Finding, writing, managing, and reporting on grants can be a time-intensive commitment for an organization, even if you are already a 501c3 non-profit and hire a grant writing consultant like me. So, the decision about whether to pursue a grant should not be taken lightly.  A few of the tools I provide clients include:

• A checklist with questions to gather information needed for grant applications.

• A rubric to help guide them through the process of determining whether applying for a large foundation or government grant is worth their investment of time and effort. 

• An realistic estimate of the time needed to complete applications prior to starting work. For example, at least 10-15 hours of my time as a grant writer is needed for foundation grant applications and over 25-30 hours for government.

Once you decide to move forward with applying for a government grant within the U.S., there are a few  standardized steps just about any non-profit will have to undertake. In order to register for Grants.gov and apply for any federal funding or funding that originated from it, an organization must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration. A good place to start for instructions is the Grants.gov website: Organization Registration or blog How to Apply for a Federal Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov

When you are applying for a city, county or a federal grant or contract, it is important to have a clear understanding of jurisdictions, elected official representation, and the departments and agencies involved with your work. A good practice is to maintain a file or folder with all the information regularly asked on government grant applications and update it regularly. Links to help you:

• Find my U.S. Congressperson

• Find my U.S. Senator

For California- and Los Angeles-based organizations:

• Find your State Legislator (Senator and Assemblymember) 

• Los Angeles County Supervisors 

• City of Los Angeles Councilperson

• And, check this Secretary of State website to make sure organization is in good standing 

If your organization does not yet have 501c3 status or if you want to assistance for a range of services beyond grant writing, some suggestions include:

• Charitable Ventures provides comprehensive fiscal sponsorship, social impact consulting, and philanthropic fund management services designed to help nonprofits, foundations, and public agencies launch, scale, and sustain community-driven initiatives. 

• Mockingbird Analytics and its Incubator Program for activists, grassroots organizers, and new and emerging nonprofits can help with fiscal sponsorship and has a pool of donor and board development, researchers, IT, marketing and strategic planning professionals.

• CalNonprofits offers research, advocacy and membership services to California's nonprofit community

• And, please feel free to contact me if you have questions.