Who
is the Principal Grantwriter / Fundraiser?
Michelle S. Mazzola, Owner of Resource Solutions is
our lead fundraiser. Ms. Mazzola has written many successful
grant proposals for a variety of community-based organizations.
She can help you identify funding sources, prioritize grant
prospects, prepare letters of inquiry, write grant proposals,
conduct program evaluations, and prepare progress reports for
the funding entity.
Do we have to be an IRS
approved 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in order to apply for
grant funding?
Yes, a vast majority of grant funding entities do require
that applicants have their federal 501(c)3 nonprofit status.
Some grantors allow those organizations with applications
pending with the IRS to apply for grants. Occasionally, but
rarely, funders will allow organizations with State nonprofit
status to apply for funding. Another consideration, if your
organization is not presently an IRS-approved nonprofit, is to
obtain a “fiscal sponsor” for your project. Resource Solutions
may be able to assist you in funding a suitable partnership.
How do nonprofit organizations such as
ours pay for grantwriting services?
Grant seekers must have money available to pay for a
grantwriter to write a grant proposal.
Grantwriting fees are for an agreed upon rate per
hour or per project. Payment cannot be contingent upon receipt
of grant funds – just as you would not expect to ‘only’ pay a
doctor if s/he cured-you. Since payment for grant-related
expenditures begins after the grant is approved, grantors will
not pay retroactive costs associated with grant proposal
writing.
What does our nonprofit organization
need to do before a grant is written?
Ideally, grant seekers should have their own house in
order – strong board, mission, and vision; matching funds and
partners identified, before undertaking the writing of a grant
proposal. Grant funding agencies usually have specific deadlines
and by the time a new grant is advertised, preparation time may
be limited. Therefore, it is often essential for nonprofits to
be organized and ready to write a grant proposal on short
notice.
How do we find grant funding
opportunities?
Identifying potential funders whose interests match
yours can be very challenging. Resource Solutions can
research prospective funders for your organization, then provide
you with a comprehensive listing of the funders, their deadlines
and method of initial approach, and average size of grant
awards. We will also rank funders as to their likelihood of
funding your organization. Our hourly rate for grant research is
lower than for grant writing.
What is the likelihood of our grant
proposal being funded?
Grantwriting is a difficult and competitive process.
Just filling out the forms and answering the questions is rarely
enough. You need to set your organization apart from all of the
other applicants. Resource Solutions is skilled in helping you
accomplish this task. We have a proven track record, we are good
listeners, and we know how to tell a compelling story that will
grab the attention of funding agencies. Our principal
grantwriter has a 95% grantwriting success rate in past staff
positions. Whereas we cannot guarantee you that your grant
proposal will be funded, we can give you better than average
odds that proposals submitted on behalf of your organization
will be successful.
How long does it take to write a grant?
Grant applications can range from 2 pages to 70+
pages, depending on the funding entity. Thus, it can take
anywhere from two hours to 80 hours to complete these proposals.
In addition, a great deal of research must be conducted in
compiling data, statistics and “story” for the first grant
application. Therefore, it will likely take longer and cost more
to write the first grant proposal than subsequent applications.
Once a specific grant has been identified Resource Solutions can
provide you a timeline and price estimate for writing and
submitting a specific grant to that funding entity.
How involved does our nonprofit entity
need to be in the proposal development process?
Resource Solutions views our work with you as a
partnership. We need to be able to obtain detailed knowledge of
your organization, your community, and your compelling story in
order to craft a successful grant proposal. Your active
assistance in providing data to us also helps you to contain
costs. In addition, by reviewing written drafts you will ensure
that the specific project you want funded, is what is being
proposed to the funder. Together we can achieve your
organization’s goals for a sustainable funding supply.
Once our grant application has been
submitted how long do we have to wait before we get our money?
Generally it takes a minimum of six months after your
application is submitted before you are notified of success and
the money starts flowing to your organization. Sometimes this
money will come up-front as a large check, and other times you
will need to spend the money first, then obtain reimbursement.
What does the funding agency expect
from us?
Once a project has been accepted for funding a
contract is usually signed between the grantor and the grantee.
Generally these clearly outline a list of “deliverables.” In
addition the funding agency will very likely ask for written
quarterly budget & accomplishment reports, annual progress
descriptions, and a final project report. Resource Solutions is
adept at grant administration and working with our clients to
establish evaluation criteria for easy grant reporting.