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Can AI take the grunt work out of grant work?
How I used AI prompts to brainstorm and structure a stronger grant proposal.
This article is part of the eBook: Everyday AI guide: Practical genAI life hacks from real users, a free download from We Love Open Source.
Helping write a youth grant with Blount Library, our local public library, showed me how AI could make a difference in my own community. To get started, I turned to the county website to better understand the program’s requirements and goals.
“The Cattaraugus County Youth Bureau is responsible for the administration of Youth Development Program (YDP) funding for various youth programs throughout Cattaraugus County. These funds originate from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Office of Youth Development. The funding is used to support programs for Cattaraugus County youth age 0–21 that provide services, opportunities and supports designed to improve our youth and community.”
Why AI is helpful when writing grants
Generative AI can be a powerful partner in this kind of work. It helps surface demographic information about the community served and streamlines the application process. For this project, I used Microsoft Copilot, which has been a useful tool in my past grant writing efforts.
My first prompt was broad, but I made sure to highlight the specific group that would benefit from the grant:
Give me a list of ideas for youth programming in Cattaraugus County, New York. This would be for youth in middle school through 11th grade. The purpose of the grant is to teach children life skills and keep them off the streets.
Copilot generated a list of focus areas:
Core life skills & personal development
- Financial literacy workshops Teach budgeting, saving, and responsible spending through interactive games and real-world simulations.
- Cooking & nutrition classes Hands-on sessions where youth learn to prepare healthy meals, understand food labels, and explore cultural cuisines.
- Conflict resolution & communication skills Role-playing and peer-led discussions to build empathy, listening, and peaceful problem-solving.
- Career exploration & resume building Partner with local businesses for job shadowing, resume writing, and mock interviews.
With that foundation in place, I wanted to explore how Microsoft Learn could complement these programs in an after-school setting. My second prompt was:
How could Microsoft Learn be used in an after-school intervention program for middle school-age children?
Copilot responded that Microsoft Learn could build digital literacy, spark curiosity, and prepare students for future academic and career success. It offered practical suggestions for integrating modules into program goals, outlined age-appropriate learning pathways, and even proposed a five-week schedule with community partners involved. It also recommended ways to measure program effectiveness, which is crucial in any grant application since funders want evidence that their investment makes a difference.
Copilot followed up with, “Would you like help designing a sample weekly curriculum or customizing modules for specific learning needs?” That proactive guidance shows how generative AI can move beyond ideas to help refine the details that make a grant proposal stronger.
Copilot even offered to help design promotional materials. Here’s an example of what it suggested:
🎮🧠📊 TECH EXPLORERS @ BLOUNT LIBRARY 📊🧠🎮
🚀 A FREE after-school program for middle school students 🚀
🗓️ 6 weeks of hands-on fun & learning
📍 Blount Library Computer Lab
🕒 Thursdays, 3:30–5:00 PM
📅 Starts September 12
💡 Learn to code with MakeCode Arcade
🌍 Build worlds in Minecraft Education
🔬 Explore STEM with real projects
🎓 Discover careers in tech
🎉 Showcase your skills & earn badges!
✅ No experience needed
✅ All materials provided
✅ Safe, inclusive, and fun!
📞 Register at the front desk or call (555) 123-4567
📧 Questions? Email tech@example-library.org
Final thoughts
From brainstorming programs to shaping schedules and evaluation plans, generative AI played an active role in ensuring the grant application was comprehensive and compelling. By blending human creativity with AI support, we can take on challenges together and create programs that make a real difference in our communities.
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