15 tips on how to prepare a grant proposal for a journalism

project
jsk.stanford.edu /news-notes/2015/15-tips-on-how-to-prepare-a-grant-proposal-for-a-journalism-project/
Many journalists trying to advance their innovation ideas look for grant money. Even though it is a writing task,
crafting a proposal for a grant officer can be a tough job for a journalist. We have a tendency to use our charismatic
storytelling skill, but grant writing is not creative writing. Its not poetry. Ideas need to be presented clearly and
concisely so its easy for grant funders to quickly know exactly what you want to do. Here are 15 tips on how to
prepare effective grant from a journalistic perspective.

1. Be a reporter.
Research the issue you are addressing. Act like this is your reporting job and you are covering a story for your news
organization. Find similar projects, look for their pitfalls, failures and successes. There are some really great tools
you can use beyond Google to research grants and funders, such as the Foundation Center search tool
(subscription), the Pivot alert (subscription) or Guide Star (free). Understand the funders perspective learn and
take notes!

2. Read the grant guidelines.

Carefully read the instructions before you even submit a proposal. Maybe the funder you are looking at is not a good
fit for you. Get a better sense of the funder through the projects it has previously supported. Sometimes you can
tailor the idea to fit the specific requirements; sometimes you cannot. Its like working with different editors in the
newsroom: There always will be ones who dont like your stories.

3. Word of mouth.
Do you know someone who won a grant from the foundation you are thinking of approaching? Talk to them. Ask for
an interview. Maybe you can even get advice. Grantees will always have insights on the funders dos and donts.
People like to talk about their work, especially with a journalist.

4. One-sentence rule.
Keep your project description to one sentence no longer than 15 to 20 words. Think of it like the lead of your project.
Even the most innovative projects can be defined briefly and described clearly. What exactly do you want to do or to
develop? Do you plan to produce an iPhone app, launch a series of events or grow your audience in Europe?

5. Define a problem or a need.

Clear definition of the problem being addressed is the key to explaining any great proposal. However, dont take up
more space discussing the problem than your solution. Funders like to hear what problem inspired your idea, but
they are also very interested in how you are going to tackle it.

6. Link your solution logically with the problem.

It sounds so simple, but not connecting the problem with the solution is a common grant proposal flaw. Think about
how your proposed solution answers the problem you defined. Dont emphasize issues you wont address with your
proposal. You dont need to present the whole picture and thats very different from journalism.

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7. Clearly identify the competition.

There is no harm in mentioning organizations and projects that are similar to yours. Demonstrate you are familiar
with the challenges. Make sure to explain how your approach is different from what already exists. If you are building
on previous ideas or others work, thats OK. Youre not expected to reinvent the wheel. Also, its highly advisable to
refer to a similar project funded by your targeted funder.

8. Examples, examples, examples.

Refer to things people are familiar with. The tagline for my crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter was: FOIA
Machine is like TurboTax for government records and it was clear that the project guides users in filing FOIA
requests like TurboTax guides people through filing their taxes. Usually, you will be presenting abstract ideas, so it
helps to illustrate with concrete examples.

9. Include visuals & links.

Attach visuals whenever you can. Add links to wireframes or illustrations that will help the reader to get a better
sense of your project. Now, instead of footnote you can add hyperlinks to backup your points.

10. Key activities plan.

Break your idea into phase, be realistic about what is possible for different stages of your project. Naturally, every
project has a beginning, middle and end, like a journalism piece. Leave enough time to kick off the project and, for
example, hire a developer for the project. The end phase should include collecting and reporting feedback. If you
are building a prototype, thoroughly explain the phases. If you are putting on an event, think about all of the things
you need to do beforehand: book a room and speakers, draft an agenda, send out invitations.

11. Resources.
Be realistic about what you really have and what you really need to execute your project. Do you need five or 10
people on your team, full-time or part-time? Your friends may be a great asset, but dont be too optimistic that they
will all come to help you at the end. Find the balance to ensure you can deliver on your promises. Do not
overpromise, do not underpromise.

12. Budget.
The funding youre requesting should match the activities you are planning and resources you will need. And it
should add up! Dont forget to include all the costs, but double check work; budget exaggerations and math errors
will undermine your position. If you are the principal, make sure to pay yourself, but do not spend half of the budget
on your salary.

13. Details
Be as meticulous and exact as possible. Use strong and active verbs. Write in simple language. Avoid phrases such
as could become or other ambiguous language and abstractions. Use facts, data and straightforward language.

14. Best person & team

You need to convince reviewers that you and your team have the necessary skills and background for the project.
Some funders are very clear that they wont fund a proposal to build a tool for journalists or reinvent the government
procurement process if no one on your team understands those spaces. Therefore, make sure to note your related

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work or references. Attach letters of support; ask your supporters to discuss why your idea is important.

15. Vision
Try to integrate your overall vision into the proposal. Be careful not to overpromise. Few projects are likely to start a
revolution, or change the world all by themselves.
Djordje Padejski is the interim fellowship impact leader for the JSK Journalism Fellowships at Stanford
@djordjepadejski.

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