Grant Writer’s Blog

Why Grant Readiness is the Secret to Winning More Funding

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Why Grant Readiness is the Secret to Winning More Funding

Grant readiness is the single most important factor in determining how competitive your organization will be when applying for foundation or government grants. Although many organizations believe they are ready simply because they need the funds, true readiness (readiness to succeed, that is) involves a proactive strategy that aligns your programs, capacity, and long-term goals.   Table of Contents Defining Grant Readiness Top Tips for…

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How to Build Your Grant Writing Style Guide

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Graphic demonstrating a unified voice and brand identity achieved through a standardized Grant Writing Style Guide.

Good writing within any organization should not reflect any one individual’s personality, even though some days we want to add a little flair just for fun. All your organization’s writing needs a united identity, a uniformity that makes it uniquely your organization’s. A Grant Writing Style Guide ensures that your organization maintains that professional, consistent voice across all funding applications. By standardizing elements like fonts,…

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Are You Wearing the Burnout Badge?

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burnout badge

There is only one type of badge I like to wear for work – a conference badge. Yes, the kind on a lanyard with the option to add pins to the lanyard and ribbons to the bottom of the name badge. They are a great opportunity to show a little personality at the conferences and also make for some great art in the office afterward….

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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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