There are so many things I love about grant writing- crafting a heartfelt testimonial, opening the award email and screeching with joy, knowing that the money we win is helping the community, and finding the perfect grant for a new project.
But, it can also be soul sucking.
This morning, I received an email informing me that a grant proposal I spent five hours writing was turned in late and would not be considered.
How did this happen? I made a mistake.
The grant funder is a local foundation, and they mail out their applications. Because of the recent hurricanes that hit the area, the application arrived late. I called the foundation to let them know that the application arrived a week late and to let them know that my client experienced flooding during the hurricane. They agreed that the applications were arriving late, and they advised that the deadline was extended to the end of the month, allowing for an extra week.
Well, the information I received on the phone was incorrect. The deadline was not extended, and I was misinformed. I took the word of the sweet lady on the phone, but I didn’t confirm in writing with the grant administrator.
As a result, the grant we submitted will not be considered.
I know better.
My real takeaway is that I am grateful to work for genuine people. My client was not upset with me at all—in fact, I was more upset than she was. She simply said, “A lot of this business is BS, and we have to move past it. Many funders are power-tripping, and we can’t win them all.” I love her!
We all make mistakes and I am sure to make more mistakes in the future. Working for people who honor you as a whole person and appreciate the work you do, even if it isn’t always perfect, is what makes this profession so special.
If you also made a mistake today, extend yourself grace and keep it moving.
Until next time,
Write Epic Grants
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