Ten tips for a successful grant application

Read on for ten tips to get you on your way to a winning grant application.

It's important to start planning as early as you can and get down a first draft of your proposal.
Research funding agencies that suit your project and interests and find out their application closing dates.
Read their funding guidelines noting any particular eligibility criteria and the aims and objectives of the funding agency.
Establish an exact budget for the project. If you will need a co-funder find out when you will get confirmation of funding from them.
Speak to the staff of the agency(ies) about your proposal and take notes of the discussion to feed back into your application. Go to a public information session about the grant program if there's one available.
Make sure you have good quality support material, such as great high resolution images of your work, an up to date CV and letters of support. Try to get your work professionally photographed if possible.
Provide all the information requested by the application but don’t give unasked for information or exceed any set word limits.
Use plain English, not jargon. Try to talk about your project as if you were describing it to someone who has never heard of you or your work. Make sure you clearly address the funding agency’s objectives and show how the proposal will meet its aims as well as yours.
Budget the application carefully and properly and research real costs. Usually your expenditure must equal your income (including the grant amount). Consider the likely amount that might be given by the agency and adjust your budget accordingly.
Don't forget to check over your application carefully before submitting. Get someone else to read it who is unfamilar with your project to ensure they understand what you have written.

And finally, good luck!