# Grant Writing Help: Draft Applications From Past Ones

Source: https://maito.app/workflows/draft-grant-applications

Maito reads the funder's guidelines and your last applications, drafts every section with your numbers and lists the questions only your team can answer.

Start each grant from your best past applications and program data.

Development and programs · [Nonprofits](https://maito.app/workflows/industry/nonprofits) · When you ask · Updated October 19, 2026

Works with

-   Slack
-   Email
-   Box
-   Dropbox
-   Notion
-   Microsoft 365

## How do you draft a grant application?

To draft a grant application, give Maito the funder's guidelines and your past applications. Maito reads them, drafts each required section using your latest numbers, keeps to word limits, notes where this year's guidelines changed, and lists the questions your program team must answer.

## How it's done today

Each application is written from scratch.

## What Maito does

1.  Read the funder's requirements
2.  Pull past applications and data
3.  Draft each section to fit the format

## Example

**Grace** (9:20 AM):

draft the Smith Foundation youth grant application. Guidelines and our last two applications are in Drive.

**Maito** (9:44 AM):

Full draft attached: smith-youth-grant-draft.docx. Request is $75,000 for 12 months, due Nov 6. It follows their 5 sections and uses our FY26 numbers: 412 youth served, 288 completing 80% of sessions.

**The catch:** their 2026 guidelines differ from last year's. The need statement is capped at 1,500 words (our 2025 one ran 2,100), they want two years of outcome data, and the budget must show board approval. I trimmed the statement to 1,420 words.

**4 questions for the program lead:**  
• Is the 12-month target still 450 youth?  
• Can we name the school partner, Eastside Middle?  
• Is the $18,000 site cost in the FY27 budget?  
• Do we have FY25 outcome data, or only attendance?

You edit and submit. Want me to email the questions to the program lead?

## How to set it up

When you ask Draft grant applications

Set up

Nothing to set up. Ask in Slack or by email whenever you need it.

Connect files

-   Google Drive
-   Box
-   Dropbox
-   Notion
-   Microsoft 365

Not connected yet? Your agent sends you a link to sign in.

## What it won't do

It can't promise funding, and figures come only from your files. Someone on your team must confirm every number and claim before submission.

## Questions

### Does it submit the application?

No. It writes a draft in Word and you review and submit.

### Where does it find our past applications?

In your connected file tool: Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, Notion or Microsoft 365.

### What if a number is missing?

It lists it as a question for the right person instead of making one up.

## More development and programs workflows

-   [Write grant reports Pull program numbers and stories into the funder's report template. Development and programs · On a schedule Works with Airtable, Microsoft 365, Box.](https://maito.app/workflows/write-grant-reports)
-   [Thank donors personally Every donor gets a personal thank-you soon after they give. Development and programs · When something happens Works with Gmail, Microsoft 365, Salesforce Nonprofit.](https://maito.app/workflows/thank-donors-personally)
-   [Coordinate volunteers Volunteers get scheduled, reminded and thanked without endless messages. Development and programs · On a schedule Works with Airtable, Microsoft 365, Gmail.](https://maito.app/workflows/coordinate-volunteers)
-   [Find new grants to apply for Get a list of grants that match your programs and deadlines. Development and programs · On a schedule Works with Slack, Email.](https://maito.app/workflows/find-new-grants-to-apply-for)
-   [Prepare the board pack Finance, programs and fundraising summarized for the board. Development and programs · On a schedule Works with Airtable, Microsoft 365, Box.](https://maito.app/workflows/prepare-the-board-pack)
-   [Write impact stories Turn program notes into stories for donors and the website. Development and programs · When you ask Works with Box.](https://maito.app/workflows/write-impact-stories)

[See all workflows](https://maito.app/workflows)

## Put your AI teammate to work.

Set it up in minutes. Start with this one, and let it earn the next one.

[Put Maito to work](https://maito.app/login?returnTo=%2Fworkflows%2Fdraft-grant-applications)[Book a demo](mailto:support@maito.app?subject=Maito%20demo)