5 Grant Writing Tools You Should Be Using
You know better than anyone — grant writing takes a lot of work.
Often, there is so much work but so little time. We can fall into the common trap of thinking multitasking increases our efficiency. When in reality, multitasking does the exact opposite. According to MIT neuroscience professor Earl K. Miller, “Multitasking is not humanly possible.” Multitasking also leads to more mistakes and less creativity.
So what can you do to fix the problem? Instead of relying on multitasking to get you through, you can leverage easy-to-use productivity tools. They will allow you to focus on the most important tasks at hand, so you can write winning grant proposals.
Whether you’re a first-time grant seeker or an experienced fundraising professional, these online tools are great resources for all aspects of grant writing. Just a few years ago, a lot of these tools weren’t even on the market, let alone affordable and easy to access.
Today you have a whole host of options that will save you time and money. You’ll also improve your writing skills and communication skills along the way. The best part? They’re all free.
Grant Writing Tools
- Canva
- Trello
- Google Drive and Google Docs
- Slack
- Grammarly
Canva
Design Templates | Free | Online Platform with iOS and Android Apps
Canva is easily one of the best tools out there, and you’ve probably never even heard of it before. With Canva, you can easily create beautiful designs and presentations by choosing from thousands of completely customizable templates. Proposals, business cards, email headers, and infographics are just a few of the templates available for you to use. Accomplished grant writer and author of How to Write a Grant, Meredith Noble, is quite the fan of Canva.
“I can’t live without Canva. I use Canva to create beautiful project ‘prospectuses’ ahead of meeting a funder or to create letters of inquiry. I also use it for quick production of graphic design materials. I have used it to make easy to understand project maps as well. I highly recommend it.”
No design experience is needed to use Canva. The tool does all the hard work for you, so you can focus on more important things.
Trello
Project Management | Free | Online Platform with iOS and Android Apps
To help you and your team stay on deadline and on track with your proposal, Trello will do the trick. Trello is a flexible, easy-to-use tool that acts as a place of record. You can make boards, lists, and cards with Trello as well as collaborating on projects by adding attachments and due dates.
Noble also recommends using Trello. “I use Trello for project management, and I think it works great for managing the grant writing process.”
Plus, Trello has designed great apps for you to use on your tablet or mobile device, so you can stay in sync with your project no matter where you are.
Google Drive and Google Docs
Document Management | Free | Online Platform with iOS and Android Apps
These two platforms work together to create a space where you can share, store, and edit your documents. By using Google Drive and Google Docs, you can access documents 24/7 from any device. Changes are saved instantly and multiple people can edit documents within Google Docs. Google Drive gives you 15 GB of secure space to keep all of your important documents for your project.
Veteran grant writer Aaron Rome says that Google Docs is his favorite tool to use. “From my perspective as a consultant who is generally in-and-out of a project, the best and only tool I ever need or use is Google Docs. There is no software to install, no apps to download, and virtually no learning curve. If someone can type, they can effectively collaborate and engage with a draft.”
You can also share files however you like and work on documents offline to make working between deadlines even easier.
Slack
Group Messaging | Free | Online Platform with iOS and Android Apps
With Slack, you can message any team member and get a response within seconds, helping your team stay on the same page and on deadline. Your conversations can then be sorted into different channels to keep your messages organized. For example, you can have a private group thread looping together all of your program staff, or you can have a one-on-one thread with just you and your Development Director.
Slack also allows you to make video and voice calls between team members, as well as share files and documents. This feature is a great way to stay in touch with remote team members.
Grammarly
Content Editing | Free | Online Platform with iOS and Android Apps
Grammarly is the most accurate online grammar checker. Wherever and whatever you’re writing — emails, social media, or even text messages — Grammarly easily corrects your grammar and gives you vocabulary enhancements. Working with Grammarly will keep your writing to the point and, most importantly, correct.
Grammarly also will save you time by checking your work and the work of others, as this tool also offers help with citations. You can upload files to their Plagiarism Checker to quickly detect plagiarism.
If you need an extra hand with writing, Grammarly additionally offers free writing guidelines and best practices on their website.
The best thing about these tools is that they can be completely tailored to your needs and the needs of your nonprofit. From start to finish, they make the road to gaining grant funding a little easier. By keeping your team on track and easily sharing important documents, you’re getting your time back.
Do you wish there was a tool that could save you even more time and win more grants? We can help. Using Instrumentl’s online platform is like hiring a super savvy grant assistant. In a fraction of the time you normally spend, Instrumentl will help you discover new relevant funders, stay on top of grant deadlines, and collaborate with your team, so when it comes to grants, nothing falls through the cracks.
Start a free 14-day trial today to see how Instrumentl can help you become more efficient and effective at winning grants.
