a day in the life of a grant writer

As a Grant Writer, my job is to craft the best grant applications possible so our clients have all the resources they need to succeed at their missions. Even though my title is grant “writer,” preparing a successful grant goes far beyond just the writing, and I also wear the hats of “researcher,” “editor,” “data collector,” “trouble-shooter,” and “collaborator”-just to name a few. From start to finish, my fingerprints are on each step of a grant, and at any given time I have at least three grants pending per client, all at different stages of the lengthy process. I work from home and have a lot of flexibility, but my job requires excellent multi-tasking and time-management skills. This becomes especially important for me personally, as I have a roommate who is fussy about her schedule and is in constant need of attention. She is also three months old.

My work day begins somewhere between 7:00 and 8:00 am, and I start with drafts that I am actively in the process of writing. I write most fluidly when I can work without interruption, so even though I don’t need to start work at a specific time, I like to take advantage of these quiet hours before baby is up for the morning. This is where I do the bulk of the writing, using recently completed grants to guide my work. While I have language from previous grants I can utilize, a successful proposal is thoughtfully tailored to the funder’s specific focus. Each question is crafted to tell the story of the organization and illustrate how they are a best fit. That process takes time. Along with writing the narrative, I also try to determine what additional information could help strengthen the proposal. Do we have statistical data that accurately demonstrates the need that is being addressed? Do we have demographic information or testimonials that show the organization is reaching the community it intends to serve? Are the program goals measurable and reflective of the change the organization wishes to make? Once a first draft is complete it is sent to my Strategist teammate for review.

After baby goes down for her mid-morning nap, I log back on and see that teammates in other time zones have started their day as well. By now, I have a couple of previously completed drafts in my inbox that have been reviewed, and I use this time for collaboration and editing. Every draft goes through at least two phases of review and editing. The first is for teammate feedback and corrections. Once I receive a draft back, I respond to comments, make appropriate edits, and clean up the language. After a draft is polished up, it is sent off to the client for their feedback. Often, we need additional information from the client, or the feedback they supply changes the direction of the grant, sometimes taking it back to square one. We try to send out drafts as early as possible to account for the time this back and forth can take.

I use afternoon work time to focus on tasks involving grant research and data collection. While the writing and editing process are the largest portion of my job, there is a lot of work that goes into a grant before a draft can even be started. A successful proposal starts with ensuring that the client’s work and mission match a prospective funder’s interests. Nonprofit Navigators utilizes Instrumentl, a grant search engine, to track and research potential funders. Aside from alignment, there are a slew of other factors that can determine if a prospect is worth pursuing. Is the funder location specific, and where has most of their funding gone in recent years? Are they prioritizing one focus area over another? Do they prefer funding small organizations or ones with larger budgets? Do they prefer awarding funds for general operations or specific projects? Has the application process or organization eligibility changed since last year? Often these questions can be answered by searching through the funder’s information on Instrumentl or by browsing their website, but sometimes deeper digging is required. I may need to attend an information session or call the funder to ask questions about alignment. Establishing a relationship with the funder is always a bonus.

After determining that a prospect is worth pursuing, I check the application process. Ensuring that the finished product is submitted correctly, on time, with all the required material, requires planning in the beginning stages. Most applications are submitted through an online system and I start the process of creating a login for the client or making sure their current login information is still up to date. I start this right away because sometimes establishing or resetting login information can take several days. Once I can log in to the system and see the application, I can create a “mock-up” document of all the application questions. This later becomes the draft document that gets shared with the client. I also check the required attachments to make sure we have everything that is needed. This gives the client plenty of time to collect the required documents if there is something missing. It also sets me up well to start the writing process the following day.

With all the parts that must come together, it is a relief when I finally get to submit a grant. By the time a submission deadline rolls around, I have already been working on a proposal for a couple of weeks to a couple of months. All that is left to do is copy the grant narrative into the online system and make sure all the required documents are attached. After one last read-through, I can finally hit the submit button. I always get a little celebratory when I submit a grant, partially because I feel the satisfaction of a job well done, but also because I know I am doing something that makes a difference.

Grant writing allows me to provide for my family. It allows me to spend extra time nurturing my daughter as she grows. It allows me the flexibility to care for myself as I transition into parenthood. But just as importantly, it allows me to do all these things while still contributing to something bigger than myself. At Nonprofit Navigators we care deeply about the work our clients are doing in their communities. That is why every aspect of the grant writing process is handled with professionalism and attention to detail. From start to finish, we take the time and effort to ensure every proposal we submit has the best possible chance of being funded. If you would like to know more about our work, please contact us at (303)910-9415, or email our President at Lara@Nonprofitnavigators.net .