Grant Writing: The Bad Boy of Fund Raising

Most of my grant consulting work is done with smaller nonprofits. When I'm contacted by them they're usually at a point of desperation - struggling financially, working with a limited staff and a few scary Board members breathing down their necks challenging why the money isn't coming in. They're scared, frustrated and willing to do just about anything.

Unfortunately, this is a pattern repeated on a regular basis because many nonprofits aren't willing to do everything that it takes to get their organization out of that rut.

lebron 8 v2 christmas edition sale Let me pose this question to you: how important is the work that your nonprofit does? Does your organization deserve the very best from you and your supporters so that it can continue to flourish serving all who need your help? Allow me to be bold here. When you don't even consider grants as a possibility for funding you're doing a disservice to your organization and the clients you serve. Yep, I said it.

I can make this statement because I've been exactly where you are. Seeing much more expense than income, scrambling to put on yet another special event to bring in a couple of thousalebron 8 ps finals edition for sale nd dollars and herding cats, I mean chasing after volunteers, to hound them to do what they promised. It's a rinse and repeat cycle. But it doesn't have to be.

Grant writing, from the outside, appears to be the "bad boy" of fund raising. You know, like that guy from high school we were supposed to stay away from? Grant writing is mysterious yet attractive. You want to know more, you know it could be a wonderful experience yet you're still hesitant. Well, thankfully you have me to help you get rid of your fears.

Dear reader, allow me you to introduce you to that "bad boy" and you'll see he's not so bad after all.

All Grant Applications Are Not Created Equal - No, for your sake and the sake of others, don't start with a federal grant application! My word, anyone would be discouraged if that was a first attempt. They don't have all the money. Last year, privair griffey max 1 freshwater 2011 ate foundations and corporations gave away $56 billion dollars. And how did the nonprofits that got this money get it? Right! You're catching on - they filled out an application! And it didn't end up looking like a rival to War and Peace. Many applications are only 2-4 pages.

No Ph.D. is Required in Writing Grants - Like any other method of fund raising, grant writing is simply a series of steps. You know those special events that your organization is so fond of? Just like you have a checklist of to-do items for those, grant writing also follows a logical sequence. Sure, writing grants is a learned art and technique but practice makes perfect and anyone can succeed when dedicated.

Writing Grants Takes No More Time Than Any Other Method of Fund Raising - Invariably, I always get the "I don't have time to write grants." Really? You don't have time to invest in the future good of your organization? This perception always breaks my heart because I'd love to know exactly what is being done with that time. My bet is that it isn't being spent counting a lot of money. Sure, there's an initial investment in time in preparing your grant application but so much can be turned into boilerplate material that can easily be inserted into multiple applications resulting in tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars. You don't have time for that?

If you're not so scared of the bad boy now, learn more about winning grant writing techniques here: http://www.yourgrantauthority.com/ga/products/newsletters/sign-up-for-my-e-newsletter.html. You'll get 60! of my best grant writing tips that will have you writing like a pro in no time.