Grant Writing Grant Writing 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary function of a grant proposal's 'executive summary'?
- To list all executive staff members and their qualifications
- To provide a concise overview of the entire proposal that can stand alone for busy reviewers (Correct answer)
- To summarize the organization's annual report
- To outline the funder's grant-making priorities
Correct answer: To provide a concise overview of the entire proposal that can stand alone for busy reviewers
The executive summary gives reviewers a quick, compelling snapshot of the project, organization, request amount, and expected impact.
Question 2: What does 'program officer' typically refer to in grant making?
- The organization's director who oversees grant-funded programs
- A funder's staff member who manages grants, reviews proposals, and serves as liaison to grantees (Correct answer)
- A government official who approves federal grant allocations
- The grant writer responsible for project implementation
Correct answer: A funder's staff member who manages grants, reviews proposals, and serves as liaison to grantees
A program officer at a foundation or agency is your primary contact who can clarify guidelines, provide feedback, and champion your proposal internally.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of an 'in-kind contribution' for a grant match?
- Cash donated by a local business to the project
- Volunteer labor, donated supplies, or free office space provided to support the grant project (Correct answer)
- A no-interest loan from a community development bank
- Revenue generated by the project during the grant period
Correct answer: Volunteer labor, donated supplies, or free office space provided to support the grant project
In-kind contributions are non-cash resources like volunteer time, donated materials, or free services that have a verifiable monetary value.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a 'sustainability plan' in a grant proposal?
- To demonstrate the organization's commitment to environmental sustainability practices
- To explain how the project or program will continue after grant funding ends (Correct answer)
- To show how savings from the project will sustain the organization's other programs
- To outline the funder's long-term commitment to the organization
Correct answer: To explain how the project or program will continue after grant funding ends
Funders want assurance that their investment will have lasting impact, so a sustainability plan outlines future funding strategies and organizational capacity.
Question 5: In federal grant applications, what is SAM.gov?
- A government database where organizations must register to be eligible for federal grants and contracts (Correct answer)
- A scoring system funders use to rank grant applications
- A federal agency that oversees nonprofit compliance
- A software tool for writing federal grant proposals
Correct answer: A government database where organizations must register to be eligible for federal grants and contracts
SAM (System for Award Management) is the official U.S. government registry where organizations must have an active registration to receive federal awards.
Question 6: What is 'grant prospecting'?
- Researching and identifying funders whose priorities align with your organization's mission and project (Correct answer)
- Cold-calling foundations to request grant meetings
- Mining financial data to determine how much to request
- Reviewing past grant awards to identify successful writing strategies
Correct answer: Researching and identifying funders whose priorities align with your organization's mission and project
Grant prospecting involves systematically researching foundations, government agencies, and corporations to identify the best-fit funding opportunities.
Question 7: What does 'allowable costs' mean in the context of federal grant compliance?
- Costs that are within the grant budget ceiling regardless of their nature
- Expenditures that meet federal standards for being necessary, reasonable, and directly related to the grant (Correct answer)
- Any cost approved by the nonprofit's board of directors
- Costs incurred before the grant period that can be retroactively charged
Correct answer: Expenditures that meet federal standards for being necessary, reasonable, and directly related to the grant
Federal regulations (e.g., 2 CFR Part 200) define allowable costs as those that are necessary, reasonable, allocable, and compliant with the terms of the award.
Grant Writing Grant Writing 4
What is the primary function of a grant proposal's 'executive summary'?