Do your grant narrative and project budget align?
The project budget is often an afterthought in grant writing. When you’re working on a grant proposal, you probably spend most of your time carefully crafting your narrative. You’ve made sure you’ve answered each question and covered every relevant topic thoroughly and accurately.
Leaving the budget for the last minute can be detrimental to your grant’s success, especially if you are not making sure the two are telling the same story.
When writing a grant proposal, ensure that your project description aligns with every item in your budget. Thoroughly review the budget to confirm that it accounts for every detail mentioned in the narrative. If, for instance, your proposal discusses hiring tutors but doesn’t allocate funds for their salaries, discrepancies arise. Similarly, if your budget includes gas reimbursements without explaining who will use them and why in your narrative, it’s crucial to address this gap.
Before submitting your grant, conduct a meticulous review, comparing your narrative and budget side by side to ensure complete consistency. This harmonization enhances your proposal’s credibility and increases your chances of securing the funding you need for your project’s success. Grant reviewers are looking for a well-rounded and comprehensive proposal, and meticulous budget integration is a key element in achieving that goal.
Need more help with the organization or and project budget in your grant application? We have several other articles with more advice on this topic:
– Direct versus indirect costs in a nonprofit budget
– Aligning your grant narrative and grant budget
– Including volunteer hours in your nonprofit budget
Interested in learning more about our grant writing services? Contact us.
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