Frequently Asked Questions.

It varies. Some proposals—mostly foundation grants—take just a few hours. But most take longer. It depends on the scope of the program and funder requirements.

Federal proposals usually require a team of people and 60 or more hours to complete. However, the returns can far exceed the initial investment.

We’ve written successful federal proposals for 25 years and 10 government agencies. Writing federal proposals is not for everybody…but we enjoy the complexity.

Especially with federal proposals, much of the work comes before the writing, and a skilled Grants Consultant is really a dynamite Project Manager (or Chief Cat Herder). But, we’ve seen over and over how federal grants can open new doors for successful applicants.

Success rates only tell one part of the story. Honestly, they’re not a great way to evaluate the talents of a Grants Consultant or any grant writer.

Having said that, I will say our career success rate is high. That’s because we do our homework and we make sure to pursue opportunities and funders that are a good fit for your organization. Otherwise, you will have about as much success as nailing jello to the wall.

We offer a variety of pricing structures: retainer, project-based, and hourly. And our rates are different for foundation proposals and federal proposals.

Our fees are on the upper end of the Grants Consultant rates because of our wide range and depth of experience. Hiring a good Grants Consultant is an investment in your mission.

We can absolutely work with you to develop a case for support or boilerplate information that can be repurposed for different proposals. Because no two funders are alike, almost every proposal will need to be customized to some degree.

Many nonprofits feel like they’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole when writing a proposal to fit funder requirements. It shouldn’t be that way.

When a funder is a good fit, we can feel it in our bones. Knowing where and when to apply takes time, hard work, and homework. We are willing to help!

Yes! We love compliance regulations almost as much as pulling together a fantastic proposal. That’s a rare quality that baffles most people! We also view reporting as an opportunity to learn what’s working and, if necessary, course correct.

At present, I do not work with for-profit clients. I also do not work with clients unwilling to go through at least a brief exploratory call to determine if we are the right fit for each other.