After nearly twenty years of writing and reviewing grant proposals, I’ve learned to recognize some of the things that make a strong application stand out.
Good writing matters. Strong data matters. A compelling story matters.
But there’s one thing I see applicants underestimate again and again:
Specificity.
Funders aren't simply looking for a good idea. They need to understand exactly what you plan to do, who you’ll serve, how you’ll do it, and what their investment can realistically accomplish.
The more clearly you can answer those questions, the easier it is for a funder to understand and trust your plan.
Why Specificity Matters in a Grant Proposal
Consider the difference between these two statements:
Our program will provide workforce development opportunities to young adults in the community.
And:
Over 12 months, our program will provide 75 young adults ages 18–24 in Hancock County with six weeks of job-readiness training, one-on-one career coaching, and connections to local employers.
The second doesn't just sound stronger.
It gives the reviewer something concrete to evaluate.
They know who you're serving. They know where. They know approximately how many people will participate. They know what those participants will receive and how long the program will operate.
That specificity helps demonstrate that you've thought through how the project will actually work.
Don't Let "Flexible" Become "Vague"
I understand why organizations hesitate to get too specific.
Sometimes specificity can feel like overcommitting.
What if you say you'll serve 75 people and only reach 70? What if implementation takes longer than expected? Wouldn't it be safer to say you'll serve “many” people or create a timeline with plenty of room?
It might feel safer.
But vague language can make it harder for a funder to determine whether your plan is realistic, whether your organization has the capacity to carry it out, and ultimately whether the investment is likely to produce meaningful results.
Being specific doesn't mean making promises you can't keep.
It means making your plan concrete enough to demonstrate that you know what you're doing.
Your goals should still be realistic. Your timeline should account for what can reasonably happen. Your outcomes should be achievable.
Specific and realistic can coexist.
How to Make a Grant Proposal More Specific
Here's an exercise I recommend when reviewing a grant application.
Go through your draft and look for words such as:
Many.
Various.
Several.
Significant.
Comprehensive.
Then ask yourself whether you can replace each one with something more concrete.
Instead of “many residents,” how many?
Instead of “various community partners,” which partners?
Instead of “significantly improve,” what measurable change do you expect to see?
Instead of “provide comprehensive support,” what services will participants actually receive?
You won't be able to replace every broad term with a number, nor should you. But the exercise forces you to look at your proposal from a funder's perspective.
Can someone who knows nothing about this project clearly picture what will happen if they fund it?
If the answer is no, there's probably room to be more specific.
Specificity Builds Confidence
A grant reviewer shouldn't have to fill in the blanks for you.
The clearer you are about who you're serving, what you're doing, when it will happen, who's responsible, and what you expect to accomplish, the easier it becomes for a funder to evaluate your project.
And that's ultimately what specificity does.
It doesn't guarantee you'll receive the grant. No writing technique can do that.
But it gives funders something much stronger than a vague promise. It gives them a credible, executable plan they can choose to invest in.
The next time you're reviewing a grant proposal, don't just ask whether it sounds good.
Ask whether it's specific enough to believe.
I'm Renee with Thrive Community Partners. This article is based on an episode of Thrive in Five, where we share practical ideas for moving organizations and communities forward in five minutes or less.
