What did I know about grants when I sat down to work on my very first proposal? Not. One. Thing. Here are three things I'm glad I didn't know. They helped me get that first grant - and if you're a Grants Newbie like I was, they may help you too!  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: For Newbies; Grantmaker Goggles; Proposal-Building 

I learned a lot of lessons the hard way as a rookie grantseeker. And, Dear Newbie, you will too. The learning curve is steep. But good news! You can profit from my mistakes - and I hope you will. Here are two mistakes to get you started!  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: For Newbies 

Ever wish you had x-ray vision into the mind of grant reviewrs and grant decision-makers, so you could see your proposal the way they see it? Good news - now you do. Put on your Magic Grantmaker Goggles and let's take a peek!  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: Grantmaker Goggles; Proposal-Building 

As diligent grants magic-makers, we're used to asking "How well does what we're setting out to do match the mission of Grantmaker A, B, or XYZ?" But there's more to good stewardship in GrantsWorld than simply finding a strong mission match.  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: Finding Funders; For Newbies

Healthy grants success is all about managing our grants work in a way that gives our proposals the winning edge. Here at GrantsMagic U we call this "The Grantsmanship Game." It's a serious game to be sure - and it's well worth learning how to play it well.  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: For Newbies; Proposal-Building 

Once we push "submit" and our proposal disappears into The Grantmaker's Black Box, it's out of our hands - and on its way through the qualifying rounds. The question is, how can we make sure we get it into the finals round - with an A+ proposal?  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: For Newbies; Grantmaker Goggles 

You've probably heard the old vaudeville joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. In GrantsWorld, the question becomes: How do we find the grantmakers most likely to say an enthusiastic "yes!" to our proposal?  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: Finding Funders; For Newbies 

Catch a grumpy grantmaker at the end of a tough week and you never know what you'll learn. Years ago, a four-word plea from a beleaguered Federal program officer changed how I thought about grantwriting ... for good. Will it do the same for you?  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: Grantmaker Goggles; Proposal-Building 

Let's face it: Proposal writing can be one tough game. Do you long for guidance, maybe a little encouragement, or at least some constructive criticism? Look no further: We talked to your critics - the funders themselves. Here's what they told us.  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: For Newbies; Grantmaker Goggles; Proposal-Building 

An outside-the-box partnership can give your grant proposal just the spark to make the reviewer say "Wow - haven't seen this before!" And that spark can mean the difference between a "Hmm ... maybe ..." and an enthusiastic "Heck yes!"  | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: Grantmaker Goggles; Partnering for Grants Success 

The poor fellow just wasn't getting it. A volunteer with a rural fire department, he'd come to my grants class with a clear purpose in mind: Get funding for his fire department's accreditation process. The problem was, he'd forgotten the real why behind the ask. | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: Proposal-Building 

It's tough enough for well-established organizations to get grant dollars for their programs. What can a "new kid" do to get off to a good start? Here's the advice and encouragement I gave a Total Grants Newbie with a big passion and a lot to learn. | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: For Newbies

One of the stickiest issues for folks at every level in GrantsWorld is that of how to develop strong, solid, funder-friendly outcome statements. Good news - we've got a straightforward, infinitely repeatable step-by-step power formula for that! | Continue Reading |

CATEGORIES: Proposal-Building