services [what exists today] and leave [the gap this project fills]. Without action, [what continues to happen].
Goals and objectives
One broad goal, then objectives that are specific, measurable and dated. Each objective should name a number your evaluation plan can actually count by the date you give it.
Goal: [the change you want to see].
Objective 1: By [date], [number] [participants or outputs] will [measurable result], measured by [method].
Objective 2: By [date], [number] will [measurable result], measured by [method].
Project description and methods
Explain what you will do, who will do it and when. Reviewers check that every activity traces back to an objective and that the schedule is realistic for the staff you name.
To meet Objective 1, [organization] will [activity], led by [role]. Participants are reached through [outreach or selection method]. Activities run from [start] to [end] on this schedule: [key milestones by month or quarter]. Our partner [partner name] will [their role], as confirmed in the attached letter of commitment.
Evaluation
Say what you will measure, how and who reports it. Reviewers look for data you can collect with the staff and records you already have.
[Organization] will track [indicators] using [tools or records]. [Role] will collect data [how often] and report progress to [funder] [when]. Success means [target for each objective]. Findings will be used to [how results feed back into the program].
Organizational capacity
Prove you can deliver. Name the people and the past results that matter for this specific project instead of listing every program your organization has ever run.
Founded in [year], [organization] serves [who] through [programs]. In [recent year] we [relevant result with a figure]. Our project lead, [name and title], brings [years and relevant experience]. Financial oversight: [most recent audit or accounting system].
Budget and budget narrative
List every cost. Reviewers check that the narrative matches the budget table to the dollar and that every figure shows how it was calculated.
Personnel: [role], $[annual salary] × [percent of time] × [months] = $[amount]. Their role: [what this person does on the project].
Fringe: [rate]% of personnel = $[amount].
Supplies: [item], [quantity] × $[unit cost] = $[amount].
Total request: $[amount]. Other sources: [other funding and in-kind support].
Sustainability
Explain how the work continues after this grant ends. Vague answers read as risk.
After the grant period, [organization] will sustain [which parts of the project] through [specific sources, such as other grants, earned revenue or a partner budget]. Commitments already in place: [list them].
Skip the blank page
Quillify drafts a full-length proposal from your own documents. A compliance checklist shows where the draft addresses each requirement in the announcement. The evaluator then scores the draft the way a reviewer would before you submit.
Questions people ask
What are the main parts of a grant proposal?
Most include a summary, a statement of need, goals and objectives, a project description, an evaluation plan, organizational capacity, a budget with a budget narrative and a sustainability plan. Funders often add required attachments of their own, such as audited financials, board lists, letters of support and proof of tax-exempt status.
How long should a grant proposal be?
As long as the funder allows and no longer. Foundations vary widely. Check the guidelines first. Federal announcements usually set page limits for each section. An application that goes over can be returned without review.
Should I use the funder's format or a template?
Always the funder's. Draft your content in a template like this one and then move it into whatever headings, order and length limits the funder sets out in its guidelines or announcement.
Related guides: How to write a budget narrative. The mistakes that repeat in grant proposals. Why proposals get rejected, and what to do next. Reusing a proposal, properly. All free templates.
Let Quillify write the first draft.
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