Securing grants can transform an organization’s impact—but writing a compelling proposal is rarely straightforward. Many nonprofits treat grant writing as a numbers game, sending as many applications as possible and hoping something lands. The truth is, successful proposals share structure, clarity, and strategy.
Our new explainer, Anatomy of a Grant Proposal, breaks down exactly what goes into a strong application and how to make each section count.
Unlike individual major gifts, institutional giving involves formal applications, deadlines, and measurable outcomes. These grants often come from process-driven foundations with clear criteria and structured review systems. While that makes them less personal, it also makes them predictable.
The explainer outlines how to navigate this space by focusing on the type of foundation you’re approaching, aligning your proposal with their mission, and presenting measurable outcomes that matter.
Every proposal looks different, but the essentials stay the same. The explainer walks through six sections that every successful grant application should include: