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I get a lot of calls and emails from folks who have a great idea for a service they want to provide to the community, but for various reasons I advise them that as a start-up they have almost no chance of attaining grant funding. The typical response is, “How does any...

Every grant maker has different requirements and timetables for reviewing grants. Some foundations will accept applications on a rolling basis. Bust most review grants on a quarterly, annual or semi-annual basis.  If you are considering submitting grant proposals you should be...

Consider this scenario: You are an energetic social entrepreneur with a great idea to help your community. So you register a non profit 501c3 organization (may take 2-8months) and are ready to go. So you figure the next step is to write a grant, right? Wrong. Wrong for two...

This is from the Pinkerton Foundation website. This is a great representation of what foundations consider when evaluating a proposal from an organization that is new to them. The Foundation receives many more proposals than it is possible to fund. Preference is given to those...

The issue of collaboration and partnerships arises quite frequently in discussions I have with my clients. Working together with complimentary organizations makes sense for three very pragmatic reasons: 1) Why re-invent the wheel? If another organization is doing similar work,...

This article gives a nice summary of the grants that are available for pump-out facilities (ie: marinas) in Rhode Island, and what you have to do to qualify. Essentially it is a program to reduce point-source sewage discharge from vessels by establishing land-based  pump-out...

I frequently get asked if I will work on commission. I do not, because the arrangement does not work for me, personally, and most of the time I think it is a bad idea for the client as well. As an organization looking to raise funds, especially a start-up, the idea of finding...

I have been getting a lot of calls lately from folks who want me to help get them grants to start a business. Most of the time I have to issue bad news: there is no free money! Contrary to what you hear on infomercials or see on the internet – there is not a pile of free...

Ambition is a great thing, but remember to temper it with a dose of reality. I work with many start-ups, so this post pertains mostly to that subset of clients. How do you know if you are ready to write a grant? What are your chances of getting a grant? Here are a few insights...