All federal grant guidelines indicate, directly or indirectly, the issuing agency's priorities for the grant program. A recent article ("Understanding Priorities Improves Proposals," Local State Funding Report, September 24, 2012) defines three categories of priorities - absolute, competitive, and invitational - and offers tips on how to recognize these and address them in your application.
The absolute priority for each federal grant program is the purpose Congress intended in enacting the statute authorizing the program. Any proposal that does not adequately address the absolute priority will almost certainly fail.
Competitive priorities are elements which can earn a proposal extra points. These points, which can be the deciding factor in close competitions, may go to organizations that have received prior awards or whose programs target specific groups, such as veterans or at-risk populations.
Some, but not all, grant guidelines may include invitational priorities, which encourage applicants to address additional issues of concern to the grantmaking agency. This won't earn you extra points but, in very close competitions, it could still tip the grant decision in your favor.
Source: {Centered} October 2012 - Volume 5, Issue 10 © 2012
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