The Colorado Common Grant Application (CGA) is presented in a format that enables you to save it to your hard drive and complete it without recreating the document.  The CGA is a stand-alone document that includes basic instructions for completion.

The Colorado Common Grant Application User’s Guide (User’s Guide) combines the collective thoughts of grantmakers, nonprofits, and others to explain intent of questions, offer tips, and provide an easily accessible source of help, if additional guidance is wanted.  It is not a replacement for a discussion with a specific foundation about your proposal.

• The User’s Guide was not intended to be read beginning to end, rather referenced on an as needed basis. The on-line file is bookmarked so that you may page directly to the sections or questions of interest.

How do I use the tools on this page?

We’ve designed these documents to be flexible so that you may use them according to your work style and organizational needs.  There are two main ways to use these tools.  In both instances, documents can be printed as reference tools, or can be accessed on-line at any time. 

Alternative I:

Step 1: Open the User’s Guide and Common Grant Application to be accessible as you work. Use the bookmark feature in the User’s Guide to page to additional clarification and tips. 

Step 2: Open and Save the Template to your computer. Write your proposal directly onto the Template.

You may edit or modify the template as you would any word document. We elected to leave the documents this way to accommodate the broadest set of users, realizing you may have formatting challenges along the way.  A quick undo and frequent saves will help to save the look and length of fields in the application. Do not increase the size of the boxes.  Please honor the length of the document and our choice to make the form editable. 

Keep in mind that the final proposal includes 4 sections.

• Section I: Cover Letter
• Section II: Summary Sheet Form
• Section III: Narrative
• Section IV: Attachments

The Template document begins with the Summary Sheet Form and includes a framework for the narrative section and the Sources of Income Table (to be included with Financial Attachment # 3).  All checklists and the subtext of each question have been deleted for your convenience, as they are not included in what you submit to a funder as your final application.  You will need to add your cover letter and the other attachments.

Step 3: Save your product.  Print, collate with attachments as required, and submit the proposal as directed by the grantmaker.

Alternative II:

Step 1: Open the User’s Guide in a separate window to be accessible as you work.  Use the bookmark feature to page to additional clarification and tips.

Step 2: Save the Common Grant Application to your computer.

Step 3: Open your saved copy of the Common Grant Application to use as your template. 

Make note that you may edit or modify this format as you would any document. We elected to leave the documents this way to accommodate the broadest set of users, realizing you may have formatting challenges along the way.  A quick undo and frequent saves will help to save the look and length of fields in the application. Do not increase the size of the boxes.  Please honor the length of the document and our choice to make the form editable. 

Keep in mind that the final proposal includes 4 sections.

• Section I: Cover Letter
• Section II: Summary Sheet Form
• Section III: Narrative
• Section IV: Attachments

The document saved as your final application for a specific funder will look very different from the document you open and save as you begin the work.  If you use the Common Grant Application document as a template, you will need to delete elements of the document to create your final proposal. The advantage is that you will have additional information at your fingertips as you work.

The list below provides samples of guidance on what to delete and what elements are helpful to use within your text.

• The initial checklist. This list was created as an aid to the applicant and is not a part of the application you submit to a funder.
• The text of the questions for the narrative section. The bold headers provide a useful framework for the narrative.  The clarifying subtext provided for each question does not need to be included in your final document; they will use space needed to convey your message.
• The listing of all the required Attachments. Instead create the attachments and be sure to label them clearly and include them in the order specified.
• You may want to keep the Sources of Income Table found in the instructions for Financial Attachment #3.  Using this table, rather than recreating the form will save you time.

Other Tips

• The check boxes ( ) found in the checklist and in the Summary Sheet Form are actually inserted wingding symbols.  Double click on the symbol itself to replace it with a checked box
  ( ), or other symbol of your choice. 

• Remember there are page limits for the narrative and limited space in the entry boxes of the Summary Sheet Form. 

We hope these tools and alternative approaches are useful to you.  We wish you success in your efforts!