Guidelines
Follow these guidelines to help you:
- Active voice
- Third person (never use I) and gender neutral
- If acronyms are used, explain at the beginning of the grant
- Avoid contractions
- Don’t put key information in the appendix
- Correct spelling and punctuation
- Know your readers and write in the way they can understand it using the specific language they know, i.e, arts, health, law enforcement, etc. If you do not know the language, re-read the proposal and any documents funder produces or suggests
- Short, clear sentences
- Use headings (center, side or sub) to draw attention to divisions. Use the funder’s proposal guidelines to determine headings
- Use italics, underline, bold and bullets
- Adhere to page limitations
- Proper use of singular/plural, i.e. data are
- Black ink. Use colored ink very sparingly
- Put a final copy on 8 1/2 by 11 bond
- Single spaced unless directed
- Print only on one side
- Simple binding - follow directions
- Edit! Edit! Edit! And not necessarily by the writer