Tailoring Proposals to Donors

You can spend weeks writing a grant proposal—but if it doesn’t align with the funder’s priorities, the chances of it being approved are very slim! I see this mistake over and over again. 🚨 Organizations pour hours, even months into writing grant proposals, only to get rejected—not because their project wasn’t important, but because they never researched what the funder actually wanted to fund.  So, before you sit down to write your next grant, here’s what you need to know:  → Funders don’t fund what YOU need. They fund YOUR impact.They fund what aligns with THEIR mission. Many people approach grants thinking, "I need money for my project—who can give it to me?"  But successful grant seekers flip the script. They look for alignment first. ✅ Research past grantees. What kind of projects has this funder supported before? Do you fit into that pattern?  ✅ Read their funding priorities. If they say they fund education initiatives, do they mean general education, STEM programs, early childhood learning? Dig deeper. ✅ Mirror their language. If they emphasize “economic mobility,” don’t just say your program helps job seekers—show how it advances economic mobility. → Vague proposals don’t get funded. Specificity wins. I see a lot of proposals that say things like: We aim to reduce food insecurity in our community.  That sounds nice, but it’s not compelling. A funder is going to ask: How many people will you serve? What’s your timeline for achieving results? What metrics will you track? Instead, try something like: ✅ We will support 150 families by providing bi-weekly meal kits containing fresh, nutritious produce. Over the course of 12 months, we will track participants' progress through annual surveys to measure the impact of this program. We anticipate achieving a 20% reduction in food insecurity among participants, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in promoting health in the community. See the difference? The more specific you are, the easier it is for funders to see your impact. When you write a proposal, don’t just explain why you need the money. Show them the transformation their funding will create. 🛑 Instead of: We need $50,000 to expand our mentoring program. ✅ Try this: With $50,000, we will expand our mentoring program to serve 300 additional students, increasing graduation rates by 25% over the next two years. The more you frame your proposal around the funder’s impact, the better your chances of winning. Have you ever spent weeks on a proposal only to get rejected? What did you learn from the experience? Let’s talk in the comments.  #GrantWriting #NonprofitFunding #FundingOpportunities

After reviewing hundreds of grant proposals, I've noticed patterns in the ones that get rejected. The biggest red flags: • Generic proposals clearly not tailored to the funder • Vague outcomes with no measurement plan • Budgets that don't align with narrative • Sustainability plans that amount to "we'll find more grants" One organization revamped their approach to focus on funder-specific customization and clear measurement plans. Their grant success rate went from 20% to over 60%. Funders can tell the difference between a thoughtful partner and an organization just looking for money.

Your donor wants to know everything about you. But how much do you know about your donor? Odds are, probably not enough. As a donor, I’ve read grant proposals from organizations that clearly haven’t done their homework. Their mission doesn’t align with ours. The project doesn’t fit our funding opportunities. Sometimes, it’s not even close. And while I appreciate the hustle, I also know it’s not a good use of their time or mine. Nonprofits are often running lean, with small teams juggling a lot, and your time is incredibly valuable. Every hour spent writing a grant proposal is an investment, and one that should be made wisely. Submitting to a foundation that isn’t a fit isn’t only disappointing when it’s declined, it’s also a drain on limited resources that could have been used elsewhere. Be strategic. Your energy and time deserve to be put where they’ll have the greatest return. Before deciding to work with a foundation, ask yourself: 🔸 Does this foundation’s mission align with ours? 🔸Do they fund the kind of work we do? 🔸What types of grants do they typically offer? 🔸Can they support us in other ways, like through events, networking, or training? If possible, talk to a program or grants officer. Ask questions. Build a relationship. It can save you time, strengthen your proposal, and open doors you didn’t even know existed. Think of it like applying for a job. You wouldn't write a cover letter or go into an interview without first researching the company, would you? Don’t just hope for a “yes.” Do the homework that gets you there.

A donor usually gives £25,000. My client wanted to ask for double. I asked what they were presenting. They had no idea, "What project will you pitch?" Silence. "If it's unrestricted, how will you frame it?" More silence. "What motivates them to give?" Even more silence. If you can't answer these questions, you've jumped ahead. And that’s okay. Go back to the investigation stage. Become curious. Ask questions. Get more insight. What are their values? What does success look like to them? What change do they want to make in the world? When you know these answers, you're ready to write a proposal. Not before. Takeaway: Unsure what to present to a donor or what the next step looks like? You don't know them well enough yet.