Writing Guides
The Foundation Center's Proposal Writing Short Course (http://fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop1.html)
This two-part course provides the basic components of a proposal; and considers important elements such as budget and expenses, administration, and the research process involved in writing a proposal. Also available in Spanish (html file).
National Science Foundations Guide to Proposal Writing (.pdf file)
Recommended Books
Geever, Jane C. THE FOUNDATION CENTER'S GUIDE TO PROPOSAL WRITING. New York, NY: The Foundation Center, 2004. An in-depth instructional manual from pre-proposal planning to post-grant follow-up, which contains excerpts from grant proposals and interviews with foundation and corporate grantmakers about what they look for in a proposal.
Collins, Sarah (ed.) THE FOUNDATION CENTER'S GUIDE TO WINNING PROPOSALS. New York, NY: The Foundation Center, 2003. Features twenty grant proposals that have been funded by some of today's most influential grantmakers. Each proposal – reprinted in its entirety – includes commentary by the program officer, executive director, or other funding decision maker who awarded that grant. Proposals are included from large and small, local and national organizations, and for many different support purposes, including basic budgetary support, special projects, construction, staff positions, and more.
Achilles, Charles M. Brewer and Ernest W. Fuhriman. FINDING FUNDING: Grantwriting and Project Management from Start to Finish . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc., 1995. Offers tips and ideas on how to target proposals, the grantwriting process, and the steps involved in implementing, operating and terminating a project.
Barbato, Joseph and Danielle S. WRITING FOR A GOOD CAUSE: The Complete Guide to Crafting Proposals and Other Persuasive Pieces for Nonprofits . New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 2000. Practical advice about the art and craft of writing related to fundraising proposals, as well as case statements, newsletters, and other communications devices used by a typical development office.
Bauer, David G. THE "HOW TO" GRANTS MANUAL: Successful Grantseeking Techniques for Obtaining Public and Private Grants . 4th ed. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1999. Includes information on various aspects of proposal writing, including documenting the need and program planning. Also includes chapters on researching federal funds.
Browning, Beverly A. GRANT WRITING FOR DUMMIES . Forest City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide Inc. 2001. Covers the basic elements of proposals to both government and private funders. Includes advice about preparing budgets, meeting deadlines, use of writing style, addressing evaluation, and follow-up. Appendix presents two complete proposals: one to a federal agency, one to a private foundation.
Carlson, Mim. WINNING GRANTS STEP BY STEP . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1995. Includes information on how to research funders, write a letter of intent and evaluate a proposal.
Clarke, Cheryl A. STORYTELLING FOR GRANTSEEKERS: The Guide to Creative Nonprofit Fundraising . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. 2001. Clarke puts forward the notion that proposals share much with great stories: characters, setting, and plot. She shows proposal writers how to craft documents that include elements of drama. The book also covers the research process and cultivation. Includes a sample letter of inquiry and a sample budget, as well as information on packaging the proposal.
Friedland, Andrew J. and Carol L. Folt. "WRITING SUCCESSFUL SCIENCE PROPOSALS." New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2000. Proposal writing wisdom specifically for those in scientific fields.
Frost, Gordon Jay, ed. WINNING GRANT PROPOSALS: Eleven Successful Appeals by American Nonprofits to Corporations, Foundations, Individuals, and Government Agencies . Rockville, MD: Fund Raising Institute, 1993. A group of funded proposals with amounts ranging from $5,000 to $1 million dollars.
Golden, Susan L. SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL GRANTSMANSHIP: A Guerilla Guide to Raising Money . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1997. Provides information on navigating the grantmaking process; offers strategies for preparing and submitting grant proposals.
Griffith, Jerry. PROPOSAL PLANNING AND WRITING . Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1998. Covers the proposal development process for federal government, private foundation, and corporate funding sources. Answers twenty-five basic questions frequently asked by both inexperienced and experienced grantseekers. Also presents many examples taken from successful proposals.
Hale, Phale D., Jr. WRITING GRANT PROPOSALS THAT WIN . 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: Capitol Publications, 1997. Covers the major elements in any proposal, discusses the difference between applying to federal and private sector funders, and includes a list of federal and private funder Web sites, resource list, sample federal application forms, and a list of contacts in state governments.
League, VC. THE PROPOSAL WRITER'S WORKSHOP: A Guide to Help You Write Winning Proposals . Sacramento, CA: Curry-Co Publications, 1998. Contains information on writing style, program planning, and budgeting. Includes checklists and indexes.
Miner, Lynn E., Jerry Griffith and Jeremy T. Miner. PROPOSAL PLANNING AND WRITING (2nd ed). Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1998. Covers the proposal development process for federal government, private foundation, and corporate funding sources.
New, Cheryl Carter and James A. Quick. GRANTSEEKER'S TOOLKIT . New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1998. Reviews each component of fund raising including details on crafting a winning proposal.
Robinson, Andy. GRASSROOTS GRANTS: An Activist's Guide to Proposal Writing . Berkeley, CA: Chardon Press, 1996. Provides step-by-step guidance on how to achieve success with proposal writing.
WINNING STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING GRANT PROPOSALS. Washington, D.C.: Government Information Services, 1999. Presents general guidelines for writing proposals and specific instructions for creating proposals for private sector sources and federal agencies. Actual successful proposals are given for each type.
Zimmerman, Lehman & Associates. GRANTSEEKING: A Basic Step-by-Step Approach. San Francisco, CA: Zimmerman, Lehman & Associates, 1998. Directed to novices in the field, the book explains how to research grantmakers' giving through traditional and Online resources. Also includes how to write a letter of intent, with a sample, how to create a good proposal and budget, how to follow up with funders and the role of the board of directors in this process.