With more than $160M in grant funding secured for Via’s partners, the Via Grants Team are experts in writing winning applications. We asked them for some helpful hints to take your grant application to the next level.
Identify the right opportunity
- Confirm the grant funds your type of project and that you meet eligibility requirements
- Check the funder's award history and size to see if your ask matches their real pattern of giving
Align project outcomes with grant goals
- Find the funder's stated priorities or theory of change in their RFP or strategic plan
- Mirror their language in your outcomes section so reviewers see a clear match
Talk to the program officer beforehand, if possible
- Request a brief pre-submission call or email to confirm fit and priorities
- Understand how to best position your application, given grant requirements
Sell a story, not a project
- Frame the problem, intervention, and change as a narrative arc, not a list of activities
- Communicate what the before and after looks like for the community in question
Data, data, data
- Pair impact numbers with a baseline so reviewers see the size of the gap being closed
- Use credible, sourced data from federally accredited websites such as census.gov, data.gov, or epa.gov
Have a credible evaluation plan
- Name specific metrics and collection methods, not just “we'll track progress”
- Explain how findings will be used or shared, not just collected. Grantors want to understand how your project can be replicated elsewhere
Address sustainability
- Develop a plan for future project funding
- If possible, reference the availability of city general funds, public private partnerships, or future grant funding opportunities to demonstrate sustainability after the grant funding runs out
Don't forget your letters of support
- Line up conversations with trusted, relevant stakeholders early
- Share a templatized letter of support with prospective signatories and allow them to customize language as needed
Have a grant you're working on? Reach out to otis.booz@ridewithvia.com to see how our team can help!