Grant Writing Resources

Building a Proposal: Tips and Resources

Do Your Research

Start by researching prospective foundations and/or Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to identify opportunities. The Foundation Relations Office has an ongoing calendar of funding opportunities that is currently under construction. Please contact us at [email protected] for more information about RFPs that are relevant to your work.

Do a deep-dive into the mission and priorities of each prospective foundation. Make sure your project clearly aligns with the goals and activities of the foundation.

Notify the foundation of your interest before applying, if possible. See more on our tips for identifying and cultivating funders here.

Look for information on any required proposal elements or forms. They usually include:

  • Executive Summary
  • Statement of Need
  • Objectives
  • Intended Outcomes
  • Evaluation
  • Impact
  • Budget

 

Tell the Story

Think about how to tell the story of your work through data and anecdotes. Make a strong statement on the need for your project and illustrate that need with data.

Look at the language the foundation uses to describe their priorities and mirror that language back to in the proposal. Using some of the same words to describe your project and its impact will signal to the foundation that your work is aligned with theirs.

Consider other organizations who are doing the same work. What makes your project different? How are you filling the gaps in the market?

Avoid the use of jargon or hyperbole. Focus on clear, concise writing throughout. Remember your reader is busy, thrifty, and skeptical.

Consider the foundation’s stake in your project. Foundations are trying to solve an urgent problem; illustrate to them the urgency of the problem, and tell them how you will help solve it.

 

Consider Your Audience

Consider the audience: for example, will this proposal be reviewed by a lay board with an interest in the arts, or a Scientific Advisory Board with a strong background in biomedical research? Is it appropriate to use technical scientific language and/or industry-specific terminology, or, does the foundation prefer more accessible content that focuses on impact? Much of this can be gleaned by carefully reading a foundation’s website, taking note of how they describe the evaluation process, and any mention of who will be reviewing the proposals. Always tailor the writing accordingly. If it is unclear who the appropriate audience is or you would like assistance adapting your narrative, please contact the team at [email protected].

 

Get Input

Ask a colleague to review your proposal. Objective reviews are a useful way to ensure your proposal is coherent.

Consider how it all hangs together: are the needs tied to the objectives? Are the objectives tied to the outcomes? Are the outcomes tied to the evaluation? Is the evaluation tied to the impact?
 

Indentified Needs graphic image

 

Follow the Directions

Be sure to read the instructions carefully and adhere to guidelines on page limits, font size, margins, and any attachments required by the foundation, such as those listed below.  Pay attention to what kind of format they prefer for documents, and how you should send them.

 

Ask for Feedback

Always request feedback if you have the opportunity, even if your proposal is rejected. This is valuable information to help inform further strategy with the foundation or ways to improve a proposal for another submission.

 

Submitting the Proposal

Some funding is classified by the University as “sponsored programs” and proposals requesting this type of support should be submitted by or in partnership with the Office of Sponsored Programs.

What is the Office of Sponsored Programs?

UVA’s Office of Sponsored Programs is an institutional resource for faculty seeking outside funding. The office manages grants and contracts, oversees the submission of proposals, negotiates awards, and ensures responsible stewardship according to numerous regulations.

How do I know if my funding will be classified as sponsored program support?

The distinction between a grant and a sponsored program is largely determined by the agreement signed by the University and the funder. This is guided by University policy FIN-001.

This can make it difficult to determine how to proceed at the proposal stage. One option is to request a sample agreement from the funder in advance of your submission. If this isn’t feasible, another option is to consider the proposal requirements. If the proposal requires a detailed budget, it should probably be submitted through the Office of Sponsored Programs.

If you’re still not sure, please contact the Corporate and Foundation Relations Team at [email protected].

How do I submit through the Office of Sponsored Programs?

This differs from school to school. Here is a list of the best contacts to help you in each school. The more notice you can give these teams, the more help they can give you.

Even if you will ultimately submit through OSP, the Foundation Relations team can help you prepare your proposal package.

What happens if I am wrong about how my proposal should be submitted?

Even with careful planning, sometimes you don’t know that funding needs to go through OSP until you get an agreement from the funder. If this has happened to you, contact the foundation relations team and your school’s OSP representative and we can help you get the funds processed correctly. Please do this before any agreement gets signed.  

 

Resources

 

Institutional Info and Attachments

The documents below are often requested by foundations; UVA's are available here:

  • Audited Financial Statement
  • IRS Tax Exemption/Determination Letter of 501(c)(3) status
  • W9
  • List of Board members
  • Most recent tax form 990T

If you do not find what you need at our Institutional Information and Attachments page, feel free to contact us via [email protected] for assistance.