One of the biggest mistakes people make when writing grant applications? They focus too much on the “what” and not enough on the “why.”
After reviewing hundreds of proposals for industry funding, I’ve seen brilliant technical projects fail – not because the science wasn’t groundbreaking, but because they spent all their time explaining how it worked and they didn’t explain the “why”. Why now? Why does the opportunity exist? Why do competitors fail to fulfill the need? Why is there a route to commercial return? Why…..
🔑 The Harsh Reality: Assessors really don’t just care about how technically clever the idea is.
They want to know from the outset:
✅ Why solve this problem? (And why is it not fulfilled today?)
✅ Why will this be paid for? (Industry, healthcare, society?)
✅ Why does this matter right now? (Not in 10 years—today.)
🔬 How to Shift Your Grant Writing Mindset
If you’re too focused on the technical depth of your project and not enough on why it matters, your application will fall flat.
Instead, make sure your proposal clearly provides evidence of:
✔️ What’s the real-world impact?
✔️ How will this be applied?
✔️ Who will use this, and how will it change things for them?
IE What’s the problem you are trying to solve and why are you uniquely positioned to solve it?
🚀 The Best Grant Applications Sell a Vision, Not Just Research
Great technology isn’t enough; funders need to immediately see a pathway to real-world value. The sooner you start framing your work as a solution rather than just a cool piece of tech the more success you’ll have.