Grant Writing Lessons For Those Seeking Sponsorship

By Joanna Walsh


There is an established sentiment in business and society generally that money is not easy to come by. Yet the fact remains that meaningful and beneficial activities require funding. Interested benefactors are prepared to provide money in the form of grants, but then they first need to be persuaded that the activity or organization requesting the money is a valid concern. Grant writing lessons can assist the latter in requesting funding successfully.

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.

Firstly, the material should be entirely reliable in its content. Any information supplied should be absolutely accurate and even verifiable. As stated before, a request for money is extremely serious, and massaged facts or untrue data will not only cause the application to be rejected but may also result in prosecution. Trying to make one's case more persuasive through the use of interpretations of facts or the introduction of misleading information can simply cause the application to be summarily thrown out.

Turning to actually copy writing, the language, style and layout should be as professional as possible. Overselling the situation or insisting that the money be provided is not polite and may even irritate the recipient to the extent that they treat the request as spam or arrogant. Think in terms of an aggressive beggar on the street. No-one appreciates their approach or gives them anything. There are government offices who receive literally hundreds of requests for funding. It is therefore important to be as polite as possible, and to stay neutral at all times.

Lastly, the writing should be linguistically flawless. A request for money that contains spelling mistakes, wrong grammar or poor formatting is probably not going to be taken seriously and may even arouse suspicion. The paperwork should be impeccable, otherwise the recipient cannot be expected to agree to the request.

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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