Grant Writing with AI: Prompts and Tools That Save Hours

Grant writing is one of the most time-consuming tasks in nonprofit work. A single proposal can take 20-40 hours to research, draft, and refine. But AI tools can dramatically reduce this time while helping you write more compelling, compliant proposals.

This guide provides practical prompts, tools, and strategies you can use immediately to streamline your grant writing process. For more on identifying grant writing as a use case, see our article on identifying the best AI use cases.

Why AI Works Well for Grant Writing

Grant writing involves several tasks that AI excels at:

Research and information gathering: AI can quickly summarize grant guidelines, extract requirements, and identify key information
Drafting boilerplate sections: Organizational descriptions, mission statements, and program overviews can be drafted quickly
Adapting content: AI can adapt existing content for different funders' requirements and priorities
Ensuring compliance: AI can check that proposals meet word counts, formatting requirements, and include required sections
Improving clarity: AI can help make technical content more accessible and compelling

However, AI should augment—not replace—your expertise. Always review, edit, and personalize AI-generated content to ensure it accurately represents your organization and aligns with funder priorities.

Essential AI Tools for Grant Writing

Here are the most useful AI tools for grant writing:

1. ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Best for: Drafting proposal sections, adapting content, brainstorming, and improving clarity

Why it's useful: ChatGPT excels at understanding context and generating coherent, well-structured text. It's particularly good at adapting existing content for different audiences and requirements.

Pricing: Free tier available; Plus plan at $20/month for better performance and access to GPT-4

2. Claude (Anthropic)

Best for: Analyzing long grant guidelines, summarizing requirements, and working with lengthy documents

Why it's useful: Claude has a very long context window, meaning it can process entire grant guidelines or RFPs at once. It's excellent at extracting key requirements and ensuring proposals address all criteria.

Pricing: Free tier available; Pro at $20/month for advanced features

3. Google Gemini

Best for: Research, fact-checking, and working with Google Workspace documents

Why it's useful: If you use Google Workspace, Gemini integrates seamlessly with Docs and Sheets. It's also good at research and can help verify information.

Pricing: Free tier available; Gemini Advanced at $20/month

4. Grammarly

Best for: Proofreading, improving clarity, and ensuring professional tone

Why it's useful: While not a generative AI tool, Grammarly uses AI to catch errors, improve clarity, and ensure your writing is professional and polished.

Pricing: Free tier available; Premium starts at $12/month

5. Grant Writing Platforms

Several platforms combine grant research with AI-powered writing assistance:

Instrumentl: AI-powered grant matching and proposal assistance
GrantHub: Grant management with AI writing support
GrantStation: Grant research database with proposal templates

Proven Prompts for Grant Writing

The key to effective AI-assisted grant writing is using the right prompts. Here are proven prompts you can adapt for your needs:

Prompt 1: Analyzing Grant Guidelines

"I'm applying for a grant from [Funder Name]. Here are the grant guidelines: [paste guidelines]. Please:

List all required sections and components
Identify key priorities and focus areas mentioned
Note any specific formatting or word count requirements
Highlight any eligibility criteria or restrictions
Suggest what information I should emphasize based on their priorities"

Prompt 2: Drafting Organizational Description

"Write a compelling organizational description for a grant proposal. Include:

Organization name: [name]
Mission: [mission statement]
Founded: [year]
Key programs: [list programs]
Geographic focus: [location]
Key achievements: [list achievements]
Target length: [word count] words
Tone: Professional but compelling, suitable for [funder type]"

Prompt 3: Writing Need Statements

"Write a compelling need statement for a grant proposal. The need is: [describe the problem/need]. Include:

Evidence of the need (use statistics: [provide stats])
Who is affected and how
Why this need is urgent
What happens if the need isn't addressed
Word count: [specify]
Make it compelling and data-driven"

Prompt 4: Describing Programs and Activities

"Write a program description for a grant proposal. The program: [program name]. Include:

Program goals and objectives
Target population: [describe]
Key activities: [list activities]
Expected outcomes: [list outcomes]
Timeline: [duration]
Staffing: [who will implement]
Word count: [specify]
Emphasize alignment with funder priorities: [funder priorities]"

Prompt 5: Budget Narratives

"Write a budget narrative explaining these budget items: [list items with amounts]. For each item, explain:

What the expense is for
Why it's necessary for the program
How the amount was calculated
Keep it concise and clear"

Prompt 6: Adapting Content for Different Funders

"I have this content: [paste existing content]. Adapt it for a grant proposal to [Funder Name]. Their priorities are: [list priorities]. Requirements: [list requirements]. Make sure the content:

Emphasizes alignment with their priorities
Meets their word count and formatting requirements
Uses language that resonates with this funder
Maintains accuracy about our organization and programs"

Prompt 7: Improving Clarity and Impact

"Review this grant proposal section and improve it: [paste content]. Make it:

More compelling and engaging
Clearer and easier to understand
More specific with concrete examples
Better organized with logical flow
Maintain the same word count and key information"

Prompt 8: Compliance Checking

"Review this grant proposal: [paste proposal] against these requirements: [paste requirements]. Check:

Are all required sections included?
Do word counts meet requirements?
Are all questions answered?
Is the formatting correct?
List any missing elements or issues"

Step-by-Step Grant Writing Workflow with AI

Here's a practical workflow for using AI throughout the grant writing process:

Step 1: Research and Analysis (Save 2-4 hours)

Paste grant guidelines into Claude or ChatGPT
Use Prompt 1 to extract requirements and priorities
Ask AI to identify alignment between your programs and funder priorities
Have AI create a checklist of required components

Step 2: Gather Your Information (Preparation)

Compile organizational information, program details, statistics, and achievements
Create a document with key facts, figures, and talking points
This becomes your "source material" for AI prompts

Step 3: Draft Sections (Save 8-15 hours)

Use Prompts 2-5 to draft each section
Provide your source material and funder requirements in each prompt
Generate first drafts for all sections
Don't worry about perfection—you'll refine in the next step

Step 4: Refine and Personalize (Save 3-5 hours)

Use Prompt 7 to improve clarity and impact
Add specific examples, stories, and details from your organization
Ensure the voice matches your organization's style
Verify all facts and statistics

Step 5: Ensure Compliance (Save 1-2 hours)

Use Prompt 8 to check compliance
Verify word counts, formatting, and required sections
Fix any issues identified

Step 6: Final Review

Human review is essential—read the entire proposal
Check for accuracy, consistency, and alignment with funder priorities
Ensure it sounds like your organization, not generic AI text
Have a colleague review for fresh perspective

Best Practices for AI-Assisted Grant Writing

To get the best results from AI, follow these practices:

1. Provide Rich Context

The more context you provide, the better AI output you'll get. Include:

Your organization's mission, values, and history
Specific program details and outcomes
Funder priorities and requirements
Target word counts and formatting requirements
Examples of successful past proposals (if helpful)

2. Use AI for Drafting, Not Final Copy

Always treat AI output as a first draft. You should:

Edit and personalize all AI-generated content
Add specific examples and stories
Ensure accuracy of all facts and figures
Make sure the voice matches your organization
Verify alignment with funder priorities

3. Build a Library of Reusable Content

Create templates and reusable sections:

Organizational descriptions in different lengths
Program descriptions you can adapt
Common statistics and achievements
Proven prompt templates
This saves time on future proposals

4. Iterate and Refine

Don't accept the first AI output. Ask for improvements:

"Make this more compelling"
"Add more specific examples"
"Shorten this while keeping key points"
"Emphasize [specific aspect] more"

5. Protect Sensitive Information

Be careful with sensitive data:

Don't paste confidential donor or beneficiary information
Use anonymized examples when possible
Check AI tool privacy policies—many use your data for training
Consider using enterprise versions for better privacy

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common pitfalls when using AI for grant writing:

Using AI output without editing: AI text can be generic or inaccurate—always personalize and verify
Not providing enough context: Generic prompts produce generic results
Ignoring funder-specific requirements: Always adapt content for each funder's priorities
Forgetting to fact-check: AI can make up statistics or facts—always verify
Losing your organization's voice: Ensure proposals sound like your organization, not generic AI
Not following guidelines: AI can miss formatting or compliance requirements—always double-check. For comprehensive guidance on maintaining grant compliance, see our article on the future of compliance management.

Time Savings: Real Examples

Here's how much time AI can save on common grant writing tasks:

Task: Research and analyze grant guidelines

Without AI: 2-3 hours reading and taking notes

With AI: 15-30 minutes to paste and analyze

Time saved: 1.5-2.5 hours

Task: Draft organizational description

Without AI: 1-2 hours writing from scratch

With AI: 10 minutes to prompt + 20 minutes to edit

Time saved: 30-70 minutes

Task: Write program description

Without AI: 2-3 hours drafting and refining

With AI: 15 minutes to prompt + 30 minutes to personalize

Time saved: 1.5-2 hours

Task: Adapt content for different funder

Without AI: 3-4 hours rewriting

With AI: 20 minutes to adapt + 30 minutes to refine

Time saved: 2-3 hours

Total time saved per proposal: 5-8 hours, allowing you to apply to more grants or focus on relationship-building with funders.

Getting Started: Your First AI-Assisted Proposal

Ready to try AI-assisted grant writing? Here's a simple plan:

Week 1: Set Up and Test

Choose an AI tool (start with free tier of ChatGPT or Claude)
Pick a small grant opportunity to practice with
Use Prompt 1 to analyze the guidelines
Try drafting one section using the prompts above

Week 2: Build Your Library

Create a document with your organizational information
Save your best prompts as templates
Draft reusable sections (org description, program descriptions)
Document what works and what doesn't

Week 3: Write Your First Full Proposal

Follow the step-by-step workflow above
Use AI for drafting, but spend time personalizing
Track how much time you save
Note what worked well and what needs improvement

The Bottom Line

AI can dramatically reduce the time you spend on grant writing while helping you create more compelling proposals. The key is using AI as a drafting tool, not a replacement for your expertise and judgment.

Start with the prompts and workflow above, build your library of reusable content, and refine your process over time. With practice, you'll find that AI-assisted grant writing allows you to apply to more opportunities while maintaining—or even improving—proposal quality.

Remember: the best grant proposals combine AI efficiency with human insight, personalization, and strategic thinking. Use AI to handle the heavy lifting of drafting, then focus your time on what matters most: ensuring proposals accurately represent your organization and compellingly communicate your impact.