Learn what are the common mistakes to avoid when applying for grants for your nonprofit organization and how to write a winning grant proposal.

As a grant seeker, your highest priority is to articulate - with absolute clarity - the strategic alignment between your proposal and the funder's mandate.

The number one thing is to talk to your customer, learn their pain points, understand their perspective. If you can't put yourself in their shows and envision them using your products/services, then you need to do more research.

Last updated on Aug 28, 2024

What are the common mistakes to avoid when applying for grants?

Applying for grants can be a challenging and competitive process, especially for nonprofit organizations that rely on external funding to support their missions. However, many grant seekers make common mistakes that can reduce their chances of success or waste their time and resources. In this article, you will learn what these mistakes are and how to avoid them when writing your grant proposals.

1 Lack of research

One of the most common mistakes to avoid when applying for grants is not doing enough research on the potential funders, their priorities, and their requirements. You should not apply for grants that are not aligned with your organization's goals, values, and needs, or that have unrealistic or incompatible expectations. You should also research the funder's history, preferences, and feedback to tailor your proposal to their specific interests and criteria. Doing your homework will help you identify the best opportunities for your organization and increase your chances of getting funded.

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Michael Barnby, MPA

Program Development Manager at Manitoba Possible
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As a grant seeker, your highest priority is to articulate - with absolute clarity - the strategic alignment between your proposal and the funder's mandate.

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John Ferry

GCH | I’m not sorry for my opinions, I earned them.
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The number one thing is to talk to your customer, learn their pain points, understand their perspective. If you can't put yourself in their shows and envision them using your products/services, then you need to do more research.

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Gabriel Tan, Assoc CIPD

Human Capital Leadership | PMP®| DACE | ACTA | CEI-KAH | GCP | Catholic | Son | Father | Husband
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First, neglecting to thoroughly read and understand the grant guidelines can lead to disqualified applications. Ensure all eligibility criteria are met before proceeding. Second, failing to provide a clear, detailed budget can raise red flags; always include specific costs that connect to your project objectives. Additionally, avoid vague language; use concrete data and measurable outcomes to strengthen your proposal. Ignoring deadlines is another critical error; keep track of submission dates and allow time for revisions. Finally, ensure proper proofreading to eliminate typos and grammatical errors, which can undermine your credibility.

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2 Poor planning

Another common mistake to avoid when applying for grants is not planning ahead and preparing your proposal well in advance. You should not wait until the last minute to start writing your proposal, or rush through the process without reviewing and editing your work. You should also not submit your proposal without following the funder's guidelines, formatting, and deadlines. Poor planning can result in errors, omissions, inconsistencies, and missed opportunities that can undermine your credibility and professionalism. You should plan your proposal carefully, allocate enough time and resources, and adhere to the funder's instructions.

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3 Weak narrative

A third common mistake to avoid when applying for grants is not telling a compelling and clear story about your organization, your project, and your impact. You should not write a generic or vague proposal that does not capture the attention and interest of the funder, or that does not demonstrate your value and relevance. You should also not write a long or complex proposal that confuses or overwhelms the reader, or that does not answer the key questions of why, what, how, who, and when. You should write a strong narrative that showcases your organization's mission, vision, and achievements, your project's goals, objectives, and activities, and your impact's outcomes, indicators, and evidence.

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Uniqueka Walcott, CPSM

Billion Dollar Bid Writer + Lead Communications Strategist “Shaping corporate narratives and market positioning via data-driven marketing and digital communication strategies.”
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Inviting people at your organization to tell writers your story as if they are excitedly speaking to a trusted colleague or friend helps create the blueprint for stronger narrative content. If they take the casual friend approach to storytelling - pause and review the content. Polish the content to fit your audience. This is a solid first step in preparing a stronger narrative. Always keep in mind what you want the audience to know, feel, and do as a result of reading your narrative.

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4 Unrealistic budget

A fourth common mistake to avoid when applying for grants is not presenting a realistic and reasonable budget that matches your project's scope and scale. You should not request too much or too little funding that does not correspond to your project's needs and costs, or that does not justify your expenses and income. You should also not include items or categories that are not allowed or supported by the funder, or that are not explained or documented. You should present a realistic budget that reflects your project's resources and constraints, that aligns with your project's narrative and logic, and that follows the funder's format and rules.

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Sarah Henshaw

Founder, Leaves of Change VT, Community Leader building resilience
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I agree and would add that a proposal budget is as much of a story as the written proposal. The budget story should align with the written narrative. Having a written narrative and budget final review to check for this alignment is a key step to a compelling proposal.

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5 Lack of follow-up

A fifth common mistake to avoid when applying for grants is not following up with the funder after submitting your proposal, or after receiving their decision. You should not assume that your proposal has been received or reviewed, or that you have no further communication or relationship with the funder. You should also not ignore or neglect the funder's feedback, requests, or expectations, or fail to acknowledge or thank them for their support or rejection. You should follow up with the funder to confirm your submission, to inquire about the status or outcome of your proposal, to respond to their queries or concerns, and to express your appreciation and interest.

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6 No evaluation

A sixth common mistake to avoid when applying for grants is not conducting or reporting on the evaluation of your project's impact and effectiveness. You should not implement your project without measuring or monitoring its progress, results, and challenges, or without collecting or analyzing data and evidence. You should also not complete your project without reporting or sharing your findings, learnings, and recommendations, or without demonstrating your accountability and transparency. You should conduct and report on the evaluation of your project to assess and improve your performance, to document and communicate your impact, and to sustain and expand your funding.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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George Kenefic

Director of Enterprise Empowerment at The Loan Fund
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What is undeniably non-negotiable in this endeavor is that you must deliver, do what you said you were going to do and show the funders how you did it. To pull that off you have to lay the groundwork for execution right along with crafting the value proposition.

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What are the common mistakes to avoid when applying for grants?

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1 Lack of research

2 Poor planning

3 Weak narrative

4 Unrealistic budget

5 Lack of follow-up

6 No evaluation

7 Here’s what else to consider

Proposal Writing

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