Proposal Writing Training Writing A Grant Proposal 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'letter of inquiry' (LOI) in the grant-seeking process?
- A formal grant application submitted to a government agency
- A brief introductory document sent to a funder before submitting a full proposal (Correct answer)
- A follow-up letter after a grant is awarded
- A reference letter from a community partner
Correct answer: A brief introductory document sent to a funder before submitting a full proposal
A letter of inquiry is a concise preliminary document that introduces your organization and project idea to determine if a full proposal is appropriate.
Question 2: When a grant proposal includes an 'evaluation plan,' what is its main purpose?
- To evaluate the funder's grantmaking process
- To describe how the project will measure progress and determine if it achieved its goals (Correct answer)
- To assess the qualifications of proposal reviewers
- To evaluate competing organizations in the field
Correct answer: To describe how the project will measure progress and determine if it achieved its goals
An evaluation plan outlines the methods and tools that will be used to measure whether the project achieved its intended outcomes and objectives.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes 'capacity building' as a grant funding category?
- Funding to expand physical building space
- Support for strengthening an organization's internal systems, skills, and sustainability (Correct answer)
- Grants designated for hiring additional program staff
- Funding exclusively for technology upgrades
Correct answer: Support for strengthening an organization's internal systems, skills, and sustainability
Capacity building grants support improvements to an organization's infrastructure, leadership, governance, or systems to increase its long-term effectiveness.
Question 4: What does 'sustainability' mean in the context of a grant proposal?
- Using environmentally friendly office supplies
- The plan for continuing the project or its outcomes after grant funding ends (Correct answer)
- Maintaining the same program staff throughout the grant period
- Renewing the grant award each year automatically
Correct answer: The plan for continuing the project or its outcomes after grant funding ends
Sustainability refers to how the organization plans to continue the project's activities or preserve its outcomes once the grant funding period concludes.
Question 5: A 'formative evaluation' in a grant project differs from a 'summative evaluation' in that formative evaluation:
- Occurs only at the end of the project to judge overall success
- Is conducted during the project to monitor progress and improve implementation (Correct answer)
- Is performed exclusively by external independent evaluators
- Focuses solely on financial accountability
Correct answer: Is conducted during the project to monitor progress and improve implementation
Formative evaluation occurs during project implementation to identify what is and isn't working so adjustments can be made in real time.
Question 6: In a grant proposal budget, what is a 'budget justification' or 'budget narrative'?
- A summary of past grants received by the organization
- A written explanation of how each budget line item was calculated and why it is necessary (Correct answer)
- A financial audit report from an independent accountant
- A comparison of your budget to similar funded projects
Correct answer: A written explanation of how each budget line item was calculated and why it is necessary
A budget justification provides a written rationale for each cost in the budget, explaining how amounts were calculated and demonstrating they are reasonable and necessary.
Question 7: When writing a grant proposal for a federal agency, applicants must typically register with which system before submitting electronically?
- SAM.gov (System for Award Management) (Correct answer)
- PayPal Business
- IRS e-file
Correct answer: SAM.gov (System for Award Management)
SAM.gov registration is required for all entities seeking to do business with the federal government, including submitting grant applications.
Proposal Writing Training Writing A Grant Proposal 3
What is a 'letter of inquiry' (LOI) in the grant-seeking process?