June 20, 2023
Once you’ve identified a funding opportunity and have registered for WebGrants, our online grant application portal, it’s time to get started crafting your proposal. You don’t need to be a professional grant writer to receive an award from the Agency of Agriculture, but you do need to be thorough and thoughtful in your responses. Here are some tips to keep in mind next time you’re considering applying for a grant, whether it’s to the Agency or any other funder:
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Do read the Request for Applications (RFA) thoroughly. You want to understand what reviewers will be looking for and know for certain that your business and project are eligible.
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Do start early so you have time to craft your answers without feeling rushed and can seek help if you run into technical issues.
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Do have one or two other people review your proposal. A business advisor or a peer who has had prior success with grants are both great people to ask for help with this. It’s also a good idea to ask someone who is not intimately involved with your business to read the application to make sure they understand it, since they will likely have similar questions or concerns as reviewers.
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Do call the grant program manager with questions or to discuss your project idea.
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Do draft your responses in a separate document before entering them into WebGrants. This prevents you from losing all your hard work if something goes wrong and your responses don’t save. It also allows you to save your responses for future reference or to use as a foundation for future applications.
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Do read stories about previous grantees, if available.
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Do look into the requirements for receiving a grant from the state. If awarded, you will need to provide a federal W9 and a Certificate of Insurance naming the Agency as additionally insured. More details can be found in Attachment C - Standard State Provisions for Contracts and Grants.
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Don’t wait until the last minute. Remember, WebGrants registration alone can take up to two days and VAAFM staff may not be immediately available if you have program questions or need technical assistance.
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Don’t ignore the guidelines. Failing to thoroughly read and understand the RFA can result in submitting an ineligible or incomplete application. Pay close attention to the eligibility criteria, formatting instructions, word limits, and any other specifications provided.
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Don’t copy and paste the same answer for more than one question. We ask these questions to learn more about your project and gather pertinent information. When you copy and paste the same answer, it limits our understanding of your project and demonstrates a lack of effort and thoughtfulness.
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Don’t use jargon. Not all those who review your application will be intimately familiar with your business or industry. Detail your proposal in a way that anyone could understand, even without any background in your field.
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Don’t use generic responses. Craft each answer to clearly explain how your proposed project fits the goals of the funding opportunity.
Lastly, remember that any grant application is a competitive process and completing an application for an eligible project does not guarantee you will receive funding - but don’t dismay! There's a lot you can learn from the effort you’ve put in. Our program managers are always happy to speak with you to provide feedback if your application is not selected and offer advice for how to improve for next time. Please don't hesitate to reach out!
Thanks for reading the Marketing and Agritourism Blog! I’m your host, Kristen Brassard, Marketing & Agritourism Specialist at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. Stay tuned every other week for tips on marketing and incorporating agritourism practices on your farm and be sure to sign up for our Agriculture Development Newsletter so you never miss a post!