How to Develop and Write a Grant Proposal

This report is intended for Members and congressional staff assisting grantseekers in districts and states, and covers writing proposals for both government and private foundation grants. In preparation for writing a proposal, the report first discusses preliminary information-gathering and preparation, developing ideas for the proposal, gathering community support, identifying funding resources, and seeking preliminary review of the proposal and support of relevant administrative officials. The second section of the report covers the actual writing of the proposal, from outlining of project goals, stating the purpose and objectives of the proposal, explaining the program methods to solve the stated problem, and how the results of the project will be evaluated, to long-term project planning, and, finally, developing the proposal budget. The last section of the report provides a listing of free grant-writing websites, including guidelines from federal agencies, and Candid’s “Introduction to Proposal Writing.” Related CRS products include CRS Report RL34035, Grants Work in a Congressional Office, by Maria Kreiser; CRS Report RL34012, Resources for Grantseekers, by Maria Kreiser; CRS Report R47607, Federal Grant Technical Assistance: Definition, Use, and Considerations for Congress, by Natalie Keegan; and CRS Report R42769, Federal Grants-in-Aid Administration: A Primer, by Natalie Keegan. This report will be updated as needed.