Why Can’t I Win a Grant? 5 Habits You Need to Quit Right Now

In today’s article, I am going to give you 5 reasons why you can’t win a grant even though your project is incredible and you have written a great proposal. But for some reason that is not being translated to the donors.  Mind you these are not the technical reasons why your proposal fails, they are more personal habits and related to your mindset.

Boredom

When you first started, you were excited about your project, you believed in your ability but now that it’s been so long that you have not won any grant you are starting to feel a decline in your confidence. Now, even before you apply for a grant, you feel what’s the point- you won’t win it anyway. If this is how you are feeling right now, you need to change the attitude ASAP. Take a break, reflect on your negative thoughts, re-energize yourself and then get back to your fundraising game with a new clear perspective.

All hope in One Grant Opportunity

When you apply for a grant, it does not mean you are going to receive it, even though you feel the donor’s requirement is a perfect match to yours. Never put all your hopes on one grant opportunity. The process of applying for grant application should never stop. Stop thinking about the outcome.

My Way or the Highway

Is your motto ‘my way or the highway’? If it is, then say bye-bye to any chance of winning a grant. Once you find a potential donor, carefully following the guidelines is key. When a donor gives a guideline for you to follow, they are really serious about that. When it says proposal limited to 20 pages, it means limited to 20 pages. Do not try to show your importance by adding extra pages. It just highlights your ignorance. Sometimes it’s taken as your lack of confidence in the project, and so want to spend extra effort to make it look better than it is to donors.

Self-Doubt

Always know your worth. When you doubt yourself, it reflects on your proposal. Underestimating your work is as bad as overestimating it. True confidence comes from knowing your own value. Showcase your value and your worth and the right donor will get it.

Procrastination

The grant application game can get scary in many ways. Due to high competition, the failure rate is high. It is only natural that people avoid submitting them. But you need to prioritize on what needs to done to get your project on the floor. A suggestion would be to submit your application at least a week before the deadline. So that even if there’s a submission error, you have time to fix it. Also, some grant reviewers suggest the earlier you apply the more chance you have of getting it because the reviewer’s eye is fresh and they aren’t tired of looking at all the applications yet. So, stop procrastinating and join the race before the deadline.