Hiding from and Audit

Surviving an Audit: How to be Ready

For grantees, an audit can mean life or death for a project. The word “audit” has the ability to put even the most well-organized administration team on edge. I have had the good fortune to be part of an organization that went to great lengths to be prepared for audits. I have also been part… read more

No One Has Your Back

No One Has Your Back: The Truth About Institutional Support

What would you do if faced with the choice of writing successful technical grants outside your area of expertise or losing your job? A participant in a recent workshop I taught told me she had worked as a secretary for many years, but her position recently shifted to accommodate proposal writing. She had never written… read more

Letter of Inquiry

The Letter of Inquiry: Quality Makes the Difference

Writing a good letter of inquiry is critical to getting your donor’s attention. The quality of this letter is what makes or breaks your chances of being invited to submit a proposal. Although approaching a funder can be intimidating, writing an excellent letter of inquiry is the best way to get your foot in the door…. read more

grant-puzzle

5 Organizational Criteria That Win Grants

Transparency, credibility, and accountability are the criteria used to assess how your organization will succeed in implementing a grant proposal. Knowing who you are, what you want, and how you will get there as an organization is immediately apparent in a grant request. When you address these underlying points, the donor will be reassured that… read more

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Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Grant Proposal

Certain mistakes can instantly kill your proposal’s chance of being funded. Luckily, however, the following ten proposal-killing mistakes can be easily prevented if you ensure three points guide your proposal writing process. Write with the donor in mind, carefully research and fully understand your idea, and allot the time necessary to develop a proposal that… read more

Red Squirrel

Surviving the Grant Wilderness: What Can you Learn from Squirrels?

This week, I wanted to share some thoughts on surviving in the world of grants. In many ways, grant seeking is like navigating a wilderness; it is full of resources and pitfalls, predators and allies. To find success and win a grant, you should take a lesson from squirrels. Which Grants Should You Seek? Squirrels… read more