Grant Writing

If you’ve been in the nonprofit or local government sector for more than a minute, you’ve heard plenty about collaboration. If you’ve listened to the Fundraising HayDay podcast or attended any HayDay Services training, you may have heard me preach about collaboration...

I love the viral protest sign: “So Bad The Introverts Are Here.”  It’s me on a molecular level.  When executive orders, legislative decisions, or policy changes threaten to harm people and communities that nonprofit agencies serve, we must take action, but responding...

Are you a fan of awards, and maybe even awards shows? I totally am. I used to attend an Oscar best picture marathon with friends. The two Saturdays before Oscar night, you’d find me at the local AMC, watching five movies a day, because it was so much more fun to watch...

HayDay Services is bringing you a series of "how-to" articles related to successful grant management.  Part 8: Mistakes Were Made What can go wrong with grant management, and why does it matter? Even with the best intentions and preparation, projects may face delays,...

If I can leave you with one thought today, it’s this: No matter how put together, impressive, knowledgeable, or successful someone appears, they don’t have it all figured out. And yet it’s so easy to think everyone else knows what they are doing, while I am alone on...

HayDay Services is bringing you a series of “how-to” articles related to successful grant management.  Part 7: Procurement One afternoon I needed a break from the tedium of putting words on a page for hours on end, so I headed down to see my friends in the Special...

Ageism isn't just about silvering hair, wrinkling, or having a man your age address you with the dreaded term “young lady.” IYKYK. If you don’t, ask me how I know… Instead, ageism is a multifaceted issue that affects everyone, from young professionals in their...

HayDay Services is bringing you a series of “how-to” articles related to successful grant management. Part 6: Importance of Internal Controls So often, when we think about grant management, we focus on reporting, reimbursement requests, and documenting all the work...

HayDay Services is bringing you a series of “how-to” articles related to successful grant management.  Part 5: OMB Changes If you manage federal grants in any way, shape, or form, then the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements...

HayDay Services is bringing you a series of "how-to" articles related to successful grant management. Part 4: Importance of Risk Management Like eating broccoli, bike helmets, changing air filters, and replacing aged smoke detector batteries, risk management for...

I never thought that a podcast can actually predict the future, but our newest Fundraising HayDay episode all about the power and need for inclusive language was recorded at the 2024 Grant Summit in November. Amanda and I had the privilege of interviewing three...

HayDay Services is bringing you a series of “how-to” articles related to successful grant management. Part 3: Managing Public vs. Private Grants When teaching an intensive federal grant management workshop, I often look out and see one of two reactions: eyes glazed...

While I’m a big believer in professional development to improve my skills as a grant professional, it actually took the suggestion of my business partner, Kimberly, to even consider the idea of hiring a professional coach. I don’t know what my holdup was. Actually, I...

My childhood was blessed. I was born into a family of readers, and both my parents encouraged my love of the written word. My parents also taught me that words have power. I can choose to use my words for good or not. Either way, my words have consequences. There is a...

For many grant professionals, we are the only one with “grant” in our title at our organization. That means there are often few (or maybe zero) positions for advancement, unless we want to move into a different line of work. I know grant professionals who have been...

As we are writing this blog post, things are changing left and right. This is our most up-to-date information as of January 29, 2025, at 1:36 pm Eastern. And no, we are not being overly dramatic, things are changing by the hour this week, so it’s important to note the...

Years ago, when I was trying to grow my consulting business with clients looking to hire someone to help with grant prospect research and proposal development, I was worried about bringing in enough money each month. In response to those fears, I said yes to just...

HayDay Services is bringing you a series of “how-to” articles related to successful grant management. Part 2: Building a Grant Management Team Let's get one thing straight: grant management isn't a solo sport, and neither is grant writing. Gone are the days when...

If you’ve spent more than 10 minutes talking grants with me, I’ve said that 80% of grant writing is not about actual writing. Communication skills play an essential part in 80% of non-writing. That’s why Amanda and I were thrilled to kick off Season 8 (!) of the...

HayDay Services is bringing you a series of “how-to” articles related to successful grant management. Part 1: Importance of Grant Management In the complex landscape of nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and government agencies, grant management stands as...

The grant world can be intense—never more so than right now, as we’re on the cusp of dramatic changes in federal funding, possible profound changes to nonprofits’ statuses, and so much more. Between shifting priorities, tight deadlines, and the constant pressure to...

If you haven’t heard the origin story of the Fundraising HayDay Podcast, the long story short is this: Kimberly and I were meeting regularly for lunch to discuss the grant world and life in general, we were both feeling stuck in a bit of a rut, and I had recently...

Whether you’re a steadfast resolution writer or a tomorrow is another day kind of person, it’s hard to resist the beginning of a New Year as a chance to start afresh. There’s a surprising connection between writing grants and setting New Year's resolutions. Here's...

Have you ever noticed a theme or idea that keeps slapping you in the face? It’s almost as if the universe is telling you to sit up and pay attention. No? Just me? Well, it seems like I’m meant to contemplate my last (nearly) 25 years in the grants profession with the...