This Week's Tip: Using Statistics in Your Proposal

Statistics can be useful for bolstering the points in your grant proposal, but they should be used properly and sparingly. A professional reviewer cautions, “Statistics are important, but can be confusing. Use them when they set the stage and give a context for the project.”

Be sure to explain why you’re including them and what they mean in terms of the point you wish to make.  Use just what you need; dumping rows and rows of numbers into your proposal will not necessarily help its credibility or improve your chances of approval.

Grant reviewers have to read through a large number of proposals and will not have time to analyze a lot of statistics without context. They want to be able to be interested in your proposal, so make sure that it is concise, clear, and interesting, with statistics used in the proper amount and for the right purpose. 

-Chris

Tip: Be Organized and Logical

I see many grant proposals from people who are clearly passionate and excited about their project, but fall a little short of putting forth a persuasive argument for the funders. While a small bit of “human touch” can help an already well-structured proposal, emotion should be used sparingly.

 You want to lay out a clear, rational explanation of why your project is aligned with the funder’s priorities and the award would be used effectively. You already know why your proposal should be chosen and how you can be successful in implementing it. However, if you do not convey this understandably to the funder, they may not select your proposal for funding.

 In addition, please be sure that your claims are feasible and that you make logical connections. It is not enough to say that if you receive $300,000, you can end hunger in your town. Rather, you will need to provide statistics on hunger in your area, what it would take to provide meals to the number of needy people, and how you can make it happen within budgetary constraints. You could logically say that if you operated a soup kitchen that served two meals per day, you could largely eliminate the problem of people in your community going a day or more without eating.

 It’s great to be passionate and committed, but be sure that you demonstrate how your good idea can become a successful project.    

-Chris