The Do’s
- Check your project idea against the college’s mission statement and against the goals of your department or the department affected by the grant.
- Make your project idea as specific as possible; general proposals rarely get funded.
- Contact the granting agency to verify if your project meets eligibility requirements.
- Develop a timetable for planning and preparation of grant. (The Proposal Development Checklist can help)
- Get appropriate approval according to college’s procedures before going ahead with your proposal. (See Grant Proposal Application Process)
- Read the proposal guidelines carefully: Your mission is to fit your idea into what the agency is funding.
- Check to see if the funding agency has funded similar projects in the past and learn what you can about those projects.
- Develop your budget for the project before writing the proposal.
- Follow directions and all guidelines.
- Use a journalistic style of writing: Who, What, Why, When, Where and How.
- Remember your English writing rules: Tell them what you are going to tell them (thesis), tell them (supporting information), and tell them again (summary).
- Avoid jargon, acronyms and other abbreviations.
- Have someone who is not familiar with your proposal read and critique it.
- Complete the Grant Application Approval Form (PDF) (DOCX) with appropriate signage at least 2 weeks prior to the proposal deadline (Enter your deadline for this).
The Don’ts:
- Don’t beg for funding.
- Don’t bind proposal or put it in a cover as the funding agency may need to copy it.
- Don’t be overly dependent on a professional grant writer to prepare your proposal as that person may not be familiar with your field or type of project.
Contact Us
Grants Development Office
Fishburn Hall F204
540-857-6084
Mailing Address:
3093 Colonial Ave., SW
Roanoke, VA 24015
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