Grant Writer’s Blog

How to Assess Your Grant Readiness: Day 1 Challenge (GRASP Tool)

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Grant readiness assessment checklist for nonprofits

Welcome to Day 1 of the 30-Day Grant Readiness Challenge! Is your nonprofit truly ready to win funding? Many organizations believe they are “grant ready” simply because they need the money. The reality is that numerous factors contribute to grant readiness. It is a comprehensive, strategic state of being that impacts your research focus, your funder relationships, and your ultimate success rate.   Whether you…

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Professional Development 2:2:2 Approach to Conferences

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Note from Diane: Unfortunately, Julie won’t be joining the GPA Conference in Atlanta in two weeks, but her advice and reflections on the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits conference has some great lessons learned and ideas for those of us headed to #gpaconf16!   Autumn is conference and workshop time for me. First, I always consider if I can attend the annual national Grant Professionals Association…

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Three Books that Should be on Every Grant Professional’s Bookshelf

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As a Grant Professional, I am always looking for new tools and resources to add to my toolbox to help me continue to grow. I love reading blogs, attending webinars, and finding great books to expand my professional knowledge. (If you are looking for grant related webinars, check out those offered by Diane.) This past year I spent a lot of time preparing to take…

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Grant Funding in Action: A Collaborative Rain Garden

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*Note from Diane: Excited to have another “Grant Funding in Action” story to share with you from one of our team members!  The newest story is from Junior Consultant, Julie Johnson.   I had heard of rain gardens. I had an inkling that they helped the environment. I didn’t know any specifics. When my local food co-op store had a rain garden proposal for a…

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Lessons About Grant Writing from Climbing a Mountain

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I find lessons about grant writing in many of my experiences and adventures, from digging for clams to swimming with sharks. So it should come as no surprise that climbing a mountain in the Adirondacks with my spouse and two children would not only help teach my girls some important life lessons but also highlight key lessons about grant writing for me to reflect on and…

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Bethany’s Story: Why I Sat for the GPC Exam

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**Note from Diane: I was thrilled when Bethany said that she was willing to write about her journey to sit for the GPC exam. I hope her story inspires you and prompts you to consider your future professional development, whether it be a certification or other next step.   Over a year ago I started the process to sit for the Grant Professional Certification (GPC)…

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Why Grant Professionals Need Mindfulness

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In a previous Grant Funding in Action blog post here, I spoke about my work with the Mindful Veterans Project and completion of an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course. Like most other careers, grant professionals deal with stress on a daily basis. Deadlines, grant rejections, dealing with difficult people, budgets, finding the right words, research, striving for perfection, proving our Return on Investment (ROI), staying…

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What Story Do Your Grant Budget Numbers Tell?

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It might start with an innocent question: “How much should we put in the budget for mileage?” with a well-intentioned answer like “Let’s put in $750, that feels like the right amount.” But why $750? How does a mileage budget of $750 fit in with the narrative story of your program design? Why would staff need to travel that much if the program is all offered on-site? Or…

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6 Tips for Grant Writers for Professional Development on a Tight Budget

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All the back-to-school sales and pictures of squeaky clean kids with backpacks have me thinking about education and professional development. What does continuing education look like for a grant writer? There are endless opportunities, but budgeting time and money for them is challenging. I’ve summarized six tips that are easy on your budget, in regards to both time and money.   1 – Sign up…

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Seeing Grant Funding In Action – Community Theatre Impacting Youth

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*Note from Diane: We are excited to have Junior Consultant, Bethany Turner, joining us on the blog as a contributor. As we have done with our other team members that are contributing to the blog, I asked Bethany to share a “Grant Funding in Action” story with us as a means of introducing her to you, our treasured readers!   The marquee on the front…

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