It takes a lot of work to write a grant, and the results are never guaranteed. 

When deciding if you should pursue grant, make sure you can answer “yes” to 2 questions:

• Does the purpose of the grant match the mission of our agency?  
• Do our stakeholders (supporters, staff, board members, clients) believe in the project?
   

Before you begin writing the grant, consider:

• Can we follow all laws and requirements stipulated by this grant?
   
• Do we have enough money to cover project costs before we receive the grant funds? 
   
• How detailed and time-consuming is the application or request for proposal (RFP)?
   
• Who are we competing against for this money? Is it a national, state or local funding source? Do we have a good chance of receiving funding?
   
• What is the motivation of the funding source?  What type of projects have they funded? Is our project along the same lines?
   
• How much will the grantor give per award?  How much will the grantor award in total?  Is the potential award worth the time it takes to apply?
   
• What selection criteria does the grantor use when awarding funds?