How to Craft a Winning Project Description

First, it is crucial to understand that funding is available for projects that aim to achieve a specific objective. As we like to say at Grants Office: funders fund projects, not products. For this reason, in this article we focus on the first and most important step of the grant process: the project description. The project description needs to be informative but also to give the proposal evaluator a clear and complete sense of the initiative, action or innovation being proposed. It should therefore be engaging, easy to read, as well as concrete.

In short, the description of the project needs to be convincing. While the process of putting pen to paper can be quite daunting, it can be helpful to remember that a project starts with just an idea. A clear and well- articulated idea is the basis for the application process, as in the famous quote by Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux: “what is well understood is clearly stated, and the words to say it come easily”. This process is half art and half science. It is both an administrative and intellectual exploration.

What are some general tips in grant writing that can apply across a variety of contexts?

• Proposal writing should start well ahead of the deadline.

• A successful grant description needs to be understandable to a broad audience, which means that it should be written using language and terminology that can be accessible to non-specialists.

• Incorporate keywords highlighted in the grant to make clear for the reader how your proposal speaks to the grant requirements.

• Active sentences are more engaging and clearer than passive ones and will help to keep your text engaging and dynamic.

• As with any other form of writing, feedback from others is invaluable.

• Knowledge of the funding entity and its priorities is often very helpful context, as is familiarity with previously funded projects, which can usually be found on the funder’s website.

• Make sure that your application responds to all the different requirements listed in the grant. It is easy to get caught up in describing a projects innovative approach at the expense of other dimensions important to the funder, such as implementation or impact.

• If the grant requires that applicants seek out partners, networking and partner building should begin in the earlies stages of proposal development.

• Contact the funder to ask for clarification on the grant application.

For additional tips and hints on writing compelling grant applications, check out our FUNDED magazine and webcasts.