Do we need a professional grant writer?
I get this question all the time. The answer is different for every agency and your decision to work with a consultant or professional grant writer should align with your needs and goals.
- Review your goals. Most agencies have a vision. They know that rather than offering services to a small group of community members, they would like to see it expanded. However, it is helpful to have a more specific goal in mind. By having clearly defined goals, you are demonstrating that you are grant ready and it will help decide which funding opportunities to pursue.
- Assess the skills of your team. Young agencies always have a unique team composition. It is important to assess who is on your team and what skills they offer. For grant writing, do you have someone who is detail oriented, who networks well, and who has strong writing skills? Are they willing to learn more? In this instance, grant coaching might be appropriate. On the opposite side of that, do you find that you have a team comprised 100% of volunteers? They spend their days at their careers and pour their hearts into the agency with their free time. In this instance, it may be nice to have the support of a grant writer until the composition of your agency’s team changes.
- Define your needs. The decision to work with a grant writer can be intimidating. Agencies contemplating if this is the right fit are often in their infancy. Resources are limited and spending money on something other than services can seem counterproductive. Make a list of everything you need support with. Do you need help with editing or composing a strong proposal? Do you need help setting your goals? Or, do you need help understanding grant speak: letters of intent, RFAs, Notice of Awards, etc.?
- Compare the skill set outlined in step two to the needs defined in step three. If you find that you can pair many of your needs with a team member, you may be able to take services in house. If you find that your list from step three greatly exceeds the list in step two, your agency may want to consider a professional grant writer.
If you’d like to talk about ways you might be able to utilize a grant writer for your agency, I offer a free consultation to explore your needs. Request yours through my contact page.
