How to Write Grant Applications 5x Faster with AI

The Grant Writing Problem

Grant writing is essential but exhausting. The average grant proposal takes 40-80 hours to complete. For small nonprofits without dedicated development staff, that's weeks of work for a maybe.

AI won't write your grants for you—and you wouldn't want it to. But it can dramatically accelerate the process, freeing you to focus on strategy and storytelling rather than first-draft wordsmithing.

This tutorial shows you how.

Stage 1: Funder Research

Before you write anything, you need to know if a funder is worth pursuing.

The Prompt

Context: I'm researching potential funders for [ORGANIZATION NAME], a [nonprofit type] focused on [MISSION]. We're seeking grants for [SPECIFIC PROJECT].

Role: You are a grant research specialist who identifies alignment between funders and nonprofits.

Action: Based on what you know about [FUNDER NAME], analyze:
- Their stated funding priorities
- Typical grant sizes
- Geographic and thematic focus
- Recent grants they've made (if known)
- How our work aligns with their interests
- Potential gaps or concerns

Note: Please flag what you're uncertain about so I can verify.

Format: Structured analysis with clear recommendation at end.

What You Get

Claude will synthesize what it knows about the funder with your project. The key phrase is "flag what you're uncertain about"—this prevents AI hallucination by prompting Claude to be honest about its knowledge limits.

Always verify specific details (grant sizes, deadlines, recent grantees) with the funder's website. Use Claude to think through alignment, not as a database.

Stage 2: Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

The LOI is your first impression. It needs to be compelling but concise.

The Prompt

Context: I'm writing a Letter of Inquiry to [FUNDER NAME] for [ORGANIZATION NAME]. We're requesting consideration for a grant of €[AMOUNT] for [PROJECT NAME], which will [ONE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION].

Role: You are an experienced grant writer who has secured millions in foundation funding.

Action: Write a Letter of Inquiry (2 pages max) that:
- Opens with a hook connecting to this funder's specific priorities
- Briefly establishes our credibility (2-3 sentences max)
- Clearly describes the problem we're addressing
- Presents our solution and why it will work
- Outlines expected outcomes with measurable indicators
- Ends with a clear ask and next steps

Key information:
- Problem: [DESCRIBE WITH DATA]
- Our approach: [METHODOLOGY]
- Target population: [WHO, HOW MANY]
- Track record: [RELEVANT ACHIEVEMENTS]
- Why this funder: [SPECIFIC ALIGNMENT]

Format: Professional letter format, 500-700 words.

Tone: Confident but not arrogant. Specific, not vague.

Making It Better

Your first draft will be decent but generic. Improve it with follow-ups:

• "The opening is too general. Rewrite it referencing [specific funder priority]"
• "Add more specific data about the problem in paragraph 2"
• "The outcomes section needs measurable indicators"
• "Make it sound more like our organization by [describing your voice]"

Stage 3: Organizational Background

Every proposal needs your org story. Once you have a good version, you can adapt it.

The Prompt

Context: I'm writing the organizational background for a grant proposal. [ORGANIZATION NAME] was founded in [YEAR] in [LOCATION] to address [ORIGINAL PROBLEM].

Role: You are a grant writer crafting a compelling organizational narrative.

Action: Write an organizational background section that:
- Tells our founding story briefly but compellingly
- States our mission and theory of change
- Highlights 3-5 key achievements with specifics
- Demonstrates relevant expertise for this project
- Shows financial stability and governance

Key facts:
- Founding story: [2-3 SENTENCES]
- Mission statement: [EXACT WORDING]
- Annual budget: [AMOUNT]
- Staff size: [NUMBER]
- Key achievements: [LIST WITH NUMBERS]
- Board: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION]

Format: 400-500 words, narrative style with key facts integrated.

Pro Tip

Create a "base" organizational background and save it. For each proposal, ask Claude to adapt it:

"Adapt this organizational background for a proposal about [PROJECT]. Emphasize our experience with [RELEVANT AREA] and de-emphasize [LESS RELEVANT AREA]."

Stage 4: Project Narrative

This is the heart of your proposal. It's also where AI can save the most time.

The Prompt

Context: I'm writing the project narrative for a €[AMOUNT] grant proposal to [FUNDER] for [PROJECT NAME]. The project will [BRIEF DESCRIPTION] over [TIMEFRAME].

Role: You are an expert grant writer who tells compelling stories backed by evidence.

Action: Write a project narrative (1,500-2,000 words) with these sections:

1. NEED STATEMENT
- Define the problem with evidence
- Explain why it matters now
- Show who is affected

2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
- Present our solution
- Explain our methodology
- Describe specific activities
- Include timeline/phases

3. OUTCOMES & EVALUATION
- Define expected outcomes (SMART format)
- Explain how we'll measure success
- Describe evaluation methodology

4. SUSTAINABILITY
- How will impact continue after the grant?
- What's the path to ongoing funding?

Key information:
- Problem data: [STATISTICS AND CONTEXT]
- Target population: [WHO, HOW MANY, WHERE]
- Approach: [METHODOLOGY]
- Activities: [LIST KEY ACTIVITIES]
- Timeline: [PHASES AND DURATION]
- Outcomes: [MEASURABLE GOALS]
- Evidence: [WHY WE BELIEVE THIS WORKS]

Tone: Compelling but credible. Balance emotion with evidence.

Iteration Strategy

This is too important to accept the first draft. Plan for 3-4 rounds:

• First pass: Get the structure and content right
• Second pass: Strengthen the evidence and specificity
• Third pass: Improve the storytelling and flow
• Final pass: Match your organization's voice

Stage 5: Budget Narrative

The budget narrative justifies every line item. It's tedious but critical.

The Prompt

Context: I need to write a budget narrative for a €[AMOUNT] grant request. Here are the line items:

[PASTE YOUR BUDGET LINE ITEMS WITH AMOUNTS]

Role: You are a grants and finance specialist who justifies budgets clearly.

Action: Write a budget narrative that:
- Explains each category briefly but completely
- Justifies costs with market rates or precedent
- Shows cost-effectiveness
- Connects spending to project outcomes
- Addresses any items that might raise questions

Format: Follow the budget categories, 1-2 sentences per line item.

Tone: Professional, transparent, matter-of-fact.

Common Issues

Claude might underjustify items. Ask for more detail:

• "Expand the justification for personnel costs—explain the FTE calculation"
• "Add context for why the travel budget is necessary for project success"
• "Explain how we arrived at the per-participant cost for training"

The 5x Faster Reality

Here's what changes when you use AI:

That's your 5x improvement—and it's conservative.

The key is that AI handles the *first draft* work. You still need to review, refine, and ensure accuracy. But you're editing and improving rather than staring at a blank page.

Critical Warnings

Always Verify Facts

Claude may confidently state things that aren't true. Always verify:

• Funder priorities and requirements
• Statistics and citations
• Your own organization's data
• Anything you'll put your name on

Don't Submit AI Copy Verbatim

Funders can spot generic AI writing. The prompts above produce good drafts, but you need to:

• Add your organization's specific voice
• Include stories and details only you know
• Ensure everything is accurate
• Make it sound like a human wrote it

Understand the Ethics

Using AI to accelerate your work is fine. Using AI to make things up is not. If you don't have the data to support a claim, don't ask Claude to invent it.

Ready to Go Further?

This tutorial covers the basics. For hands-on implementation:

• [Try our sample prompts](/resources) — More grant writing templates
• [Get the full prompt library](/?start=intake) — 30+ prompts for nonprofits
• [Work with us](/?start=intake) — Customized training and implementation

*Grant writing is hard enough. AI should make it easier—and it can, if you use it right.*