This is a business.
This is a business.
A Smarter Way to Navigate the Grant Landscape
We take a no-nonsense, reality based approach to fundraising strategy. That sometimes means facing hard truths, and trying new things. Our process covers more than just writing grant applications, too. We’ll be your partners, working with you closely to come up with a plan that works.
How We Work:
Face Reality.
Face Reality.
The reality is that most not-for-profits just don’t have a solid plan to grow their fundraising base. You have to prioritize, and to prioritize you need to understand (and accept) the reality of your situation. This is where we start.
Work Smarter.
Work Smarter.
The best way to waste a ton of resources is to apply for every grant you come across. This shotgun-approach to fundraising wastes more money than it raises, and it burns you out. Knowing where your effort is best used and when not to apply for grants makes your life easier and your fundraising more lucrative.
Use real data.
Use real data.
Most of the time we do things because that’s just what we’ve always done. We know there’s a better way: track your progress and use real data to inform your decision making. You don’t need to make it up as you go.
Ask questions.
Ask questions.
Why do we think we need to do this? Asking yourself why you’re doing what you do is the fastest way to see if it’s a waste of your time. Your actions should align with your goals. We’ll help you understand your goals and ask you the right questions to see if we’re moving in the right direction to reach them.
Try new things.
Try new things.
Stale strategies are the most common cause of a drop in fundraising. We bring you new ideas and approaches to help refresh your approach to make sure you aren’t leaving money on the table.
Keep going.
Keep going.
So your application was rejected. That must mean you failed, right? Wrong. Every rejection is just another data point to help you improve your approach to fundraising. We’re on your team, and we won’t let you quit if you start to lose hope. There’s always another thing we can try.
Service and Experience.
Service and Experience.
We Prioritize our partners and make your goals our own.
If there’s a secret to Grantsimple’s success, it’s our partnership approach. We don’t see you as a client, we see you as an extension of our own business. Your goals are our goals and your success is the only path to our success. We’re in it together, through the ups and downs, giving you a reliable partner you can count on every step of the way.
We literally can’t do it without you. After you work with us, we think you’ll feel the same way.
when the same-old plan isn’t working,
you need a new plan.
when the same-old plan isn’t working,
you need a new plan.
We use innovative and modern approaches to fundraising
Data & Analytics
Data & Analytics
It’s the 21st century. There’s really no reason to guess at what the best strategy is for your needs. We use detailed, robust data and analytics to inform planning and decision making, meaning we aren’t just taking shots in the dark and hoping something hits.
Forecast Outcomes
Forecast Outcomes
We really don’t like to tell partners to just “trust us.” That’s why we work with detailed datasets to forecast fundraising opportunities, success rates and plan for an array of possible outcomes. Don’t just trust us, trust the data.
Leverage AI
Leverage AI
Emerging technology provides an opportunity to process and interpret data in a completely new way. We aren’t about to abandon human-led strategies or argue you shouldn’t network with your funding base, but we also don’t want to ignore a powerful new tool we can use to help you find success. We’re experimenting with and implementing new tools all the time, meaning you get cutting-edge work without needing to become an expert in everything.
There are No Dumb Questions.
There are No Dumb Questions.
FAQs
What is your success rate in securing grants?
Grant writing is highly competitive. Since many organizations are vying for the same limited funding, even the strongest applications sometimes don’t get funded. Success can depend on factors beyond anyone’s control, so our focus is on building your organization’s capacity to prioritize what matters most: cultivating relationships with funders and stakeholders.
Strong relationships are key to unlocking sustainable funding streams and long-term revenue growth. By outsourcing the time-intensive process of grant writing, your team gains the freedom to focus on these connections, while we ensure your applications are strategic, compelling, and aligned with your goals. Together, this approach maximizes both your impact and your ability to secure funding over time.
Do you provide assurance that funding will be secured?
No, we don’t provide assurance that funding will be secured. Our role is to provide expert grant writing services, ensuring applications are strategic, compelling, and aligned with funder priorities.
The decision to fund ultimately lies with the grantors, but we focus on delivering high-quality submissions to give your organization the best chance of success.
How involved will our team need to be in the grant writing process?
We are partners. Grant writing is a collaborative effort. While we handle the heavy lifting, we rely on your team to provide essential details, data, budgets, and program information to create strong, compelling applications. If these elements aren’t clear to us, they won’t be clear to funders.
As your partners, we’ll streamline the process as much as possible, but communication and collaboration are key. Your team should expect to dedicate 5-15 hours per month to ensure we have everything needed to submit the strongest applications possible. Together, we’ll create strong, strategic applications that reflect your mission and goals.
What are the common reasons for grant rejections?
Grant rejections can happen for various reasons. Common reasons include financial concerns, such as appearing too reliant on grants, or misalignment with the funder’s mission, which isn’t always clear from their guidelines. Funders may also have doubts about an organization’s capacity to implement the project or manage funds, or they may view budgets as unrealistic or insufficiently detailed. Overly ambitious projects or proposals lacking clear, measurable outcomes can also face rejection. Timing can also play a role—submitting too close to the deadline or during a highly competitive funding cycle may reduce the chances of success. Lastly, competition is a major factor, as limited funding means even strong applications may not be selected.
