Monday, April 13, 2015

Grant Writing Lessons For Those Seeking Sponsorship

By Joanna Walsh


It is not surprising to hear people say that money is difficult to obtain, or that money is in short supply. Despite this attitude, the fact remains that many essential or important activities or entities in the community require funding, often on an extensive scale. This funding is derived from outside donors or the government, who in turn need to be satisfied that it is going to be used sensibly. Requesting such funding can be made easier by taking grant writing lessons.

Asking for money implies that the requesting entity is not financially sound. This is one possible obstacle to public requests. The second reason for hesitation may be the attitude that one does not simply beg from strangers. Those seeking financial assistance should be aware that charity is not the same as begging. The other issue, namely the public image of their organization, is one that they should also be aware of.

Then there is also the issue of legitimacy. A request for funding is always regarded in a serious light because it implies the transfer of money to another entity. Benefactors are usually not enthusiastic about agreeing to this. They may impose stringent requirements or they may expect to receive a large amount of sensitive information. Some requests, no matter how valid, may simply be rejected as false or having no merit.

Those trying to request funding therefore should have the requisite experience and conscientious approach. A poorly composed request, or one which does not adhere to the traditional methods of submission, may fail on those grounds, regardless of its content. Provided here are some simple tips on how to submit more effective requests.

Above all, the information contained in paperwork should always be completely true. Even the inadvertent inclusion of false or diluted data can be seen as a deliberate attempt to defraud the recipient (since money is involved). At the same time, the intentional manipulation of information to try to make the request more attractive is illegal, too, and should never be attempted.

Secondly, the request should be just that - a request, and nothing more. It is not appropriate to try to coerce or "hustle" the recipient into providing the funds. A more polite approach is suitable, and one that does not attempt to manipulate the recipient into releasing the money, or stridently demand that they do so. The latter may receive many requests for funding on a continuous basis, from different entities, so an excessively insistent or "hard sell" missive is not going to be received very well.

The paperwork should also be immaculate, in terms of its linguistic content. No spelling mistakes or errors in grammar should be present. The layout should be sound, too. A poorly written document, or shoddy, presentation, is suspicious and is unlikely to elicit approval. It is not reasonable to expect that anyone is going to give money to an unprofessional requester.

Many entities rely on sponsorship to maintain their activities. This necessarily entails submitting grant proposals and managing the associated paperwork. Grant writing lessons can equip those responsible for these processes to submit better proposals, with a higher chance of success.




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