Duane Udstuen's Grantwriting Tips

Duane Udstuen is an experienced grant evaluator having served on a number of grant review panels. In the two videos below he shares an evaluator’s perspective on how to write a grant to increase the likelihood of receiving funding.

 

Five Tips for Foundation Grant Writing:

• Have a clear idea and an outline of a proposal before searching for funding. Be specific.
• Find out exactly how much the project will cost before you search for funding.
• Know who will benefit ­ special needs, ethnicity, geographic area, etc.
• Apply to more than one foundation.
• Focus on client (student or teacher) benefits, not benefits for your organization.

Over half of Minnesota¹s foundations use a common grant proposal template, consisting of:

1. Letter of inquiry - general overview - 1 page
   Who we are;
   Geographic location;
   What the Requested Amount of the Grant is;
   What the money is for;
   Who would benefit.
2. Body of grant proposal - usually 5 pages maximum
   Background of organization;
   Budget;
   Objectives of grant proposal;
   Timeline for proposal.

Timing:

For foundation funding, there is a lag between when the grant proposal is due and when the money is awarded - maybe as much as 6-8 months. Early planning is essential.

Corporations have a quick turn-around time. They do not have boards and deadlines as formal as those at the foundations.