A few things that come to mind that I appreciate in people’s applications:
apply to several funders where possible
try and point to a concrete plan (even if it’s basic)
talk about any tests you’ve done for your plan already (e.g. have you spent some time trying to upskill outside of a grant)
talk about why a grant is better than applying to a program/internship/job (or it could be that it’s worse, but you aren’t ready to do those alternatives yet)
try to talk about an end-to-end theory of change for your work—this is mostly about showing you’ve thought about how this project fits into a larger plan and you’re thinking strategically about your career
To be clear you don’t need to do any of these things to get funding, but I often find that applications are improved after people consider some of these bullet points.
A few things that come to mind that I appreciate in people’s applications:
apply to several funders where possible
try and point to a concrete plan (even if it’s basic)
talk about any tests you’ve done for your plan already (e.g. have you spent some time trying to upskill outside of a grant)
talk about why a grant is better than applying to a program/internship/job (or it could be that it’s worse, but you aren’t ready to do those alternatives yet)
try to talk about an end-to-end theory of change for your work—this is mostly about showing you’ve thought about how this project fits into a larger plan and you’re thinking strategically about your career
To be clear you don’t need to do any of these things to get funding, but I often find that applications are improved after people consider some of these bullet points.
I’m surprised by this one! I see how it’s in the applicant’s interests, but why does it matter to you?