Step 6

Submitting and Following-up

After packaging and printing your proposal, closely follow the submission requirements outlined in the funder's guidelines. It is important to follow these directions precisely and get your proposal in on time.

Submitting your proposal is not the end of your involvement in the grant-making process. Grant review procedures vary widely, and the decision-making process can take anywhere from a few weeks to six months or more. Invariably, this is a difficult time for the grant-seeker, in which you need to be patient but persistent. Some grant-makers outline their review procedures in annual reports or application guidelines. If you are unclear about the process, don't hesitate to ask.

• 6.1 Requests for more information
• 6.2 Dealing with a win
• 6.3 Dealing with a loss