Grant Writing Tips: 6 Common Language Mistakes to Avoid

Writing a grant application is challenging. Strong ideas matter—but so does clear, persuasive grant writing. Many grant proposals fail not because the research is weak, but because unclear language undermines credibility. To increase your chances of funding success, use these six grant writing tips to communicate complex ideas clearly, precisely, and persuasively.

1. Avoid Overly Complex Sentences in Grant Applications

Long, complicated sentences don’t impress reviewers — they often confuse and tire them.

• ❌ Due to the fact that the preliminary results, which were gathered in collaboration with multiple institutions, indicate a possible correlation, we therefore propose…
• ✅ Because our preliminary results suggest a correlation, we propose…

👉 Tip: Stick to one idea per sentence, especially in your project’s aims and methods.

2. Simplify Technical Jargon for Clear Grant Proposals

Reviewers may be experts, but not always in your exact field. Too much jargon makes your grant application harder to follow.

• ❌ The project leverages a heuristic multivariate framework for socio-cognitive load management.
• ✅ The project uses a comparative framework to analyze how people manage cognitive demands.

👉 Tip: Use technical terms only when necessary, and explain them briefly. Briefly defining technical terms makes your proposal accessible to all reviewers.

3. Fix Confusing Verb Tenses in Grant Applications

Verb tense shapes how grant reviewers understand your timeline. Clear verb tense helps reviewers follow the project’s progress and distinguish completed work from ongoing and planned activities.

• ❌ The project develops a new method last year that improved water quality.
• ✅ Last year, the team in Helsinki developed a new water treatment method that improved quality in local rivers. (past)
• ✅ This project develops a method for monitoring water quality in real time. (present — current ongoing work)
• ✅ Next year, the project will implement this method in Jyväskylä, Joensuu, and Kuopio. (future — planned work)

👉 Tip: Use past tense for completed work, present tense for current knowledge, and future tense for goals. Keep verb tenses consistent throughout your proposal so reviewers can clearly understand past work, current research, and future plans.

4. Reduce Over-Reliance on Passive Voice in Grant Proposals

Passive voice can be a valuable tool in your writing, but too much can weaken your grant proposal.

• ❌ It was shown by our team in Tallinn that the model improves efficiency.
• ✅ Our team in Tallinn showed that the model improves efficiency.

👉 Tip: Use active voice to highlight your team’s role and the project’s impact. Reserve passive voice for when results matter more than the researcher.

5. Avoid Wordiness and Redundancy in Grant Writing

Reviewers read quickly, so first impressions matter. Cut the fluff.

• ❌ It is important to note that the project has the potential to significantly improve the development of sustainable urban housing solutions in Berlin.
• ✅ The project could significantly improve sustainable urban housing solutions in Berlin.

👉 Tip: Every word should earn its place. If a phrase feels padded, cut it.

6. Write Clear Impact Statements in Grant Proposals

Impact statements are crucial in grant proposals. Grant reviewers want to know why your project matters.

• ❌ The findings will be relevant to multiple fields of study and may influence future projects in Europe.
• ✅ The findings will give European policymakers practical tools for improving rural healthcare access.

👉 Tip: Be specific about outcomes and societal benefits to demonstrate clearly the potential funding impact of your project.

Final Takeaway

A winning grant application combines strong ideas with clear, persuasive writing. Use these six grant writing tips to make your grant proposal easier to read, harder to reject, and more competitive for funding opportunities.

Clarity isn’t just style—it’s your strategy for success.