Grant Writer’s Blog

Why Strategic Plans Are the Secret Weapon in Successful Grant Writing

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Why Strategic Plans Are the Secret Weapon in Successful Grant Writing

Guest post by By Jodi Omear and Margaret Chapman, JaM Strategies Grant writing isn’t just about compelling narratives or clean budgets. It’s about proof. Funders want evidence that your organization knows where it’s going, how it will get there, and how their investment will make an impact. That’s where a strong strategic plan becomes your most powerful tool.   1. Funders Don’t Fund Ideas. They…

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Is It Fun?

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is it fun?

I joined the Rotary Club of Clayton this past summer. But before I formally joined, I attended numerous meetings as a guest to learn about the work of our local club and to see if I thought it would be a good fit for my desired engagement and volunteerism in my small community of Clayton, NY, in the 1000 Islands. I knew about their work…

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The State of AI in Grantmaking: Adoption, Ambiguity, and the Urgent Need for Policy*

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The State of AI in Grantmaking

The conversation around Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the philanthropic sector has shifted from “if” to “how.” A recent survey the DH Leonard Consulting team conducted exploring the use of AI among grantmakers and grantseekers, reveals a landscape defined by rapid adoption on one side and slow, cautious governance development on the other. For a sector built on trust and impact, this creates both a powerful…

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2026 Word of the Year for Grants

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word of the year - relationships

What do you think the “Grants Word of the Year” is for 2026?   You thought I was going to say “AI,” didn’t you? Well, technically that would have been two words, but regardless, nope. AI is *not* our team’s “Grants Word of the Year” for 2026.   Our word of the year for grants in 2026 is….   RELATIONSHIPS.   Let’s rewind—I quickly learned,…

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20 Things I Have Learned in Running a Grant Writing Business

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20 Things I Have Learned in Running a Grant Writing Business

20 years. DH Leonard Consulting has been focused on taking the stress out of grants for nonprofit organizations for more than two decades. It is hard to believe. I guess time does fly when you’re having fun!   As I reflected on the start of another year in business, I thought back on *all* the things I have learned over 20 years of running a…

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Thankuary: The beauty (and necessity) of pure thanking

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Thankuary

Our awesome colleagues at The Better Fundraising Co. created “Thankuary” approximately seven years ago. As a grant recipient, you might already know of it and even practice its wise tenets annually.   (No, it’s not about being thankful for football playoffs! Or is it…? No, no. Must focus.)    The month of January can be a joyful time, however you look at it, whether for…

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Feedback – What Matters Most? Funder’s Feedback AFTER or Fresh Eyes from Colleagues BEFORE?

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Feedback

Everyone wants funder feedback…. We do too.   BUT if you wait for funder feedback after a decision has been made about your proposal, it is too late.   Nearly always, when grant professionals request funder feedback on a grant application, the proposal was already denied—because the vast majority of grantmakers have neither the capacity nor the desire to review and provide feedback on applications…

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How to Inspire Grant Reviewers the Way a Filmmaker Inspires Audiences

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We were thrilled to be a part of the 2025 Nonprofit Storytelling Conference in San Diego this November! Not only did our President, Diane Leonard, present—but also, inspiration was wildly abundant. Lots of folks who travel to this annual conference come from what you might think of as “development” backgrounds such as annual giving or campaign communications—they are experienced in direct-mail marketing, digital appeals, and…

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2025 Top Grant Writing Podcasts and Blogs

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2025 Top Grant Writing Podcasts and Blogs

We’re so excited to announce the DH Leonard Consulting Grant Strategy Team’s 2025 Top Grant Writing Podcasts and Blogs to Follow.   Our goal is to help nonprofits create incredible change in their communities. We do this by assisting nonprofit organizations with competitively researching, applying for, and receiving grant funding to best serve our clients and have a significant impact in their communities, taking the…

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The Grants “Game” Has Changed, Are you playing with the right game pieces?

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The Grants Game Has Changed

Not long ago, DH Leonard Consulting & Grant Writing Services held a last-minute free webinar. Why? Significant events often require spontaneous responses. You don’t plan for ’em, but you have to take action.   If you missed the webinar, our reason for offering it was that over the course of this year, the very context for the world of grant seeking has changed. Grants professionals…

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