When you first contact me, I will review the information you submit in your contact form to familiarize myself with your organization. Then, we will have a discovery call to learn more about each other and if we will be a good fit to work together. After our discovery call, I will draft a quoted contract for you to review, approve, and sign.

After all terms of the contract are agreed upon and the contract is signed, we will have an onboarding call. This is where we will go over your current program documentation, previous grant proposals, and any other relevant materials. We will make a strategy to move forward with updating them or creating new ones if necessary. This step is also when I will take time to build a deeper understanding of your organization, its programs, and your financial goals.

This is when I will create a standard grant template that will consolidate and organize the details of your organization and program to make telling your story more efficient. If you already have a standard grant template, we will spend time updating and editing it to make sure it is ready for the next step. In some cases, we may create a list of responses to the most frequently asked questions on grant applications in addition to developing the standard grant template.

Once we feel organized and prepared to approach funders, I will conduct in-depth research to find the best funding opportunities for your organization. I will create a grant calendar and funder database that will help us keep track of deadlines and funder information. This will help us create a strategy to move forward with funder engagement and proposal submissions. Steps 1 – 3 often happen simultaneously during the first 21 – 30 days of the contract start date. Prospect research continues to occur in steps 4 and 5 as well.

In this step, I will use the information we gathered to develop strong proposals and submit them to high probability funders. Before submitting any proposals to a funder, you will have the opportunity to send me feedback and to request edits or revisions. We will discuss the submission process and agree on which one of us will submit the final drafts to the funder. Grant proposal development typically begins after the first 21 – 30 days, or after steps 1 – 3 have been completed first.

After each proposal is submitted, I will update our records, monitor for responses or requests, and follow up with the funder as needed. In this step, I will also assist you with following the funder’s requirements for submitting future progress or end-of-grant reports.