Writing a Grant Proposal — Grantable Docs

The old way

You open ChatGPT, paste your mission statement for the hundredth time, explain what the RFP requires, and hope the output doesn’t sound like every other nonprofit. Then you copy the draft into Google Docs, rewrite most of it, and repeat for the next section. By the time you’re done, you’ve spent more time managing the AI than writing.

The Grantable way

Grantable already knows your organization — your profile, programs, financials, and past proposals are pre-loaded. Upload the RFP, and the AI extracts every requirement automatically. Then use the /write skill to draft sections that reflect your actual programs and writing voice, grounded in your source materials.

Step by step

1. Upload your RFP and source materials

Start a new chat and attach the RFP document. If you haven’t already, upload key source materials to your file tree — past successful proposals, your annual report, program descriptions, and evaluation data. The more relevant material the AI has, the more specific and accurate its drafts will be.

Tip: If this is your first time, use /profile to build your organization profile and /boilerplate to create your reusable content library. These power everything else.

2. Ask the AI to analyze the requirements

Ask the AI to break down the RFP:

“Analyze this RFP and list every requirement and evaluation criterion”
“What are the key sections I need to write for this application?”
“Are there any eligibility requirements we should check first?”

The AI reads the RFP, identifies each requirement, and organizes them into a structured checklist you can work through.

3. Outline your approach

Before diving into writing, ask the AI to outline how it would approach the application:

“Outline our approach to this application, section by section”
“Which of our source documents are most relevant for each requirement?”
“What gaps do we have in our materials for this application?”

Review the outline. Adjust priorities, add context the AI might be missing, and confirm the approach before moving to drafting.

4. Draft sections with /write

Use the /write skill to draft each section:

/write “Draft the needs statement using our program data and the RFP requirements”
/write “Write the project narrative, citing outcomes from our 2025 annual report”
/write “Create budget justifications for each line item”

The AI creates files in your file tree. Open each one in the document viewer to review. Ask for revisions directly in the chat — “Make the methodology section more specific about our timeline” or “Add more data points to the evaluation plan.”

5. Review and polish

Once you have drafts for all sections, use /review for a structured quality check:

/review “Review our complete proposal against the RFP requirements”

The AI runs a three-pass review: compliance (does it meet every requirement?), narrative quality (is the writing clear and compelling?), and completeness (is anything missing?). Address the flagged issues and iterate until you’re satisfied.

6. Export and submit

When your proposal is ready, export it in the format the funder requires — PDF, Word, or Excel. The export preserves formatting and is submission-ready.

Tips

Don’t skip the outline step. Reviewing an outline before writing produces dramatically better first drafts.
Iterate, don’t restart. If a draft isn’t right, ask the AI to revise specific aspects rather than regenerating from scratch.
Cite your sources. When the AI references your materials, verify the citations. Funders notice when claims aren’t backed by evidence.
Use specific prompts. “Draft the needs statement for our youth mentoring program in Oakland, citing outcomes from our 2025 annual report” works far better than “Write a needs statement.”