Spark the Fire
Grant Writing Blog
Skills, ideas, and sometimes contrarian views for grant writers and freelance consultants who want to get better at the work, not just get through it. Centering purpose, not hustle.
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Proposal craft, funder psychology, and the positioning choices that win.
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Credentialing, career moves, and staying sharp in the field.
Outputs vs. Outcomes: How to Show Funders You're Making a Real Difference
The "Six, Seven" Problem: Why Your Grant Proposal Isn't Getting Funded
What Grant Reviewers Actually Look For (From Someone Who Reviews Grants)
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Spice it up!
Does it feel like the grant proposals you're writing are getting old and tired? Maybe you've been working for the same organization for a number of years and writing proposals for the same programs month after month. If you can recite from memory the first three paragraphs of the last grant proposal you wrote, it's time to spice things up! Here are some tips for freshening up your writing and reinvigorating your passion for your organization's mission.
If You've Met One Foundation, You've Met One Foundation
Writing grants is like dating. Just because something worked in one relationship, doesn't mean it's going to work with the next. Each relationship is unique, unpredictable, exciting, and... sometimes heartbreaking. Nonetheless, when we write grants to foundations, we have to be vulnerable while presenting our best qualities. Ready for some dating advice for foundations?