Are you on the hunt for a grant?
Whether you need funding for an educational program or you’re ready to start a nonprofit, venturing into the world of grant writing isn’t for the faint of heart. But you’re here to make a difference, and that’s why you need a solid, well-structured proposal to get the funding you need.
A polished grant proposal persuades potential grantees of your project’s viability. Maybe you’re sitting at your computer, trying to start the grant writing process, but you’ve got serious writer’s block.
You could be unsure how to format an entire grant proposal from beginning to end. Wherever you are in your journey, there’s a grant proposal template to help you.
In this guide, we’ll look at how grant proposals work, explain what you should look for in grant writing templates, and share our top 10 templates to use. ✨
10 Free Grant Proposal Templates for Grant Writing
- What Is a Grant Proposal?
- 10 Free Grant Proposal Templates to Get You More Grants
- 1. ClickUp Grant Proposal Template
- 2. ClickUp Grant Writing Scope of Work Template
- 3. ClickUp ChatGPT Prompts For Grant Writing Template
- 4. ClickUp NIH Grant Statement of Work Template
- 5. ClickUp Non-Profit Organization Project Proposal Template
- 6. ClickUp Non-profit Organization Work Breakdown Structure Template
- 7. ClickUp Community Assistance Program Project Proposal Template
- 8. PDF Grant Proposal Template by Signaturely
- 9. Word Grant Proposal Template by Wise
- 10. Grant Proposal Template by PandaDoc
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Is a Grant Proposal?
A grant proposal is a formal document outlining a request for funding. It’s usually submitted to a government agency, corporation, or any other organization offering grant funds or budget opportunities.
Successful grant proposals share information about your proposed project in a persuasive way. Not only do you need to share pertinent information about your project, but you also need to make a pretty good case for why you deserve this funding—especially if you’re asking for a lot of money.
Every project is different, but writing grant proposals usually include:
- Cover letter: A brief intro that offers an overview of why you’re requesting funding and your eligibility for this research grant
- Executive summary: A concise paragraph detailing the problem, solution, requested grant funding amount, and expected outcomes
- Statement of need: This is a detailed explanation of the problem the project should solve
- Project description: This gives grant reviewers an outline of the project itself, detailing a timeline and methods
- Grant budget: Create an itemized financial plan showing how much you need, for what, and why
- Organizational information: This briefly explains who you are, your track record, and why you’re equipped to handle this project
Not to spook you, but grant writing is super competitive. That’s why it’s best to use a grant proposal template to lay out your ideas in the clearest, most persuasive way possible. 📚
What makes a winning grant proposal template? 3 tips to remember
Templates can be huge time-savers, but not all templates are helpful. If you’re on the hunt for a time-saving template, follow these tips to find the best option for your project:
- Go for an AI proposal writing tool: Struggling with writer’s block? AI tools like ClickUp AI take your project details and magically fill in your template. You should still review this copy, of course, but AI will definitely keep you on track
- Sound structure: Grant proposals can get pretty long and dry if you aren’t careful, so look for templates with built-in organization. They should have a table of contents and plenty of headings to break up the text
- Collaboration: You probably aren’t writing a proposal solo. Look for templates that allow collaborators, key personnel, and stakeholders to view and edit the proposal at the same time
Summarize this article for me please10 Free Grant Proposal Templates to Get You More Grants
Sure, you could create your own grant proposal. But why spend hours making your own proposal when there are so many high-quality templates out there for the taking?
When you need funding in a jiffy, use these 10 grant proposal templates to make your case with less time and hassle.
1. ClickUp Grant Proposal Template
Need a template that not only organizes your proposal but the application process itself? Look no further than the ClickUp Grant Proposal Template.
This free template comes with plenty of helpful features, including custom statuses, like Open and Complete, to track every element of the grant proposal. If you’re writing proposals as a team and need to track which parts are done—and which still need your attention—this template is a major time-saver.
Toggle between four different views to display your grant application in different formats. This template also integrates with ClickUp project management tools, so it’s perfect for adding structure to the proposal process.
Add comments and reactions, track the time you spend working on the grant proposal, and tag staff members in just a few clicks. Leverage ClickUp’s 100+ Automations to keep your grant proposal process moving and hand off tasks between team members at the speed of light. ⚡
2. ClickUp Grant Writing Scope of Work Template
A project’s scope of work should outline the project itself, its goals, activities, and end results. Potential funders want to see time frames, milestones, and amount of funding in the scope of work too.
If that sounds like a lot of information to gather on your own, we’ve got you covered. The ClickUp Grant Writing Scope of Work Template provides a step-by-step framework for you to write a solid, organized scope of work.
This template helps you include all the necessary information to write airtight scopes of work. It comes with statuses like Draft, In review, and Finalized so you can easily track the progress of the grant writing project itself.
Add Custom Fields like Grant Name, Funding Organization, Application Deadline, and Budget Allocation to track the details of multiple grant programs without getting confused.
Best of all, this template is 100% customizable. You’re free to use the premade structure, colors, and fonts, but it’s best to drop in your own branding to make a good first impression on the funding agency.
3. ClickUp ChatGPT Prompts For Grant Writing Template
Look, we aren’t saying you should let ChatGPT handle every aspect of your grants, but you can definitely use it to speed up the writing process. The trick to AI writing tools like ChatGPT is knowing how to prompt the AI to get quality answers, and that’s where the ClickUp ChatGPT Prompts For Grant Writing Template comes in handy.
This guide includes tons of helpful prompts to feed to ChatGPT and generate high-quality copy for your grants, cover letter, and more. If you’re fighting writer’s block and need that proposal written, like, yesterday, this template will help you write everything at light speed with AI.
As long as you fill in the variables with your information, you’re golden. The template includes prompts like:
- “I’m looking for tips on how to write a successful grant proposal that will convince the [grant-giving organization] to fund our [goal]”
- “I need to create a narrative that outlines the need for our [project or initiative] and why it should be funded by the [grant-giving organization]”
- “I’m looking for strategies to ensure our grant proposal stands out from the competition and will be chosen for funding”
If you don’t want to waste time flipping between ClickUp and ChatGPT, simplify things by using ClickUp AI to write your template lickety-split.
4. ClickUp NIH Grant Statement of Work Template
A National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant is the major league of grants. If you need a research grant or work for a health-related organization, this specific grant is a must-have.
NIH grants have their quirks, which is why we created the ClickUp NIH Grant Statement of Work Template. You’ll likely need more templates for the other portions of your grant request, but if you’re looking for help with your statement of work (SOW), you’re in the right place, friend.
This SOW template:
- Defines project goals, deliverables, and project timelines
- Outlines your strategy
- Defines responsibilities for all team members
It includes statuses, Custom Fields, and different views to make this template your own.
5. ClickUp Non-Profit Organization Project Proposal Template
As a non-profit, you know how critical it is to secure funding to support your mission. Write more effective grant proposals with the ClickUp Non-Profit Organization Project Proposal Template.
It’s tailored to the needs of non-profit grants and includes:
- Project objectives
- A budget section
- Timelines
- Social impact visualizations
- An actionable plan for implementation
This sample grant proposal comes with custom statuses and Custom Fields, but we’re really proud of the Whiteboard view. Use the Project Proposal view to brainstorm project ideas and follow the Getting Started Guide view to kickstart your grant proposal.
6. ClickUp Non-profit Organization Work Breakdown Structure Template
We know how all-consuming proposals can be. But it’s still important to keep your eyes on the prize even while you’re writing a project proposal. Make sure you have the structure in place to manage projects once you secure funding—you never know when it will be showtime!
The ClickUp Non-profit Organization Work Breakdown Structure Template breaks even the most complex non-profit tasks down into more manageable tasks. Use this template to create tasks and assign them to your team.
It will even keep track of your progress, manage your project budget, and track expenses in the same dashboard. If you’re a scrappy nonprofit organization trying to do more with few resources, this all-in-one template is a must-have for project descriptions, research projects, and so much more.
7. ClickUp Community Assistance Program Project Proposal Template
A community assistance program (CAP) provides support to members of a specific community. CAPs provide financial aid, food, educational resources, housing assistance, support groups, and much more.
Are you looking to launch a community assistance program? The ClickUp Community Assistance Program Project Proposal Template is just the template for you. 🌻
Use the Project Proposal View to outline your specific goals and key deliverables in one place. ClickUp makes it a cinch to collaborate with your team and brainstorm ideas within the project so you create an effective grant proposal that secures funding.
8. PDF Grant Proposal Template by Signaturely
Need something with fewer bells and whistles? The PDF Grant Proposal Template by Signaturely is a free download in either Word Doc or PDF format.
This generic grant proposal template includes formatting, headers, and sections, although it does lack the pretty colors, visuals, and collaboration features you’ll find with the other templates on this list. Even so, it’s a perfect option for anyone who wants a simpler proposal template with just the essentials.
Bonus: Proposal Management Tools
9. Word Grant Proposal Template by Wise
Wise’s Word Grant Proposal Template is a Word Doc template that comes with everything you need to win funding, including:
- Executive summary
- Project overview
- Scope of work
- Terms and conditions
- Agreement
This is a bare-bones generic grant proposal template, though, and you’ll need to supply pretty much all of the copy for this business proposal template. We recommend using a tool like ClickUp AI to write relevant content for this free template—just be sure to double-check the copy before sending it to the grantors.
10. Grant Proposal Template by PandaDoc
PandaDoc created a gorgeous proposal template with both formatting and content prompts. With well over 10,000 uses, this template is a popular option for creating show-stopping proposals that turn heads.
This template works like Mad Libs, where you fill in the blank with your details. If you don’t have this information or just aren’t sure what to say, you can always use AI-powered grant proposal writing tools for inspiration.
Just make sure you personalize this grant proposal with your own unique flair. It comes with fonts and a color scheme out of the box, but feel free to customize this document so it looks like it’s actually from your organization.
Summarize this article for me pleaseScore Grant Funding and Manage Projects on One Platform
If you’re a first-time grant writer, it might feel like you’ve got your work cut out for you. Remember, it’s not just about presenting the facts: This is your chance to communicate your vision and story. 🔮
Focus on the meat of your message and let these templates do the heavy lifting for you. The 10 templates in this guide will streamline your messaging, save time, and simplify fundraising.
But what do you do once you have funding?
After a much-needed celebration and a nap, plug your communications, tasks, deadlines, templates, and meeting notes into ClickUp.
See the difference firsthand: Create a free ClickUp account in seconds.
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