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What If Your Grant got Funded: Will You Be Ready to Implement?

It’s possible to get so wrapped up in the competition of grant writing that one might forget that there’s a grant to implement when that funding approval letter is received. So it’s important not to waste time in between the submission of a grant and the notification of funding or you may wind up behind in your implementation before you get started.
Now as a grant writer, especially a freelance grant writer, you may not need to pay attention to implementation. Your job as a grant writer is frequently (and perhaps hysterically gleefully) done the moment you have submitted the proposal and received that date-stamped receipt as proof of submission. But I suspect that many of you are employed to write and implement the grant so you don’t have time to dilly-dally as if there’s no further work to be done.

Here are a few things to consider undertaking in anticipation of a successful proposal:

a. Prepare position notifications so you’ll be ready to advertise for staff.

b. Research capital equipment costs so you can find the best deals; or, prepare requests for proposals that can be publicized as soon as funding is received.

c. Remain in communication with any project partners and collaborators to ensure that they are ready to start the work as soon as funding is received.

d. Educate other people within the agency on the goals and objectives of the proposal if it impacts their work.

e. Meet with the accounting department to discuss the proposal and ensure they are aware that additional funding may be received.

f. If you are hiring an external evaluator as part of the evaluation plan, now is the time to investigate which of the available contractors would best match your needs.

g. You may want to prepare a press release in anticipation of receipt of funding. This may be more of an exercise in positive thinking than is necessary if the grant is not funded; however, it never hurts to put positive thoughts out into the universe in support of your proposal.

You may feel that it’s unnecessary to undertake any work before grant is funded. I would certainly agree that a long shot grant may not merit much preparation until he funding letter is received. But generally speaking I don’t recommend applying for many long shot grants, there simply isn’t time. So most of the grants you apply for should be closely aligned with your mission, represent a level of competition that is acceptable in proportion to the work of developing an application; and therefore, some preparatory work after the application is submitted is a good investment in time. Remember that successful implementation of a grant is an excellent way to build grant maker confidence in your organization and in your ability to successfully implement grant programs.

By Derek Link

Related Posts:
Uh Oh: We Got the Grant But We Didn’t Plan
Grant Writing Success is Just The Beginning
Control or Collaboration?  You Can’t Have It Both Ways

Top Ten Fiscal Considerations for Grant Writing Consultants

When I went out on my own as a grant writing consultant eleven years or so back, I did some things right and some things carelessly. After completing my extended taxes yesterday, I was reminded of some key mistakes I’ve made regarding my taxes that I’ll share to inform you about pitfalls in case you are a new consultant or planning to go out on your own.

Now I realize that many people are more careful about money than I am, and some are less so. Take this advice for what it’s worth to you, and if you end up saying “well, duh!” to these suggestions, this post simply wasn’t written for you. It’s more for the remedial book keepers out there like I used to be.

Grant Writing Consultants TOP TEN FISCAL DO LIST:

1. Pay your quarterly taxes on time, and in full. (It’s so EASY to put it off and so costly to do so)
2. Hire a book keeper on an hourly rate to keep the books and remind you of all the stuff you don’t know is required in running a business. (You will cringe every time they come in the office, but it’s a good cringe, trust me.)
3. Photocopy every check you receive and staple it to the invoice that generated it. (Not everyone who pays you is as organized as they should be and you may need to refer to it later)
4. Keep a mileage journal for your car! (Miles add up so fast you will end up cheating yourself and at $0.55 per mile, it adds up very fast.)
5. Keep your receipts! (Keep every receipt for everything you buy or spend related to the business. I store mine in envelopes marked by the month.)
6. Be aware of opportunities to save costs – (If a large document needs copying, ask the client to do it; need postage, arrange for the client to mail it; need special software or online access ask the client to provide it as part of the contract even if you have to give it back at the end of the contract)
7. Invoice Promptly (Few clients pay promptly but you can do your part)
8. Follow Up on slow paying clients – (Gentle reminders about payment are not inappropriate.)
9. Use a written agreement or contract – (Always put it in writing or you’ll get burned, guaranteed.)
10. Pay your quarterly taxes on time, and in full. (Yes, I know it was number 1, it’s important enough to put in here twice!)

Those are my suggestions on keeping your fiscal house in order. Consulting is rewarding but what you don’t know can sink your business. So get the expertise you need before you step into some deep IRS, State, or Municipal fiscal sinkhole!

Top Ten Fiscal Considerations for Grant Writing Consultants

When I went out on my own as a grant writing consultant eleven years or so back, I did some things right and some things carelessly. After completing my extended taxes yesterday, I was reminded of some key mistakes I’ve made regarding my taxes that I’ll share to inform you about pitfalls in case you are a new consultant or planning to go out on your own.

Now I realize that many people are more careful about money than I am, and some are less so. Take this advice for what it’s worth to you, and if you end up saying “well, duh!” to these suggestions, this post simply wasn’t written for you. It’s more for the remedial book keepers out there like I used to be.

Grant Writing Consultants TOP TEN FISCAL DO LIST:

1. Pay your quarterly taxes on time, and in full. (It’s so EASY to put it off and so costly to do so)
2. Hire a book keeper on an hourly rate to keep the books and remind you of all the stuff you don’t know is required in running a business. (You will cringe every time they come in the office, but it’s a good cringe, trust me.)
3. Photocopy every check you receive and staple it to the invoice that generated it. (Not everyone who pays you is as organized as they should be and you may need to refer to it later)
4. Keep a mileage journal for your car! (Miles add up so fast you will end up cheating yourself and at $0.55 per mile, it adds up very fast.)
5. Keep your receipts! (Keep every receipt for everything you buy or spend related to the business. I store mine in envelopes marked by the month.)
6. Be aware of opportunities to save costs – (If a large document needs copying, ask the client to do it; need postage, arrange for the client to mail it; need special software or online access ask the client to provide it as part of the contract even if you have to give it back at the end of the contract)
7. Invoice Promptly (Few clients pay promptly but you can do your part)
8. Follow Up on slow paying clients – (Gentle reminders about payment are not inappropriate.)
9. Use a written agreement or contract – (Always put it in writing or you’ll get burned, guaranteed.)
10. Pay your quarterly taxes on time, and in full. (Yes, I know it was number 1, it’s important enough to put in here twice!)

Those are my suggestions on keeping your fiscal house in order. Consulting is rewarding but what you don’t know can sink your business. So get the expertise you need before you step into some deep IRS, State, or Municipal fiscal sinkhole!

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Joining the Internet "Land Rush!"


We’ve been really busy with creating a presence on the Web; and, it’s a fascinating environment to work in.  The way that people are rushing in makes me think a little bit of the movie Oklahoma about the land rush where pioneers are in their buggies waiting for some guy to shoot off a gun so they can all race out into the plains to stake a claim, grab some prime property.
The virtual (Internet) land rush is still on today and I wonder if some day into the future, we all might reminisce about what could have been if we had just staked out some electronic ground for ourselves and held on tight to it.
One of the lessons I’ve learned is that finding a good domain isn’t easy.  If you think of practically anything in the world that is a one word term for something, it’s long gone.  Long, long gone, or, it could be up for sale fetching thousands of dollars when the right entrepreneur comes along to buy it.


Of course buying a piece of property isn’t the same thing as making it fertile and productive.  That is of course the real work of the Internet, that’s where the true gold lies.  And there’s lots of miners, i.e., programmers and engineers working like slaves to their computer to find the next big thing, or even the next moderate thing, some program, application, or web site they can sell off to Google or Yahoo and retire at thirty.
It’s fascinating to become involved – a bit of a blur – and have just enough knowledge to see a little of what is possible on the Internet.  The scene is a flashback to what California must have been like during the gold rush.  Lots of people with dollar signs in their eyeballs buying the tools and rushing forth to do the work, hoping to strike it rich with sweat, effort, and a lot of luck.  Maybe like California’s Sam Brannan during the Gold Rush, the business geniuses today are mostly in the tool-selling business.
Most of those chasing their fortune will never get rich off the net; many instead will have to be satisfied at age 50 to be employed and making a living.  I bet they’ll be wondering how they missed the last ten big opportunities that filled someone else’s pockets with gold.  Many more of us will wonder how we missed the opportunities that opened up right before our eyes.
We’re working a lot on our web site.  We’re creating and delivering online resources and online training.  Creating good content is the part we know how to do, getting people who want it to find it is the trickier part!

Joining the Internet "Land Rush!"

We’ve been really busy with creating a presence on the Web; and, it’s a fascinating environment to work in.  The way that people are rushing in makes me think a little bit of the movie Oklahoma about the land rush where pioneers are in their buggies waiting for some guy to shoot off a gun so they can all race out into the plains to stake a claim, grab some prime property.

The virtual (Internet) land rush is still on today and I wonder if some day into the future, we all might reminisce about what could have been if we had just staked out some electronic ground for ourselves and held on tight to it.

One of the lessons I’ve learned is that finding a good domain isn’t easy.  If you think of practically anything in the world that is a one word term for something, it’s long gone.  Long, long gone, or, it could be up for sale fetching thousands of dollars when the right entrepreneur comes along to buy it.

Of course buying a piece of property isn’t the same thing as making it fertile and productive.  That is of course the real work of the Internet, that’s where the true gold lies.  And there’s lots of miners, i.e., programmers and engineers working like slaves to their computer to find the next big thing, or even the next moderate thing, some program, application, or web site they can sell off to Google or Yahoo and retire at thirty.

It’s fascinating to become involved – a bit of a blur – and have just enough knowledge to see a little of what is possible on the Internet.  The scene is a flashback to what California must have been like during the gold rush.  Lots of people with dollar signs in their eyeballs buying the tools and rushing forth to do the work, hoping to strike it rich with sweat, effort, and a lot of luck.  Maybe like California’s Sam Brannan during the Gold Rush, the business geniuses today are mostly in the tool-selling business.

Most of those chasing their fortune will never get rich off the net; many instead will have to be satisfied at age 50 to be employed and making a living.  I bet they’ll be wondering how they missed the last ten big opportunities that filled someone else’s pockets with gold.  Many more of us will wonder how we missed the opportunities that opened up right before our eyes.

We’re working a lot on our web site.  We’re creating and delivering online resources and online training.  Creating good content is the part we know how to do, getting people who want it to find it is the trickier part!

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Making the Deals

I think one of the hardest things to do and perhaps the most exciting thing to do is to make deals. Grant writers have to do this if they’re going to have any work to do. It’s definitely an art form, especially when there are multiple partners to pull together.

Here are five things you simply must do to bring team deals to a successful conclusion:

  1. Be clear on the reason for the deal – benefits and drawbacks. If you’re pushing the deal, you must have your elevator speech ready and convincing.
  2. Insist that all necessary partners being involved every discussion, or reschedule the discussion.
  3. Communicate constantly with everyone about everything. Make sure that emails that should be cc’d are cc’d.
  4. Set deadlines for steps along the way and hold people to them. If someone says they’re going to submit a budget by Friday, email them on Thursday asking if they need you to review the draft for them.
  5. Restate, restate, restate agreements and commitments and timelines. Summarize at the end of all meetings and conference calls and then go back and put it all in writing and email it out to everyone inviting feedback.

Bringing the deal to successful conclusion means overcoming objections and resistance. don’t assume your deal is the biggest thing on their plate: your job is to push your deal. Don’t give up if one partner goes silent for a while. If they never come around, you’ll know they’re out, but until you are certain they’re out, keep communicating with them as if they’re still in.

Your goal is to secure a contract, so getting that signature is the payoff. But, remember, that only means the rest of the work begins!

Tips for Preparing for the Upcoming Grant Season

You know you need to write some grants this year for your organization and you’re itching to get started, but there are no applications out right now. What should you do? Isn’t there some way to get started and avoid the last minute grant writing rush?

Yes. And No. There will always be a rush to the deadline as you try to assemble complicated applications with less than 4 to 6 weeks between announcement and deadline, all while still trying to do your regular job. However, there are some things you can do to get ahead of the curve a little and make your job easier.

1) Pull together your needs data and get it organized. Take a look at available survey results for your agency, and quantitative data documenting the number of people you served in the last year and, most importantly, the outcomes documented for those clients. Don’t wait for an application to be out; look at your data now, get it organized, and determine what it’s telling you.

2) Write your brief needs statement. If you draft out a page or two describing your agency’s need (documented by data, of course), you can easily modify it to fit a formal application.

3) Prepare all of the additional materials you need for an application. If you manage a non-profit agency, prepare your agency budget, develop an updated list of board members, and make sure your IRS letter documenting your non-profit status is handy. Consider putting together a single file that has all of these documents in one place so you’ll be ready when an application is released.

4) Develop a plan to consult grants.gov and the websites of funders to which you hope to apply. Assign someone in your agency (maybe it’s you!) to regularly check for funding releases. Check your online sources at least once each week, more often if an application release is imminent.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Tips for Preparing for the Upcoming Grant Season

You know you need to write some grants this year for your organization and you’re itching to get started, but there are no applications out right now. What should you do? Isn’t there some way to get started and avoid the last minute grant writing rush?

Yes. And No. There will always be a rush to the deadline as you try to assemble complicated applications with less than 4 to 6 weeks between announcement and deadline, all while still trying to do your regular job. However, there are some things you can do to get ahead of the curve a little and make your job easier.

1) Pull together your needs data and get it organized. Take a look at available survey results for your agency, and quantitative data documenting the number of people you served in the last year and, most importantly, the outcomes documented for those clients. Don’t wait for an application to be out; look at your data now, get it organized, and determine what it’s telling you.

2) Write your brief needs statement. If you draft out a page or two describing your agency’s need (documented by data, of course), you can easily modify it to fit a formal application.

3) Prepare all of the additional materials you need for an application. If you manage a non-profit agency, prepare your agency budget, develop an updated list of board members, and make sure your IRS letter documenting your non-profit status is handy. Consider putting together a single file that has all of these documents in one place so you’ll be ready when an application is released.

4) Develop a plan to consult grants.gov and the websites of funders to which you hope to apply. Assign someone in your agency (maybe it’s you!) to regularly check for funding releases. Check your online sources at least once each week, more often if an application release is imminent.