I am often asked how I got into grant writing. Like many people who write grants in some capacity, I fell into it. After a few years of working at a nonprofit organization, my search for a new opportunity led to a grant consulting firm. I hadn’t planned on working in the private sector, but I loved to write and thought it would be interesting.
I quickly learned that grant writing isn’t really about writing. “Grant writing” is a misnomer. The heart of a good grant application is a detailed, justifiable, compelling plan of action. Grant writing is planning. Program design. Budgeting. Strategy.
Grant writing – really, grant development – is asking: “What are we really trying to do here, and how can we fund it?”
I’ve collaborated with countless people to answer that question, many of whom also fell into grant writing; tasked with finding the money to do what they do best. The most exciting moments of my work have been sitting at tables with community leaders, listening to their ideas, and translating those ideas into plans. When the first outline of a project or program design emerges from pages of notes, it’s magical. This is how we make this happen.
Since starting this work, a decade ago, I have helped organizations secure over $18 million in grant funding to advance their missions. My proudest moments have not been receiving notice of million-dollar grants, but when my clients have gotten grants to meet critical needs. We have achieved this together. Grant writers do not secure grants—organizations do. A good grant writer can craft a compelling grant application, but grants are awarded to organizations and projects on their merits (in a nutshell). Behind every successful grant application is a lot of people who have worked tirelessly over years to make a difference. It is a privilege to support them.