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Boil a foundation's grant RFP down to four lines
Practice: Asking for a format you can use. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
Your executive director wants to know in 30 seconds whether to apply for a grant. Write exactly 4 lines labeled "Deadline:", "Amount:", "Eligible if:" and "Won't fund:", in that order, each under 15 words, plain text, with no bullets and nothing else. Use the extended deadline, and don't say whether you should apply. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- No fixed shape. The AI writes a summary with headings and bullets for every section. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 4 lines: Deadline:, Amount:, Eligible if:, Won't fund:. No bullets."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 70 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "each line under 15 words."
- Using the original deadline. Dec 1 is in the RFP; the extension is in a later email. Try: Add: "Use the extended deadline from the Nov 4 email."
- Deciding for the director. The AI adds "You're a great fit, apply!" based on your notes. Try: Add: "No recommendation; just the facts."
What a strong prompt includes
- Shows the 4 labels
- Uses the extension
- Rules out a verdict
- Caps each line
- Asks for plain text
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