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When developing a grant proposal, it’s tempting to think of the evaluation plan as something you tack on once the program plan is in place. But the evaluation plan is an integral part of the program. It's the program’s mirror; it reflects the reality of what’s actually happening, rather than the theory of what you thought the program would look like and accomplish.

Most government funders, and many private and corporate foundations, require that a budget narrative accompany a grant proposal’s line-item budget.

Using established project management strategies can streamline your process

For many nonprofits, the term “grants management” conjures up visions of navigating an ever-changing labyrinth of rules and regulations. While there is a learning curve when managing regulation-heavy grants from various levels of government, it’s nothing diligence and determination can’t conquer.

When you’re looking for grantmakers to support your organization’s work, a Google search won’t do the job. Most private foundations don’t have websites and most don’t have staff.

When looking for the grantmakers most likely to support your organization’s work, start close to home. The idea of a fat grant from a large national-level foundation is alluring, but unless your organization is doing work of national importance, these large funders probably aren’t a good bet.

When confronting pressing community problems, the program planning of nonprofits is understandably motivated by their passion to set things right. The enthusiasm to make things better is a primal, driving force you’ve got to appreciate and nurture. But you’ve also got to temper the excitement behind a well-intentioned idea with a solid understanding of how to plan programs so they will really make a difference.

Nonprofits are dedicated to their missions, pouring every ounce of time, energy, and money they can muster into their fight to make positive change.

There’s much more to winning grant awards than writing! To win, it’s imperative to approach the right funder with a solid program plan that’s capable of producing meaningful results. But the quality of the writing does matter.