Category Archives: grant writer

Working with a Grant Writer – You Get What You Pay For

It has happened three times so far this season. We start working with a client on a project.  Before a contract is signed, they notify us that they have decided to go with another writer who will do the work for a lower fee.  Each time, I remain gracious, reminding the client of our success rate and our relationship, and I invite them to call if they need assistance.  Then I let go, and move on to others.

Last month, we got calls from the first two (with just a week before the deadline) telling us that their “bargain grant writer” bailed out on them at the last minute, and asking if we would take on the project. For one of them, we did, and we successfully met the deadline with a quality proposal. We were unable to help the other one because we just had too many proposals on our plate at that time.

Today, we heard from bargain shopper number three. This time, the client has been working with the new consultants, but after receiving two drafts, it became clear that the product was not going to be good.  So, with a grant deadline just 6 days away (counting the weekend), the client called and asked if we would take on the project. This is a long time client and normally we do everything we can to help, but this time, the answer is “no.” Why? We have quite a few projects in the hopper right now, including another one due on the same date as the one the client wants us to take on.  Decisions have to made, and I choose to reward the loyalty of those who didn’t allow themselves to be lured away by big promises and lower fees by focusing on their projects when time is tight.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to get the best possible deal for your organization. In fact, I think it’s your duty as a public servant to do so.  However, the “best deal” is not always just about money.  In the case of grant writing, you also need to consider success rate, experience with the particular grant for which you are applying, and experience in field you work. If your proposal is about health care services and you hire someone who has never written a health care grant (or maybe has written just a couple) and has no experience in the health care field, you will get what you pay for – the grant writer’s on the job training.

In these tough budget times, everyone is looking for ways to cut corners.  Just remember that if you don’t get the grant, have you really saved anything?  And if you do get the grant written by the more experienced writer, wasn’t the slightly higher fee worth every penny?

——————————–

Want more information about working with a grant writer? Visit our Grant Writing Resources page.

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

How Can the Grant You Just Finished Help Make You a Better Writer?

The minutes and hours (and sometimes days) after a big grant deadline are typically filled with relief, rest, cleaning up reference resources, and putting life back in order before you get started on the next grant and do it all over again. What is often missing, though, is something that can really make a big difference for improving your grant writing in the future.

What is it?  Reflection.

Take some time after your next grant is submitted and ask yourself the following questions:

  • What went particularly well in this process?  Is it something that normally goes well, or was this different?  If it was a pleasant surprise, is there some way to modify your process to repeat this circumstance so it does happen again?
  • What didn’t go so well in the grant writing process? What was the cause of this issue?  Is there something you can change to prevent it from happening again?

Writing down your answers to these questions (something like a journal) can be very helpful.  If you work with a team, addressing these questions individually and then coming together as a group to discuss them can also be very helpful.

Another suggestion is to pick up a copy of the grant you just submitted a week or two later.  Read it with the scoring criteria or scoring rubric at your side.  Make notes about what you improve. Make those notes general enough to apply to any grant you may write in the future, but also note the examples from this grant so it will be a good reminder for you as your review your notes later.

There are many ways to reflect on your work, but the act of reflection is critical if you want to continue to improve as a writer. It is worth the time.  In fact, if your livelihood depends on grant writing, you really can’t afford not to.

————
F292X6NH352E

How Can the Grant You Just Finished Help Make You a Better Writer?

The minutes and hours (and sometimes days) after a big grant deadline are typically filled with relief, rest, cleaning up reference resources, and putting life back in order before you get started on the next grant and do it all over again. What is often missing, though, is something that can really make a big difference for improving your grant writing in the future.

What is it?  Reflection.

Take some time after your next grant is submitted and ask yourself the following questions:

  • What went particularly well in this process?  Is it something that normally goes well, or was this different?  If it was a pleasant surprise, is there some way to modify your process to repeat this circumstance so it does happen again?
  • What didn’t go so well in the grant writing process? What was the cause of this issue?  Is there something you can change to prevent it from happening again?

Writing down your answers to these questions (something like a journal) can be very helpful.  If you work with a team, addressing these questions individually and then coming together as a group to discuss them can also be very helpful.

Another suggestion is to pick up a copy of the grant you just submitted a week or two later.  Read it with the scoring criteria or scoring rubric at your side.  Make notes about what you improve. Make those notes general enough to apply to any grant you may write in the future, but also note the examples from this grant so it will be a good reminder for you as your review your notes later.

There are many ways to reflect on your work, but the act of reflection is critical if you want to continue to improve as a writer. It is worth the time.  In fact, if your livelihood depends on grant writing, you really can’t afford not to.

————
F292X6NH352E

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

Making Time for Grant Writing by Focusing on the Dream

I’m thinking about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy today, and how our lives are so much different – and better – because of his courage and his focus on his dream. While there are many lessons we can all learn from his life, there is one that relates to grant writing that is on my mind today – finding the time.

I hear it from people all the time: “I’m just too busy for grant writing.” “I’m too busy doing my job to even think about going for money to give me even more work.” “There simply isn’t enough time.”

The next time you find yourself saying that you don’t have the time for grant writing, I’d like you to take a few minutes to stop and think about the children who attend your school or the people served by your non-profit organization. Visualize how their lives are now. Then visualize how their lives would be different if the innovative programs you have been dreaming about were a reality. See the present.  See the possibility.

Now understand that YOU are the bridge between those two realities.  You CAN find the time to make the dream real.

If MLK Jr’s legacy means anything to you, use it inspire you to do what he did – don’t let a little personal inconvenience stop you from making a difference for others.

You CAN find the time.

Making Time for Grant Writing by Focusing on the Dream

I’m thinking about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy today, and how our lives are so much different – and better – because of his courage and his focus on his dream. While there are many lessons we can all learn from his life, there is one that relates to grant writing that is on my mind today – finding the time.

I hear it from people all the time: “I’m just too busy for grant writing.” “I’m too busy doing my job to even think about going for money to give me even more work.” “There simply isn’t enough time.”

The next time you find yourself saying that you don’t have the time for grant writing, I’d like you to take a few minutes to stop and think about the children who attend your school or the people served by your non-profit organization. Visualize how their lives are now. Then visualize how their lives would be different if the innovative programs you have been dreaming about were a reality. See the present.  See the possibility.

Now understand that YOU are the bridge between those two realities.  You CAN find the time to make the dream real.

If MLK Jr’s legacy means anything to you, use it inspire you to do what he did – don’t let a little personal inconvenience stop you from making a difference for others.

You CAN find the time.

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

Grant Writer or Grant Valet?

There are two types of clients I write grants for. There are clients who are so busy that they don’t have the time for one more thing so I am treated like a valet; and then, there are clients who are so busy they don’t have time for one more thing, but they make time to partner with me to develop an excellent narrative product.

Organizations hire external grant writers for a number of reasons such as, they don’t have the internal expertise to write grants or they can’t afford to add a grant writing position to their payroll.  The number one reason I find that organizations hire external writers is their desire for success.

We write grants all the time and when you have a talent to do something, and you do it a lot over time, you tend to get pretty good at it.  So our staff writers have developed their talents over time and through a lot of perseverance, education, reflection, and just plain mule-headed determination.

But my point here isn’t that we’re good –we are very good – the point is we’re also dependent on our clients to commit some real time and intellectual capacity to the exercise of writing a grant.The most recent case-in-point is a local non-profit organization (the Center) who we helped to write a large grant for some new programs.The grant was successfully funded and I attribute part of our success to the staff at this excellent community-based organization.

I did the writing, but a number of the Center’s staff provided feedback and crucial information throughout the process.They didn’t treat me like a Grant Valet; they didn’t simply toss me the keys and tell me to go off and write the grant for them.

My experience is that the “grant valet” attitude often results in an inferior grant so when you employ a grant writer, be ready to do some work. At a minimum, be prepared to do the following things during the grant process:

  • Identify a clear program you want to fund that aligns with your mission.
  • Be prepared to read drafts and give meaningful content feedback (not simply edits).
  • Ask your accounting staff to help prepare a realistic budget.
  • Keep the process flowing smoothly by returning emails and phone calls promptly.

I commend the staff at the Center highly for their work.  It’s reflective of a functional organization that not only delivers excellent programs but is looking to the future for new opportunities and has ownership of those opportunities before they’re realized.

Signing a grant writing contract and thinking that you’re going to hand off all the work like the car keys to a valet is a huge mistake.  Plan to commit some cerebral time during the process in order to ensure that your organization is accurately represented in the narrative.  You’ll end up with a grant that you can fully implement and one that is much more likely to achieve its objectives.

(This post was written by CRR Non-Profit Consultant, Derek Link.)

Grant Writer or Grant Valet?

There are two types of clients I write grants for. There are clients who are so busy that they don’t have the time for one more thing so I am treated like a valet; and then, there are clients who are so busy they don’t have time for one more thing, but they make time to partner with me to develop an excellent narrative product.

Organizations hire external grant writers for a number of reasons such as, they don’t have the internal expertise to write grants or they can’t afford to add a grant writing position to their payroll.  The number one reason I find that organizations hire external writers is their desire for success.

We write grants all the time and when you have a talent to do something, and you do it a lot over time, you tend to get pretty good at it.  So our staff writers have developed their talents over time and through a lot of perseverance, education, reflection, and just plain mule-headed determination.

But my point here isn’t that we’re good –we are very good – the point is we’re also dependent on our clients to commit some real time and intellectual capacity to the exercise of writing a grant.The most recent case-in-point is a local non-profit organization (the Center) who we helped to write a large grant for some new programs.The grant was successfully funded and I attribute part of our success to the staff at this excellent community-based organization.

I did the writing, but a number of the Center’s staff provided feedback and crucial information throughout the process.They didn’t treat me like a Grant Valet; they didn’t simply toss me the keys and tell me to go off and write the grant for them.

My experience is that the “grant valet” attitude often results in an inferior grant so when you employ a grant writer, be ready to do some work. At a minimum, be prepared to do the following things during the grant process:

  • Identify a clear program you want to fund that aligns with your mission.
  • Be prepared to read drafts and give meaningful content feedback (not simply edits).
  • Ask your accounting staff to help prepare a realistic budget.
  • Keep the process flowing smoothly by returning emails and phone calls promptly.

I commend the staff at the Center highly for their work.  It’s reflective of a functional organization that not only delivers excellent programs but is looking to the future for new opportunities and has ownership of those opportunities before they’re realized.

Signing a grant writing contract and thinking that you’re going to hand off all the work like the car keys to a valet is a huge mistake.  Plan to commit some cerebral time during the process in order to ensure that your organization is accurately represented in the narrative.  You’ll end up with a grant that you can fully implement and one that is much more likely to achieve its objectives.

(This post was written by CRR Non-Profit Consultant, Derek Link.)

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

Our Favorite Clients

We do a lot of grant writing and program evaluation work with many different kinds of clients. Many are schools and school districts. Others are non-profit organizations, county agencies, or municipalities. In spite of their many differences, they also have many things in common, including a commitment to the constituencies they serve.

I was involved in a phone conference a while ago with a potential new partner. It was an interview of sorts. They were interviewing me and I was interviewing them – which is the way it should go when you are considering establishing a new business relationship. One of the questions they asked me was, “What are the characteristics of your favorite clients?”

Wow. What a great question! I didn’t have to hesitate at all. In fact, I could immediately give an example of one of my favorite clients who happens to be a mutual acquaintance. Then I started to explain why that client ranks among my favorites.

Here are the characteristics of our favorite clients:

  • They have a clear vision. I really love folks who come to me with a clear vision of who they are, where they are going, and even an idea of how they plan to get there. The conversation starts with a great idea they have to meet an identified need for their organization. They have already charted out their ideas and they have at least the beginnings of a solid program design already in place. Let’s contrast this with people who come to me with a simple, “We need money” attitude. They usually have only the seed of an idea, if that. And they rarely have a vision. What they have is a desperation for cash. That rarely is enough to be successful securing grant funding, and it is almost never enough to successfully implement an effective program.
  • They are very well-organized. In the grant writing process, there is a certain amount of data gathering that takes place. My favorite clients have excellent data systems and clearly understood responsibilities so it’s easy to get the information we need quickly.
  • They understand that they have an important role to play in the grant writing process. They do not expect that since they have hired a grant writer, they are off the hook. Not only do they know there will be some work for them to do, but they want to be involved in the process.
  • They make time for their part in the grant writing process. My favorite clients make sure that, when we have am impending deadline, I am the call they take – no matter what. They allocate the time it takes to help me get the job done. And they don’t complain about it.
  • They assign a contact person to work with me directly on the project. My least favorite clients don’t assign a single contact person; they want me to communicate directly with four or five high level administrators – all of whom are usually too busy to really focus on the project. A single contact person makes it easier on everyone.
  • They are flexible. When we start a grant writing process, we establish a timeline. About half of the time, something happens to pull us off the timeline. Sometimes the client isn’t able to get us all the data on time. Sometimes we have several projects going at once and we fall a day or two behind. of course, we always stay on track to meet the final deadline, but our favorite clients remain flexible and don’t freak out if a draft shows up on Tuesday morning, rather than Monday afternoon – especially when the ultimate deadline is more than a week away.
  • They treat us as professional partners in the project. While we are really good at the actual grant writing work, our favorite clients understand that our real value to them comes in our experience – as grant writers and experts in education and social services. They are respectful of our experience and our time.
  • They have high expectations. This goes along with treating us as professionals. They expect good quality work and they are willing to call us out if we do not performs appropriately, for whatever reason (a rare occurrence). I have the utmost respect for those who expect excellence.
  • They take care of the business side of our business arrangement. They do what it takes to get a contractual agreement written and approved. They ensure that we are paid in a timely manner. Conversely, our least favorite clients never have time to get the contract taken care of and, after the grant is submitted, they seem to forget that we did anything for them that requires payment.

For any of our clients who are reading this, I hope you are smiling because you know you are our favorite. Yeah, you know who you are.

Our Favorite Clients

We do a lot of grant writing and program evaluation work with many different kinds of clients. Many are schools and school districts. Others are non-profit organizations, county agencies, or municipalities. In spite of their many differences, they also have many things in common, including a commitment to the constituencies they serve.

I was involved in a phone conference a while ago with a potential new partner. It was an interview of sorts. They were interviewing me and I was interviewing them – which is the way it should go when you are considering establishing a new business relationship. One of the questions they asked me was, “What are the characteristics of your favorite clients?”

Wow. What a great question! I didn’t have to hesitate at all. In fact, I could immediately give an example of one of my favorite clients who happens to be a mutual acquaintance. Then I started to explain why that client ranks among my favorites.

Here are the characteristics of our favorite clients:

  • They have a clear vision. I really love folks who come to me with a clear vision of who they are, where they are going, and even an idea of how they plan to get there. The conversation starts with a great idea they have to meet an identified need for their organization. They have already charted out their ideas and they have at least the beginnings of a solid program design already in place. Let’s contrast this with people who come to me with a simple, “We need money” attitude. They usually have only the seed of an idea, if that. And they rarely have a vision. What they have is a desperation for cash. That rarely is enough to be successful securing grant funding, and it is almost never enough to successfully implement an effective program.
  • They are very well-organized. In the grant writing process, there is a certain amount of data gathering that takes place. My favorite clients have excellent data systems and clearly understood responsibilities so it’s easy to get the information we need quickly.
  • They understand that they have an important role to play in the grant writing process. They do not expect that since they have hired a grant writer, they are off the hook. Not only do they know there will be some work for them to do, but they want to be involved in the process.
  • They make time for their part in the grant writing process. My favorite clients make sure that, when we have am impending deadline, I am the call they take – no matter what. They allocate the time it takes to help me get the job done. And they don’t complain about it.
  • They assign a contact person to work with me directly on the project. My least favorite clients don’t assign a single contact person; they want me to communicate directly with four or five high level administrators – all of whom are usually too busy to really focus on the project. A single contact person makes it easier on everyone.
  • They are flexible. When we start a grant writing process, we establish a timeline. About half of the time, something happens to pull us off the timeline. Sometimes the client isn’t able to get us all the data on time. Sometimes we have several projects going at once and we fall a day or two behind. of course, we always stay on track to meet the final deadline, but our favorite clients remain flexible and don’t freak out if a draft shows up on Tuesday morning, rather than Monday afternoon – especially when the ultimate deadline is more than a week away.
  • They treat us as professional partners in the project. While we are really good at the actual grant writing work, our favorite clients understand that our real value to them comes in our experience – as grant writers and experts in education and social services. They are respectful of our experience and our time.
  • They have high expectations. This goes along with treating us as professionals. They expect good quality work and they are willing to call us out if we do not performs appropriately, for whatever reason (a rare occurrence). I have the utmost respect for those who expect excellence.
  • They take care of the business side of our business arrangement. They do what it takes to get a contractual agreement written and approved. They ensure that we are paid in a timely manner. Conversely, our least favorite clients never have time to get the contract taken care of and, after the grant is submitted, they seem to forget that we did anything for them that requires payment.

For any of our clients who are reading this, I hope you are smiling because you know you are our favorite. Yeah, you know who you are.

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

Working with a Grant Writer


Today’s BlogTalkRadio Tips from the Grant Goddess show will focus on Working with a Grant Writer. We will be discussing how to know if a grant writer is right for you, what to look for when hiring a grant writer, what should be included in the contract, and what services you can expect from a grant writer.

Join us today online at 3:00 p.m. (Pacific) to hear the show LIVE. During the live broadcast, you can call in with your questions or comments.

If you can make it to the live broadcast, you can access the archived version from here on our blog, or by going to our show page at BlogTalkRadio.

Click here to read some quick tips about working with a grant writer.

The radio show will cover many more tips than those you can read on the website, so plan on taking 30 minutes to listen to the broadcast.