Raindrops on roses, And whiskers on kittens, Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, Brown paper packages tied up with strings, These are a few of my favorite things…. Ok maybe we’re not in…
Browsing CategoryGrant Writing Tips and Best Practices
Measuring Our True Impact: Five Questions Your Grant Objectives Should Answer
If you follow the Fundraising HayDay podcast and our social media accounts, you know that I am obsessed with the story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. Mostly, I’m floored by the number of people who…
Grant Calendar Versus Grant Strategy
Grant Calendar A grant calendar, as we’ve talked about on our blog before (ICYMI: What is a Grant Calendar) is at its core, a visual representation of an action plan for the year, whether fiscal…
How to Write and Win More Grants with the Rule of Three
When Aladdin rubbed the magic lamp, a genie granted him three wishes. “Click your heels together three times and say ‘There’s no place like home’” is straight from the iconic movie classic, “The Wizard of Oz.”…
What is a Grant Writer?
What is a grant writer? Does a grant writer “just” fill out forms all day? Or “just” spend their time writing all day? It is always an interesting conversation when someone has not met, worked…
How to Win More Grants: Get a Good Mentor
Growing up, my sister and I LOVED hearing stories from our parents’ childhoods. One story involved friendless siblings Scott and Laura. Dad said they would roam the neighborhood streets, holding hands, skipping, and chanting, “We…
5 Lessons Learned When I Was a Program Officer
I was chatting with a colleague at an event and made a comment about “when I was a program officer” as part of my reasoning for the details of my reply. The colleague’s surprising response…
There is More to Grant Work Than Grant Work
For years, I kept my head down and did the work. I cranked out the grant applications. I followed the rules. I submitted reports on time. I sought permission, in writing, when changes were necessary…
Treat Grant Research Like a Jigsaw Puzzle
Researching grantmakers is an art that each individual grant professional creates a system for based on the variety of tools that they become comfortable with. Regardless of which tools you use to conduct your grant…
Better Grants Start with Better Decisions
It’s not the dog’s fault. The one that starts barking around 3 a.m. some nights and doesn’t stop until five or so. But still, I blame that dog barking just loud enough to invade my…