Tips for Writing a Successful Grant Application
- Show detail, detail, detail, detail throughout the grant
application. Imagine that you are describing this project to
someone that has no knowledge about your library and community.
You are the storyteller; tell your "story" to another person
before putting it to paper.
- Clearly explain the purpose for the grant
project. For example, who is it intended for? Why are you proposing this
project? How did you come up with this need? Do you have any statistics to
help support your need?
- Make
sure the language describing the project consistently focuses on the
benefit to the user rather than to the internal workings of the library.
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Involve your board and staff in planning the project. You may wish to
include one or more representative patrons in the planning, depending on
your project.
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Describe the partners if any. How are they
connected with this grant application? Why are they involved and/or why
should they be involved? Will they be involved after the project?
- Compose a readable document. Do the
sentences flow well? Does one idea connect to another?
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Include any additional documents required for the application (e.g.
budget figures, indicating the cash match; support letters; etc.)
- Be sure to include a detailed budget for all expenses involved for
the project. If you are asking for $500.00 for computer hardware, what
is it? How is it going to be used? Why? Etc.
- Ask any questions about concerns with the
grant application before the application is submitted. Our
voice mail and email are on duty all the time. Don't assume we know about a particular
situation.
- If you prefer, submit a preliminary grant application to
the Commission for advice on how to strengthen it before the final
application is due and/or ask another person to take a look at it that has
little knowledge about the project. They might ask some good questions that
need more detailed answers in the grant.
- Contact as many individuals as possible that can assist you with
details and costs of the services and/or consultants needed to implement
the project. The homework part of the
process is very important.
- Use the constant pricing for any services,
materials etc. that are a part of your grant application. Avoid submitting
pricing related to recent sales; the sale price probably will not be
available at the time of the grant awards. If a company states that the
sale price will be available for an extended period of time, ask for a
written confirmation of that sale pricing.
- Make a copy of your grant application for
your records before mailing and/or submitting the final application to the
Commission.
- More grant information
from NebraskAccess
Continuing Education Grants
Youth Grants for Excellence
Library Improvement Grants (formerly LSTA)