Some of the most successful independent television and film producers are also the most successful at securing grant funding. There are many types of grants out there including government agencies, non-profit organizations and private funding. Once you have identified the grants that match your project, it is time to delve into the process of actually applying for the grants. Here are a few pointers to help you make the most of your submissions.
- Carefully read the instructions and guidelines and then FOLLOW THEM to the letter. This means filling out every section of the application in entirety. If you talk to grant readers, one of the biggest mistakes they site is a non-complete application. During my short stint as a grant reader, I found it helpful when the grant applicants mimicked the grant outline exactly as it was laid out.
- For any narrative answers, write clearly and concisely in jargon-free language. This is not a time to impress people with your industry speak. You want to plainly set out your intension so that anyone reading the application has a clear picture of you goals.
- Share your passion. Just because you are writing clearly, doesn’t mean you have to be boring. The best way to convince someone that your idea is worthy is to show some excitement about it.
- Give specifics. A good idea or worthy cause do not speak for themselves. Grant givers want to know that you have a plan to achieve your goals. Do some research ahead of time and create an outline for yourself about what you are going to do and how you are going to do it.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Believe it or not, grant givers want complete, competitive applications. If you don’t know how to answer a question, ask for clarification. You can even ask about what the grant giver is looking for. You never know what kind of response you’ll get. Also ask previous successful grant recipients what they did to create a winning application. They may have some insight that you never thought of.
Good luck. For more information about fundraising in general, check out the recording of my teleseminar: Funding Your Dream Documentary.
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