Grant writing poses adifficult task even to skilled grant writers. Most proposals never get fairconsideration because of minor errors and silly mistakes. To help you puttogether badass grant proposals that will make funders write you a big fatcheque to change the world, here are 5 grant writing mistakes you must avoidduring the process:

1. Not following instructions:

This has got to be thebiggest and most expensive mistake you can make, even though it should beeasiest to avoid. Funders receive thousands of grant proposals, and one waythey sort the amateurs from the professionals is to see who followedinstructions. If the funder requires 100 words, don't assume it is flimsy andwrite 150 words.

2. Focus Area:

Each funder has aninterest in making grants for a particular purpose— always a very specificpurpose. It’s not enough to know that the foundation makes education grants. Dothey support digital literacy? Adult education? Do they specialize in fundingorganizations working with high-poverty schools? Do they fund Profit orNon-profit organizations? If you do not fall into the funder’s focus area, andyou apply, please expect a beautiful rejection email soonest.

3. Sloppy budgeting:

Reviewers have seenhundreds, if not thousands of budgets and will immediately know if your budgetis reasonable for your project. Any item you cannot defend on your budget is ared flag. The budget that accompanies a grant proposal should be prepared withthe same care as the narrative description and match it point for point.

4.  Late submission:

The early birds withcompelling proposals always catch the worm in grant applications. One reason isthat reviewers actually have more time to go through, more thoroughly.Last-minute submission puts immense pressure on reviewers and they tend to rushthrough late submissions. Submitting late or after the deadline is the mostamateurish mistake you can make. It is so easily avoidable, yet it happens allthe time.

5. Use of acronyms:

While this might not seem like a big deal, a reviewer willmost likely have hundreds of proposals to grade and will most definitely notspend time on Google trying to understand an acronym. Don’t leave the reviewerstruggling to figure out WTF you just wrote (haha). And don’t assume a reviewerfrom another continent will know the popular acronym of your favourite localagency (PHCN won’t make sense to anyone outside Nigeria). Write the fullmeaning of each acronym, every single time.

6: Be patient:
Just kidding. I’ll continue from here next week.

‍