Retain us for comprehensive grant writing and long-term results

We will get you grant ready, curate a grant prospect list, create a stellar standard grant narrative, write compelling grants, and manage your grant pipeline. We love long-term work with clients because that's how we always see the biggest results. Contracts are 6-month or 12-month agreements and may be renewed indefinitely. Our packages start at $3,000 per month for 6 months or $2,750 per month for 12 months. Contact us to learn more about our Ascend packages.

01

Onboarding

Our onboarding process is designed to get our team quickly up-to-speed on your work and your funding needs. Although we use over a dozen proprietary templates to create the best results and experience for our clients, our approach is not a templated approach. At the same time, we know every single client is unique. We’ll work with you to explore, research, and understand your needs. We nurture collaborative relationships through weekly summary emails and monthly strategy meetings with every retainer client.

02

Grant Readiness Accelerator

Before we start writing grants, we'll make sure you're grant ready. This process includes an information gathering session; review of current materials; and creation of a customized grant readiness checklist and instructions for creating assets. If you don't yet have your federal registrations with SAM, DUNS, and Grants.gov, we'll take care of that for you. We'll also help you register your nonprofit with Guidestar or improve your Guidestar rating.

03

Grant Prospecting

We don't apply for just any grant. We only apply for the grants you are both eligible and well-qualified for using our proprietary grant decision matrix and data analysis and paid grants databases. This service includes a goal-setting session; review and assessment of your current grant portfolio; identification of 25-30 qualified grant opportunities; and a creation of a grant strategy spreadsheet, with prospect assessment, tracking, and strategy table of funding needs.

04

Standard Grant Narrative Creation

This service includes writing a new general narrative that includes all of your organization's basic information in one place, multiple versions of your organization's mission and history, an expertly researched and argued statement of need, comprehensive program designs for every program within your organization, budget revision, and the compiling of a folder of common grant attachments. Standard grant narratives range from 30-50 pages long and serve as the cornerstone of your grant materials for years to come. This will be completed by the end of the first 6 months of working together.

05

Grant Writing & Submission

We draft, revise, and edit grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and concept notes for you. Each retainer package includes a different number of submissions per quarter. This service also includes assistance with ideation and program design, budgeting, compiling attachments, soliciting letters of support or partnership, and submitting the application. We have a wide range of experience with foundation, state, federal, and international grants.

06

Grant Pipeline Management

We know you're busy. That's why we do more than submit grants. We manage your entire pipeline. Here's how:

• We design a scope of work at the beginning of each quarter that lists each grant opportunity, corresponding grant amount, which funding goal or program it will fund, and due dates for each grant. 
• We create and update a grant strategy sheet that maps out which grants we will request for which program or funding need, the dollar amount required for each program or funding need, and amounts requested and amounts awarded be tracked and calculated there to show which funding needs are covered and which remain to be funded.
• We draft emails for you to reach out to any of the grantmakers on your scope of work for the quarter. We will write the email and then ask that you send it from your email address with your grant writing associate CCed. It’s always better for the nonprofit leader to develop the grantmaker relationship by sending the initial outreach.
• We will attend one (1) grant informational session or one (1) meeting with a prospective grant funder per month. You must also be in attendance at the prospective grant funder meeting. Additional meeting attendance may be available for an additional fee. 
• We will track your grants, LOI’s, and other submissions on your grant tracker and grant strategy sheet. We will update these materials as new information and dates are released by the grantmaker and as your priorities and needs change.
• We'll write your grant reports, including interim/progress reports and final reports. We also do graphic design of the reports when appropriate. This may be swapped out for the equivalent grant or LOI or could be added on for an additional fee, depending upon the retainer package selected.