One of the first conversations I have with a new client is how grant funding is a marathon, not a sprint.
If my monthly retainer is $3,000/month, I prepare them that they may pay me $18,000 before they see a grant check. Better to just rip off the bandaid about these sorts of things.
After the first six months, it only takes one $20K grant to break even and everything else will put them in the black.
These conversations can be challenging, but getting them grant ready, researching aligned grant opportunities, completing grant proposals, and waiting for notification dates take time. TONS OF TIME.
Grant Writing Tip of the Day
Resist the urge to rely on templates or recycled content from previous proposals without customizing it to suit the new grantmaker perfectly.
I explain that grant writing has a snowball effect. Getting it going can be a slow process, but once it takes off, it keeps rolling.
Winning the first grant allows me to leverage that grant to win other grants. Many grants allow non-profits to reapply the following year, so that’s a win.
For organizations that are adding a Grant Revenue line item to their budget for the first time, they can expect that number to increase by at least 20% each year for the first few years.
I could apply for 15 grants over the next three months, but I won’t know if I won any of them for at least three additional months. If my client hangs in there through the slow, painful beginning, they will likely receive a windfall of grant checks of at least $65,000 in 3-6 months.
It is also smart to manage expectations. My grant success rate is around 35%. Out of 15 grants, I will receive ten rejection emails. This can be daunting for some organizations that are new to grant funding.
Grant writers and organizations alike are wise to remember that grant funding is a marathon, not a sprint.
Pacing yourself and having endurance will pay off in the end.
Until next time,
Write Epic Grants