An important step to help your organization thrive and grow is getting funding!
I can assist with grant writing capitalizing on your organizations strengths and demonstrating to funders how you can successfully implement projects contributing to larger societal growth and transformation. This is also an excellent next step after completing workshops and goal setting with me, to secure funding to put those new ideas into action.
My first grant writing success was in graduate school in 2009. Since then, I have successfully obtained 23 grants (and written far more!) totaling over $2.8 million dollars in funding, ranging from $3,500 to $1.9 million. I have experience with a wide variety of grant types, from scientific NSF grants, environmental education, foundations, and small organizations. See my CV for the full list. I have also served on a variety of grant committees, which gave me a better understanding of what decision makers are looking to fund.
I can help your organization write grants to grow your capacity, develop plans for implementing once grants are received, and determine how to continue programming after the life of the grant. I can assist with grant writing on a variety of topics, including but not limited to: conservation, education, inclusivity, restoration, and expanding capacity. No project is too small or large!
My approach to grant writing focuses on developing projects that showcase your expertise and expand your current approaches in innovative ways related to larger societal growth and transformation.
My “top 10 must-dos” for successful grant applications are:
1) Ensure the grant opportunity is the right fit for your intended project
2) Scale the project to the right scope for the grant funding
3) Tie your project to a solid big picture plan related to achieving larger societal growth goals such as contributing to conservation, sustainability, or social improvements, related to the goals of both the grant opportunity and your organization.
4) Develop achievable, well described steps, metrics for success, and end goals for the project.
5) Determine a plan for how the project will be integrated into the organization beyond the life of the funding
6) Develop a budget with the right amount of specificity to indicate an understanding of how to implement the project, but enough flexibility to allow for shifts during implementation
7) Utilize concise, clean language with a clear connection between the grant project and larger, long term societal advancement- again related to both the stated goals of the grant opportunity and your organization.
8) Determine partner organizations who will support or benefit from the project to write letters of support and integrate into the project as relevant.
9) Start early and have multiple deadlines along the way to ensure enough time for feedback from all relevant parties.
10) Periodically do a “gut check”- is this project exciting to you? Does it feel achievable, should you receive the funding? If you aren’t excited about it yourself, it is unlikely that a grant reviewer will be!
I enjoy writing and project development, please feel free to reach out if you know you want funding but don’t know where to start, or if you have an exact project in mind and just need help writing it up!
