Last month SBS closed our annual grant cycle and will be awarding three (3) grants for $1,000 and a free consulting session to a nonprofit, small business, and a startup doing meaningful work. Our application was VERY simple, just 5 questions long with instructions for each.
We received over 300 applications. If you were one of them, don't worry, we haven't finished the process of reviewing and selecting our winners. That will be coming in October, so be on the lookout for our announcement.
Despite having a basic application, there were some major issues with several applications that disqualified the submission. What this told me is that there is still so much work left to do to help organizations put their best foot forward to help secure that funding. Whether it is not following instructions, not meeting the deadline, copying and pasting from other grants or applications, and not using the right language to respond and catch reviewers' attention.
Here are the top 5 mistakes of what we saw in our recent grant cycle that you might be doing too that may disqualify you or significantly decrease your chances of being funded.
1) Not submitting on time. While our application portal remained open past the due date, we still have submissions from organizations. To be fair to those that submitted on time, we disqualified those applications. Sometimes organizations will keep portals open for multiple cycles. If you submit past the due date, make sure you reflect the proper timeline in your applications or wait for the next cycle.
2) Not following the directions. Several applications did not respond to the questions within the limits of the question. For example, at the top of the applications, we directed applicants to "keep your answers short and clear, no more than 1–2 sentences per question." However, 1/2 of our applications did not follow this basic direction! If you are over limit, cannot follow directions, or have difficulty condensing your information into an elevator pitch style of communication, go back to the basics and try not to overwhelm funders who are finding ways to review applications quickly.
3) Not communicating clearly. Writers sometimes tend to overcomplicate their response and fail to answer the question or section clearly. Mistakes to avoid here: jargon, overcomplication of ideas, or not answering the question asked. If someone asks how your funding will be spent, be able to exactly describe it. If you will be using funds for printing costs, say how much it costs and how many of "x" you are printing with the funds. If you are buying marketing ads on social media, you should be able to dictate specifically how many ads and the cost of each ad. THEN, you should always tie the $ back to the purpose of the grant and your objectives. If you don't, you have spent a ton of time not communicating your why and how.
4) Not applying to the correct category. Sometimes funders have specific questions or links to specific types of grants. If you apply to a type that doesn't match your organization type, business type, funding priorities, etc., then you have wasted your time and the funder's time. If you fit into more than 1 category, apply to the one that MOST meets your area. Funders often provide detailed information, instructions, examples of previously funded projects, etc. Make sure to do your homework before hitting that submit button is KEY to increasing your chances of success.
5) Copying and Pasting from previous applications or AI. We are proponent of working smarter, not harder. That could mean reworking a proposal to meet several funders opportunities. If you are going to do that, be sure to customize it for each opportunity. Use the language of the funder in your application. Just like a resume or cover letter, it shows effort and the type of partner you might be. If you are using AI and you copy and paste directly from AI, be sure to remove any notice that you used AI. Several applications has the recognizable "You said:" or "ChatGPT said:" pasted right into the response. While there is nothing wrong with using AI as a tool for efficiency and support, it is your responsibility to show professionalism and effort to put your best foot forward. Copying and pasting is a clue that you haven't spent the time to do that.
Going back to the basics can save you a ton of time and energy.
If you need help with this, we are here for you. We have tons of free and low-cost resources available to support you, and Amanda is happy to work 1:1 to review your applications, materials, brainstorm ideas, etc. in short-term, one-off appointments. Learn more here.
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