1. Start with the opportunity
Read eligibility, purpose, allowable costs, required attachments, review criteria, and deadline before drafting.
Grant Writing Desk
Turn a real need into a clear, credible request.
Grant writing is practical persuasion: show that the need is real, the plan is possible, the budget makes sense, and the results can be measured.
A practical sequence
Begin with the funder’s actual instructions.
2. Name the need with evidence
Describe who is affected, what is happening now, and why the need matters. Do not inflate the problem.
3. Describe a workable response
Connect activities, partners, timeline, budget, and responsibilities to the stated need.
4. Define results
State what will change, how you will measure it, and what evidence you will collect.
5. Check the whole application
Make sure each section answers the same question and follows the funder’s instructions exactly.
Trusted resources
Use the source, not a guess.
These links go to current, official or nonprofit training resources.
Grants.gov Learning Center
Federal grant basics, eligibility, terminology, agencies, reporting, and fraud prevention.
Open resourceGrants.gov: How to Apply
The official federal application sequence, including registration, workspace, forms, and submission.
Open resourceGrants.gov Applicant Training
Official training and videos for people applying through Grants.gov.
Open resourceCandid Learning
Free training, sample documents, and grantseeking resources for nonprofit professionals.
Open resourceCandid Sample Documents
Examples of proposals, letters of inquiry, budgets, cover letters, and other grant documents.
Open resource