Category Archives: grant writing

Our Favorite Clients

We do a lot of grant writing and program evaluation work with many different kinds of clients. Many are schools and school districts. Others are non-profit organizations, county agencies, or municipalities. In spite of their many differences, they also have many things in common, including a commitment to the constituencies they serve.

I was involved in a phone conference a while ago with a potential new partner. It was an interview of sorts. They were interviewing me and I was interviewing them – which is the way it should go when you are considering establishing a new business relationship. One of the questions they asked me was, “What are the characteristics of your favorite clients?”

Wow. What a great question! I didn’t have to hesitate at all. In fact, I could immediately give an example of one of my favorite clients who happens to be a mutual acquaintance. Then I started to explain why that client ranks among my favorites.

Here are the characteristics of our favorite clients:

  • They have a clear vision. I really love folks who come to me with a clear vision of who they are, where they are going, and even an idea of how they plan to get there. The conversation starts with a great idea they have to meet an identified need for their organization. They have already charted out their ideas and they have at least the beginnings of a solid program design already in place. Let’s contrast this with people who come to me with a simple, “We need money” attitude. They usually have only the seed of an idea, if that. And they rarely have a vision. What they have is a desperation for cash. That rarely is enough to be successful securing grant funding, and it is almost never enough to successfully implement an effective program.
  • They are very well-organized. In the grant writing process, there is a certain amount of data gathering that takes place. My favorite clients have excellent data systems and clearly understood responsibilities so it’s easy to get the information we need quickly.
  • They understand that they have an important role to play in the grant writing process. They do not expect that since they have hired a grant writer, they are off the hook. Not only do they know there will be some work for them to do, but they want to be involved in the process.
  • They make time for their part in the grant writing process. My favorite clients make sure that, when we have am impending deadline, I am the call they take – no matter what. They allocate the time it takes to help me get the job done. And they don’t complain about it.
  • They assign a contact person to work with me directly on the project. My least favorite clients don’t assign a single contact person; they want me to communicate directly with four or five high level administrators – all of whom are usually too busy to really focus on the project. A single contact person makes it easier on everyone.
  • They are flexible. When we start a grant writing process, we establish a timeline. About half of the time, something happens to pull us off the timeline. Sometimes the client isn’t able to get us all the data on time. Sometimes we have several projects going at once and we fall a day or two behind. of course, we always stay on track to meet the final deadline, but our favorite clients remain flexible and don’t freak out if a draft shows up on Tuesday morning, rather than Monday afternoon – especially when the ultimate deadline is more than a week away.
  • They treat us as professional partners in the project. While we are really good at the actual grant writing work, our favorite clients understand that our real value to them comes in our experience – as grant writers and experts in education and social services. They are respectful of our experience and our time.
  • They have high expectations. This goes along with treating us as professionals. They expect good quality work and they are willing to call us out if we do not performs appropriately, for whatever reason (a rare occurrence). I have the utmost respect for those who expect excellence.
  • They take care of the business side of our business arrangement. They do what it takes to get a contractual agreement written and approved. They ensure that we are paid in a timely manner. Conversely, our least favorite clients never have time to get the contract taken care of and, after the grant is submitted, they seem to forget that we did anything for them that requires payment.

For any of our clients who are reading this, I hope you are smiling because you know you are our favorite. Yeah, you know who you are.

Working with a Grant Writer


Today’s BlogTalkRadio Tips from the Grant Goddess show will focus on Working with a Grant Writer. We will be discussing how to know if a grant writer is right for you, what to look for when hiring a grant writer, what should be included in the contract, and what services you can expect from a grant writer.

Join us today online at 3:00 p.m. (Pacific) to hear the show LIVE. During the live broadcast, you can call in with your questions or comments.

If you can make it to the live broadcast, you can access the archived version from here on our blog, or by going to our show page at BlogTalkRadio.

Click here to read some quick tips about working with a grant writer.

The radio show will cover many more tips than those you can read on the website, so plan on taking 30 minutes to listen to the broadcast.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Working with a Grant Writer


Today’s BlogTalkRadio Tips from the Grant Goddess show will focus on Working with a Grant Writer. We will be discussing how to know if a grant writer is right for you, what to look for when hiring a grant writer, what should be included in the contract, and what services you can expect from a grant writer.

Join us today online at 3:00 p.m. (Pacific) to hear the show LIVE. During the live broadcast, you can call in with your questions or comments.

If you can make it to the live broadcast, you can access the archived version from here on our blog, or by going to our show page at BlogTalkRadio.

Click here to read some quick tips about working with a grant writer.

The radio show will cover many more tips than those you can read on the website, so plan on taking 30 minutes to listen to the broadcast.

The Real Payoff

I was at a school board meeting last week and I watched a presentation made my some elementary school students. They were sharing videos they had made through their participation in the GenYES program, funded through an Enhancing education Through Technology (EETT) grant. Theie videos were all about the Lifelong Guidelines and Life Skills they had learned through their schools’ participation in another grant program – Partnerships in Character Education.

Several years ago, I was involved with the writing of both of those grant applications, and over the past few years I have served as the evaluator for both of those programs.

As I watched those students make their presentation, I kept thinking back to a few years ago when we were working on those grant applications. Each one started as a vision, an idea. Those ideas were put together in a grant application and here we are, years later, seeing some of those ideas come to life.

Yeah, I get paid for the grant writing and program evaluation services I provide, but this is the real payoff.

I wish that anyone who doubts that grant writing is a creative endeavor could have been there that night to see the proof that’s actually very creative. It can really change the world around you.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

The Real Payoff


I was at a school board meeting last week and I watched a presentation made my some elementary school students. They were sharing videos they had made through their participation in the GenYES program, funded through an Enhancing education Through Technology (EETT) grant. Theie videos were all about the Lifelong Guidelines and Life Skills they had learned through their schools’ participation in another grant program – Partnerships in Character Education.



Several years ago, I was involved with the writing of both of those grant applications, and over the past few years I have served as the evaluator for both of those programs.



As I watched those students make their presentation, I kept thinking back to a few years ago when we were working on those grant applications. Each one started as a vision, an idea. Those ideas were put together in a grant application and here we are, years later, seeing some of those ideas come to life.

Yeah, I get paid for the grant writing and program evaluation services I provide, but this is the real payoff.



I wish that anyone who doubts that grant writing is a creative endeavor could have been there that night to see the proof that’s actually very creative. It can really change the world around you.

Is this the longest grant season ever, or what?

I was chatting with some folks back in January about the potential for this year’s grant writing season and, at that time, none of us really knew what was going to happen. Would the poor economy cause the grant business to dry up? Would there be more grants than usual because of the availability of federal stimulus money?

I was pleasantly surprised early in the season when so many grants appeared so early. We were submitting federal education and DOJ grants in January, which is a little early, compared to most years. A little bit of stimulus money appeared in the form of discretionary grants, but not much. The season slowed a little in April (I even released the temporary help that I hired for the season) and we thought it was over.

Then came the second wave of releases, and now we’re working on projects that are due in June. A lot of them.

By June I’m usually cleaning off my desk and planning some vacation time (when I’m not at a Giants game, anyway).

This year is a little different. The season keeps going, and going, and going…….which is, of course, really good news. It’s great news for me and my staff. It’s also really good news for any of you who were a little busy worried about things in your organization to get a jump on the grant season this year.

There are still some really good opportunities out there.

Get busy!

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Is this the longest grant season ever, or what?

I was chatting with some folks back in January about the potential for this year’s grant writing season and, at that time, none of us really knew what was going to happen. Would the poor economy cause the grant business to dry up? Would there be more grants than usual because of the availability of federal stimulus money?

I was pleasantly surprised early in the season when so many grants appeared so early. We were submitting federal education and DOJ grants in January, which is a little early, compared to most years. A little bit of stimulus money appeared in the form of discretionary grants, but not much. The season slowed a little in April (I even released the temporary help that I hired for the season) and we thought it was over.

Then came the second wave of releases, and now we’re working on projects that are due in June. A lot of them.

By June I’m usually cleaning off my desk and planning some vacation time (when I’m not at a Giants game, anyway).

This year is a little different. The season keeps going, and going, and going…….which is, of course, really good news. It’s great news for me and my staff. It’s also really good news for any of you who were a little busy worried about things in your organization to get a jump on the grant season this year.

There are still some really good opportunities out there.

Get busy!

Trust the Grant Writing Process

Grant writing really is a process. Well, to be more specific, I should say that good grant writing is a process. Sometimes we have to condense the process a bit because of time limitations, but the process is still there….and it’s still important.

Sometimes I’ll work with people – usually new clients – who want to skip the process and have us just take a few ideas from them and make up the rest. The problem is that not only is that not very ethical, but we’ve been doing this a long time, and we know what works.

We talk about need first, and how we can document that need. Then we talk about research, and how best to meet those identified needs. We talk about input from constituents, and demonstration of collaborative support, and personnel, and management, and budget…..and we discuss it in a particular order because we know how the grant development conversation flows best.

I hate it when people tell me to “trust the process.” It usually means that they don’t want me to think, or question, and I always have to think and question. It’s my nature. But when it comes to grant writing, and working with a professional grant writing, my best advice for you is….trust the process.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Trust the Grant Writing Process

Grant writing really is a process. Well, to be more specific, I should say that good grant writing is a process. Sometimes we have to condense the process a bit because of time limitations, but the process is still there….and it’s still important.

Sometimes I’ll work with people – usually new clients – who want to skip the process and have us just take a few ideas from them and make up the rest. The problem is that not only is that not very ethical, but we’ve been doing this a long time, and we know what works.

We talk about need first, and how we can document that need. Then we talk about research, and how best to meet those identified needs. We talk about input from constituents, and demonstration of collaborative support, and personnel, and management, and budget…..and we discuss it in a particular order because we know how the grant development conversation flows best.

I hate it when people tell me to “trust the process.” It usually means that they don’t want me to think, or question, and I always have to think and question. It’s my nature. But when it comes to grant writing, and working with a professional grant writing, my best advice for you is….trust the process.

How Competitive is TOO Competitive?

There is a Request for Proposals (RFP) out right now for a Partnerships in Character Education Program (PCEP) grant. It’s a research grant that funds implementation of a character education program and research documenting the success of the program in meeting established goals.

Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Education expects to fund only two new programs this year. The question I am often asked is this:

Given how much time and effort goes into planning and developing a high quality federal grant proposal, is it really worth it to throw your hat in the ring when only two grants will be awarded nationally?

I’ll admit, the availability of funds for only two awards is extremely competitive. However, I encourage folks not to shy away from an opportunity that is right for you just because of the competitiveness. But how competitive is too competitive?

Here are some thoughts to help you decide if a competitive situation is worth your time to apply:

  • Don’t go for it unless the grant is really a good fit for you. If you would have to pull your collaborative partners (and maybe even people in your own organization) along to convince them to implement a new program, you may want to let this opportunity go. So, how do you know if it’s the right fit? If it’s something that you and your partners have already talked about doing, it may be a good fit for you. If every condition in the RFP is acceptable to your organization, and you already have a plan, it may be a good fit for you.
  • Make sure you have plenty of time. While you can be successful with federal grants when you put them together on a very short timeline, that’s not the best situation for those that are highly competitive. If you expect to have a real chance at being funded, you’ll need to submit a very high quality proposal. That can usually not be done in one or two weeks. If you have over 30 days to put it together, you may have a chance.
  • Check out the funding priorities and be sure you can address them. If the grant has an absolute priority, you must address it in order to be eligible for funding. If the grant has any competitive priorities, you should definitely be able to address them in a competitive situation. Let’s take PCEP as an example. There is a competitive priority to implement an experimental or quasi-experimental evaluation design. You can get up to 20 extra points for an experimental design and up to 10 extra points for a quasi-experimental evaluation design. If you were not planning to implement an evaluation design that is at least quasi-experimental, don’t bother applying. Should you apply if you can’t get those extra points for the difference between a quasi-experimental and experimental design? It depends. I would recommend it only if you think you could put together a very high quality proposal that has the potential of getting all the available points. Everything must be completely in order and very well planned because you’re starting with a disadvantage.

What about an invitational priority (a program priority with no explicit competitive advantage)? If you want to be competitive, address it. Period.

So, don’t be afraid of highly competitive RFPs, but tread carefully.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com