Submit a budget that is below the specified maximum, even a couple percentage points can look really good to a funder (or more to the point phone up and ask about what a realistic pitch for your project would be).
If cash and in-kind contributions factor into the proposal, what is the value specified for in-kind services? For example, what is the hourly value the funder places on volunteers when calculating the value of in-kind services? Does the funder allow program income (e.g., fees, sales, fundraising) to be included as part of the project’s matching contributions?
Spell out your costing as specifically as possible. Although it is true that for most proposals the overall cost is a major consideration, cost is not always the overriding factor. If the proposal is otherwise attractive, and if your costing is transparent enough, a funder may have reasonable suggestions about how or where to trim costs…