1. Study winning grant applications
The best way to approach your grant application is to look at past winners and model your responses after theirs. That doesn’t mean copying them, but studying how much space they devote to describing the business, how specific the response is with respect to customers and products and services, and how forward-looking the description is. That is, do the winners talk more about what they’ve already achieved or what they hope to in the future?
2. Provide numbers whenever possible
Your first challenge is communicating clearly what your business does and who it serves, but your second challenge is proving that there is sufficient market demand for what you’re selling. Organizations offering grant money want to support a viable business, so do your best to show yours is thriving.
3. Don’t be modest
Now is the time to speak up about your personal and business accomplishments. Include mentions of any honours and awards you’ve earned, any media attention you’ve received, or other achievements that reassure the grant committee that your company is already on the path to success.
4. Be clear about how you’ll use the money
After you’ve convinced the grant committee that your business is deserving of their financial support, tell them exactly how you plan to spend the money. Be specific. What would you invest in? Then explain why those expenditures will do the most good for your company.
