Applying for a grant  can be overwhelming — so overwhelming some animal shelters or rescue organizations miss out on money for reasons that can easily be avoided.

Like this one: During Maddie’s Fund’s last innovation grant application period, we had over 400 applicants, but awarded grants to only 67 recipients. The reason wasn’t lack of innovative ideas, said Maddie’s Fund Grant Specialist Kelly Clardy. “The majority of applicants weren’t eligible because of incomplete applications.”

That’s right, incomplete applications.

We see it often at Maddie’s Fund, and we can bet the same thing is happening with other grant-giving organizations. Here are some simple tips Clardy says can make all the difference in receiving grants so you can help save more animals:

1. Complete the application. We said it above but it’s worth repeating: Don’t skip or miss any questions! Go back and review your application to make sure you didn’t miss anything.
2. Answer the questions thoroughly. Make sure you take the time to understand what the question is asking, then answer all parts of it.
3. Ask questions before you turn in your application. This is a big one. “Don’t assume we’ll follow-up after the fact. Reach out via phone or email beforehand to clarify anything you’re not sure about,” said Clardy. “Being a small organization, we aren’t able to review all applications and respond before the grant period closes.”

By the way, the next Innovation Grant window is February 6-13, 2017! Make sure you follow these simple tips and review our grant requirements so you don’t miss out on money for your organization. And join the Maddie Network for reminders and updates!