Grant Proposal First-Draft Workflow

1. What this workflow is for

Creating a structured first draft of a grant proposal while keeping factual and strategic decisions with nonprofit staff.

2. Appropriate use cases

• - Drafting first-pass narrative sections from existing program notes
• - Reframing mission and outcomes language for a funder audience
• - Summarizing program activities into concise proposal wording

3. What AI can help with

• - Building proposal outlines by section
• - Drafting first-pass narrative language
• - Improving clarity and structure in program summaries
• - Suggesting logic-model phrasing for outcomes and activities

4. What AI should not do

• - Fabricate outcomes or impact claims
• - Invent program data or evidence
• - Create final budget numbers
• - Replace leadership or program-owner review

5. Safe inputs

• - Public program descriptions
• - Internal non-sensitive planning notes
• - Approved impact statements and past public reports

7. Step-by-step workflow

1. 1. Define proposal goal, funder fit, and required sections.
2. 2. Provide approved non-sensitive source notes to AI.
3. 3. Generate section-by-section first draft.
4. 4. Compare AI text to source facts and remove unsupported claims.
5. 5. Revise with program and leadership input before submission.

8. Human review requirements

• - Program lead validates facts and outcomes language.
• - Development lead confirms funder alignment and tone.
• - Final draft approved by designated organizational owner.

9. Final approval checklist

• - All factual claims verified against source documents
• - No fabricated metrics or invented commitments
• - No restricted or sensitive data included
• - Leadership sign-off completed

10. Copyable prompt template

You are helping draft a first-pass grant proposal narrative for a nonprofit. Use only the source notes provided. Do not invent outcomes, data, or commitments. Produce: (1) draft outline, (2) first-pass section text, (3) list of claims requiring human verification.

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