Make sure your project narrative “grabs” the funder from the beginning. Your aim is to sound urgent, but not in crisis.
Be clear, succinct, and consistent.
Be explicit: Reviewers cannot read your mind! Don’t expect reviewers to read between the lines! Don’t assume they know what you intend! Have a peer and/or ORSP review your proposal to make sure you’re being explicit.
Avoid creating distractions for the reviewer!
Avoid technical jargon, slang, trendy phrases, use of multi-syllabic words and contractions.
Avoid use of undefined acronyms.
Use positive action terms.
Make your proposal interesting to read through use of good formatting. Use white space, bullets, and paragraph breaks for visual appeal. Include charts and graphs where helpful. Avoid a “”wall of text.”
In the absence of directions, don’t go below 11 pt. Arial; use 1-inch margins.