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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Can You Include In-Kind in Your Grant Budget? Here's What I Tell My Clients
One of the questions I get from clients — and from grant writers helping their clients — is some version of this: "We have a lot of in-kind support. Can we include it in our budget?"
The short answer is almost always yes. But the longer answer, which is the one that actually helps your organization, involves understanding which budget you're talking about, how in-kind is valued and documented, and what funders are actually looking for when they set those minimum budget thresholds.
Let me walk you through what I've seen in 25+ years of this work, including some examples that still stick with me.