Elevate your nonprofit grant writing success with expert tips 

Candid Learning’s webinars on grant writing are among the most popular among our training courses. Whether you’re new to the field or an experienced grant writer, our offerings—like the Introduction to proposal writing webinar and others that provide essential skills to craft standout proposals and teach practical skills needed to build a competitive grant proposal—help you write grant proposals that stand out. 

To further support your work, here’s a collection of articles with grant writing tips that combine innovative approaches with proven strategies. From dos and don’ts for writing winning proposals, to how to use generative AI effectively, to crafting compelling narratives, these resources outline best practices and offer step-by-step advice. 

Tips for grant writing 

Crafting a compelling grant proposal allows nonprofits to showcase the impact of their efforts and provides essential context for how they achieve results. 

Four common grant proposal documents (free samples included). There are four major types of grant proposal documents: letters of inquiry, cover letters, proposal budget, and full grant proposal. This article breaks down their key components and links to free sample resources so you can see what a successful document looks like. 

How to write a winning grant proposal. Learn about the key elements of a typical project proposal—including a need statement, project description, and project goals and objectives—along with best practices for drafting each section to increase your chances of securing the grant. 

7 red flags for funders in your grant proposal. We turned to our community on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook with a crucial question: What red flags do funders watch for when reviewing a grant proposal? The top mistakes to avoid include not following application instructions, presenting financial statements and budgets that don’t add up, and confusing outcomes with activities or outputs. 

Five green flags for funders in your grant proposal. As a follow-up to the 7 red flags for funders article, we explored what the green flags are. What would immediately signal to a funder that the nonprofit is a strong candidate for funding? Answers include tailoring the proposal to the funder and answering each question clearly. 

Top three tips for writing grant proposals. Grant writing can be a time-consuming and repetitive task, but staying organized and maintaining fresh content is essential. Here are three practical tips from an expert to help streamline the process and keep your proposals engaging. 

Using AI to write grant proposals 

As we explore the role of AI technologies in the social sector, we’re asking how funders, nonprofits, and organizations like Candid are adapting to and leveraging their use in grant writing. 

Where do foundations stand on AI-generated grant proposals? Candid’s annual survey of foundation giving trends asked funders whether they’ve received grant applications created by generative AI, and whether they currently, or plan to, accept applications with AI-generated content. Their responses shed light on how foundations are adapting to the growing use of AI in grant writing. 

To bot or not to bot: Using generative AI in grantwriting. What is generative AI? How can generative AI help grantwriters? This article explores how AI can be leveraged to create efficiencies and enhance the grant writing process, as well as the importance of using AI-generated content thoughtfully and responsibly. 

AI at Candid: Powering technology to support the sector’s lasting success. Candid’s data science manager explains how we’re leveraging AI technologies in our data and tools. The article outlines Candid’s vision for using generative AI to develop future solutions that will bring greater value to the social sector. 

Storytelling in grant writing 

Want to capture funders’ attention? Storytelling can help you clearly communicate your program’s impact and credibility, highlight what matters most to funders, and align your proposal with their priorities. 

Telling a compelling story: Communicating program impact in a grant proposal. Learn how you can effectively communicate your program’s impact and the return-on-investment potential funders are looking for.  Discover strategies to convey your mission clearly and compellingly. 

What do funders look for in grant proposal budgets?. Find out why the two qualities that funders value most in grant proposals are credibility and impact and why they review the budget in your grant proposal first. 

Revising rejected grant proposals 

A grant proposal rejection letter isn’t just a setback—it’s an opportunity to build relationships with grantmakers, explore new funding prospects, and sharpen your proposal writing skills. 

What to do after your grant proposal is rejected. Grant writing is a challenging process, and even a well-crafted proposal may not get funded due to intense competition. Learn how to bounce back by getting in touch with the funder and asking the right questions. 

We hope these strategies and resources help you achieve greater grant writing success in a fast-changing sector. 

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