The Real “Scaries” of Grant Writing

You know what keeps me up at night?

It’s not missing a deadline or a funder asking for three years of audited financials for a $5,000 grant. It’s this: taking on a client who isn’t 100% transparent, because nothing is

spookier than realizing after you’ve signed the contract that the story they told you in the discovery call isn’t the whole damn story.

To be frank, grant writing is built on trust and data. If you don’t give me the real numbers, the actual outcomes, and the honest version of your history, I can’t do my job. And worse, I might accidentally build you a Frankenstein proposal stitched together from half-truths and missing pieces. And let’s be honest, that doesn’t serve you, and it definitely doesn’t win grants.

That’s why I’ve built safeguards into my process. Before we even start, I ask prospective clients to walk through my Grant Readiness Checklist. It’s a one-page guide that lays out exactly what funders will expect to see – everything from your 501(c)(3) letter to your last three years of financials to making sure your GuideStar and Charity Navigator profiles are claimed and up to date. 

And let me make one thing clear: the checklist isn’t about me being picky. It’s about making sure you’re actually positioned to win. Think of it like the flashlight you’d take into a haunted house. It shines a light on everything hiding in the corners, so nothing jumps out later and derails us both, especially when we’re up against a tight deadline. 

However, if you can’t confidently check every single box yet, that’s not a dealbreaker. It just means we have some groundwork to lay before you’re truly ready to go after grants. That prep work almost always strengthens your organization as a whole, and by the time you’re grant-ready, you’ve also built better systems, clearer messaging, and more substantial proof of your impact.

Now, say you do check all the boxes. Even then, I don’t just dive straight into grant writing and hope for the best. The first two weeks of working together are dedicated to what I call a red-flag analysis. During this time, I comb through everything, including your financials, budgets, outcome data, program descriptions, and even your website, with the same sharp eye a grantor will bring to the table.

Why? Because I’d rather uncover the skeletons in the closet before they jump out and derail an application. This step isn’t about blame or finger-pointing; it’s about strengthening our foundation. If I can spot the cracks early, we can patch them long before a funder ever notices. That means fewer surprises, stronger proposals, and way better odds of landing the funding your nonprofit deserves!

Transparency isn’t a weakness. It’s the salt circle that keeps the demons out, a simple yet powerful protection that makes everything safer. When you bring honesty to the table, I can bring the strategy to match. Then, together, we can keep the real monsters (incomplete applications, rejected proposals, wasted time) far, far away!

Happy spooky season, friends! 🎃