Question 1

Can you work off a percentage of the grant?

Accepted Answer

An excellent explanation of why grant writers deserve compensation for their time and expertise (and why certified grant writers do not work on commission) can be found on Spark The Fire's grant writing website.

Question 2

Can you meet with me, my staff, and/or my board of directors?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I offer 30 minutes of free consultation (this includes travel time) and I can meet virtually, or by phone, if that's a better fit for you. Anything beyond that is billable.

Question 3

How much do you charge for your services?

Accepted Answer

I prefer billing on an hourly basis (though I’m open to other arrangements), as this ensures you only pay for what you need. I share my rate during our initial consult, but you can always be assured of a high return on investment and a high rate of satisfaction when you engage my services.

Question 4

Can you start right away?

Accepted Answer

Before starting any work on your behalf, we must first execute a contract based on the services you need. And in order to execute the contract I first need:

Legal business name
Business address
Desired date of hire
Duration of hire (number of days/months/years)
Specific service(s) desired
Name and title of official organization signatory/authority

Question 5

Can you work independently?

Accepted Answer

A successful relationship with a client is a partnership and investment in a credentialed grant professional is a commitment to working alongside them – not independent from them – every step of the way. This approach ensures that all content reflects the real-life scenario within your organization.

Question 6

Can you assist me in starting up my business?

Accepted Answer

Helping a client set up their business is not really where my expertise lies. However, excellent and free resources are available through the Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers.

Question 7

Can I ask for lots of money in my grant application?

Accepted Answer

It depends. While you may want to aim for the stars, most funders want to see an organizational track record of at least two years (they often ask to see your last tax return – Internal Revenue Service Form 990 – because this tells them a lot about the fiscal landscape of your nonprofit organization). They tend to award funds based upon each solicitation’s priorities, including specific geographic areas and award amounts (many provide recommended ranges).

Question 8

If you're not able to help me, can you recommend someone who can?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Grant Professionals Association provides a Directory of Consultants  who belong to the association and abide by our code of ethics (highly recommended). This free directory enables you to search by areas of interest and geographic location. Consultant contact information is provided therein. The Grant Professionals Certification Institute also has a list of grant professionals like me who are Grant Professional Certified (the only accredited credential for our profession), and who've been vetted to meet critical competencies and skills.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions