Category: grant-writing

Grant readiness in grant-seeking organizations can be something that brings out the best of grant professional humor. When an organization is asked to consider if they are “grant ready,” the answer is usually a resounding, “Of course we are! We are ready to receive grant money!” Joking aside, grant readiness is one of the most important factors for grant seekers to consider, relative to each and every potential application. Grant readiness comes through in all aspects of your grant seeking. It impacts how you decide what your priorities are for grant revenue and, therefore, who and what you research as part of creating a proactive grant-seeking strategy. It impacts how you sell your...

Blog Post by CharityHowTo Expert Diane H. Leonard, GPC Are you just getting started in grant writing and trying to be competitive with the applications you submit? Whether you are relatively new to the field of grant seeking or you’re looking to increase your success and craft more competitive grant applications, we have some useful tips related to the best practices of grant seeking. Following these tips will fine-tune your approach to grant applications and ultimately increase your grant seeking success. 1. Follow the 5 Rs of grant seeking Grant writers rarely know exactly who will review the grant proposals they’ve spent so many hours toiling over. It’s safe to assume that they have some...

Blog Post by CharityHowTo Expert Diane H. Leonard, GPC If you are new to grant writing, you are likely focused on what your writing should sound like. Perhaps you ask yourself questions about what is the right style or what is the right person to write in. However, the truth about your writing is that the work before the writing is where you should start your efforts and your learning. Writing and submitting grant applications without first following best practices in grantmaker research and grantmaker relationships will leave even the best-written applications resulting in rejection letters. Grant Writing for Beginners – Where to Start Before you sit down looking at a blank document with...

Blog Post by CharityHowTo Expert Diane H. Leonard, GPC

Blog Post by CharityHowTo Expert Diane H. Leonard, GPC

What To Look For (And What to Avoid) In Grant Writing Training For Nonprofit Organizations Blog Post by CharityHowTo Expert Diane H. Leonard, GPC

Corporations invest in social responsibility programs and activities to support their triple bottom line: people, profits, and the planet. Companies are smart to be concerned about corporate social responsibility (CSR), both because CSR is a driver among consumer groups and because some labels— think “organic,” “recycled,” “smaller carbon footprint”— are generally more costly for companies to attain, thereby reducing shareholder profitability. A corporation’s long-term success is based on its ability to balance the vision against the interests of key stakeholder groups. As a for-profit company, my company–JustWrite Solutions–considers these questions all the time. We have a formal CSR...

Have you ever received a rejection letter from a grantmaker and wondered what you could have done differently? Have you ever wondered, as you clicked submit for a significant government grant via online application, how your proposal will be received by reviewers? You aren’t alone! Grant writing is more of an art than a science if you consider how to customize your application and your organization’s story to meet the needs of each unique set of grant reviewers for each grantmaker. The best way to successfully achieve this art? Walk a mile in your grant reviewer’s shoes. Step back and look at your proposal as if YOU were the reviewer. Here are 5 key questions to ask yourself as you try to...