Find out if your grant project is entirely original, or if it has been done, or attempted, in the past. For example, if you want a grant to add a science program to a high school that cut the program last year, contact other schools that have recently cut programs and received grants. Ask for the grant proposals from the schools and follow the model for style, language and tone. For instance, a proposal might state that the students have voted for the new science program because they miss the experiments and microscope work. Contact those schools and ask for a copy of their winning proposals.
If you present a grant proposal that only vaguely tells the parameters of your financial project, the grant will likely fail. Assess all the expenses for the proposal. For instance, if you are applying for a creative writing grant, you may think budgeting is tough to predict. Think logically. You will need a computer with an editing program, access to libraries, a weekly workshop class at a local university and so on. Write the exact costs in the grant proposal.
Grant-makers want to read grants that sound positive and projects that sound important, meaningful and worth the granters' money and attention, according to experts from Scholastic. If the tone in your proposal just sounds like you are begging for money because you don't have any and there's nowhere else to turn, even if your project is enticing, the way you asks makes it unattractive and needy. For instance, instead of writing that no other medical hospitals in your state will support your idea for improved ramps for the handicapped, write that "With the help of your grant organization, the hospitals in the Oklahoma City area will benefit from safe ramps for the elderly and disabled."
Communicate what you wish to accomplish with the financial help. Especially for art and writing grants, where the financial situation is a bit more fuzzy, write as clearly and specifically as possible. For example, if you are a painter wanting a grant to paint in Rome, make sure you detail your plan of action precisely. For instance, write that when you arrive in Rome you will network with local painters with whom you have already established contact. Set out the theme of your project, such as ancient fountains, people touring the Coliseum or a watercolor study of Roman weddings. Also specify how much time you need because you may be eligible for a residency. Answer the "so what" of your proposal---why is your project important right now?