Report and Proposal Best Practices Guide

Nearly every hand went up. That simple moment underscored a common reality: many proposal and reporting forms evolve through inertia rather than intention. Questions remain because they’ve always been there, not because they still serve a purpose. 

We then invited participants to take a fresh, practical look at their materials through the lenses of equity, accessibility, and trust-based practice. Rather than simply talking about better forms in theory, we workshopped real proposal and report templates, exchanged feedback with peers, and identified concrete opportunities for improvement. 

Why Does This Matter?  

Too often, funders include duplicative questions, unclear prompts, inaccessible language, or requests for information that are not actually used in decision-making. Over time, these issues can create avoidable burdens for applicants and grantees while making it harder for funders to get the information that is most important. Reviewing and refining these materials is not just a technical exercise; it is an opportunity to align process with values.  

4 Key Takeaways

Not every question belongs on a form. One of the clearest themes to emerge was the importance of discipline in what funders ask. Every question adds time and effort for applicants, grantees, and reviewers, so focus on information that is truly necessary and meaningfully used. If a question does not inform decision-making, learning, or accountability, it may not need to be there.

Forms are a relationship tool, not a surveillance tool. Reporting should surface insights, invite reflection, and create space for honest conversation, not demonstrate compliance. When funders shift their focus to shared learning, they stop auditing grantees and start partnering with them. 

Language is rarely neutral. The words on a form shape how power, trust, and accountability are experienced by applicants and grantees. Questions framed around barriers can reinforce deficit narratives, signal hierarchy, or privilege certain types of organizations. Reframe them to emphasize context, assets, and systemic conditions rather than individual shortcomings. 

Form creation is part of relationship creation. Clear, focused forms signal trust and thoughtfulness, while confusing or overly demanding can do the opposite. The session reinforced that stronger forms are not just better tools; they are part of building better funder-grantee relationships.  

By the end of the session, participants had more than general ideas. They left with concrete revisions to consider, a stronger understanding of equity-focused design principles, and insights from peers navigating similar questions in different funding contexts. Just as importantly, the peer sharing highlighted that proposals and reports are only part of the picture. Every touchpoint in the grantee experience, from financial reporting and payment requirements to compliance and communications asks, is an opportunity to either strengthen the relationship or strain it.  

Where to Start

For those looking for guidance in this work, we created a resource guide with best practices for reviewing and strengthening proposal and report materials. It includes practical considerations, examples, and questions to help funders identify where burden shows up and where changes may be needed. For a more immediate starting point, we also developed a checklist that organizations can use to assess whether their current proposal and report templates are clear, necessary, accessible, and aligned with trust-based principles. You can download both above.

Proposal and report forms may seem like small parts of the grantmaking process, but they carry real weight. They shape how grantees experience a funder, influence what information is surfaced, and reveal whether an organization’s processes align with its values. Reworking these materials with intention can lead to grantmaking that is more streamlined, equitable, and effective.  

Take a closer look at your own proposal and report materials. What could be simplified, clarified, or reimagined to better reflect your values? Start with one concrete change: delete a question you don’t use, rewrite a prompt in plain language, or replace one compliance-oriented question with a learning-oriented one. Then let us know what you changed, and what it revealed about how your forms reflect your values.