Before You Hit Submit: 5 Things to Double Check in Your Grant Application

If you’ve ever scrambled to finish a grant application, you’re not alone. Between day-to-day school operations and shifting deadlines, the grant process can feel rushed, especially when you're writing across multiple tabs and cutting it close.

But before you hit “Submit,” a quick pause can make a big difference.

At ICIC, we’ve seen lots of education grant applications, from national funders to local community foundations. And while every grant is different, we’ve noticed a pattern: strong applications don’t just check the boxes, they make a clear, compelling case for impact.

Here are five things to double check before you click submit.

1. Does your narrative actually tell a story?

A grant isn’t just a data dump. Funders want to understand why your school or organization exists, what makes your work urgent, and how you know it's making a difference.

Good storytelling doesn’t mean fluff. It means clarity.

• What problem are you solving and who does it affect?
• Why does this moment matter?
• How will this grant change what’s possible for your students?

Use plain language, not buzzwords. Be specific about your context and community. And make sure someone unfamiliar with your school could read it and still understand what’s at stake.

💡 Tip: Have someone outside your team read the narrative. Ask, “What’s the main takeaway? What’s missing?”

2. Is your budget aligned with your goals?

Too often, applications talk about ambitious plans, but the budget doesn’t back them up. Or the budget is detailed, but no one explains why the items matter.

Your budget should match what you’re promising in the narrative.

• If you're piloting a new literacy model, does the budget include curriculum, training, and implementation time?
• If you're expanding enrollment, does the budget cover outreach, tech, and onboarding?

Every line item doesn’t need an essay, but make sure the reviewers can follow the logic from your goals to your costs.

💡 Tip: Add a short budget narrative if the funder allows. Even a few lines can help clarify assumptions.

3. Are your outcomes measurable and meaningful?

Saying you want to "increase student engagement" is fine. But how will you know it’s working?

Strong applications include clear outcomes that are:

• Specific (e.g. “Increase daily attendance by 5 percentage points in Grades 5–8”)
• Time-bound (e.g. “By the end of the 2024–25 school year…”)
• Realistic given your timeline and funding level

If you're worried about demonstrating overall outcomes, it's okay to include growth measures, not just proficiency. The goal is to show how you’ll track progress in a way that matches your mission.

💡 Tip: Use a mix of quantitative and qualitative outcomes (e.g. survey results, family feedback, academic data).

4. Have you followed every formatting instruction?

It sounds basic, but even strong applications can get tossed for missing a font size, page limit, or file naming convention.

Before you upload:

• Recheck file type, page limits, spacing, and naming rules
• Confirm your budget is in the right format (Excel, PDF, etc.)
• Review character or word count limits and don’t assume the portal will cut you off

💡 Tip: Save and re-open your final documents to check for formatting glitches, broken links, or misaligned tables.

5. Did you connect the dots for the funder?

Never assume the reader knows your school or community. Don’t make them work to see how your plan fits the funder’s goals.

Instead:

• Reference their priorities explicitly (“This aligns with your focus on postsecondary readiness…”)
• Make the connection between your work and their impact goals
• Show that you’ve done your homework

💡 Tip: You don’t need to name-drop, but if you’ve attended their info session, heard them speak, or read their strategy, mention it if it’s relevant.

Last thought: A rushed application looks like a rushed idea

We know how tight school schedules and deadlines can get. But the best applications give reviewers a sense of confidence, because the ideas are clear, the plan is solid, and the story feels real.

You’re doing important work. A few extra checks before submission can help funders see it too.

💡 Tip: If you'd like the ICIC to take a look at your grant application we're happy to help you proofread it!