Tips for Writing a Successful Grant Proposal
to the Wisconsin Humanities Council
Before you write your proposal
Discuss your project with WHC staff well in advance. We can help you make sure that your project meets our guidelines and can advise you on ways to make your proposal appealing to our reviewers. Staff review of drafts is very useful to applicants. It is strongly recommended for major and mega-grant applicants; drafts of mini-grants are also welcome.
Read our Grant Guidelines carefully! Proposals that demonstrate regard for our guidelines impress reviewers—and ones that don’t, don’t!
Consider the proposal deadline dates and their corresponding program start dates in light of your project time line. You will not be penalized for applying early, but if you are too late you may not be eligible. Also, if you leave yourself enough time, even if you are unsuccessful the first time you apply, you may be able to re-apply.
Writing your proposal
Write a clear, interesting, informative proposal. Your proposal should demonstrate a firm grasp of the subject matter of your project and an ability to organize and carry it out. If your narrative description of your project intrigues our reviewers, they are likely to think your project will interest your target audience too.
Carefully read the instructions for completing a grant application. Your proposal narrative, budget, and project personnel forms should be presented in the formats described.
Find a good editor to review your proposal for clarity of expression, completeness, and typographical errors. Write your narrative in plain English and in a straightforward style. Avoid jargon.
Writing your budget
Your budget is as important as your narrative. Make sure that the activities described in your narrative are accounted for in your budget. Conversely, make sure that every item you include in your budget request relates to an activity that is described in your narrative.Never inflate your budget request. Our reviewers are most likely to approve a request when they feel that it is honest and reasonable. And remember to check your math!
What to include
Provide only those supporting materials that are directly relevant to your project. Letters of support are useful. Consult our staff if you are not sure whether an attachment is helpful.Delivery
Always deliver your proposal to our office by the grant deadline. All deadlines are for receipt of proposals, not postmark date, and all are firm and final. But because we are not ogres, if a published deadline falls on a weekend, we will accept proposals on the following weekday.Good Luck!
Plan your project thoroughly, give yourself plenty of time to write and revise the proposal, consult with our staff, and you will have done the best you can to present a competitive proposal. Good luck!