Grant-writing guides

In-depth, plain-language guides to the parts of a grant application that take the longest and matter the most — each one a complete walkthrough, not a summary.

• Grant Writing for Nonprofits: A Complete Guide
  A complete, plain-language guide to grant writing for nonprofits: how funding works, the grant lifecycle, readiness, proposal components, and what makes an application win.
• How to Write a Statement of Need That Reviewers Actually Score Well
  A reviewer's-eye guide to writing the statement of need: problem vs. need, evidence, scope, structure, before/after rewrites, and common mistakes.
• How to Write Grant Goals and Objectives
  Goals vs objectives, SMART objectives, outputs vs outcomes, and how to make grant objectives measurable without overpromising. Worked examples and templates.
• How to Write a Grant Budget and Budget Narrative
  Build a grant budget and budget narrative that holds up: direct vs. indirect costs, the 15% de minimis rate, match and in-kind, cost allowability, a sample line-item budget, and the errors that get applications rejected.
• What Is a Letter of Inquiry (LOI)? Structure, Length, Template, and Examples
  A letter of inquiry is the one-to-two-page document funders use to screen projects before inviting a full proposal. Structure, length, template, example, and mistakes.
• How to Find Grants: A Prospect Research Guide for Nonprofits
  A 2026 guide to finding grants: every funding source, where to search each, how to qualify a funder with 990s, and how to build a winning grant pipeline.
• How to Apply for Federal Grants on Grants.gov
  How to apply for U.S. federal grants on Grants.gov in 2026: SAM.gov and UEI registration, Workspace roles, reading a NOFO, the SF-424 forms, and merit review.