Top 6 Rejection Reasons

It is proving more and more difficult to secure one-on-one meetings with grantmakers either prior to submission or afterwards to solicit feedback. The motivation behind the lack of communication is not about covert intentions or eluding accountability. The reality is that many foundation grantmakers lack the human resource capacity to address inquiries or accompany rejections with individualized responses.

​So if there is no one available to provide constructive feedback, how can your next submission be improved? Based on US survey data, here are the top six reasons why funding applications are not approved.
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1. Priorities are not completely aligned.
2. Project impact is weak.
3. Capacity of applying organization is in question.
4. Application questions are not answered clearly.
5. The budget is inappropriate.
6. The demand exceeds available funds.

​You cannot do anything about number 6, except apply again. And yes, apply again.

You can do something to ensure the other five reasons do not propel your proposal to the rejection pile. You can master the grant application.