Don't Let Grants Stress You Out
Welcome to Day 21 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! Does a blank document fill you with dread? When faced with a major application, the temptation is often to copy and paste from your last submission. But the secret to winning more funding is customization. Today, we are sharing a three-stage workflow to help you overcome grant writer’s block and pivot that blank page into…
Welcome to Day 20 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! Picture this common scenario: The Program Director writes the narrative, the Finance Director builds the budget, and the Grant Writer pulls it all together at the last minute. But when the reviewer opens the file, do the numbers in the budget match the staff mentioned in the narrative? A confused reviewer generally leads to…
Welcome to Day 19 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! We spent last week building funder relationships. Now, we pivot back to the technical side of the work: The Writing. As a federal grant reviewer, I can tell you that the overuse of acronyms is a fast way to lower your score. Imagine a reviewer reading a stack of 20 grants at 3:00 a.m. If…
Welcome to Day 18 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! You have officially completed three weeks of the challenge! We have covered everything from grant tools and research frequency to the nuances of funder relationships and board engagement. Today Is a Rest Day: Time to Relax, Reflect, and Recharge. The Power of a Sustainable Pace In the Agile world, we talk about a…
Welcome to Day 17 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! You have the perfect governing board—now you want them to step onto the “fundraising bus.” Nonprofit board engagement is one of the most powerful ways to secure new grants, but many board members don’t know where to start. Today’s challenge is to pick one engagement tactic and try it with one board member. …
Welcome to Day 16 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! We often think of grant prospect research as a deep dive into tax forms and IRS 990s. But in today’s digital world, a funder’s social media presence can be just as valuable as their financial filings. Today’s challenge is to use social media for one of two purposes: Research a potential funder or…
Welcome to Day 15 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! You’ve identified a potential funder through your research, but you have a problem: they don’t have a website. Their 990 shows they give to similar programs, but you’re missing the details. Today’s challenge is to bridge that information gap by calling the funder directly. Investing vs. Donating: Why This Isn’t a Pitch Calling…
Welcome to Day 14 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! Establishing a fulfilling relationship with your funder is a major step toward long-term success. At its core, this is about trust-based philanthropy. Funder trust is built on accountability, transparency, and—most importantly—consistent communication that goes beyond the required report. Today’s challenge is to pick up the phone and share a specific success story with a…
Welcome to Day 13 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! We often talk about the importance of the proposal, but what happens after the award? Grantmaker stewardship is one of the most overlooked aspects of grant readiness. Although a standard thank-you letter is required, a customized thank you is what builds a long-term partnership. Today’s challenge is to pick one current funder and…
Welcome to Day 12 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! You’ve officially completed the second week of the challenge! From mastering your grant tools to developing a strategy for “unsolicited proposals not accepted” funders, you have done some heavy lifting. Today Is a Rest Day: Time to Relax, Reflect, and Recharge. Why Rest Is Key to Grant Success Grant readiness isn’t just…