Do you need a grant writer to assist you in the grant research and application process? Are you looking for a professional to compose a grant application, funding packet or mission statement for your nonprofit organization?

Find the perfect grant writer for your and/or your organization's unique needs on GrantWriterTeam.com.

Simply navigate to https://www.GrantWriterTeam.com and click the "Request a Writer" box in the top left-hand corner. 

1. Fill out the Request a Writer form, detailing why you and/or your organization are seeking a grant writer (e.g. research, grant application, crowdfunding, mission statement). Once your $50 administrative fee is submitted, the completed form will be forwarded to all of our grant writers and will be published on our website, though your personal contact information will not be displayed.  

2. You will receive quotes from our grant writers within 24 hours. 

3. Review the qualifications (experience, awarded grants, writing samples, rates, etc.) of the grant writers who submit bids for your grant writer request.

4. Select the grant writer that best suits your specific needs.

5. Your first-choice grant writer will then contact you. 

6. Based on your conversation and negotiation, the grant writer will create a set of deliverables that will define the work plan and fees for your project.

About the Author: Stassi Leopold is a Staff Writer for GrantWriterTeam.com

What Belongs in Your LOI 

The defining intentions of a Letter of Intent are extensive. An LOI contains vital material for both the applying organization and the funding source. Your LOI is your first chance to make a positive, lasting impression on the grantor. A strong LOI will better position your organization to be invited to complete a full grant application.

LOI's are used to provide the funding source with information and insights, which help grantors determine which organizations are most appropriate to apply for their grant. The number of Letters of Intent received and where the LOI's are most commonly coming from also provide the grantor with a scope of how many organizations are interested in the grant. These metrics are used by the funding source to plan for staff and time required to review the upcoming proposals. 

Submitting your LOI places you on the grantor's mailing list, ensuring you will receive any future addendums and modifications for that particular grant, including deadline changes. When crafting an LOI, you must remember that what you include in your letter of intent may determine whether you are invited to submit a full grant application.  The LOI is your opportunity for a great first impression. Don't take this opportunity for granted by submitting minimal information or a subpar presentation.

Take the time (or hire a professional grant writer) to compose an LOI with rich content that explains why your organization is the strongest fit for the grant. Research the funding source for information that will best summarize your organization and eligibility strengths in a way that speaks to the grantor's outlined grant goals. A well-crafted Letter of Intent can make all the difference in the grant application process!

Tips for Writing a Winning LOI (Letter of Intent) 

If there is an application form for the LOI, follow the directions very carefully.

1. Your LOI should be a brief, yet effective one-page letter that summarizes your ultimate full proposal. Depending on the requirements of the funding source, though, your LOI may be as long as three pages. 
2. Your LOI should be structured like a business letter and submitted on professional letterhead. Be sure that your organization or company’s address appears on the letterhead or on the right-hand side. The recipient’s address should appear on the left-hand side of the document. 
3. Use the specific name of the recipient on your LOI.  Avoid using any general terminology such as “Dear Sir” or “To whom it may concern.”
4. The introduction provided in your LOI might be the most important part of your letter. Make sure you have provided a concise, attention-grabbing summary with enticing information to inspire the reader.
5. Don't forget to include the name of your organization. Define the grant you are applying for and/or the amount of money you are requesting. LOI's should also include a short description of the project involved and how your project fits the funder’s guidelines and funding interests.
6. Your LOI is a chance to provide a brief outline of your nonprofit and its related programs and initiatives. Connect what you currently do to what you want to accomplish with the grantor's funding. 
7. Include a description of your ideal population and geographic area.  Incorporate statistical facts about what you are doing and hope to do, as well as specific examples of successes and needs.
8. Briefly elaborate on objectives to stand out from the competition. Describe how you plan on using the funding in a way that best fits the goals of the funder's grant.
9. Describe the project succinctly. Include major activities along with the names and titles of key project staff members to create a personal connection with the funding source; this will place you in a better position to be invited to submit a full grant application. 
10. Always review the LOI guidelines before submitting to ensure you have met all provided requirements of the grantor. Failing to include any of the requested fields of information could cause your LOI to be disregarded.  
11. In closing, thank the funding source for their time and consideration. Use proper business salutations, such as “Sincerely” or “Respectfully.”  Avoid any lengthy or overly friendly closing statements. Be brief, professional and memorable. 

Fact: The terms "Letter of Intent" and "Letter of Inquiry" are interchangeable and one in the same.

Sample LOI's:

Short LOI: http://www.sophisticatededge.com/sample-letter-of-intent-for-a-grant.html

Long LOI: http://www.npguides.org/guide/inquiry_letter.htm 

http://www.sampleletter1.com/intent/letter-intent-grant/

Bonus Tip: Within your LOI, be sure to communicate to the grantor that your nonprofit is ready to show the related projects in person. The grantor should know that you are eager and prepared to show off your grant-related programs first hand.  

May your LOI open the door to your successful winning of grants! 

About the Author: Dane Bengal is a Copywriter for GrantWriterTeam.com

"NEWARK — Every year since 1999, New Jersey Institute of Technology has offered a college-prep program for low-income high school students from Newark who hope to become the first in their family to attend college.

Now, the program may end, not by way of budget cuts or lack of interest but because the university submitted an application for $1.25 million in federal funds and didn't double space it. 

NJIT is among the dozens of colleges and organizations nationwide whose application for the federal Upward Bound program was recently rejected for not following new formatting rules put in place this year, according to the university.  

The U.S. Department of Education's decision means NJIT won't receive the $250,000 in annual funding it anticipated over the next five years and, barring a reversal, the university will be forced to cancel the 65-student program, NJIT said. 

The university will also need to eliminate a position at its Center for Pre-College Programs, it said. 

The decades-old Upward Bound program provides tutoring, counseling and other support for students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education.

In Newark, the program was open to English language learners from East Side High School, Barringer High School S.T.E.A.M Academy and Barringer High School Academy of Arts and Humanities. 

Students had access to Saturday classes in computers, science, math, English, and Spanish at NJIT as well as counseling, mentoring and financial aid workshops, among other opportunities. 

According to the federal government's application guidelines for Upward Bound, titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions may be singled spaced. But all text in the application narrative, including charts, tables, figures, and graphs need to be double spaced, with a specific requirement of "no more than three lines per vertical inch." 

NJIT did not double space its narrative, according to the university." –NJ.com

Here are a few words from the GrantWatch.com and GrantWriterTeam.com Founder & CEO, Libby Hikind on the subject:

My daughter sent me this article to remind me of my early career, when as both a grant writer and an educator, I formed a partnership with an early childhood experienced professional (who was not a grant writer).

I wrote and revised, day and night (with her input) a proposal to the federal government that would align HeadStart; Universal PreK; and other early childhood goals and performance objectives.  It seemed that everyone had their own goals and lists of objectives and the teachers needed to do triple the documentation and planning work for programs that received multiple funding streams for the same child.

The proposal was excellent – BUT!!!!!

I had to make my overseas flight a day before the grant was due. 

I left my document in the hands of my “then partner”, to format the text according to the specific RFP directions (margins, spacing, font, pagination) and to submit. 

I do not know what happened or why? – but I remember feeling a real loss when I received a letter that my grant application was rejected because of formatting errors.

The experience taught me a valuable lesson – early on.  Never let anyone format your final copy.  I am grateful to pass this lesson on to my grant writers on GrantWriterTeam.com

Formatting directions are not optional!! They are mandatory.  Your document must pass the pre-screening or it will land in the circular file (the wastebasket) before anyone of consequence ever sees it. 

About the Author: Staff Writer and Editor for Grant Writer Team and affiliates.

Sources:

This article is dedicated to all the nonprofit organizations that are a bit unclear on the details of how the grant process actually works. I've taken some time to create a quick question and answer guide to provide you with some clarity on how grant writing and the grant application process works. All answers are gathered from our professional grant writers. 

As the coordinator for GrantWriterTeam.com, I have the privilege to hear the hopes, dreams and financial needs of a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, each day. Additionally, I am in frequent contact with our knowledgeable team of dedicated grant writers who are eager to assist in the grant process. I want you to know that grant writing is not as easy as 1,2,3. 

Can you guarantee that I will get the grant? 

NO! Absolutely not. No one is able to guarantee that you will be awarded a grant.

When you hire a grant writer from GrantWriterTeam.com, you'll be working with a professional that is trained to best articulate the needs of your nonprofit. However, that advantage does not mean they can make any guarantees regarding grant approval. Grant approval can only be confirmed by authorized representatives of the funding source.

Will I have immediate access to funds?

Whoa! After your proposal is submitted to the funding source, their committee weeds out the unqualified candidates. This process generally takes 2-3 weeks. If you do not hear anything back within a month, it may be a good sign that you are still in the running.

When you are awarded the grant, the funding source will most probably do a more careful review of your proposed budget.  They will let you know when the check will arrive and/or if there is additional paperwork required to receive the funds. How long this takes varies greatly from government agency to foundations.  We have seen less than thirty days to as long as a year.  There really is no rule of thumb, but patience is a virtue because the money is generally not immediate.

If you are looking for a snap your fingers, ASAP way to receive money for your nonprofit for urgent expenses, grant writing is not the route. 

What can I do to raise funds while waiting on a grant approval? 

To raise funds that support your nonprofit, there are a few options available. You can go to your Board, have a fundraising event or crowdfund your campaign on Uhelpfund.com.

The Uhelpfund.com platform is part of our family of grants websites with a dedicated crowdfunding mentor who is tasked with helping nonprofits launch of their crowdfunding campaigns,

"Seeking and applying for grants combined with crowdfunding is a great two pronged approach to obtain funding!" – Libby Hikind, Founder & CEO

About the Author: Tracy is a Coordinator for GrantWriterTeam.com.

To be awarded grants and become a grant winning organization, you need to focus on perfecting grant seeking and grant writing skills. To do this, first learn where to look for funding and what the funding sources themselves are looking to award money for. 

You can choose to write a grant yourself or to hire a contract grant writer from GrantWriterTeam.com. The consultant from GrantWriterTeam can fully write the grant for you or direct your grant writing team on which grants might be appropriate for your fundraising needs.  

So, before you sit down to write a grant, you must first locate a funding opportunity. Meet with your associates and ask, “What local funders have provided us with funding in the past five years? How is our relationship with them? Can we approach them again?”

One of the best places to search for grants is GrantWatch.com, the affiliated grant search engine of GrantWriterTeam.com. There, you will find grants listed from federal, state, or local agencies and foundations and corporations.

You may not have considered this in the past, but networking with other grant writers may be a way to go. Comment on our Facebook posts or blog and see who joins in the fray. Reach out to successful grant writers and ask them what works. They may have advice for you, depending on the funding source. They will also provide you with pointers on how to organize and write the sections of your proposal. They may tell you to emphasize certain programming and leave out others.

A great grant writing consultant can be found at GrantWriterTeam.com. Just request a grant writer.

In addition, get the word out about your organization. Write and disseminate press releases, go to events to hand out business cards and call your congressional team members. Then, go to your city or county economic development agencies and call your governor’s office to ask about what funding is available for your organization. Sometimes, funding sources are more likely to fund a recognizable name.

It takes a lot to be a winning organization, but with some effort, you could be one too! For help with grant proposal writing, contact GrantWriterTeam.com at (561)249-4129. Through GrantWriterTeam, you could be linked to successful grant writers with knowledge, expertise, and leadership skills. 

How lucky will you be if you are still searching for a required document on the grant deadline date? What type of information will a grant application require or will your grant writer need from you to start preparing your application?

Libby Hikind, Founder and CEO of GrantWriterTeam.com (561 249-4129) recommends,

Organizations should maintain an up-to-date computer and hard copy grant seeker portfolio in a loose leaf binder with sheet protectors,  The portfolio should contain all the documents you might need to apply for a grant.  Locating and perfecting these documents is more time consuming then writing the grant, itself.

Do not wait –  Start gathering documents today. Be ready to apply for grants!

When and if you realize you are missing a document, don't put it off until later. Immediately notify your grant writer or your in-house staff to start preparing or obtaining the document. One of our grant writers will be happy to assist you in the preparation (if it is required by the funding source). Don't procrastinate!! 

Here is a list of copies of original documents you should place in your portfolio to prepare for the grant proposal application process:

• 501c3 IRS Determination Letter
• Incorporation Papers
• Special Government Licenses Needed 
• Board of Directors List
• Organizational Chart
• W9 Form Signed by The Executive Director
• Current Organization Budget
• Recent 990 Forms (For the Past 3 Years)
• Copy of Most Recent Audited Financial Statements
• Non-Discrimination Policy
• Business Continuity of Operations Document or Disaster Plan
• List and Description of Any Current Programs of The Organization 
• Promotional Materials or Articles Previously Written About the Organization.
• Previously Written Grants
• Copies of Measurement Tools Like Pre/Post-Tests
• Resumes, Biographies of Key Staff
• Statistics, Articles, Photos, Surveys Documenting the Community Need for Your Program

With all of this information, a grant writer will be able to whisk through the grant proposal process. 

Inform your GrantWriterTeam.com grant writer of which documents you have and which documents you need assistance with compiling. Every application has different requirements. The grant writer will tell you specifically what each application requires.

You will provide your documents to the writer, on an as-needed basis (do not automatically transfer your entire file). For example, some grants may require a copy of your insurance certificate. He/she will ask you for it to include in the proposal. 

Your time and that of the grant writer has value.  Don't waste it on scrambling for documents, when it could be used to prepare a compelling application.  Start preparing the portfolio today, concurrently while searching for grants on GrantWatch.com.

About the Author: This article was written by a GrantWriterTeam Staff Writer in collaboration with Libby Hikind, CEO and Founder of GrantWriterTeam.com.

When completing a grant application, the name of the game is preparation. For help writing and preparing grant proposals, contact GrantWriterTeam.com where you will be linked with an experienced contract grant writer for hire. Here are some words of wisdom when preparing your grant proposal.

1. Be sure to request all necessary information from the funding source. This may include guidelines, annual reports and other documents. You will have access to this information through GrantWatch.com’s grant details page.
2. Stay local. If you’re a local organization, seek local funding. This is because national foundations are more likely to fund programs that can be replicated nationally.
3. If you are applying for a grant from a local foundation, check to see if your Board is familiar with some of their trustees. Sometimes, they know each other and a single phone call, describing your need, may increase your consideration for the grant.
4. Do not wait until the last minute to write your grant proposal. An application prepared in a hurry, looks like it was prepared last minute.
5. Try to not send more than what the grant application requests or allows. There are some things that may put your application over the top like newspaper clippings of the success of your programs or need in your community, but don’t send what is not allowed. Exceeding page limits can disqualify your application. 
6. If you are awarded the grant, KEEP IN TOUCH with the funding source. This will cement a relationship and future funding.
7.  Some grant applications identify required page length, page margins and typeface. Follow the directions.
8. Verify the required submission method (online, mail, FedEx, fax, DVD, thumb drive, etc.).
9. If there is no application format, check if your funding source uses the “Common Grant Application.”
10. Was there a mandatory letter of intent or mandatory attendance at a conference required?  If the dates have passed, do not apply.  

For an experienced grant writer, request a writer at GrantWriterTeam.com. He/she will create a thorough grant proposal and follow all these suggested guidelines to ensure a great impression of your nonprofit or small business.

Our grant writers are winning grants for clients every day. Become a winning organization, too!

Follow our 3 steps to engage in successful grant writing. Everyone wants the ability to pursue as many grants as possible and win them all! But, you must consider the value of your time and understand that there are many nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals applying for the same grants. Go to GrantWriterTeam and hire a grant writer to help you.

Steps for successful grant writing:

1. Determine if a grant is a good match for you
2. Research past winners of the grant, compare and contrast their needs with your own
3. Hone your writing skills. Take a formal grant writing class. You can sign up at GWI.education and stay tuned.

First, determine if a grant is right for you. Do this by reviewing the size of the grant and eligibility criteria. If you require $10,000 for your programming but the grant is worth $50,000, don’t apply for it. On the reverse side, if you require $50,000 and the grant is for $10,000, apply for a few grants to be able to complete your project.

If a grant requires a 501(c)3 status but you don’t have it, don’t apply for it. That would be a waste of your time and the time of the funding source.

Next, go online! Research past recipients of the grant and consider their programming and goals. It is good to compare your programming with theirs. You might find a pattern in the funding source’s awarding behavior. The funding source could lean toward a method of programming or a goal. For instance, a funding source may say they provide relief to “under-funded” areas but have historically stuck to inner-cities. This would mean if you are in a rural under-funded area, you most likely will not get the grant.

Last, take a formal grant writing class. A good course will teach you some of the following:

• Research and find grants
• The fundamentals of a grant proposal
• Similarities and differences of proposal formats
• The roles and responsibilities of a nonprofit board of directors and management team
• Establishing the need for your proposal
• Writing, editing, proofreading and completing the final proposal document
• Preparing a budget

For upcoming courses from experienced and world-renowned grant writers, sign up for Grant Writing Institute at GWI.education.

After completing these 3 steps, you will be well-prepared for applying for grants. And if you need help, consult a grant writer at GrantWriterTeam.com.