It might sound self explanatory but before you start preparing your grant proposal, check the requirements. All of them! If you do not meet the requirements, your proposal will automatically be disqualified.

Before you apply to your first grant, start getting your paperwork together. Ideas include:

- Document templates (documents, powerpoint, etc)

- Headshots & logos

- Make sure your Linkedin and socials are up-to-date and reflect your current work

- Budget projections

Many grant applications nowadays have to be submitted via a grant portal. Do not prepare your proposal directly in the portal! Instead create a Google or Word doc, draft your responses there, and then simply copy and paste everything to the grant portal once you are ready to click submit.

Before you start prepping your answers, check if there are any word or character limits. There’s nothing worse than spending hours writing the perfect text, only to discover theres a 100 word limit.

Unless you are applying to a grant which is specifically aimed at start-ups, most grant makers will prefer to award a grant to a business that is in operation at least 2-3 years.