Grant proposal drafted to match the funder's guidelines
Nonprofits and small teams lose grants by missing a required section or ignoring what the funder cares about. Attach the call for proposals and your program notes, and your todo.is agent reads the guidelines, maps every requirement, and drafts a grant proposal that answers each one within the word limits.
The prompt
- Help me write a grant proposal to [FUNDER AND GRANT NAME] for [ORGANIZATION NAME AND MISSION]. Read the guidelines at [LINK TO THE CALL OR ATTACHED GUIDELINES] and list every required section, word limit, eligibility rule and deadline first. Our program: [PROGRAM, WHO IT SERVES AND WHERE]. We are asking for [AMOUNT REQUESTED] over [GRANT PERIOD]. Then draft: summary, statement of need with local data and source links, goals and measurable objectives, activities and timeline, evaluation plan, organization capacity, sustainability after the grant, and a budget with a short justification for each line. Match the funder's priorities and wording where honest. Stay within each word limit and show the word count per section. Deliver a Word file and a checklist of attachments I must prepare.
What to change
- [FUNDER AND GRANT NAME]: e.g. "the Riverbend Community Foundation, Youth Opportunity Grant".
- [ORGANIZATION NAME AND MISSION]: e.g. "Open Pages, a nonprofit teaching adults to read".
- [LINK TO THE CALL OR ATTACHED GUIDELINES]: Paste the web link, or attach the PDF of the call for proposals.
- [PROGRAM, WHO IT SERVES AND WHERE]: e.g. "evening reading classes for 80 adults in east Riverbend".
- [AMOUNT REQUESTED]: e.g. "$40,000".
- [GRANT PERIOD]: e.g. "12 months starting July 2027".
Example result
- Funder requirements found
- • Eligibility: registered nonprofit, serving the county, budget under $2M (you qualify)
- • Sections: summary (150 words), need (500), program (750), evaluation (400), budget
- • Deadline: January 15, 5pm, online portal
- • Attachments: tax status letter, board list, latest financial statement
- Project summary (148 words)
- Open Pages requests $40,000 over 12 months to expand free evening reading classes for adults in east Riverbend from 40 to 80 learners. Classes run twice a week in two public libraries, led by trained volunteer tutors and one part-time coordinator. By the end of the grant, at least 60% of learners will improve by one reading level, and 25 learners will reach a goal they set at intake, such as passing a driving theory test or reading to their children.
- Statement of need (excerpt)
- In east Riverbend, many adults struggle to read a medication label, a lease or a job application. Local library staff report a waiting list of 52 adults for our classes. County figures on adult literacy and unemployment go here, each with its source link from the research notes.
- Goals and objectives
- • Goal: more adults in east Riverbend read with confidence
- • Objective 1: enroll 80 learners by month 3
- • Objective 2: 60% gain one reading level by month 12 (standard reading test at intake and exit)
- • Objective 3: train 20 new volunteer tutors by month 4
- Evaluation plan
- Reading tests at intake, month 6 and month 12; attendance tracked weekly; learner goal check-ins every quarter; results reported to the foundation at month 6 and 12.
- Budget (illustrative)
- • Part-time coordinator: $22,000 (manages classes and volunteers)
- • Tutor training: $4,000
- • Learning materials: $6,000
- • Childcare during classes: $5,000 (removes the main reason learners drop out)
- • Evaluation tools: $3,000
- • Total: $40,000
- Sustainability
- Two library partners provide free rooms. We will use results to apply for city adult education funds in year two.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in the funder, your organization, program and amount.
- Paste it into todo.is and attach the call for proposals plus your past proposals, annual report or program data.
- Your agent lists the requirements first, then drafts every section with word counts and a budget justification.
- Ask it to tighten any section, then check facts, add your attachments and submit through the funder's portal yourself.
Tips for a better result
- Read the funder's priorities and past grantees. Your agent can search them and tell you how well you fit before you write.
- Make objectives measurable with a number and a date. Reviewers score this section heavily.
- Use local data in the need statement, not national averages.
- Justify every budget line in one sentence that links it to an outcome.
- Ask your agent to set a reminder one week and two days before the deadline.
grant proposal: FAQ
- What are the parts of a grant proposal? Most funders ask for a summary, statement of need, goals and objectives, methods or activities, evaluation, organizational background, sustainability and a budget with justification. Always follow the funder's own list and order.
- How long does it take to write a grant proposal? A first proposal often takes several weeks of work. With a strong draft from your agent, most of the time goes into checking facts, budgets and attachments.
- Can todo.is find grants to apply for? Yes. Your agent can search for open grants that match your mission and location, and a recurring to-do can alert you when new ones are posted.
- Can I reuse a grant proposal for another funder? You can reuse the core content, but adapt it to each funder's priorities, sections and limits. Ask your agent to rewrite it for the new guidelines.
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