have mentioned that I am growing my freelance grant writing into a grant agency and I am excited to bring on two new clients this week and onboard a new grant writer.
This is exciting news. But, it isn’t always exciting news.
In January, I declined to work with two prospective clients. Declining clients when you are trying to grow a business seems counterproductive. But, it isn’t.
I think of it in the same way that I think of vetting grants. I am not going to apply for a grant if the focus isn’t well-aligned, the grant application process is messy, or the funder has a poor reputation.
Learn more about crappy funding practices here.
Applying for grants you are unlikely to win is bad business.
Working with clients you don’t vibe with is bad business, too.
Here’s why I am selective about who I work with…
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Here are the top reasons why I select clients carefully:
- I need to care about their mission. I can write about anything, but grant writing has a degree of passion that is tough to fake.
- Collaborating with a client is much better than battling with them. If a client doesn’t trust my expertise and challenges everything, it won’t be a good fit.
- If I get the feeling that the organization has unethical practices, I will not work with them. I am putting my name on these grants and need to protect my professional reputation.
- If they haggle over price, they aren’t a good fit for me. I am confident in the value I provide, and my pricing is fair.
- I want them to be my client for years to come. The longer we work together, the more successful we will be. I screen prospective clients based on their commitment to growing a grant budget over the short and long term.
- They want to have too many meetings. “The longer the meeting, the less that gets accomplished.”
Don’t let money or guilt tempt you into working with someone who isn’t a good fit for you.
Until next time,
Write Epic Grants
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