Grant Writing with AI For Dummies E-Book

Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 240

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Supercharge your next grant proposal with the power of AI

A stand-out grant proposals can be the difference between your organization thriving, surviving, or folding. So don't miss the opportunity presented by artificial intelligence (AI) to take your grant proposals to the next level! In Grant Writing with AI For Dummies, business writer extraordinaire Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts delivers an exciting new guide to supercharging your next grant proposal with AI. She's helped countless organizations win millions of dollars in funding.

In the book:

• Boost your chances of being selected for funding.
• Craft inspiring stories that tug at reviewer's heartstrings and wallets.
• Learn to write spot-on executive summaries.
• Crack the keyword code so electronic scanners notice you.
• Find loads of examples of actual AI output in addition to AI websites.

With AI as your virtual assistant, you have a secret weapon to take your grant proposals to the next level. Grab a copy of Grant Writing with AI For Dummies today and see the difference a dash of AI can make!

Leseprobe

Grant Writing with AI For Dummies®

To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Grant Writing with AI For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

About This Book

Foolish Assumptions

Icons Used in This Book

Beyond the Book

Where to Go from Here

Part 1: Discovering the Value of AI in Writing Grant Proposals

Chapter 1: Introducing the New Power Duo: Writer Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence

Using AI as Your Virtual Sidekick

Getting to Know Some Popular AI Tools

Understanding the Synergy Between WI and AI

Pairing WI and AI from Outline to Finished Proposal

Ensuring that You Maintain the Human Touch

Knowing that AI Dependence Can Be Costly

Remembering that Human Grant Writers are Irreplaceable

Chapter 2: Navigating AI at Your Own Pace

Learning AI Lingo

Absorbing AI Wisdom from the Backseat

Getting Started with AI

Playing with the Pros

Choosing the AI Tool That’s “Write” for You

Chapter 3: Winning Hearts and Minds of Funders through Storytelling

Understanding Why Stories Make a Difference

Using AI as Your Assistant to Crafting Engaging Stories

Using Prompts to Write Stories

Taking Reviewers on a Journey

Creating Your Own Success Stories

Embellishing Stories

Preparing Strong Headlines That Tell a Story

Incorporating Visual Storytelling

Part 2: Prepping for Your Proposal

Chapter 4: Scoping the Proposal with a Kick-Start Brief

Kick-Starting Your Proposal

Finding Nuggets in the Numbers with AI

Using AI as Your Virtual Assistant

Remembering the Human Element — You!

Chapter 5: Turning Prompts into Gold

Using Prompts as Your Proposal-Writing GPS

Crafting Your Proposal with Precise Prompts

Understanding the Capabilities and Limitations of AI Tools

Calling Upon Writer Intelligence

Chapter 6: Cracking the Keyword Code

Grasping the Importance of Keywords in the Review Process

Adding the Value of AI

Avoiding Keyword Overload

Chapter 7: Defeating Writer's Block

Writing a Draft with AI as Your Virtual Assistant

Sleuthing the Right Keywords with AI

Polishing the Draft by Pairing WI and AI

Readying Your Proposal for Submission

Part 3: Making a Great First Impression

Chapter 8: Harnessing the Influence of the Cover Letter

Prioritizing the Reader’s Perspective

Garnering AI’s Assistance

Including the “Write” Stuff

Chapter 9: Amplifying the Impact of the Title Page

Knowing the Value of a Well-Chosen Title

Getting Title-Page Help from AI

Crafting an Eye-Catching Visual Identity

Knowing What to Include

Proofreading Very Carefully (or Suffering the Consequences)

Chapter 10: Crafting a Captivating Executive Summary

Recognizing the Allure of the “Appetizer”

Understanding the Value of an Executive Summary

Writing your Executive Summary Post-Proposal

Incorporating the Power of AI

Picking Up Tips and Tricks

Part 4: Nailing the Narrative

Chapter 11: Navigating a Request for Proposal

Finding Funders

Thinking of AI as Your Personal Agent

Contacting Funders Beforehand

Anchoring the Academy Award

Using a Match-Up Approach with the Help of AI

Chapter 12: Unlocking Funding Doors: Writing Stellar Proposals

Weaving AI into the Process

Building Partners, Not Grantors

Breaking Down the Sections of a Grant Proposal

Making a List and Checking It Twice

Following Up After Submitting Your Proposal

Chapter 13: Appearing as a Finalist to Shoot for the Gold

Peeking Behind the Curtain of the Review Process

Remembering That AI Can Help

Assessing the Review Panel

Crafting Your Presentation’s Message

Nailing Your Presentation

Preparing Slides Using AI Tools

Preparing Handouts That Leave a Lasting Impression

Anticipating Questions

Practicing Your Way to Perfection

Following Up After Presenting

Part 5: The Part of Tens

Chapter 14: Ten Tips for Mastering the Tone of the Perfect Pitch

Using AI as Your Assistant for the Proper Tone

Shooting for Clarity

Expressing Passion

Displaying Confidence

Using the Power of Persuasion

Maximizing Impact

Expressing Gratitude

Maintaining a Positive Tone

Using Industry-Related Jargon Sparingly and Appropriately

Focusing on the Grantor

Chapter 15: Ten Reasons Why Grant Proposals May Fail

Sending a Poorly Written Cover Letter

Presenting a Deficient Executive Summary

Lacking Innovation and Impact

Presenting Inadequate Evidence of Making a Difference

Omitting to Express Partnership or Collaboration

Presenting an Unrealistic Budget

Sharing an Insufficient Evaluation Plan

Poorly Defining Goals and Objectives

Missing the Mark

Not Using AI as a Writing Assistant

Chapter 16: Ten Ways to Find Funding in the United States and Globally

Harnessing the Power of AI

Learning of Direct Grant Opportunities

Finding Pass-Through Grant Opportunities

Tapping into the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program

Funding for Nonprofits

Funding for a Wide Variety of Industries

Going Global

Securing Funding in the United Kingdom

Finding Funding in Canada

Navigating Funding Opportunities in Australia

Index

About the Author

Connect with Dummies

End User License Agreement

List of Tables

Chapter 5

TABLE 5-1 Examples of AI Prompts for Specific Aspects of a Proposal

List of Illustrations

Chapter 1

FIGURE 1-1: Page 1 of the outline generated by AI.

FIGURE 1-2: Page 2 of the outline generated by AI.

FIGURE 1-3: Page 1 of the completed grant proposal.

FIGURE 1-4: Page 2 of the completed grant proposal.

FIGURE 1-5: Page 3 of the completed grant proposal.

FIGURE 1-6: Page 4 of the completed grant proposal.

FIGURE 1-7: Page 5 of the completed grant proposal.

FIGURE 1-8: Page 6 of the completed grant proposal.

Chapter 2

FIGURE 2-1: Using ChatGPT to dip one toe in the water.

FIGURE 2-2: Continuing with ChatGPT.

FIGURE 2-3: Cleaning up the text for the opening of an executive summary.

FIGURE 2-4: Data from ChatGPT.

FIGURE 2-5: Data from Microsoft’s Copilot.

FIGURE 2-6: Data from Google’s Gemini.

Chapter 3

FIGURE 3-1: AI-generated headlines that tell a story.

Chapter 4

FIGURE 4-1: A Kick-Start Brief for grant writers.

Chapter 5

FIGURE 5-1: A conversation with ChatGPT.

Chapter 6

FIGURE 6-1: Using AI to identify cancer research keywords.

FIGURE 6-2: Expanding the keyword search to focus on clinical trials.

Chapter 7

FIGURE 7-1: First page of the draft generated by AI before Sam corrected the nu...

FIGURE 7-2: Second page of the draft generated by AI before Sam corrected the n...

FIGURE 7-3: Table created by AI from raw numbers.

FIGURE 7-4: Finding the right keywords with the help of AI.

Chapter 8

FIGURE 8-1: Illustrating the importance of a compelling cover letter that’s not...

FIGURE 8-2: This cover letter includes all of the key elements.

Chapter 9

FIGURE 9-1: Titles generated for an elementary school program.

FIGURE 9-2: Titles generated for research to get rid of snoring.

FIGURE 9-3: Two of many ways to present a title page.

Chapter 10

FIGURE 10-1: Page 1 of an uninteresting executive summary.

FIGURE 10-2: Page 2 of an uninteresting executive summary. Yawn!

FIGURE 10-3: Page 1 of an engaging executive summary. Much more interesting!

FIGURE 10-4: Page 2 of an engaging executive summary. Reviewers will read the w...

Chapter 11

FIGURE 11-1: An annotated TOC matching each item in the RFP with its page numbe...

Chapter 12

FIGURE 12-1: Sample cover letter generated by AI and sent via email.

FIGURE 12-2: Executive summary generated by AI.

FIGURE 12-3: Vision for the project with before and after visuals.

FIGURE 12-4: Budget presented as a table by AI.

FIGURE 12-5: Additional funding information provided by the AI tool.

FIGURE 12-6: Timetable for completion of playground.

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Begin Reading

Index

About the Author

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Grant Writing with AI For Dummies®

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2025 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies.

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Introduction

Welcome to your ultimate A to Z guide for turbocharging your grant-winning prowess with the power of artificial intelligence (AI). From sniffing out keywords to strutting your stuff as a finalist for funding, this book is your compendium for all things AI that relate to finding funding and writing grant proposals.

Writing a grant proposal juggles a bunch of skills: understanding the reviewers, including captivating stories, drafting, consolidating, finding the perfect tone, and charming your way to success. Just like Robin is the trusty sidekick to Batman, AI can be your trusty sidekick in navigating these challenges and achieving your funding goals.

And let’s clear up a myth right away: AI won’t replace proposal writers. Writer intelligence (WI) and AI are a dynamic duo, combining the brainpower of algorithms with the finesse of human ingenuity. Together, they can make your proposals so irresistible that funders will wonder if you’ve cracked some secret grant-winning code.

About This Book

Whether you’re a curious explorer or a seasoned pro, there’s something for you in these pages of this book.

Every chapter vividly illustrates how AI can be a valuable assistant throughout the entire grant-writing process — leaving no stage untouched. You’ll find lists of AI tools as they relate to each topic, and you can always find more online with a search about the specific topic. You’ll discover that many of the popular AI tools appear in several chapters. Where the same AI tools pop up in different chapters, think of them as Swiss Army knives, ready to tackle various tasks as and when you need them. Since you might start reading anywhere, I want to make sure you catch their versatility.

Throughout this book, example text typed into a keyboard to ask a question or make a request of AI, and the responses given by AI tools, are shown in an italicized font. I’ve done this to help clarify when I’m “speaking” to a computer and when a computer is “speaking” back to me. Think of it as a special way of keeping these conversations clear and eye-catching. I also use italics when I define terms you may have heard but don’t know the meaning of.

And to make some of the tricky stuff easier to grasp, I’ve served up analogies so deliciously relatable, you might start expecting a side-order of fries. It’s like your grant-writing journey is a buffet — sometimes you get a gourmet meal, other times it’s just a quick snack. Either way, I promise you won’t leave hungry for understanding. So, get ready to embark upon a captivating journey through the technosphere of grant writing with AI.

Foolish Assumptions

Before I began writing this book, I made some assumptions about you — the reader. This book is for you if you’re

Intrigued by the world of AI and want to journey through the labyrinth of AI knowledge to discover how it can assist you with writing grant proposals in the future.

Ready to dip a toe into the water and use an AI tool to karate chop through writer’s block, craft a draft, jazz up headlines and titles, proofread and edit, and more.

Prepared to take the plunge and use a comprehensive AI tool as a virtual writing assistant that provides a wide range of features and functionalities such as data visualization, sentiment analysis, predictive modeling, and anomaly detection.

So, wherever you are on your AI journey, this book offers loads of practical guidance, insights, examples, tools, and perspectives to motivate and inspire. These will be invaluable to your professional growth and survival as a proposal writer. And that’s a sensible assumption!

Icons Used in This Book

You’ll find icons scattered in the margins like breadcrumbs leading you to stashes of useful information. Here’s what each one represents:

Trumpeting AI as your virtual proposal-writing sidekick, showcasing the potential of AI-generated content.

This icon is like a brain tattoo that makes sure you don’t forget the important stuff.

If we had a chance to chat one-on-one or if you were attending one of my proposal-writing workshops, these are the things I’d tell you.

Ouch! Avoid these pitfalls to save yourself headaches, heartburn, embarrassments, or worse.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the material in the printed book or ebook, you can access some other perks online. Check out the free access-anywhere Cheat Sheet that includes my tips and advice. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type Grant Writing with AI For Dummies Cheat Sheet into the search box.

If you need additional grant-writing help beyond this book, Beverly A. Browning’s Grant Writing For Dummies, 7th Edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2022) provides a great road map. If you need help choosing the best wording to hone your AI’s uses, Stephanie Diamond and Jeffrey Allan’s Writing AI Prompts For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2024) walks you through that in great detail.

Where to Go from Here

Reading this book doesn’t require a straight path from start to finish like a gripping novel. Jump around as you please. The chapter titles are your treasure map, and the extended Table of Contents is your guide. So, take a moment to skim through, find what sparks your curiosity, and let your journey begin.

If you’re curious about the lingo of AI, Chapter 2 is your go-to guide for the AI-tech speak you need to know. And if you’re craving a behind-the-scenes peek at how a proposal can come together, plunge into Chapter 12 and discover how WI joins forces with AI to work its magic turning a humble proposal into an epic masterpiece!

By the time you finish this book you’ll be an aigrantologist. This word combines “AI” with “grant writer” (represented by “grant”) and “ologist” (suggesting a specialist). It hints at someone who uses AI to expertly navigate the intricacies of grant writing. This neologism was coined by AI with my prompting!

Finally, a word of caution … If you loan out your printed copy, consider a couple of precautions because borrowers might get so riveted to this treasure trove of wisdom that they’ll hesitate to return it. Boldly inscribe your name in big letters on a conspicuous page to ensure the borrower remembers this book is yours. Alternatively, ask for something juicy as collateral. As you delve into these pages, I hope you discover its true worth and spread the word among fellow proposal-writing travelers venturing into the realm of AI.

Part 1

Discovering the Value of AI in Writing Grant Proposals

IN THIS PART …

Celebrate the magic of human writers and discover how AI can be your trusty sidekick in making grant writing a breeze!

Dive into the world of AI at your own pace — whether you’re kicking back with a cup of coffee, dipping a toe into the water, or jumping headfirst into the deep end.

Unleash AI’s storytelling superpowers to craft grant proposals that captivate hearts, minds, and wallets.

Chapter 1

Introducing the New Power Duo: Writer Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence

IN THIS CHAPTER

Using AI to help secure your grant

Becoming familiar with popular AI tools

Figuring out how WI and AI can work in tandem

Using WI and AI throughout your grant-writing process

Keeping the human touch alive

Realizing that counting solely on AI can be costly

Fearing not … because human grant writers are irreplaceable

In the world of writing grant proposals, the fusion of writer intelligence and artificial intelligence introduces an enticing frontier for crafting successful grant applications.

Artificial intelligence (AI) brings a lightning-fast processing power that can analyze mountains of information more quickly than you can say “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” It can sift through data, spot trends, and even generate content at a breakneck speed. Writer intelligence (WI) comes from the proposal writer, armed with empathy, personality, humor, and a knack for storytelling.

Infusing WI’s oh-so-human touch with AI’s findings is like adding a sprinkle of magic. You get something truly incredible. And it could be just the combination you need to land that coveted funding. Imagine the proposal writer, the imaginative artisan weaving words and adding heartfelt stories, paired with AI as the tech-savvy virtuoso, armed with algorithms and adept at crunching data. This merger forms a dynamic duo, akin to classic pairings like peanut butter and jelly, each contributing their unique strengths to the collaboration.

As you dive into this chapter, get ready to discover how AI can become your virtual assistant, doing the heavy lifting to prep various sections of your proposal. And notice how I put WI before AI. It’s a playful nod to the power of human smarts over artificial ones: They might help us out, but they’ll unlikely take our place!

Using AI as Your Virtual Sidekick

Simply put, AI is like a computer program that can think and learn (somewhat) like a human. AI has access to way more information than any human can have, which helps to process information or answer questions. (Learn more about the wonders of AI in Chapter 2.)

Why should you consider AI as your virtual sidekick in the quest for that coveted grant? Let me break it down for you with some compelling ways that AI can help:

Identifying relevant funding opportunities by analyzing data to find and match potential funding sources with your needs. (

Chapter 16

offers more insight on finding funding.)

Evaluating the competitiveness of grant applications.

Providing recommendations based on historical data and predictive analytics.

Uploading the Request for Proposal (RFP) from which to pull requested information. (Learn more about RFPs in

Chapter 11

.)

Analyzing the requirements and matching them with potential reviewers who have relevant expertise.

Gathering and analyzing large amounts of data.

Analyzing past grant applications and funding outcomes to identify patterns and trends.

Leveraging AI

algorithms

(formulas) to analyze funding trends, donor preferences, and past successful proposals so organizations can gain a deeper understanding of what resonates with funders.

Optimizing language to appeal to funders’ sensibilities and align with grant criteria. (In

Chapter 3

you discover how to win hearts and minds of funders through sharing stories.)

Creating accurate and comprehensive budgets for the projects by analyzing historical data and in some cases providing recommendations on budget allocation.

Providing iterative learning from past funding outcomes.

Generating drafts based on predefined templates and guidelines.

Proofreading and editing.

CONSTANTLY CHANGING TECHNOLOGY

Even though AI is relatively new, innovations are constantly emerging. For instance, with Apple’s AI, the chatbot is integrated into the technology. This means that if you're writing an email and want to adjust the tone to be more conversational, you can access the AI feature directly within the email application rather than having to cut and paste your text into a separate chatbot. The integrated AI can help refine your message on the spot, making the process more efficient and user-friendly. And who knows, soon we might have AI that not only helps with our emails but also dings us when we’ll need a coffee break before we even realize it!

Getting to Know Some Popular AI Tools

Each of the AI tools (also known as chatbots) listed in this section simplifies the proposal-writing process. Although they all offer the same basic functionality, different chatbots can offer varied perspectives and insights based on how they were “trained.” By trying a few, you can get a broader range of answers and find the one that suits you.

AmpliFund:

https://www.amplifund.com

ChatGPT:

https://chat.openai.com

Fluxx:

https://www.fluxx.io

Fundwriter.ai:

https://www.fundwriter.ai

Grammarly:

https://www.grammarly.com

Grant.io:

https://grant.io

Grantable:

https://www.grantable.co

Grantboost:

https://topai.tools/t/grantboost

Optimy:

https://www.optimy.com

SmartyGrants:

https://www.smartygrants.com

Submittable:

https://www.submittable.com

WizeHive:

https://www.wizehive.com

Understanding the Synergy Between WI and AI

AI tools can help you improve the quality and accuracy of your work by detecting and correcting errors, suggesting alternatives, or offering feedback. Furthermore, AI writing tools can help you expand their creativity and diversity by generating original text based on different inputs, data, or models. They can also introduce new words, phrases, or sources to diversify the writer’s vocabulary and references.

Pairing WI and AI from Outline to Finished Proposal

To show you just how powerful AI can be in grant writing, let’s look at a real-world example with a proposal writer named Luis. We’ll walk through a project of his where traditional expertise and AI teamed up to save a historic building from the 1700s. This case highlights how AI’s smart features, such as creating tailored proposals and analyzing data, made a big difference in landing the grant.

You can find out more about grant writing in general by reading Beverly A. Browning’s Grant Writing For Dummies, 7th Edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2022).

Creating an outline

Luis was tasked with writing a proposal to preserve a historical home in Sudbury, Massachusetts, USA. He was working to a very tight deadline. Although Luis was a seasoned proposal writer, this type of proposal was something he’d never dealt with before. Most of the proposals he’d written involved medical research. So he turned to ChatGPT, and prompted it to create an outline for preserving this historical home. (Learn more about writing prompts in Chapter 5.) In Figures 1-1 and 1-2 you see the two-page outline AI generated.

Learning of funding opportunities

Luis then prompted ChatGPT to find several funding opportunities available for historic preservation in the Sudbury, Massachusetts, area. Here are some potential sources of funding AI discovered:

Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF)

Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) Preservation Grants

Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds

Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) grant

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 1-1: Page 1 of the outline generated by AI.

Local historical societies and foundations (such as the Sudbury Historical Society and the Wayland Historical Society)

Private foundations and donors (such as The Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund, The Stanton Foundation, and The Sudbury Cultural Council)

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 1-2: Page 2 of the outline generated by AI.

Working towards the finish line

Now Luis was ready to write the proposal, but he still felt unsure of how to proceed. Once again he turned to ChatGPT. He prompted the chatbot (see Chapter 2) to write a proposal to preserve The Eric Marks house in Sudbury, Massachusetts, and he included lots of details. It was a place Washington and his troops had spent the night during the Revolutionary War, and the mission of the project is to turn this historical home into a museum.

In Figures 1-3 through 1-8 you see the completed grant proposal. AI created the draft and Luis added his much-needed WI in the following ways:

Opening with a heartwarming story. (Check out

Chapter 3

to become an ace storyteller.)

Adding “Legacy to Liberty” to jazz up the title.

Expanding each headline to contain meaningful information.

Transforming the text into a more natural tone by blending factual accuracy with approachable language. (Learn more about tone in

Chapter 14

.)

Including ethical considerations.

Speaking to the hearts and minds of the grant reviewers.

Spoiler alert: