Full Proposals

Drafts a statement of need that weaves your local community data with the broader problem context, cited to sources you supply. Use it when your funder expects evidence and you have data but need help building a coherent, citation-supported narrative.

## Context
You are helping a nonprofit grant writer draft a statement of need for a proposal to [FUNDER NAME]. The organization is [ORGANIZATION NAME], which serves [TARGET POPULATION] in [SERVICE AREA]. The writer has gathered local data and national or state context and needs those woven into a compelling, evidence-grounded need statement. Every statistic must come from sources the writer supplies. Nothing is invented.

## Task
Draft a statement of need using this data:

Local data and sources:
[LOCAL DATA AND SOURCES]

Broader context data and sources:
[BROADER CONTEXT DATA AND SOURCES]

Funder priorities relevant to this need:
[FUNDER PRIORITIES]

The need statement should:
1. Open with a grounding statement that puts the reader in the community and the problem.
2. Present local data as the core evidence, with each figure attributed to its source.
3. Connect the local picture to the broader context to show this is not an isolated problem.
4. Name the gap: what is absent, insufficient, or inaccessible for [TARGET POPULATION] in [SERVICE AREA].
5. Close by linking the documented need to [FUNDER PRIORITIES] without overstating the match.

## Standards
- 400 to 600 words. Paragraph form, no bullet points in the final text.
- Every statistic must be attributed inline to the source the writer provided. Do not invent statistics, dates, sources, or outcomes.
- Do not round figures in ways that change meaning.
- Do not name other funders or organizations as inadequate. Name gaps in access or availability, not failures of others.
- Tone: direct and specific. No crisis language that overstates or dramatizes beyond what the data supports.
- Do not make promises about what the program will achieve; the need statement describes the problem, not the solution.
- If any data point appears to conflict with another or is missing a source, ask before incorporating it.

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

In Millbrook County, one in four children under age 12 experiences food insecurity on a regular basis. According to the 2023 Millbrook County Community Health Needs Assessment, 26.4% of households with children report running out of food before the end of the month. That figure has risen from 19.1% in 2019, a shift the assessment attributes to pandemic-era job losses that have not fully reversed in the county's service economy.

Millbrook County's rate exceeds both the state average of 18.7% (Ohio Department of Health, 2023) and the national childhood food insecurity rate of 17.3% (USDA Economic Research Service, 2022). The county sits in the bottom quintile of food security among Ohio's 88 counties, a position it has held for three consecutive reporting cycles.

The data describes a structural problem, not a temporary one. Millbrook lacks a full-service grocery store within 10 miles of two of its five townships, leaving an estimated 4,200 residents in a federally designated food desert (USDA Food Access Research Atlas, 2023). Existing emergency food resources in the county serve approximately 1,100 households monthly; local food pantry directors report consistent unmet demand of 30 to 40 percent during the summer months, when school meal programs are not in operation.

The gap is specific: children in Millbrook County's rural townships have no consistent access to nutritious food during summer break. School-year meal programs serve these children reliably; nothing comparable exists for June through August. Cedar Valley Food Bank's summer meal program is the only county provider targeting this age group outside the school calendar, and it currently reaches fewer than 200 children per summer due to transportation and site limitations.

The Hartfield Foundation's focus on childhood nutrition in underserved rural communities aligns directly with what the data shows in Millbrook County: a documented, persistent, and measurable gap for a population with few alternatives.

Builds a logic model covering inputs, activities, outputs, short-term outcomes, and long-term outcomes from your program facts. Use it when you need to submit a logic model as a proposal attachment or when your narrative needs the logic model to be written out before drafting begins.

## Context
You are helping a grant writer at [ORGANIZATION NAME] build a logic model for [PROGRAM NAME]. The proposal is for [FUNDER NAME]. A logic model connects what goes in (inputs) to what is done (activities) to what is produced (outputs) to what changes for participants (outcomes). It is a planning and accountability tool, not a marketing document. Every cell must reflect what the program actually does.

## Task
Build a logic model using these inputs:

Program resources:
[PROGRAM RESOURCES]

Program activities:
[PROGRAM ACTIVITIES]

Program reach (who is served and how many):
[PROGRAM REACH]

Known or expected outcomes:
[KNOWN OR EXPECTED OUTCOMES]

Grant period:
[GRANT PERIOD]

Present the logic model in five labeled sections:
1. Inputs: resources that go into the program (staff, funding, volunteers, facilities, equipment, partners)
2. Activities: what the program does (services delivered, trainings held, sessions provided)
3. Outputs: countable products of the activities (number of participants served, sessions held, materials distributed)
4. Short-term outcomes: changes participants experience during or immediately after the program (knowledge gained, skills learned, behaviors adopted)
5. Long-term outcomes: changes expected to persist beyond the program period (improved health, stable employment, reduced recidivism)

After the five sections, add a one-paragraph narrative that explains the causal logic: if these inputs support these activities, these outputs will result, and over time these outcomes should follow.

## Standards
- Present each section as a labeled list, not a paragraph. Keep each item to one line.
- Use only inputs, activities, and outcomes that appear in the program design the writer supplied. Do not add services, partners, or outcomes not present in the inputs.
- Short-term outcomes should be observable within the grant period. Long-term outcomes sit beyond the grant period or represent sustained change.
- Do not inflate outcomes to match funder preferences. If the program cannot plausibly produce a long-term outcome from its activities alone, say so and ask.
- Do not invent partner organizations, staffing, or resources.
- If the program reach or resources are missing, ask before filling them in.

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

**Inputs**
- 1.0 FTE Program Director (Riverside Youth Coalition)
- 2.0 FTE Site Coordinators
- 12 part-time tutors (Millbrook Community College students, work-study funded)
- Grant funding: $180,000 requested from Hartfield Foundation
- Existing funding: $45,000 from city contract
- Two school sites: Millbrook Elementary and Jefferson Middle School (space donated by district)
- Second Step social-emotional learning curriculum (licensed)
- Foutas and Pinnell benchmark assessment materials

**Activities**
- Weekly tutoring sessions (Monday through Thursday, 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., school year)
- Monthly tutor training sessions led by Program Director
- Quarterly academic benchmark assessments for all enrolled students
- Weekly social-emotional learning activities using Second Step curriculum
- Monthly family communication (written progress updates)

**Outputs**
- Up to 120 students served across two sites
- 640 total program sessions delivered
- 480 tutor-student contacts per week at full enrollment
- 4 benchmark assessment cycles completed
- 120 quarterly progress reports distributed to families

**Short-term outcomes (within grant period)**
- Students demonstrate measurable improvement in reading benchmark level
- Students demonstrate improved mathematics performance on report card
- Students demonstrate improved social-emotional skills on pre/post assessment
- Students attend at least three sessions per week on average

**Long-term outcomes (beyond grant period)**
- Students advance to the next grade level on time
- Students sustain academic performance gains in subsequent school years
- Students demonstrate school connectedness and reduced dropout risk

**Causal logic:** When a trained tutoring workforce supported by experienced coordinators delivers consistent, structured academic support to students over a full school year, those students gain academic skills and improve their performance on measurable indicators. When social-emotional learning is integrated consistently alongside academic support, students also develop the self-regulation and relationship skills that support continued engagement in school. Over time, students who experience consistent support and measurable skill growth during the middle elementary and middle school years are better positioned to advance on track and remain connected to school.

Drafts an evaluation plan with measures, data collection methods, and reporting timelines tied to your stated project objectives. Reach for it when a funder asks you to describe how you will know the program worked.

## Context
You are helping a nonprofit grant writer draft an evaluation plan for a proposal. The organization is [ORGANIZATION NAME], a [ORGANIZATION TYPE] serving [POPULATION SERVED]. The funder is [FUNDER NAME] and the grant program is [GRANT PROGRAM NAME]. The project is [PROJECT DESCRIPTION]. The project runs from [PROJECT START DATE] to [PROJECT END DATE].

Project objectives as stated in the proposal:
[PROJECT OBJECTIVES]

Any evaluation requirements the funder specified:
[FUNDER EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS]

Data the organization can realistically collect:
[AVAILABLE DATA SOURCES]

## Task
Draft an evaluation plan for inclusion in the grant proposal. For each objective listed, provide: one or two measurable indicators, the data collection method, who collects the data, how often, and how findings will be reported to the funder. Include a brief statement on how the organization will use evaluation findings for program improvement.

## Standards
- Tie every indicator directly to an objective listed above. Do not introduce objectives not in the list.
- Use only data collection methods that match the available data sources provided. Do not propose methods the organization cannot realistically carry out.
- State indicators in measurable terms: numbers, percentages, or observable changes. Avoid vague language like "improved outcomes."
- Do not invent impact figures, benchmark statistics, or outcome targets. Where a target is needed, write [TARGET NEEDED] for the grant writer to supply.
- Match the reporting frequency and format to the funder requirements provided. If requirements are not provided, use standard semi-annual progress report plus final report.
- Do not fabricate funder names, deadlines, or program requirements not included in the inputs.
- If a project objective, available data source, or funder requirement is missing or unclear, ask before drafting.

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Evaluation Plan
Riverside Youth Coalition - After-School Literacy Program
Hartfield Foundation Community Learning Grant

Objective 1: Increase reading proficiency among enrolled students in grades 3-5.

Indicator: Percentage of enrolled students advancing one or more reading levels as measured by the program's standardized reading assessment.
Target: [TARGET NEEDED]
Data source: Pre- and post-program reading assessments administered by program staff.
Collection frequency: At program entry and at 16-week intervals.
Responsible party: Program Director.
Reporting: Results will be included in semi-annual progress reports and the final grant report.

Objective 2: Increase student attendance and consistent program participation.

Indicator: Percentage of enrolled students attending 80% or more of scheduled program sessions.
Target: [TARGET NEEDED]
Data source: Attendance logs maintained by site coordinators.
Collection frequency: Weekly; compiled monthly.
Responsible party: Site Coordinators, reviewed by Program Director.
Reporting: Attendance data will be reported semi-annually and in the final report.

Objective 3: Improve family engagement in student learning.

Indicator: Number of family members participating in quarterly family literacy nights.
Target: [TARGET NEEDED]
Data source: Sign-in sheets from family events.
Collection frequency: Quarterly.
Responsible party: Family Engagement Coordinator.
Reporting: Included in each progress report narrative.

Use of Findings
Riverside Youth Coalition will review evaluation data at the close of each 16-week cycle. The Program Director and site coordinators will meet to identify students below the attendance threshold and adjust outreach accordingly. Findings will inform curriculum adjustments for the following program cycle and will be shared with program staff and the board's program committee.

Drafts a credible sustainability section explaining how the program will continue after the grant period, without overpromising. Reach for it when a funder asks how the work will be sustained.

## Context
You are helping a nonprofit grant writer draft a sustainability narrative for a grant proposal. The organization is [ORGANIZATION NAME], a [ORGANIZATION TYPE] with an annual budget of approximately [ANNUAL BUDGET]. The program seeking funding is [PROGRAM NAME AND DESCRIPTION]. The grant amount requested is [GRANT AMOUNT] for a project period of [PROJECT PERIOD].

Current and anticipated funding sources for this program:
[CURRENT FUNDING SOURCES]

Revenue the program may generate, if any:
[PROGRAM REVENUE POTENTIAL]

Organizational plans to continue the program after the grant:
[SUSTAINABILITY PLANS]

Any committed future funding or partnerships relevant to sustainability:
[COMMITTED FUTURE SUPPORT]

## Task
Draft a sustainability narrative of 250 to 350 words for inclusion in the grant proposal. Address: how the program is currently funded or will be funded during the grant period, what specific steps the organization will take to sustain the program after grant funding ends, any earned revenue or fee-for-service potential, and any committed funding or partnerships that support continuation.

## Standards
- Be honest about uncertainty. If sustainability depends on future grant applications, say so and explain how that approach has worked for this program or organization in the past.
- Do not promise continued funding that is not committed. Use language like "the organization intends to seek" or "the organization expects" where appropriate.
- Do not invent future funders, commitments, or earned revenue figures. Where specific figures are not provided, write in general terms or note [FIGURE NEEDED].
- Do not fabricate program outcomes or impact statistics to support the sustainability case.
- The narrative must be plausible for an organization of this size and type. Do not write a sustainability section that requires capabilities the organization does not have.
- Ask before drafting if sustainability plans are not provided or if the grant amount and program costs do not add up.

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Sustainability

Cedar Valley Food Bank has operated the Senior Nutrition Access Program for three years, sustained through a combination of individual donor support, county contract funding, and foundation grants. The Hartfield Foundation grant, if awarded, will support program expansion to two additional zip codes during the 18-month project period.

After the grant period, Cedar Valley Food Bank intends to sustain the expanded program through three sources. First, the organization has submitted a renewal application to Millbrook County Department of Aging, which has funded the core program at $28,000 annually for two consecutive years. County staff have indicated continued interest in the program model, though formal renewal is subject to the county budget process. Second, the organization will seek replacement foundation funding through its annual grants calendar. Cedar Valley Food Bank currently holds active grants from four regional funders and has a track record of sustaining programs through diversified grant support. Third, the organization is exploring a modest sliding-scale fee structure for seniors with incomes above 200% of the federal poverty level, which could generate supplemental revenue while keeping services accessible to the lowest-income participants. A fee schedule has not yet been finalized.

The organization's Executive Director and Development Director together manage the grants portfolio and are committed to prioritizing continuation funding for this program in the next grant cycle. Cedar Valley Food Bank's board has approved inclusion of the expanded program in the three-year strategic plan adopted in January 2026.

Turns a budget table into a line-by-line narrative that explains each cost and ties it to the project. Use it when the funder requires a written budget justification alongside the budget spreadsheet.

## Context
You are helping a nonprofit grant writer draft a budget narrative for a grant proposal. The organization is [ORGANIZATION NAME]. The funder is [FUNDER NAME] and the grant program is [GRANT PROGRAM NAME]. The total grant amount requested is [GRANT AMOUNT]. The project period is [PROJECT PERIOD].

Budget table (paste the full line-item budget here):
[BUDGET TABLE]

For each budget line, the grant writer's explanation of how the cost was calculated:
[COST CALCULATION NOTES]

The portion of each line funded by this grant versus other sources:
[GRANT VS OTHER SOURCES]

Any funder restrictions or requirements for the budget narrative:
[FUNDER BUDGET REQUIREMENTS]

## Task
Draft a budget narrative that justifies each line item. For each line: state the cost, explain how it was calculated, name the connection to the project activities, and note whether the cost is fully grant-funded or shared with other sources. Group personnel costs first, then non-personnel.

## Standards
- Use only the figures in the budget table provided. Do not add, remove, or recalculate any line.
- Calculation methods come from the cost calculation notes. Where no note is provided, write [CALCULATION NOTE NEEDED] rather than inventing a method.
- Do not invent salary figures, fringe benefit rates, indirect cost rates, or market comparisons not in the inputs.
- Tie every line to the project. "Computers are needed" is not a justification. "The program coordinator will use two laptops to manage participant enrollment and prepare monthly reports" is.
- Flag any funder restriction from the budget requirements that a line might not meet: write [FUNDER RESTRICTION CHECK NEEDED].
- Ask before drafting if the budget table or calculation notes are not provided.

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Budget Narrative
Riverside Youth Coalition - After-School Literacy Program
Hartfield Foundation Community Learning Grant
Project Period: September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027

Personnel

Program Director (0.25 FTE): $17,500
The Program Director will devote 25% of her time to this project, overseeing curriculum implementation, supervising site coordinators, managing the evaluation plan, and preparing funder reports. The annual salary of $70,000 reflects the current organizational salary schedule for this position. The Hartfield Foundation grant funds 100% of this allocation.

Site Coordinators (2.0 FTE, 2 positions at 1.0 FTE each): $88,000
Two full-time Site Coordinators will staff the program's two after-school locations, delivering daily literacy instruction and managing student attendance. Each position carries an annual salary of $44,000 per the organizational salary schedule. Both positions are funded 100% by this grant.

Fringe Benefits (28% of personnel): $29,540
Fringe benefits are calculated at 28% of salary costs, reflecting the organization's actual fringe rate for full-time positions, which includes FICA, health insurance, and retirement contributions. Documentation of the fringe rate is available upon request.

Non-Personnel

Curriculum Materials: $6,200
Literacy curriculum workbooks and supplemental materials for approximately 80 enrolled students at two sites. Unit cost of $77.50 per student is based on the publisher's current catalog price and a quote received in May 2026. Grant-funded 100%.

Indirect Costs (10% of direct costs): $14,124
Indirect costs are calculated at 10% of direct costs per the organization's current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement with the County Department of Education.