Applying for grants is not as easy as many would like you to believe. The art and science of applying for grant programs is called grantsmanship, and is an actual career position at many large colleges and research entities! Grant applications, when done correctly take a great deal of time and effort, but the results can be well worth the effort.

Once you have found a grant program that fits your needs, you want to make the most of your opportunity, so give yourself the ‘competitive edge by doing your preparation work before you ever sit down to start the paperwork!

Every grant application is reviewed by the funder’s panel. These are usually people that are experts in the area that the funder specializes in – they know exactly what they are looking for and what parameters the grants must meet.

The first step in preparing to write your grant proposal is to familiarize yourself, as much as possible, with the grant guidelines, and if possible the grant committee members. Call the grantor and ask if it is possible to meet with one of the reviewer’s to go over the guidelines, and clarify any points that you many not fully understand. If a call is not possible, ask if you can submit your questions by fax or email.

This is probably one of the older grant resources online, and it offers a huge database packed with information. On the good  side – it’s a lot of information at your fingertips – on the downside – it can be a little overwhelming when you first start out.

This is actually a recurring monthly membership, which you can easily cancel at any time. Most member usually stay on the service for 6 to 9 months to take full advantage of the updates on the service. And that is the best part of getting a service rather than a printed book or ebook if you are looking for a variety of different grants – a monthly service means that the database will be updated with fresh programs, as opposed to a printed guide. With a one time fee – what you get at purchase time is all you will get!