---
name: grant-application
description: "Writes small business grant applications with narrative sections, budget justification, and impact statements. Use when applying for business grants or funding."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Grant Application

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Write a small business grant application narrative
- Create budget justification sections for grant proposals
- Draft impact statements and project descriptions
- Organize a complete grant application package

**DO NOT** use this skill for investor pitch decks (use investor-update or financial-model), loan applications, or crowdfunding campaigns. This is specifically for grant applications.

---

## Core Principle

GRANTS ARE WON ON ALIGNMENT — YOUR APPLICATION MUST PROVE THAT YOUR PROJECT DIRECTLY SERVES THE FUNDER'S STATED MISSION AND CRITERIA.

---

## Phase 1: Grant and Business Inputs

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Grant name/program** | "What grant are you applying for?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Grant amount** | "How much funding are you requesting?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Grant criteria** | "What are the eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Business description** | "Describe your business in 2-3 sentences." | No default — must be provided |
| **Project description** | "What will the grant funds be used for?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Timeline** | "What is the project timeline?" | 12 months |
| **Application deadline** | "When is the application due?" | No default — must be provided |

**GATE: Do not proceed without the grant criteria and project description. The entire application must align to the funder's stated priorities.**

---

## Phase 2: Narrative Sections

### Executive Summary

```
## Executive Summary (150-300 words)

[Business name] is a [type of business] that [what you do and who you serve].
We are requesting $[amount] from [grant program] to [specific project purpose].

This project will [primary measurable outcome] over [timeline], directly
supporting [grant program's mission/focus area].

[1 sentence of credibility — years in business, customers served, relevant experience]
[1 sentence on community or economic impact]
```

### Project Narrative

```
## Project Description

### Problem Statement
[What problem exists that this project addresses? Use data if available —
local statistics, industry data, customer survey results]

### Proposed Solution
[What exactly will you do with the funds? Specific activities, deliverables,
and milestones — not vague goals]

### Implementation Plan
| Phase | Timeline | Activities | Milestones |
|-------|----------|-----------|------------|
| Phase 1 | Month 1-3 | [Activities] | [Deliverable] |
| Phase 2 | Month 4-8 | [Activities] | [Deliverable] |
| Phase 3 | Month 9-12 | [Activities] | [Deliverable] |

### Expected Outcomes
- [Measurable outcome 1 — specific number, percentage, or result]
- [Measurable outcome 2]
- [Measurable outcome 3]

### Sustainability
[How will the project continue after grant funding ends? What revenue or
systems will sustain it?]
```

---

## Phase 3: Budget and Impact

### Budget Justification

```
## Budget

### Budget Summary
| Category | Amount | % of Total |
|----------|--------|-----------|
| [Personnel/contractors] | $[X] | [X]% |
| [Equipment/supplies] | $[X] | [X]% |
| [Marketing/outreach] | $[X] | [X]% |
| [Technology/software] | $[X] | [X]% |
| [Other direct costs] | $[X] | [X]% |
| **Total Request** | **$[X]** | **100%** |

### Budget Justification
[For each line item, explain WHY this cost is necessary and HOW
the amount was calculated]

- **[Category]:** $[X] — [Justification: what it covers, how calculated,
  why necessary for project success]

### Matching Funds (if required)
| Source | Amount | Status |
|--------|--------|--------|
| [Owner investment] | $[X] | Committed |
| [Revenue] | $[X] | Projected |
| **Total Match** | **$[X]** | |
```

### Impact Statement

```
## Impact Statement

### Economic Impact
- Jobs created or retained: [X]
- Revenue increase projected: $[X] or [X]%
- Local economic impact: [Description]

### Community Impact
- People or businesses served: [X]
- Underserved populations reached: [Description]
- Skills or capacity built: [Description]

### Alignment with Grant Mission
[2-3 sentences explicitly connecting your project outcomes to the
grant program's stated goals — use their language]
```

---

## Phase 4: Polish and Submission Prep

### Application Checklist

```
## Submission Checklist

### Narrative Documents
- [ ] Executive summary (within word limit)
- [ ] Project narrative (within page limit)
- [ ] Budget and budget justification
- [ ] Impact statement

### Supporting Documents (check grant requirements)
- [ ] Business registration/formation documents
- [ ] Tax returns (1-3 years as required)
- [ ] Financial statements
- [ ] Resumes/bios of key personnel
- [ ] Letters of support (if applicable)
- [ ] References
- [ ] Proof of matching funds (if required)

### Final Review
- [ ] All sections address the grant's evaluation criteria
- [ ] Word/page counts are within limits
- [ ] Budget totals match the requested amount
- [ ] No spelling or grammar errors
- [ ] Application submitted before deadline: [Date/Time]
```

---

## Example: Small Business Innovation Grant ($25,000)

**Business:** Solo e-commerce brand selling handmade candles, 2 years in business, $60K annual revenue.
**Project:** Launch wholesale program to supply 20 local retailers, creating 2 part-time jobs.
**Budget:** $10K equipment, $5K packaging, $5K marketing, $3K website development, $2K working capital.
**Impact:** 2 jobs created, 20 local retail partnerships, projected $40K additional annual revenue, supports local small business ecosystem.

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Generic applications** — every grant has specific criteria. Rewrite the narrative for each application to match their priorities.
- **Vague outcomes** — "grow the business" is not measurable. Use specific numbers: "increase revenue by $40K" or "serve 200 additional customers."
- **Budget without justification** — a line item without explanation looks like padding. Justify every dollar.
- **Ignoring the evaluation rubric** — if the grant provides scoring criteria, structure your narrative to address every criterion explicitly.
- **Missing the funder's language** — read the grant announcement carefully and mirror their terminology in your application.

---

## Recovery

- **Tight deadline (< 1 week):** Focus on the narrative and budget first. Gather supporting documents in parallel. Submit early if the portal allows.
- **No financial statements:** Create a simple P&L from bank records. Most small grants accept basic financial summaries.
- **Budget exceeds grant amount:** Identify matching funds from business revenue or owner investment. Many grants expect applicants to co-invest.
- **First-time applicant:** Emphasize passion, specific plans, and measurable goals. Lack of history can be offset by a detailed implementation plan and strong community impact.
