Capstone: Write Your First Proposal

From Skills to Submission

You have built every capability needed to write a competitive grant proposal. Now let us assemble the complete package.

By the end of this lesson, you will have a clear process for producing a full proposal and a checklist to ensure nothing is missed.

Quick Recall: In the previous lesson, we built a grant tracking system with pipeline management, follow-up procedures, and a reusable proposal library. Now let us put every skill together into one complete proposal.

Course Review: Your Complete Grant Writing Toolkit

Here is everything you have built across this course:

Quick Check: Can you list the standard sections of a grant proposal in order without looking back at Lesson 4?

The Complete Proposal Assembly Process

Follow this sequence to produce a full proposal:

Week 1: Research and Planning

1. Select a funder from your scored prospect list (alignment score 3.5+)
2. Read their guidelines thoroughly, noting every requirement
3. Create a requirements checklist: sections, page limits, formatting, attachments
4. Confirm your project fits their priorities, geography, and funding range
5. Gather data for your needs statement

Week 2: First Draft

6. Draft needs statement using zoom in, zoom out technique
7. Write project description with theory of change
8. Create SMART objectives and logic model
9. Build line-item budget with justification narrative
10. Draft evaluation plan matching objectives

Week 3: Refinement

11. Write organizational background
12. Write executive summary (after all other sections)
13. Internal review: have a colleague read for clarity
14. AI-assisted revision for jargon, hedging, and alignment
15. Check that budget matches narrative activities

Week 4: Final Preparation

16. Format according to funder requirements
17. Assemble all required attachments
18. Final proofreading
19. Submit 48+ hours before deadline
20. Document submission and set follow-up reminders

The Pre-Submission Checklist

Use this before every submission:

FORMAT AND REQUIREMENTS
[ ] Follows funder's required section order exactly
[ ] Meets all page limits
[ ] Uses required font, spacing, and margin specifications
[ ] All required sections are present
[ ] All required attachments are included

CONTENT QUALITY
[ ] Needs statement includes both data and human stories
[ ] All objectives are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound)
[ ] Budget matches activities described in narrative
[ ] Every budget line item has a calculation and justification
[ ] Logic model is consistent with objectives and activities
[ ] Evaluation plan mirrors objectives with specific measurement tools
[ ] Executive summary accurately reflects the full proposal

WRITING QUALITY
[ ] Clear, confident language without hedging
[ ] No jargon or unexplained acronyms
[ ] Every claim has supporting evidence
[ ] Active voice throughout
[ ] Proofread for grammar and spelling

ALIGNMENT
[ ] Direct connections to funder's stated priorities
[ ] Request amount within funder's typical range
[ ] Geographic focus matches funder's scope
[ ] Target population matches funder's interest areas

LOGISTICS
[ ] Saved a complete copy of everything submitted
[ ] Submission confirmed (receipt or confirmation email)
[ ] Follow-up date noted in tracking system
[ ] Reporting deadlines added to calendar (if applicable)

Congratulations

You have completed the entire Grant Writing with AI course. You now have:

• A systematic approach to identifying aligned funders through scored research
• The ability to write needs statements that combine data and human stories
• Knowledge of proposal structure including logic models and SMART objectives
• Skills for building realistic, justified budgets with narrative explanations
• Persuasive writing techniques using the claim-evidence-connection framework
• A grant tracking system to manage multiple applications and relationships
• A complete process for assembling proposals from research to submission

The organizations that win grants consistently are not necessarily doing the best work in the world. They are the ones who communicate their work most effectively to the right funders. You now have the tools to be one of those organizations.

Your Capstone Exercise

Write a complete mini-proposal using everything from this course:

1. Select one funder from your prospect list (Lesson 2)
2. Write a one-page needs statement (Lesson 3)
3. Create three SMART objectives and a logic model (Lesson 4)
4. Draft a one-page budget with narrative (Lesson 5)
5. Write a one-page project description (Lesson 6)
6. Add the funder to your tracking system (Lesson 7)

A mini-proposal is not a full submission, but it exercises every skill. When a real deadline arrives, you will have practiced the complete process.

Key Takeaways

• Assemble proposals in a structured four-week sequence: research, draft, refine, finalize
• Use the pre-submission checklist to catch missed requirements before submitting
• Submit at least 48 hours before the deadline to account for technical issues
• The organizations that win the most grants are the ones that communicate most effectively to aligned funders
• Consistent effort with a systematic approach produces better results than occasional heroic proposals