Use Definitive Language!
One of the trickier aspects of writing strong grant proposals is articulating future plans confidently and concretely. Often, when applicants propose what they plan to do should they receive the grant, they default to hypothetical and conditional constructions relying on modal verbs like “would,” “could,” or “might.” Though it is correct grammatically, speaking about your project hypothetically signals to the reader that you may or may not actually undertake the project. Using a definitive form, like “will,” shifts the framing of your proposal into the realm of the real and the likely to occur. By committing to your proposal through the use of definitive language, you project confidence and reassure reviewers than you will undertake the work you have proposed.