Category Archives: grant writing success

Lessons Learned from Failure

Admitting failure is no fun.  Talking about it is even less fun. However, failure can be very valuable if it helps you avoid repeating it.

We have been fortunate to be very successful with grant writing, but there have been some failures.  Here are some of the most important lessons that we at Creative Resources & Research have learned from failure:

  • Attend the webinar. The Federal Register is the official word on grant requirements, but the RFP, and other forms of guidance (like the funder’s bidder’s conference or webinar) explain things that may not be clear.  We are currently in the process of helping a client appeal a negative funding decision in which guidance provided during the funder’s informational webinar conflicted with guidance in the Federal Register. While the law is clear on the issue and we may very well win the appeal, a lot of discomfort could have been avoided if we had just attended the webinar.  A representative from our client’s organization did participate in the webinar, but he didn’t know what to look for.  We should have participated.  Next time we will.
  • Do some research into previously funded grantees. Sometimes a funder provides a long list of eligible applicants, but that doesn’t mean those are all preferred applicants.  Take a look at previous grantees to get an idea of the types of organizations they like to fund. Recently, we participated in a mentoring grant competition that was open to schools and non-profit agencies.  Our clients were schools.  We were not successful.  After the fact, we realized that almost all (all but ONE) of the successful grantees in recent years had been non-profit agencies.  A little research would have saved a lot of effort.
  • It is essential that two people review the final document for submittal. People make mistakes.  they leave out appendices and required grant components by mistake, especially when they are under the pressure of a deadline.  It is much less likely that a mistake will make it out of your office if at least two people review the final application before it is submitted.

Lessons Learned from Failure

Admitting failure is no fun.  Talking about it is even less fun. However, failure can be very valuable if it helps you avoid repeating it.

We have been fortunate to be very successful with grant writing, but there have been some failures.  Here are some of the most important lessons that we at Creative Resources & Research have learned from failure:

  • Attend the webinar. The Federal Register is the official word on grant requirements, but the RFP, and other forms of guidance (like the funder’s bidder’s conference or webinar) explain things that may not be clear.  We are currently in the process of helping a client appeal a negative funding decision in which guidance provided during the funder’s informational webinar conflicted with guidance in the Federal Register. While the law is clear on the issue and we may very well win the appeal, a lot of discomfort could have been avoided if we had just attended the webinar.  A representative from our client’s organization did participate in the webinar, but he didn’t know what to look for.  We should have participated.  Next time we will.
  • Do some research into previously funded grantees. Sometimes a funder provides a long list of eligible applicants, but that doesn’t mean those are all preferred applicants.  Take a look at previous grantees to get an idea of the types of organizations they like to fund. Recently, we participated in a mentoring grant competition that was open to schools and non-profit agencies.  Our clients were schools.  We were not successful.  After the fact, we realized that almost all (all but ONE) of the successful grantees in recent years had been non-profit agencies.  A little research would have saved a lot of effort.
  • It is essential that two people review the final document for submittal. People make mistakes.  they leave out appendices and required grant components by mistake, especially when they are under the pressure of a deadline.  It is much less likely that a mistake will make it out of your office if at least two people review the final application before it is submitted.
Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Top 10 Lessons I Learned from My Grant Writing Mentor

I have had several mentors in my life.  They have all taught me many valuable lessons. My grant writing mentor taught me some great lessons about grant writing.  While he didn’t teach me everything I know about the work, he helped me understand the importance of many things that I might have overlooked or not taken as seriously as I should have.  To be honest, some of the things I learned from him were things NOT to do, but that’s ok. A lesson is a lesson, right? Here are the top 10 lessons I learned from him (in no particular order):


1- Whenever possible, add detail. For example, describing a plan for parenting classes is not complete unless you have provided as much detail as possible – the curriculum to be used, how often it will be offered, when it will be offered (days and times), how many will be served, how success will be assessed, etc.


2- Don’t write for free. People will often ask if we’ll write the grant for the right to the evaluation contract.  Not only is that unethical, but it doesn’t make sense.  Grant writing and evaluation, while related, are completely different disciplines. Also, the evaluation is a job in itself, so writing the grant for the evaluation contract is essentially writing the grant for free.  If I want to donate the service, that’s one thing, but doing it because a client has given me no choice is another.  Besides, what other professional works for free on a regular basis?

3-  It’s ok to turn away work.  If you’re good, there will always be a demand for your services. Never take on a project out of desperation. If the project doesn’t have a good chance of success, it’s ok to walk away.

4- Don’t be afraid of competition. If you’re good, you have nothing to be afraid of.  The only way to get better is to stretch yourself, challenge yourself, jump into the deep end of the pool with the big boys and swim. My mother expressed it by saying, “No guts, no glory!”

5- Listen.  The first thing to do when talking with a client about a new project is to listen.  Listen carefully.  Listen for what they are really saying.  Listen for their real motivation. Listen to what they really need.

6- Don’t let failure slow you down. If you don’t succeed with a project, reflect on the failure only long enough to figure out what went wrong and what you can learn from it.  That’s all.  Don’t let failure steal a moment of time from a current project.


7- Work better than everyone else.  For some, that may mean working longer hours (showing up early, staying late).  For others it means following a particular successful procedure or organizational structure.  Whatever it is, just remember that you can’t be better than everyone else in your field by doing things exactly like everyone else.  You have to set yourself apart, and once you do, don’t stop doing it.


8-Tell the truth.  The temptation to exaggerate in grant writing is strong.  Resist it. You will regret dishonesty. It always seems to come back to bite you.

9- Respect the people who help you do what you do. The very best grant writers are not loners. Whether you have a support staff that helps you or a support system of colleagues and friends who help, respect them and realize how important they are to your success. You need them, probably as much (or more!) as they need you.


10- Walk away from the work to keep your writing sharp. Don’t work all the time.  Take time for family, friends, reading, hobbies, and faith. Contrary to what you may think, more time at work doesn’t necessarily make your work better.  This is particularly true for writing. You have to keep your mind fresh by walking away from the work sometimes.  And never forget what really matters – faith, family, friends. Balance in your life not only makes you a better person, but it also makes you a better writer.

Top 10 Lessons I Learned from My Grant Writing Mentor

I have had several mentors in my life.  They have all taught me many valuable lessons. My grant writing mentor taught me some great lessons about grant writing.  While he didn’t teach me everything I know about the work, he helped me understand the importance of many things that I might have overlooked or not taken as seriously as I should have.  To be honest, some of the things I learned from him were things NOT to do, but that’s ok. A lesson is a lesson, right? Here are the top 10 lessons I learned from him (in no particular order):


1- Whenever possible, add detail. For example, describing a plan for parenting classes is not complete unless you have provided as much detail as possible – the curriculum to be used, how often it will be offered, when it will be offered (days and times), how many will be served, how success will be assessed, etc.


2- Don’t write for free. People will often ask if we’ll write the grant for the right to the evaluation contract.  Not only is that unethical, but it doesn’t make sense.  Grant writing and evaluation, while related, are completely different disciplines. Also, the evaluation is a job in itself, so writing the grant for the evaluation contract is essentially writing the grant for free.  If I want to donate the service, that’s one thing, but doing it because a client has given me no choice is another.  Besides, what other professional works for free on a regular basis?

3-  It’s ok to turn away work.  If you’re good, there will always be a demand for your services. Never take on a project out of desperation. If the project doesn’t have a good chance of success, it’s ok to walk away.

4- Don’t be afraid of competition. If you’re good, you have nothing to be afraid of.  The only way to get better is to stretch yourself, challenge yourself, jump into the deep end of the pool with the big boys and swim. My mother expressed it by saying, “No guts, no glory!”

5- Listen.  The first thing to do when talking with a client about a new project is to listen.  Listen carefully.  Listen for what they are really saying.  Listen for their real motivation. Listen to what they really need.

6- Don’t let failure slow you down. If you don’t succeed with a project, reflect on the failure only long enough to figure out what went wrong and what you can learn from it.  That’s all.  Don’t let failure steal a moment of time from a current project.


7- Work better than everyone else.  For some, that may mean working longer hours (showing up early, staying late).  For others it means following a particular successful procedure or organizational structure.  Whatever it is, just remember that you can’t be better than everyone else in your field by doing things exactly like everyone else.  You have to set yourself apart, and once you do, don’t stop doing it.


8-Tell the truth.  The temptation to exaggerate in grant writing is strong.  Resist it. You will regret dishonesty. It always seems to come back to bite you.

9- Respect the people who help you do what you do. The very best grant writers are not loners. Whether you have a support staff that helps you or a support system of colleagues and friends who help, respect them and realize how important they are to your success. You need them, probably as much (or more!) as they need you.


10- Walk away from the work to keep your writing sharp. Don’t work all the time.  Take time for family, friends, reading, hobbies, and faith. Contrary to what you may think, more time at work doesn’t necessarily make your work better.  This is particularly true for writing. You have to keep your mind fresh by walking away from the work sometimes.  And never forget what really matters – faith, family, friends. Balance in your life not only makes you a better person, but it also makes you a better writer.

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

What do funders want?

When you start out on the path of grant writing, figuring out what funders want can seem very confusing.  Actually, it’s not as complicated as it seems. Here’s the answer to that elusive question, “What do funders want?”

  • They want to know they are funding an organization that has a vision that matches theirs. They don’t have time to mess around with folks who are just chasing money, and you don’t have time to chase the money at the expense of your organization’s mission and vision.  Look for and find funding sources that want to fund projects like yours.
  • They want to know that their money will be well spent and well managed.That’s why many foundations won’t fund organizations that have been in operation for less than three years.  That’s why they want to see your overall agency budget.  That’s why they often ask to see audit reports.Think about it.  When you donate money to a charity, don’t you want to know it will be well managed?
  • They want to fund organizations that have the capacity to implement the program they funded. If your overall budget is less than $1,000,000 a year, you will be unlikely to receive a grant for several million dollars.  Why?  Because you have not yet demonstrated the capacity to manage that amount of money successfully.  Even if you have a larger overall budget, if all of your programs have been local and small scale, you would be unlikely to receive a grant to implement a program nationally.  That doesn’t mean you can’t work up to it, but don’t underestimate the importance of capacity.
  • They want to to receive proposals that answer their questions directly and succinctly. Imagine that you had $10 to give to someone to start a lemonade stand, and you asked for essays describing how the recipient would use the money to start a lemonade stand. When the proposals roll in, half of them address the questions you ask clearly and directly . Some of the others make the case for why a hot chocolate stand would be better, or how they would like to expand their very successful muffin stand, or something else. Some of the others address the question, but they go on and on about how many soda stands they have implemented, and how many bike routes they have built, and….and…..and….Even though they all took the time and effort to put proposals together, the only ones who have a chance are those who directly and succinctly described how they would use the money to start a lemonade stand.
  • They want to make a difference in the world – just like you. Even though they may not say it, funders want to recognize and feel your passion for what you do.  Addressing the questions in the application directly is important.  Competence and capacity and good fiscal stewardship matter, to be sure, but make sure the funders know that you have a heart, that you care about the work you do, and that you are making a difference in the world.

What do funders want?

When you start out on the path of grant writing, figuring out what funders want can seem very confusing.  Actually, it’s not as complicated as it seems. Here’s the answer to that elusive question, “What do funders want?”

  • They want to know they are funding an organization that has a vision that matches theirs. They don’t have time to mess around with folks who are just chasing money, and you don’t have time to chase the money at the expense of your organization’s mission and vision.  Look for and find funding sources that want to fund projects like yours.
  • They want to know that their money will be well spent and well managed.That’s why many foundations won’t fund organizations that have been in operation for less than three years.  That’s why they want to see your overall agency budget.  That’s why they often ask to see audit reports.Think about it.  When you donate money to a charity, don’t you want to know it will be well managed?
  • They want to fund organizations that have the capacity to implement the program they funded. If your overall budget is less than $1,000,000 a year, you will be unlikely to receive a grant for several million dollars.  Why?  Because you have not yet demonstrated the capacity to manage that amount of money successfully.  Even if you have a larger overall budget, if all of your programs have been local and small scale, you would be unlikely to receive a grant to implement a program nationally.  That doesn’t mean you can’t work up to it, but don’t underestimate the importance of capacity.
  • They want to to receive proposals that answer their questions directly and succinctly. Imagine that you had $10 to give to someone to start a lemonade stand, and you asked for essays describing how the recipient would use the money to start a lemonade stand. When the proposals roll in, half of them address the questions you ask clearly and directly . Some of the others make the case for why a hot chocolate stand would be better, or how they would like to expand their very successful muffin stand, or something else. Some of the others address the question, but they go on and on about how many soda stands they have implemented, and how many bike routes they have built, and….and…..and….Even though they all took the time and effort to put proposals together, the only ones who have a chance are those who directly and succinctly described how they would use the money to start a lemonade stand.
  • They want to make a difference in the world – just like you. Even though they may not say it, funders want to recognize and feel your passion for what you do.  Addressing the questions in the application directly is important.  Competence and capacity and good fiscal stewardship matter, to be sure, but make sure the funders know that you have a heart, that you care about the work you do, and that you are making a difference in the world.
Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Is There a Formula for Grant Writing Success?

Maybe I’m being more reflective that usual because of the new year, or maybe it’s because several  people have asked me about our success lately. The question on my mind is this:  What is the difference between super-successful grant writers like those at CRR (with funding success of over $100 million in less than 10 years) and those grant writers who struggle for every mini-grant or who spend decades writing and can’t get far passed the $10 million mark? It can’t just be luck. Is there a formula?

Well, yes and no. There is a certain amount of basic skill involved.  Good grant writers are, first and foremost, excellent writers. They are also excellent readers.  Reading an RFP (and reading between the lines of an RFP) is critical.

Good grant writers know how to follow the instructions, write succinctly, develop appropriate budgets, write good goals and objectives, build a compelling case for a project, write effective evaluation plans, and put together a comprehensive and complete proposal package. All of these skills can be taught and learned, but what separates the good grant writers from really great ones?

It’s about the things you can’t teach.

Great grant writers are extremely creative.  They can see connections between data and programs that others miss.

They are highly intuitive.  They have a sense for what a funder is really asking for, in spite of what is on the written page.

They are resilient. They handle failure and set-backs as well as success. And trust me on this– if you do a lot of grant writing, you will experience some failure – not as much as those who aren’t as good, but you don’t get to be among the best without taking those failures and learning from them.

They handle stress well.  Deadline stress is a particular kind of stress.  Every person I have ever interviewed for a job says they handle stress well.  Then they get to experience our kind of deadline stress.  Some rise to the occasion and do their best work.  Others fall apart. Also, it’s one thing being able to handle a single deadline for a single proposal, but it’s another thing entirely to handle the stress of 5 grants due on the same day, followed by another 3 grants due two days after that, and so on. That brings me to the next characteristic of really great grant writers….

They are experts at managing time and multitasking. Writing only one proposal at a time feels like a vacation.

Want to know more abut what makes the difference between good grant writers and the really successful ones (beyond what I have said here)?  Visit the CRR online store and take a look at the CD or cassette of 12 Secrets of Successful Grant Writers.

It’s not rocket science, but knowing the secrets can make the difference between being good and being GREAT.

Is There a Formula for Grant Writing Success?

Maybe I’m being more reflective that usual because of the new year, or maybe it’s because several  people have asked me about our success lately. The question on my mind is this:  What is the difference between super-successful grant writers like those at CRR (with funding success of over $100 million in less than 10 years) and those grant writers who struggle for every mini-grant or who spend decades writing and can’t get far passed the $10 million mark? It can’t just be luck. Is there a formula?

Well, yes and no. There is a certain amount of basic skill involved.  Good grant writers are, first and foremost, excellent writers. They are also excellent readers.  Reading an RFP (and reading between the lines of an RFP) is critical.

Good grant writers know how to follow the instructions, write succinctly, develop appropriate budgets, write good goals and objectives, build a compelling case for a project, write effective evaluation plans, and put together a comprehensive and complete proposal package. All of these skills can be taught and learned, but what separates the good grant writers from really great ones?

It’s about the things you can’t teach.

Great grant writers are extremely creative.  They can see connections between data and programs that others miss.

They are highly intuitive.  They have a sense for what a funder is really asking for, in spite of what is on the written page.

They are resilient. They handle failure and set-backs as well as success. And trust me on this– if you do a lot of grant writing, you will experience some failure – not as much as those who aren’t as good, but you don’t get to be among the best without taking those failures and learning from them.

They handle stress well.  Deadline stress is a particular kind of stress.  Every person I have ever interviewed for a job says they handle stress well.  Then they get to experience our kind of deadline stress.  Some rise to the occasion and do their best work.  Others fall apart. Also, it’s one thing being able to handle a single deadline for a single proposal, but it’s another thing entirely to handle the stress of 5 grants due on the same day, followed by another 3 grants due two days after that, and so on. That brings me to the next characteristic of really great grant writers….

They are experts at managing time and multitasking. Writing only one proposal at a time feels like a vacation.

Want to know more abut what makes the difference between good grant writers and the really successful ones (beyond what I have said here)?  Visit the CRR online store and take a look at the CD or cassette of 12 Secrets of Successful Grant Writers.

It’s not rocket science, but knowing the secrets can make the difference between being good and being GREAT.

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