What a short-term donor stint revealed about winning NGO grants

6 tips to sharpen your proposals and stop shouting into the void

Let’s be real for a moment: most of us in the social impact world have hit “submit” on a funding application knowing deep down... it’s probably not a fit.

But hey, there’s a budget gap. The project kinda aligns. And what if this is the one that surprises us with their yes? So we try. We hustle. We cross our fingers.

And then—radio silence. Or a simple “no thanks” weeks (or months) later.

A colleague currently reviewing proposals for the Foreign Aid Bridge Fund* recently shared some hard truths from the other side of the table. She's usually a connector, but currently she's deep in reviewing proposals and seeing with 20/20 vision what makes proposals stand out. Or get tossed aside. Her advice? Gold. So we’re turning her LinkedIn wisdom into a practical blog post that will save you hours (and potentially even years) of wasted effort.

Here are the top 6 takeaways that will help you write grants more effectively, avoid funder mismatches, and get closer to all those “yes”s.

*The Foreign Aid Bridge Fund is an emergency initiative established by Unlock Aid to provide short-term funding to frontline organizations facing disruptions due to the U.S. foreign aid freeze, ensuring the continuation of vital services. 

1. First things first: Make sure you meet the criteria

The Foreign Aid Bridge Fund has eligibility guidelines on its website. Yet over 90% of applicants don’t meet them.

Why? Some might not have read carefully. But more often, folks are in survival mode—trying to patch urgent funding gaps and hoping they “sort of” qualify.

We’ve all been there. But crossing your fingers isn’t a funding strategy—it’s a time drain. If your org doesn’t meet the basic criteria (think: sector focus, geographic priorities), your application is unlikely to move forward.

📌 Try this instead: Before applying, take five minutes to double-check that you truly fit the funder’s criteria. Not just “close enough.”

2. Not every grant is for you: Focus where you fit best

If you're a large global NGO applying for a niche fund designed for small grassroots orgs, it’ll show. And it won’t help your chances.

Instead of trying to wedge your organization into a grant that wasn’t built for you, focus on finding funding that fits your scale, scope, and stage.

👉 Tools like my perfect-fit-funder checklist (grab it for free) walk you step by step through confirming your alignment with each funder. Perplexity is a quick way to get the initial intel for each of the checklist items. 

You want at least 85% alignment, but ideally 90%+. It’s one of the smartest ways to write grants more strategically.

3. Write grants that open strong: Lead with your “why” + “what”

Too many proposals start with a long background about the organization. History, context, founding story, a paragraph on the problem…

But here’s what actually grabs attention:

“We aim to reduce maternal mortality in rural northern Ghana by training 300 community health workers over the next 18 months.”

Boom. I now know your mission and your plan. Tell me that first. Then you can take me on the scenic route through your backstory.

📌 Try this: Write your opening paragraph as if you're answering this donor’s unspoken question: “Why should I care, and what are you going to do with my money?”

4. Generic = forgettable: Get specific with what you do

You’ve seen this one before: “We support communities to thrive.”

Sounds nice. But... what does that mean?

Support how? Thrive in what way? Are we talking legal aid, mental health services, access to clean water? Be specific, or your proposal melts into a pool of generic buzzwords.

📌 Try this: Swap out broad words like empower, support, or strengthen with clear actions.

“We provide legal assistance to asylum seekers in border towns across southern Texas.”

Much better. I now know what you actually do.

👉 If you want to dive deeper into strong messaging, hop over to this blog post I wrote previously with step-by-step guidance on writing strong messaging. Because this is an essential part of the grant writing process.

5. Metrics matter: Show what your grant funds actually achieve

When asked about impact, a surprising number of applicants give vague answers. Or they cite outputs instead of outcomes.

❌ “We served 1,000 youth this year.”
✅ “90% of youth in our entrepreneurship program started micro-businesses within 3 months of completing training.”

Even better? Tie metrics to funding:

“With your support, we will expand our training to reach 500 additional youth in 2025, increasing local employment in the region by 15%.”

📌 Try this:

• Be specific about what previous funding accomplished.

• Show what new funding will unlock.

• Avoid vanity metrics (like social media followers) unless they’re directly tied to outcomes.

6. Clear over clever: Simplify your grant writing process

Even grant writing experts fall into this trap: Big words, complex sentences, and jargon so thick you need a glossary.

Your proposal shouldn’t require a decoder ring. Reviewers are scanning dozens of applications per day. They want clarity, not cleverness.

📌 Try this instead:

• Read your proposal out loud. If you wouldn’t say it in conversation, rewrite it.

• Swap “utilize” for “use.” Replace “stakeholders” with “people we work with.”

• Ask someone outside your sector to read your first page. If they don’t get it, you’ve got work to do.
  

Final thought: It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing it smarter

No one has time to waste on proposals that won’t go anywhere. These 6 tips aren’t about adding more to your plate—they’re about focusing your efforts where they’ll actually pay off.

And if that means skipping a few “iffy” opportunities to double down on a well-matched one? That’s not playing it safe. That’s playing it smart.

If you’ve ever been on the other side—reading a pile of applications—you know how quickly things blur together. The proposals that stand out are clear, specific, and relevant. They show respect for your time. They tell a compelling story without overcomplicating. And most importantly? They’re a fit. So before you click “submit” on that next NGO grant proposal, pause. Ask yourself:

• Is this a strong match for what the funder wants?

• Can I clearly explain what we do, why it matters, and what impact the funding will have?

• Would I be interested in reading this if I were the reviewer and had to pick just the best proposals?

If the answer is yes, hit send with confidence.

You’ve got this.

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