Grant Writing Introduction to Grant Writing 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which section of a grant proposal is typically written last but appears first in the final document?
- Budget justification
- Executive summary or abstract (Correct answer)
- Evaluation plan
- Organizational history
Correct answer: Executive summary or abstract
The executive summary or abstract is usually drafted after all other sections are complete because it distills the entire proposal, but it is placed at the beginning.
Question 2: What is the key difference between 'outputs' and 'outcomes' in grant reporting?
- Outputs are long-term and outcomes are short-term
- Outputs are activities completed; outcomes are changes in knowledge, behavior, or conditions (Correct answer)
- Outputs require evaluation; outcomes do not
- Outputs are financial; outcomes are programmatic
Correct answer: Outputs are activities completed; outcomes are changes in knowledge, behavior, or conditions
Outputs are quantifiable units of activity (e.g., workshops held, people trained), while outcomes describe the meaningful changes those activities produce in participants or communities.
Question 3: A community foundation is best distinguished from a private foundation by:
- Its focus on international grantmaking
- Its funding from multiple donors in a defined geographic area (Correct answer)
- Its government ownership and management
- Its requirement to fund only medical research
Correct answer: Its funding from multiple donors in a defined geographic area
Community foundations pool donations from many individuals and organizations within a specific region and typically fund local nonprofits and projects.
Question 4: Which element is most critical when writing the organizational capacity section of a proposal?
- Listing the executive director's personal biography
- Demonstrating the organization's track record and relevant experience for the proposed project (Correct answer)
- Providing a detailed floor plan of office space
- Describing the organization's marketing strategy
Correct answer: Demonstrating the organization's track record and relevant experience for the proposed project
Funders want evidence that the applicant has successfully managed similar projects, possesses qualified staff, and has the infrastructure to execute the proposed work.
Question 5: If a funder specifies a 12-point font and one-inch margins, deviating from these guidelines most likely results in:
- A higher evaluation score for creativity
- Disqualification or lower scoring due to noncompliance (Correct answer)
- An automatic extension of the page limit
- A waiver request being granted
Correct answer: Disqualification or lower scoring due to noncompliance
Funders set formatting requirements to ensure fair comparison across proposals; noncompliance signals disregard for instructions and can lead to disqualification.
Question 6: What does 'sustainability' mean in the context of a grant proposal?
- Using environmentally friendly office supplies
- The plan for continuing the project or its benefits after grant funding ends (Correct answer)
- The organization's long-term investment portfolio
- Annual staff turnover rate
Correct answer: The plan for continuing the project or its benefits after grant funding ends
Sustainability refers to how the organization will fund, maintain, or institutionalize the project's work and impact once the grant period concludes.
Question 7: In a federal grant, a 'period of performance' refers to:
- The time during which the applicant can revise the proposal
- The start and end dates during which grant funds must be spent and activities completed (Correct answer)
- The duration of a funder's review process
- The length of time required to submit final reports
Correct answer: The start and end dates during which grant funds must be spent and activities completed
The period of performance is the official timeframe authorized by the federal agency during which the grantee must carry out project activities and expend awarded funds.
Grant Writing Introduction to Grant Writing 4
Which section of a grant proposal is typically written last but appears first in the final document?