Looking for Dealbreakers in a Grant Announcement

One example of how experience is just as important as knowledge is my policy of looking for “deal breakers” in the very beginning of an assignment. I examine the project closely and consult the funding agency if there is any doubt as to project eligibility. This may sound like common sense, but the novice has a tendency to want to think that the project is fundable under a particular program regardless of any issues which may be a potential problem. He may not want to think that this potential source, which may have been very hard to find, may not be the right choice. I highly recommend that the grant writer minutely examine the program guidelines at least twice in order to ensure that the project is eligible for funding.

I was once hired to write a grant application for a nonprofit agency whose director assured me that his marketing project was eligible for a program administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce. He explained that he had attended a meeting at which he was told that the project had a good likelihood of getting funded. However, after reading the guidelines, I had a nagging suspicion that all was not well. Accordingly, I contacted the agency, who informed me that there had been a misunderstanding and that this project would not even meet their threshold requirements- meaning that it would not even be reviewed. “Threshold” refers to the minimum criteria to even be eligible to apply. Going the extra mile to check saved both me and the nonprofit from a potentially embarrassing and expensive mistake.