No grant writer is an island!

Sandy K

May 25

4 min read

As a grant writer you have a choice to make.

Do you write alone or do you write with a team around you?

My best work has always been done when I've been working with a team.

In fact, those who know me or have attended my workshops have heard me say 'grants are a team sport!'

I fully believe that. Here are a few reasons why.

Reason number one

My subject matter expertise is 'grants'. Full stop. I know quite a bit about project management, about design projects, about community projects and a whole heap of other project types. But I'm not the one delivering those projects and so I don't have all the information I need to write a competitive grant application. I depend on the team around me and the quality of the information they provide.

Reason number two

Preparing a grant application really does require a thorough understanding of a project. As the grant writer you are presenting your case to an audience (the assessors) who will be familiar with the type of project you are writing about. They will quickly see if you know what you are talking about - or not. The team will, throughout the course of the application process, give you the information that you need.

Reason number three

Burnout in grants is a real thing. If you are writing grants all the time and are taking the lead on every application, preparing all the supporting documents, researching projects and information and writing the application - you will burn out!

Plus, there is no-one to celebrate with when you get the grant. Where's the fun in that!

I'm sure sometimes you will feel like its easier to do something yourself - and sometimes you may have to. But make it an occasional 'something'. You don't want to burn out.

If you decide to go take the teams approach - there are a few team members you absolutely need! You don't want the team so large it becomes a talk-fest - you need a small, tight team who can get things done.

Key grant team members

A single grant writer is the first key member of the grant team.

This is one writer who has overall responsibility for writing the application. They should either do all the grant writing OR review and edit the writing of others. This will ensure that all text responses in the application have the same 'voice'. This might be you or someone else.

Applications pieced together by multiple writers are usually fragmented in both content and writing style. A single writer will make sure the information is cohesive, making it easier for assessors to read and score.

The project manager/project owner are essential members of the team.

They know the project. And the grant writer needs to know what they know!

This includes what the project will do (project scope), what it will cost (budget) and key project milestone dates (timelines). They will be the ones who prepare many (not all) of the key supporting documents, including a project management plan. The project owner* (or their staff) will most likely provide the other supporting documents.

*Think of the project owner as the person who will take responsibility for 'that thing' after the grant funded project produces/creates or delivers it.

There will be other key people/teams who will influence the application process and project.

Your team may be small – you and the project manager. Or it may be 4 or 5 people, or more.

Regardless of the size of your team there will always others involved.

For example - there are those who approve and sign the application (they will need time to review and approve – so best to keep them in the loop as you are developing and writing). There will also be someone who holds the finance reigns (who will confirm the contributions (cash or in-kind). Depending on your circumstances there may be more - remember you're looking for a small tight team so limit others to those who need to make decisions about the project or grant.

It's absolutely worth a few minutes of your time to identify the WHO of your grant team.

In fact, I think it's a critical step. It may be the difference between a good application and a GREAT application.

If you take this time and bring a team together at the beginning of the application process, it will pay dividends. There won't be any last minute surprises or someone wanting changes to a project element or the application a day before you have to submit it.

When you have a team

There are a few things to remember when working with a team.

The grant writer may need to take the lead in bringing the team together.
The team will need clear tasks and timelines.
Each task will need a 'responsible person'.
Check in regularly with the whole team to track progress.
Remember to celebrate your success as a team once the application is submitted.

(Then celebrate again when you get that grant!)

Experience tells me that the best applications are prepared by teams and written by a single writer who takes the lead on the application.

I'd love to hear about experiences you've had when preparing an application. Do you prefer to work alone or in a team? What are the challenges and wins you've experienced? What do you recommend?