A grant proposal’s evaluation plan measures change. Formative evaluation measures include changes in policy, procedures, and processes.

Formative evaluation includes the following types of data collection methods that in turn show data that is measurable and demonstrates change over time:

Successful grant writing is a highly iterative, detail-oriented process. To craft a truly great grant proposal, you need to demonstrate to a potential funder how all of the parts of a grant application both fit together and affect one other.

To ensure a grant proposal is both logically and structurally sound, use a logic model (also called a theory of change) to demonstrate how all of the moving parts in a proposal work together to form a cohesive, measurable project. A logic model is a blueprint that evaluates and measures how certain assumptions, inputs, activities, and outputs (the process-focused components of your program or project) lead to the desired goals and short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes that will best serve the target audience and effect social change.

Pushing your grant writing skills to the next level is an exercise in focusing on the details. Our newest course “Advanced Grant Writing” shows you how to ask iterative questions of yourself, your team, and your proposed program in order to sharpen and refine your grant proposal and push it to the top of the pack. By looking closely at how a logic model can shore up your proposal at each key stage, the course will demonstrate how to push your planning, evaluation, and budgeting from good to great.

Writing grants is often a critical part of gaining funding for any nonprofit organization's mission. Strategic grant writing aligns the needs of a nonprofit with funding sources, whether foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individuals. The Skye introductory-level course offers a guide to the basics of grant writing.

Successful grant writing offers nonprofits a way to attract outside funding, and it also helps to support the organization's vision and goals. Strategic grant writing looks to align identified needs of the nonprofit (and its clients) with funding sources, whether foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individuals. Check out our latest infographic for ten best practices to help you while writing your next grant.

Successful grant writing not only offers nonprofits a way to attract outside funding, but it also helps support an organization's vision and goals. Strategic grant writing looks to align identified needs of the nonprofit (and its clients) with funding sources, whether foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individuals. Learn more about the six stages of grant writing in our latest infographic.