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You've found it. The perfect grant. The mission aligns perfectly with your project. The funding amount is exactly what you need. The deadline gives you enough runway to put together a strong proposal. You start getting excited—this could be the one. Then you hit page 12 of the eligibility requirements. "Applicants must be located in designated Opportunity Zones within counties with populations under 50,000 and have annual revenues between $2M-$5M." Your county has 52,000 peop

You've found a grant that fits. The funding amount is right, the eligibility checks out, your project aligns perfectly. Then you start reading the actual solicitation. "Demonstrate innovative approaches." "Align with agency mission priorities." "Show proven organizational capability." Every sentence sounds reasonable—until you try to figure out what they actually want you to say. You're not alone. Grant language is designed to sound open and inclusive, but it's anything but.