Yesterday, I was working through a super-detailed grant proposal. I was about 3 hours into it, finishing up the narrative sections and getting ready to dive into the financials, when I came to a line that read, “Additional Documents (anything else you think would help us to understand your organization).”
Is this a setup? Am I supposed to know what magical additional documents will convince them to give me money?
Grant Writing Tip of the Day
Use narrative storytelling to illustrate your organization’s impact and connect emotionally with grant funders.
It kind of is a setup, but once you know what to include, these “Additional Documents” can work to your advantage.
If you are reapplying for a grant that you have been previously awarded, this is a great opportunity to include a bit of reporting. Create visuals showing their previous grant’s impact and how that would continue with additional funding.
If you are applying for the first time, consider including the following:
- Impact Report
- Letters of Recommendation (bonus points if they are from a mayor, congressperson, or influential community member)
- Visuals with photos and testimonials
- Event flyers or program brochures
- Evaluation survey
- Board List
- Strategic Plan
If you are a newer organization, letters of recommendation may hit harder. If you are asking for funding for an event, include event collateral.
Which documents you choose to attach will depend on the focus of your proposal and what you think will be most important to support it.
Until next time,
Write Epic Grants