Writing Style Tips

The following is an excerpt from “Grant Writing: A Best Practice Guide,” by Bridget Newell, Ph.D.

A well-written proposal adheres to the standards of good professional writing. Therefore, grant writers should strive to make their proposals clear and easy to understand. Below are ten tips for good business writing. Writers should be aware that these tips are only guidelines; good reasons for ignoring some of them exist, so writers must use their best judgement when finalizing their proposals.

  1. Remember the reader. Reader expectations are established by the grant guidelines, so it is best to include information that is asked for in the order in which readers expect it. Also remember that some readers may not be familiar with law enforcement jargon, so including it may confuse rather than clarify the message. Finally, readers are busy. Many readers review more than one proposal in a sitting. To ensure that a busy reader is left with a good impression, writers should strive to make their writing clear and easy to access.
  2. Begin with the main point. Readers should not have to hunt for important information. Forcing them to do so makes their task more difficult and potentially frustrating. By beginning each paragraph with the main point, writers provide context for readers, and they make accessing important information easier.
  3. Be concise. Redundant or long-winded sentences and paragraphs are distracting (and sometimes annoying). Use enough words to convey your point, but no more. For example, To begin this project we will etc. is preferable to In order to undertake the beginning of this strategic project, this agency will commence to etc.
  4. Use clear specific language. Big words and jargon often complicate rather clarify a message. Plain, straightforward, English is often the most effective approach. For example, it is often preferable to write begin rather than commence and end rather than terminate.
  5. Write in a friendly, professional style. An extremely formal or an extremely casual tone often detracts from the message. As a guideline, grant writers can write in the same style they would use to speak to an important, intelligent colleague or supervisor in a professional setting.
  6. Prefer active voice. Active voice (She threw the ball.) is preferable to passive voice (The ball was thrown) because it clearly conveys the sentence’s subject (she) and verb (threw) in the order in which most people expect to receive them (subject before verb). When possible, write in active voice to let the reader know who did (or will do) what.
  7. Move from known information to new information. Good writers provide context for new ideas. They do not simply “jump into” a new topic without warning. Including transitions that connect new ideas to those already present enables readers to follow the discussion and understand how ideas are connected.
  8. Avoid complicated sentences. Too many complicated sentences make a document overwhelming and hard to follow. Writers should strive to limit the number of long, complicated sentences by varying sentence length. Clarify messages by adhering to tips 3 and 4.
  9. Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Whether good or poor, writing reflects on the writer. Sloppy writing indicates carelessness; and clear, correct writing suggests that the writer is clear thinking and careful. To make the best first impression, writers should ensure that the final draft is written in correct English.
  10. Use signal words. Good writers guide their readers through their documents by including transitional words that tell them what to expect. Therefore indicates that an important conclusion follows; because indicates that a reason is being presented; first, second and third indicate chronology or steps in a plan; and in addition indicates that the point that follows is directly related to the previous point. These and other signal words can be very helpful to readers, if they are not overused.

V. Format

Many grant guidelines include information about formatting the grant proposal. In these cases, the best option is to follow the guidelines. If no formatting guidelines are provided, writers should follow the basic standards for good professional writing presented below:

  • Use different font sizes and styles for headings and body text. Body text can be presented in a 12-point serif font such as Times or Times New Roman. Main headings can be presented in a 12- to 16- point bold sans serif font such as Arial or Helvetica. Subheadings can be presented in a bold version of the body text (This document models the recommended format. Body text is in 12 point Times New Roman, main headings are in 14 point Arial Bold, and subheadings are in 12 point Times New Roman bold.).
  • Use vertical lists when appropriate. Vertical lines allow readers to skim for information and they help clarify meaning. Use bullet lists if the order of list items is not important; use numbered lists to reveal chronological order or rank.
  • Use one-inch margins and align text on the left (also called ragged right alignment). This is standard professional format.

VI. Resources and Assistance

Undertaking a grant research and writing project can be overwhelming and time consuming, but no writer has to do all of the work alone. Writers should consider options for delegating tasks within their agency, and they should consider contacting the following resources, all of which can offer a wide range of assistance:

  • Colleges and universities: Writers can contact local colleges and universities to determine whether they offer classes in grant writing, editing, professional writing, business writing, statistical analysis, and/or research methods. If such courses are offered, writers can contact professors who teach those courses to determine whether they would be willing to develop a class project in which students help with writing, editing, and project evaluation. Many professors strive to incorporate real world experience in their classes and would be glad to help if given time to plan.

Some colleges and universities offer internship programs that allow students to receive college credit for work they do outside of school. Again, writers can contact professors or college representatives in student services to determine whether an internship (paid or unpaid) can be arranged to help with grant writing, Internet research, etc.

  • Professional organizations: Some local and national professional organizations for writers, fundraisers, and retired professionals may provide free help or advice on grant writing and research. Again, writers could contact professors at local colleges for information about these resources.

As with most complicated projects, planning ahead and utilizing available resources help to make the grant writing task much more bearable.