How Long Should my Grant Proposal be?

I have heard this question asked at grantwriting sessions several times. Of course the short, correct answer is, “A grant application must be as long as necessary to tell your story in a concise and effective way.” What that answer leaves out is the knowledge that grantmakers don’t have unlimited time. Don’t make them deal with unnecessarily long and sometimes tiresome descriptive stories. Here are some thoughts to help you tell your grant story more effectively.

Why not set some proposal length word goals? Since most of us prepare grant applications in word programs, use the word count function and establish a goal for each part of the application. For example, background of the organization=300 words, need for project=250 words, etc. Then write that part of the application without regard to your goal, but use the goal to go back and pare out the unnecessary words. You’ll be surprised at how concise you can be and still tell an effective story.

Write in compact sentences using simple words without redundancies. Answer the six basic questions – who, what, where, when, how and why? Don’t try to fit your word goals on the first try. Plan to revise your draft a minimum of three times. Have someone else, a co-worker or friend read your draft and suggest cuts. A reporter is used to getting to the point in clear, concise sentences and might make some valuable suggestions as well.

Make your grant application sparkle! Make your point with short firm sentences. Even fragmented sentences can get the point across. Try starting and ending a sentence on a single line. Always use abbreviations wisely. Spell out acronyms on the first reference, i.e., Peace Works Coalition (PWC). Write in active voice. Past tense weakens your case for support. Say “we can” rather than “we would like to…” Say it once! Look for repeats as you reread your application. It is so easy to say it over for emphasis.

Let me relate a quick story from my experience. At a grantwriting conference with a board member of a major foundation the question I began with was asked. The board member was taken aback and said, “What do you mean?” the questioner replied, “Well how thick should it be, a half inch or a quarter inch, or what?” “You must be with a university,” the board member said. The answer drew hearty laughter from the group. To emphasize my main point, the length of a grant is not critical. If you must choose between clarity and brevity, clarity always wins.

Howard Barlow, NRS, Fargo