Make Your Grant Applications Stand Out
Grant Writing Tips from the Athens County Foundation
Welcome to an exciting chapter of your grant writing journey, where the Athens County Foundation stands by your side as your unwavering supporter. In this article, we’ll offer you some grantwriting tips to help you navigate our grantmaking process. Let’s embark on this journey together as we guide you toward success in your grant application!
Get to know us!
At the Athens County Foundation, we cherish the uniqueness and passion that each grant seeker brings to the table. Please take this opportunity to reach out to our team, introduce yourself, and let us get to know the incredible work you do. We’re eager to learn more about your organization’s story, values, and the community you serve. We welcome you to set a time to meet with our team, participate in our events, take part in our leadership program, or say hi to us when you see us out and about in the community!
Connecting with us allows us to get to know you and find ways we can best support you!
Align Your Mission and Vision
Our work is all about finding the perfect synergy between your vision and our mission. As you begin your grant writing process, we encourage you to explore our funding priorities and guidelines carefully. Start your grant application with a powerful narrative that succinctly conveys the significance of your cause and how it aligns seamlessly with the Foundation’s overarching objectives. Your WHY matters to us, so play around with your quantitative and qualitative data to compose an authentic and compelling story about your work.
Amplify Your Strengths
At the Athens County Foundation, we believe in the strength of our region and our collaborators like you. We appreciate the diverse strengths and expertise, so highlight your organization’s successes, past impact, and unique capabilities – you’re already doing it! By focusing on your strengths, you not only demonstrate your ability to strengthen our region but also your ability to thrive in times of adversity.
Demonstrate Authenticity
A well-researched plan is good, but an authentic plan that embraces imperfections and the limitations of big data is also great. We admire and value transparency in your grantwriting process. Your honest and candid communication with us forms the cornerstone of our brand of philanthropy. Share your organization’s journey openly, including your triumphs and challenges. Your authenticity sets your grant proposal apart and inspires confidence in your work.
Champion Collaborative Efforts
At the heart of the Athens County Foundation’s approach lies a profound appreciation for collaborative endeavors that unite diverse stakeholders in pursuit of inclusive and comprehensive impact. Clearly outline how your project leverages local resources and involves multiple partners, including beneficiaries, community members, and relevant organizations. Emphasize your enthusiasm to collaborate with others to achieve sustainable and transformative outcomes.
Feel free to attach letters of support/commitment from your collaborators and supporters on your grant application. This is optional, but it allows our reviewers to learn about your work through the lens of your supporters. If you are searching for potential partners, we can also help you make connections!
Showcase Measurable Impact
The Athens County Foundation seeks projects that create tangible and lasting differences in the community. We appreciate a healthy mix of data, case studies, and testimonials to illustrate the positive impact of your work and how it will continue to thrive with the Foundation’s support.
Write Smarter, Not Harder
Grant writing is a skill, just like any other. The good news is that there are some fantastic tools out there to assist you. AI-powered assistants can refine your writing, suggest improvements, and ensure your proposal is top-notch. However, when using AI, be mindful of maintaining your unique voice and ensuring your intentions shine through clearly. Moreover, we would like to reiterate that you don’t have to write everything from scratch! Feel free to reuse language from your previous documents or applications; it’s a time-saver and maintains consistency. So, go ahead, leverage these resources, and confidently craft compelling grant applications that stand out in the crowd. And if you still feel overwhelmed, please don’t hesitate to contact our grants team ; we’ll be more than happy to assist you!
Additional tip: If you’re planning to apply to multiple funding opportunities, use our portal’s copy function to copy your answers from one form to another. Make sure to double-check your responses, fill in any fields that did not transfer, and edit the fields to match the funding opportunity you are applying for. If you need more help using our system, check out this tutorial article from our software provider or reach out to our team !
Collaborate and Learn from Rejections
Receiving a rejection can be disheartening, but we encourage you to see it as an opportunity for growth, learning, and improvement. We want to stand together with you in both success and setbacks. When faced with rejection, don’t be discouraged—reach out to us, request feedback, and use it to refine your approach. We’re here to help you rise stronger and more determined than ever.
Your grantwriting journey with the Athens County Foundation is infused with the spirit of fostering genuine connections, transparency, and collaboration. We are genuinely excited to see your visions come to life and to be part of your incredible journey. Embrace authenticity, transparency, and community engagement – the values that form the F oundation of our partnership. Together, we ’ ll create a positive impact that will uplift Athens County for generations to come. Let ’ s write a grant proposal that reflects your passion and potential – we believe in you, and we ’ re rooting for your success every step of the way!
Meet our Grants Team
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Eleni Zulia
Director of Programs and Engagement eleni@athensfoundation.org (schedule a meeting) |
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Shayne Lopez
Manager of Operations and Special Projects shayne@athensfoundation.org (schedule a meeting) |
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mission | We build on the strengths of our community, advancing participation and collaboration to address longstanding challenges and pursue extraordinary opportunities.
vision | Everyone in Athens County is engaged and working together to ensure a healthy, inclusive, thriving community for all.