Quick Wins for Grant Momentum
with Allison Jones, M.Ed., GPC
Spark the Fire Grant Writing Classes
When you’re wearing multiple hats and funding is tight, building fundraising momentum can feel impossible. This fast-paced session delivers “quick win” strategies designed to help small nonprofit fundraising teams shift from stop-and-start activity to a steady stream of grants.
You’ll learn how to design a grant calendar that strengthens organizational stamina, structure team collaboration so it doesn’t stall, and select funders strategically to maximize your limited time. Whether you’re brand new to grants or seeking to stabilize your approach, this short, practical session will equip you with tools you can use right away.
By the end, you’ll know how to:
Define a grant calendar and explain how it builds fundraising momentum.
Identify small but impactful team strategies that keep grant efforts moving.
Align funder selection with organizational capacity and long-term goals.
Thank you for joining me! Here are your free downloads 🎉
As a participant in this virtual session, you now have access to Spark the Fire’s practical tools to keep your grant efforts moving forward. Download your copies below and start putting them to work with your team today.
Use coupon code MNAMOMENTUM at checkout to download your resources for free.
The Go-No-Go Grants Assessment is a practical, structured tool designed to help individuals and organizations evaluate grant opportunities with confidence and clarity. By breaking down key factors into a weighted scoring system, the tool simplifies complex decisions, ensuring your organization pursues only the opportunities that align with your mission, capacity, and strategic priorities.
This assessment includes 14 thoughtfully crafted questions that address critical aspects of grant evaluation, such as:
Mission Alignment: Does the funder’s mission resonate with your organizational goals?
Strategic Fit: Is the project part of your strategic plan or a new but essential priority?
Capacity Assessment: Do you have the expertise, staffing, and time to execute and report on the project effectively?
Financial Considerations: Does the potential funding outweigh the effort required to apply, and can you meet matching requirements or indirect cost recovery needs?
Each question is scored on a scale from 0 to 4, with critical factors weighted more heavily. The scoring system results in an overall numerical rating that provides clear thresholds for decision-making:
Go (40–56 points): Strong alignment and readiness—proceed with confidence.
Neutral (28–39 points): Consider carefully; there are risks that need mitigation.
No-Go (0–27 points): Significant misalignments; it’s better to focus on other opportunities.
The assessment is collaborative by design, allowing teams to discuss each factor and ensure no single person bears the full responsibility for the decision. By engaging in this process, your organization can save time, focus resources, and increase your chances of success with grants that truly fit your mission and capacity.
Whether you’re an experienced grant writer or new to the field, the Go-No-Go tool is an invaluable resource for making informed, strategic decisions about which grant opportunities to pursue.
This E-book contains a proven strategy for meeting grant deadlines in a competitive grant writing landscape. In just 50 days, go from discovering a grant opportunity to submitting it two weeks early. A timeline of tasks and related tools is included.
Here is your Free Three-Week Trial to Instrumentl
Ready to Go Deeper?
Take the next step in your grant writing journey with Spark the Fire’s Certificate in Grant Writing Course. This comprehensive, assessment-based program walks you step by step through finding opportunities, writing proposals, building relationships with funders, and understanding ethics and grants management.
The Fall Quarter 2025 cohort begins September 30th and meets on Tuesdays for eight weeks. By the end of the course, you’ll have a complete, polished grant proposal for the organization of your choice—and the skills to write winning proposals with confidence. Register by September 23rd.
Prefer to learn on your own schedule? Enroll anytime in the Self-Paced Certificate in Grant Writing Course and complete the program within six months of starting.
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Contact Info:
Allison Jones, CEO & Founder
Spark the Fire Grant Writing Classes
allison@sparkthefiregrantwriting.com
(206) 734-6521
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