How to Structure a Grant Proposal That Actually Gets Funded

A section-by-section guide for nonprofit fundraisers who want funders to say yes—covering grant proposal structure, the needs statement, budget narrative, and more

Here’s a truth I’ve watched trip up even experienced fundraisers: a great program, compellingly described, still loses if the proposal isn’t built right. Structure matters. Funders review dozens—sometimes hundreds—of applications in a single cycle.

If yours makes them work to find what they need, they’ll move on. If your application package guides them clearly, you’ve already earned goodwill before they finish reading.

After more than 25 years in this work, I think of a well-structured grant proposal the way a good author thinks about a book: every section has a job to do, and when each one does its job well, the whole thing holds.

Here’s how to build it.

Me in Beijing, early 2012

The Cover Page: Your First Impression

Don’t overthink this, but don’t skip it either. Your cover page should clearly state your organization’s name, the project title, the funding amount you’re requesting, the project period, your primary contact information, and the date of submission. Some funders provide a requ…