What if my organization applies for a Federal grant, but is turned down?

Answer:

There is no guarantee you will receive a grant if you apply. However, if you do not receive a grant, you should try to find out why you did not receive funding and how you could improve a future application. You can follow up with the program officer identified in the announcement. This individual will either be able to provide you with information about your application, or point you to the right person to contact.

In addition, you may be able to obtain written comments on your proposal, which could be a good learning tool. Remember that many organizations compete for Federal funds, and many groups apply several times before they receive an award. Getting feedback on your application can help you improve your chances of receiving funds the next time around.

For information on writing grant proposals, you may want to visit these sites:

"Developing Competitive SAMHSA Grant Applications" Participant Manual - This extensive manual was developed to assist participants in exploring skills and resources needed to plan and write a competitive Substance Abust and Mental Health Services Administration grant application. The manual provides information to assist you in: deciding about the appropriateness of applying; assembling and maintainng current project and community data for preplanning ideas; reviewing Requests for Applications (RFAs) and Program Announcements (PAs) and planning an application strategy; assembling resources and a writing team; writing applications that respond to the application outline and the grant review criteria; and anticipating peer reviewer response.

Toolkit for Faith-Based and Community Organizations - An Administration for Children and Families Web site that provides information on best practices, grant acquisition, grant management, research, and policy.

Developing and Writing Grant Proposals- The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance site with guide for successful grant proposal writing.

Last Updated: 4/29/2008