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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Grant Strategy

Proposal craft, funder psychology, and the positioning choices that win.

Freelance Business

Pricing, contracts, scope, and running a sustainable practice.

Grant Research

Prospecting, due diligence, and reading the fine print before you write a word.

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Professional Growth

Credentialing, career moves, and staying sharp in the field.

Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 6/8/25 Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 6/8/25

8 Budget Tips to Strengthen Your Next Grant Proposal

Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 1/5/25 Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 1/5/25

What is the Best Way to Learn Grant Writing?

Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 11/24/24 Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 11/24/24

The Perfect Recipe for Grant Writing Success

Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 8/25/23 Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 8/25/23

Throwing in the Towel

You know that foundation that never returns your calls? The one you keep sending proposals to that never responds? You've poured over the foundation's 990-PF and its Foundation Directory Online profile. You've scoured the Web for information about its staff and giving. And everything you've found gives you reason to believe that if the good people at the foundation would just read your proposal, they'd want to invest in your organization. But you're still hanging on the telephone. Before you throw in the towel and decide to invest your time elsewhere, here are some things to keep in mind

Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 7/17/23 Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 7/17/23

12 Tips for Filling Out and Submitting Online Applications

Trees everywhere are rejoicing as more and more funders switch from paper to online applications. But for some grantwriters, having to disrupt the flow of their narrative to accommodate character-limited text fields is both inconvenient and cumbersome.

If you're one of those grantwriters, here are some tips designed to make the online application process a little more enjoyable and productive:

Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 3/3/23 Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC 3/3/23

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?