Winning grants has never been more competitive. As Official Development Assistance becomes scarcer and the number of applications submitted in response to tenders and grant opportunities continues to grow, proposal teams are under higher pressure to produce stronger submissions in less time. It is this combination of shrinking funding, growing competition and time shortage that is prompting bid managers to increasingly turn to Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve both the quality of their proposals and the speed at which they are developed.
Nonetheless, while AI can significantly accelerate proposal development, many practitioners still struggle with generic outputs, erroneous statistics, and factual inaccuracies. This raises a legitimate concern: can AI be integrated into proposal development without compromising compliance, credibility, or quality?
The core insight from grant writers who use AI is that, when used correctly, it can drastically improve the speed and quality of funding proposals. Rather than replacing human expertise, AI is most effective when it complements it.
DevelopmentAid, in collaboration with Paulius Yamin, a behavioral scientist and grant writing practitioner, invites bid managers, proposal writers, consulting firms, and NGOs to join the webinar on “Grant Writing in the AI Era: Practical Strategies for Better Outcomes,” which will take place on September 10 at 4 pm (Brussels) / 10 am (Washington, DC).
Key takeaways
- Learn how a structured approach to AI can reduce proposal drafting time while enhancing quality and improving alignment with funder priorities.
- Gain a practical framework for integrating AI into the grant writing process, including the key elements to manage and the optimal sequence in which to apply them.
- Understand both the opportunities and the risks of using AI in proposal development.
- Learn how to harness AI capabilities while avoiding common pitfalls.
- Engage with the speaker during the Q&A session.
Speakers
Paulius Yamin, Behavioral Scientist and Grant Writing Practitioner
Paulius Yamin is a behavioral scientist with 15 years of experience in securing competitive funding from leading international research and development institutions. He is a Policy Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, former Managing Director of the Center for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania, and former Scientific Director of the Paris Institute for Advanced Study. He is also the author of the upcoming book Funding Proposal Secrets.
Throughout his career, Paulius has co-authored, coordinated, and negotiated more than US$18 million in external funding for research and development initiatives supported by major foundations—including Templeton, Gates, and Nomis—as well as government agencies and international organizations such as the World Bank, USAID, the OECD, and UN agencies.
He has also served as a reviewer for more than 500 funding proposals submitted to leading research organizations, including the European Research Council (ERC), the Paris Institute for Advanced Study, and the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), providing him with extensive insight into both the development and evaluation of competitive grant applications.
Host
Ion Ilasco, External Relations & Events at DevelopmentAid.