10 Grant Writing Tips That Will Increase Your Success Rate

You've found the perfect grant program. You meet all the eligibility criteria. Now comes the hard part: writing an application that stands out from hundreds of competitors.

After reviewing thousands of applications and speaking with grant program managers, we've identified the strategies that separate winning applications from rejected ones.

1. Answer the Question Being Asked

The Problem: Applicants often write about what they want to say instead of what the evaluators want to know.

The Solution: Read the application questions carefully. If they ask about your market opportunity, don't write about your technology. If they ask how you'll measure success, provide specific metrics.

How to Do It

• Print the application questions
• Outline your response to each question before writing
• After writing, check: "Does this actually answer what they asked?"
• Have someone unfamiliar with your business read it—can they understand your answers?

Example:

❌ Bad (Doesn't Answer Question):

Q: How will this project benefit the Canadian economy?

A: Our company has been growing rapidly over the past 3 years. We've developed innovative technology that customers love. We plan to hire more people as we expand.

✅ Good (Directly Answers):

Q: How will this project benefit the Canadian economy?

A: This project will create 12 full-time jobs in Ontario over 2 years, with an average salary of $75,000. Additionally, we'll source 60% of materials from Canadian suppliers, generating approximately $500,000 in economic activity. Our export expansion will bring $2M in foreign revenue into Canada annually by year 3.

2. Tell a Compelling Story

Numbers and facts are essential, but humans make decisions based on stories.

The Story Structure

1. The Challenge: What problem are you solving?
2. The Opportunity: Why now? Why does this matter?
3. Your Solution: What will you do about it?
4. The Impact: What changes as a result?

Example Opening:

Canadian manufacturers waste an estimated $2B annually on inefficient production scheduling. Small manufacturers lack access to the sophisticated AI tools that large companies use, forcing them to rely on spreadsheets and gut feel. Our project will democratize production optimization by building an affordable, easy-to-use AI scheduling platform specifically for SMEs. Within 3 years, we aim to help 1,000 Canadian manufacturers save an average of $100,000 annually while reducing waste by 30%.

3. Be Specific, Not Generic

Generic statements weaken applications. Specific details build credibility.

Before and After Examples

❌ Generic:

We will hire several new employees to support our growth.

✅ Specific:

We will hire 3 full-time employees:

• 1 Senior Developer (Q2 2025) - $90K salary
• 1 Sales Associate (Q3 2025) - $65K salary
• 1 Customer Success Manager (Q4 2025) - $70K salary

❌ Generic:

Our product will help many customers.

✅ Specific:

We currently serve 47 customers across Ontario and Quebec. This project will enable us to expand to Western Canada, targeting 100 additional customers in the agriculture sector by end of 2026.

4. Show, Don't Just Tell

Back up every claim with evidence.

Types of Evidence

• Traction: Customer numbers, revenue, growth rates
• Market Validation: Letters of intent, pilot results, testimonials
• Team Expertise: Relevant experience, past successes, qualifications
• Financial Health: Revenue, profitability, investment received
• Technical Feasibility: Prototypes, test results, IP

Example:

❌ Telling:

There is strong market demand for our product.

✅ Showing:

Market demand is evidenced by:

• 200+ businesses on our waitlist
• 3 signed letters of intent representing $500K in potential revenue
• Pilot program with 5 customers showing 40% efficiency gains
• Industry report projecting 25% annual market growth (Source: Forrester, 2024)

5. Address Risk Proactively

Every project has risks. Pretending they don't exist makes evaluators nervous. Addressing them builds trust.

Common Risks to Address

• Technical feasibility
• Market adoption
• Competition
• Timeline delays
• Key person dependencies
• Regulatory challenges

How to Address Risks:

1. Acknowledge the risk
2. Explain how you'll mitigate it
3. Show you have a backup plan

Example:

Risk: Customer adoption may be slower than projected.

Mitigation:

• We've secured 3 pilot customers committed to 6-month trials
• Our pricing is 60% lower than alternatives, reducing barriers
• We'll allocate 30% of funds to customer education and onboarding

Contingency: If Q1 targets are missed, we'll pivot resources to higher-converting customer segments identified in pilots.

6. Connect Your Budget to Your Activities

Don't just list expenses. Show how each expense drives your project forward.

Budget Narrative Template

For each major budget item:

• What: Describe the expense
• Why: Explain why it's necessary
• When: Timeline for the expense
• Impact: How it advances project goals

Example:

7. Use Data to Support Claims

Opinions are weak. Data is strong.

Sources of Data

• Industry reports - Market size, trends, growth projections
• Government statistics - Economic data, sector information
• Academic research - Technical feasibility, methodologies
• Your own data - Customer surveys, pilot results, sales metrics
• Competitor data - Validate market size and opportunity

Example:

❌ Opinion:

Clean technology is a growing market with huge potential.

✅ Data-Driven:

The global clean technology market is projected to reach $1.9T by 2030 (BNEF, 2024), growing at 15% annually. Canada represents 2.5% of this market (~$47B), with government policies targeting net-zero emissions by 2050. Our target segment—building energy management—is the fastest-growing subsector at 22% CAGR.

8. Demonstrate Sustainability

Funders want to know their investment will have lasting impact. Show how your business will continue after the grant.

Elements of Sustainability

1. Revenue Model: How will you generate income?
2. Market Traction: Customers or users you've already secured
3. Financial Plan: Path to profitability or additional funding
4. Team Commitment: Key people staying long-term

Example:

Revenue Model: We charge $99/month per user with 12-month contracts. Current MRR of $5,000 with 25% month-over-month growth.

Path to Profitability: Grant funds will accelerate product development by 12 months. We'll reach profitability at 200 customers (projected Q4 2025) with current burn rate of $25K/month.

Beyond the Grant: We've secured a $500K line of credit and have 2 interested investors for a Series A round planned for 2026.

9. Tailor to the Funder's Priorities

Every funder has specific goals. Your application should align with them.

How to Identify Priorities

• Read the program objectives section carefully
• Review previously funded projects
• Note repeated keywords in the guidelines
• Understand the funder's mandate

Examples by Funder Type

Federal Economic Development:

• Job creation (especially in target regions)
• Innovation and competitiveness
• Export potential
• Clean growth

Popular programs: Canada Summer Jobs, Canada Small Business Financing

Regional Development:

• Local economic impact
• Community benefit
• Underserved populations
• Regional priorities

Popular programs: ACOA Business Development, ACOA Innovative Communities Fund

Innovation Programs:

• Technical novelty
• Commercialization potential
• R&D capability
• IP development

Popular programs: Alberta Innovates Voucher Program, AccelerateIP

10. Edit Ruthlessly

Your first draft is not your final draft.

Editing Checklist

Clarity:

• Could someone outside your industry understand this?
• Have you defined all acronyms and jargon?
• Are sentences clear and concise?

Completeness:

• Did you answer every question?
• Did you include all required attachments?
• Did you meet word/character limits?

Consistency:

• Do your numbers add up?
• Are dates and timelines consistent?
• Does your budget match your narrative?

Quality:

• Is it free of typos and grammatical errors?
• Are headings and formatting clean?
• Is it easy to scan and find information?

Get Feedback

• Have someone unfamiliar with your business read it
• Ask a colleague in your industry to review
• Consider hiring a grant writer for review (if allowed)
• Use the funder's pre-submission review if available

Bonus Tip: Start Early

The best applications are written over weeks, not days.

Ideal Timeline

6-8 Weeks Before Deadline:

• Read guidelines thoroughly
• Identify required documents
• Start drafting answers

4 Weeks Before:

• Complete first draft
• Gather supporting documents
• Prepare budget

2 Weeks Before:

• Get feedback
• Revise and improve
• Format and polish

1 Week Before:

• Final review
• Check all requirements
• Submit (don't wait until the last minute!)

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Recycling Applications

Every grant is different. Customizing your application is not optional.

2. Ignoring Evaluation Criteria

Many applications list exactly how they'll be scored. Use this as your outline.

3. Weak Letters of Support

Generic letters add no value. Get specific letters that address your project.

4. Missing Attachments

Check the requirements list multiple times. Missing a document = automatic rejection.

5. Last-Minute Submission

Systems crash, files won't upload, issues arise. Submit 24-48 hours early.

Your Grant Writing Toolkit

Before You Start

• Application guidelines (printed)
• Eligibility criteria checklist
• Evaluation criteria/scoring rubric
• Required document list
• Past successful applications (if available)

While Writing

• Outline for each section
• Supporting data and sources
• Draft letters of support
• Budget spreadsheet
• Timeline/Gantt chart

Before Submitting

• Completed application
• All supporting documents
• Letters of support
• Financial statements
• Required signatures
• Proofreading complete
• Formatting checked

Next Steps

1. Review your current draft using these 10 tips
2. Create a timeline working backward from the deadline
3. Get feedback from advisors or peers
4. Polish and perfect your application
5. Submit early and breathe easy

Resources

• Grant Application Checklist (PDF) - Never miss a requirement
• Sample Budget Template - Professional budget format
• Grant Writing Course - Master the fundamentals
• 1-on-1 Application Review - Get expert feedback

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Need help with your application? Our team reviews hundreds of applications annually. Book a consultation to get personalized feedback on your grant application.