Let’s be honest, grant writing is tough. You’re juggling tight deadlines, shifting goalposts, and 14 different ways to say “impact”. And after all that? A single line can cost you the funding.
At Fundin, we’ve reviewed thousands of grant applications. The good ones don’t just sound impressive, they’re strategic, crystal clear, and easy to trust.
Here are 5 of the most common mistakes we see, and how to steer clear of them.
1. Being too vague about the problem
The mistake: You describe a big, blurry issue like “social isolation” or “health inequalities” without grounding it in local, specific evidence.
Why it matters: Funders don’t fund vague problems. They fund solvable ones.
How to fix it: Get specific. Use local stats. Show exactly who’s affected, how, and why it matters now.
Instead of: “Young people are struggling with mental health.”
Try: “1 in 3 young people in South Tyneside report feeling chronically anxious, yet access to mental health services has dropped 40% since 2021.”
2. Trying to do too much
The mistake: Your project plan reads like a wishlist: mental health, food insecurity, employment skills, digital access… in one bid.
Why it matters: It’s overwhelming. Funders think: “How are they actually going to do all of this?”
How to fix it: Narrow your focus. Pick one main problem and show how you’ll tackle it well. Clarity > complexity. Leave the ten-year vision for the strategic plan, not the grant form.
3. Forgetting to show your credibility
The mistake: You jump into the “what” without explaining the “why us.”
Why it matters: Funders aren’t just backing your idea, they’re backing you.
How to fix it: Prove you’ve got the experience, partnerships, or lived expertise to pull this off. If it’s a new project, show how it builds on past learning. Show, don’t just tell. “We’re trusted in the community” hits harder when you include a quote or stat that backs it up.
4. Skipping the outcome logic
The mistake: You describe what you’ll do, but not what will change.
Why it matters: Funders care about impact, not just activity. If they can’t see the change, they can’t justify the grant.
How to fix it: Link your actions to outcomes. Even if they’re simple.
“We’ll run 20 workshops for 100 women” → good
“As a result, 75% will report increased confidence in applying for work” → better
5. Using boring or over-jargoned language
The mistake: Your bid sounds like it was written by a committee that fell asleep halfway through.
Why it matters: Funders are human. If your bid is hard to read or overly formal, it won’t land.
How to fix it: Be clear. Be conversational. Ditch the waffle. Talk like a real person explaining real work that makes a real difference.
❌ “We aim to catalyse community empowerment through collaborative facilitation.”
✅ “We help people build the skills and confidence to lead change in their community.”
Final word: Don’t let perfection be the enemy of clarity
Funders aren’t looking for flawless writing. They’re looking for confidence. Can you deliver what you say you’ll deliver? Is your work grounded in reality, not buzzwords? Do you actually get the problem you’re trying to solve? That’s what makes the difference.
And if you need a second set of eyes, or a full bid overhaul, we’re here. At Fundin, we write applications that cut through the noise and get results.
Let’s make your next bid your best one.
