Unspoken Rules of Winning Grant Funding

While official guidelines and calls for proposals are important, experienced fundraisers know that success often lies in understanding the less obvious expectations of donors. These “unspoken rules” can make or break a proposal:

Caption for the Image: "Navigating the silence: A moment of contemplation and curiosity, where unspoken rules shape communication."

Alignment with Donor Priorities: Every donor has strategic areas they care about — whether it’s climate change, gender equality, digital innovation, or y

outh employment- and these priorities change over time. Even if your project is broader, frame it in a way that directly aligns with their current priorities.

Accountability as a Shared Responsibility

Implementing organisations (NGOs, INGOs and IOs) operate within a complex web of accountabilities. They are answerable not only to their donors but also to communities and beneficiaries, governments, public opinion, private sector partners, their own staff, volunteers, boards, and membership. In practice, this means these organisations are; 

• Upwardly accountable to funders and patrons.

• Downwardly accountable to communities and clients.

• Internally accountable to their missions, staff, and governance structures.

Similarly, donor organisations are accountable to their own governments, elected officials, oversight bodies, taxpayers, boards, and, in many cases, the recipient organisations and partners they support. Accountability, therefore, is a relational concept that varies depending on the stakeholder, and different mechanisms are required to meet different expectations. 

An effective proposal recognises these considerations and integrates them thoughtfully, while still maintaining a strong focus on delivering local impact.

Scaling What Already Works: Donors often prefer to scale up existing projects or replicate successful models rather than fund brand-new, untested ideas. This allows them to leverage existing capacities and infrastructure, build on lessons learned from earlier phases, and demonstrate how efforts can yield big successes when expanded.  It is important to showcase that a planned project can achieve higher visibility by associating with proven impact; therefore, positioning your project as a way to extend or amplify what is already working increases its attractiveness.

Demonstrating Leverage: Donors like to see that their funds are not the only ones at play. Co-financing, public-private partnerships, and community contributions increase your project’s credibility and attractiveness.

Political and Social Sensitivity: A good proposal demonstrates awareness of the local political context, conflict sensitivities, and social dynamics. Donors avoid projects that may expose them to political risks or reputational damage.

Capacity and Trustworthiness: the best ideas won’t get funded if donors don’t trust the implementing organisation. Strong governance systems, transparent financial management, and a history of successful delivery give you an edge.

How to Navigate These Unspoken Rules

• Research the donor thoroughly — Read their country strategies, past funded projects, and public statements.

• Frame your proposal strategically — Highlight mutual benefits: what’s in it for the donor as well as the community.

• Build relationships — Networking and informal conversations with donor staff can reveal hidden priorities not captured in official documents.

• Showcase partnerships — Especially with organisations from the donor’s home country or with international credibility.

• Emphasise scalability — Demonstrate how your project can grow from pilot to large-scale, or build on proven initiatives.

• Adopting and adapting successful Fund-Winning Proposals with the support of experts in the respective sectors

Conclusion

Crafting an effective and impactful funding plan requires more than drafting a budget or writing a proposal. It is about demonstrating vision, accountability, and impact — while also recognising the subtle priorities and interests of donors. By combining strategic thinking, evidence-based needs, scalability, and an insider’s awareness of unspoken rules, you can position your project to attract the right funding and turn ideas into lasting impact.

Wall, M. (2025, April 22). Funders have unspoken expectations. Boyd Grants. Retrieved from https://www.boydgrants.com/wordpress/uncategorized/funders-have-unspoken-expectations/

Ebrahim, A. (2004). Seeking NGO-donor partnership for greater effectiveness and accountability: Final workshop report (May 12–13, 2004). Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) & Sustainable Development Department (SDS), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).