Once a grantseeker has established a need and described it appropriately, it will be necessary to define specific goals and objectives that can be used to meet that need. The goals and objectives are the outcomes of the projects, the things the grantseeker will do once it receives funds from the grantmaker.

While goals and objectives are similar terms, a "goal" is a fairly broad description of the project's final outcome. An "objective" is a measurable result. There are two main kinds: An "outcome objective" is a result that can be achieved in a specific time. A "process objective" is a specific result that can affect the way in which the goal is achieved.

With each objective, the grant writer should try to define the areas in which change needs to occur and the groups that will be affected by the change. It is also important to explain how much change needs to occur and the specific time by which that change needs to take place. Finally, it is important to describe how the changes associated with each objective will be measured.

Naturally, the writer should be careful to make sure that the objectives and goals relate directly to the project's needs.

Establishing Methods

The methods are the activities or strategies the grant seeker will use to realize the outcomes described by its objectives. This section of the grant should also describe who will be working to achieve the goals and objectives and who they will serve. A timeline, including start and end dates for the project, is also appropriate here.

The methods section should also detail how this particular course of action was selected in order to take care of the problem, whether it uses methodologies already in place or whether it goes in new directions. If the latter is the case, the methods section should explain why this particular methodology was chosen to solve the problem. Research used to determine the methods should be described here. If the methods require certain facilities or equipment, these should be described as well.

Naturally, the methods section should relate back both to the organization's needs and to its objectives.