Grant Writing | Instrumentl

4/2/2025

7 Unexpected Ways Nonprofits Can Use AI to Win More Grants

Explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming grant writing by assisting in proposal development, streamlining processes, and uncovering unexpected applications beyond traditional writing and editing. Learn practical ways to integrate AI into your grant-seeking efforts.

3/17/2025

3 Ways Nonprofits are Using Instrumentl’s Apply to Save Time and Boost Success

Explore Instrumentl’s AI Grant Writer tool, designed to save time and boost grant application capacity for nonprofits. This article highlights real-world examples of how organizations benefit from its ease of use, customization features, and scalability.

12/8/2024

91k Grant Applications Reveals Success Rates For Nonprofits

This Insight Report unpacks the success rates across different grant types. It will offer practical strategies to increase success rates and introduce Instrumentl as a tool to streamline grant applications.

9/7/2024

Grant Experts Share How to Scale the Number of Grant Proposals You Send This Year

Learn practical strategies and expert tips for increasing your nonprofit's grant proposals. This article offers actionable insights and tools recommended by experienced grant writers to help boost your submission volume and improve your funding success.

7/30/2024

How To Get Into Grant Writing: The Diverse Career Paths of 8 Grant Professionals

Discover how to break into grant writing through unconventional career paths. Learn from eight grant professionals about their unique journeys and find inspiration for starting your own career in this rewarding field.

6/3/2024

5 Mistakes You’re Making With Your Grant Writing – and What to Do Instead

Grant writing can be complex, and even seasoned professionals make mistakes. In this article, we'll highlight five common errors and provide actionable solutions to improve your grant writing game.

6/3/2024

How To Write A Grant Acceptance Letter: What Nonprofits Often Miss

Handwritten thank-you notes can make one feel genuinely appreciated. In cultivating funder relationships, communication is paramount. Crafting a gracious grant acceptance letter lays the foundation for a long-term relationship, potentially leading to sustainable funding. In this article, we'll guide you through crafting memorable and effective grant acceptance letters, empowering you to nurture relationships with your funders and build a robust network of support.

4/25/2024

4 Ways to Supercharge Your Grants with Volunteer Metrics

Learn why volunteer metrics matter and how they can supercharge your grant proposals. Discover the importance of utilizing volunteer data, effective tracking methods, and aligning metrics with grant objectives. Gain insights from successful case studies and explore how Instrumentl streamlines grant management. Presented by Geng Wang, CEO & Co-Founder of Civic Champs.

9/4/2024

5 Questions to Ask the Gatekeepers of a Private Family Foundation

Discover the 5 critical questions to ask a private family foundation before applying for funding to ensure alignment with your organization's mission and avoid potential conflicts down the road.

3/30/2025

How Grant Consultants Scale Their Business With Instrumentl

Learn how grant consultants scale their businesses with Instrumentl, a powerful online grant discovery and management tool. Discover how Instrumentl streamlines the grant lifecycle, addresses critical challenges, and enhances services for consultants and their clients.

8/6/2024

How Long Does it Actually Take to Find Grants? Here’s What Grant Writers had to Say!

Gain insights into grant writing efficiency by learning from professional grant writers. Discover how long it takes others to find grants and valuable tips to improve your own process.

3/30/2025

5 Tips For Using AI To Write Grants: 4 Experts Putting It To The Test

These days, it feels like Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere. We spoke to four industry experts to learn how they are—or are not—using AI to support their grant-seeking efforts.

10/30/2024

Foundation vs Government Grants: Which Should You Pursue?

Gain insights from professional grant writers on the differences between foundation and government grants. Discover which funding entities are worth pursuing for your nonprofit and navigate the grant-seeking process more effectively.

5/27/2024

6 Ways to Make Your Letter of Inquiry Stand Out To Funders

Learn how to write compelling Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) with practical advice from grant experts. Discover essential tips from recorded events with Arnisha Johnson and Margit Brazda Poirier to increase your chances of success in securing funding for your nonprofit.

5/8/2024

Infographic: Signs Your Nonprofit Is Ready And Competitive To Start Applying To Grants

Ensure your nonprofit is grant-ready by checking off essential organizational, programmatic, and financial criteria. Explore our detailed checklist and download the PDF infographic to assess your organization's readiness for grant applications.

6/6/2024

The Simple Question That Tripled This Nonprofit’s Grant Award

Learn from grant consultant Dr. Bev Browning's experience: asking for funding is crucial. Discover practical strategies and expert advice to proactively find funders aligned with your nonprofit's mission.

3/17/2025

How To Win Grants: 8 Grant Writing Tactics That Raise Millions

Unlock the secrets to becoming a game-changing grants professional with insights from industry experts who have secured millions in funding. Learn from their years of experience.

12/8/2024

Best Practices & Strategies for Securing Invite-Only Funding

To provide nonprofits with advanced, thoughtful recommendations on finding and building relationships with invite-only funders.

2/8/2024

Planning for Sustainability in Your Nonprofit Grant Proposals

Discover the importance of nonprofit sustainability and how to integrate sustainability plans into your grant proposals.

12/8/2024

Grant Strategy: Building a Year-Long Funding Plan for Your Nonprofit

To equip nonprofit grant teams with an actionable guide for creating a holistic and sustainable year-long grant strategy, ensuring consistent funding and alignment with organizational goals.

2/6/2024

Signs You Shouldn't Apply for That Grant: 12 Examples of Red Flags in a Funder

Avoiding the trap of "chasing money" is crucial. This article provides insights on how to recognize funder red flags and make informed decisions about pursuing grant opportunities that align with your organization's mission and goals.

4/9/2024

This Grant Manager’s “5 Checks” Method Cut Applications by 73% Without Missing Fundraising Targets

Stop wasting time on irrelevant grants! Discover the "5 Checks" Method to refine your grant application strategy. Regain control of your time and secure funding that truly fits your nonprofit.

4/28/2024

Common Challenges and Pitfalls in Grant Management

Grant management can be a challenging process for many nonprofits. This article offers guidance on overcoming common challenges and pitfalls encountered in grant management to help organizations secure funding more effectively.

8/1/2024

How to Evaluate a Funder Before You Apply for Their Grant: Ultimate Guide

This article will guide you through the essential steps for evaluating potential funders, ensuring you only apply for grants that align best with your nonprofit's goals and values.

7/16/2024

10 Challenges In Grant Prospecting And How To Overcome Them

This article sheds light on 10 common challenges nonprofit organizations face in the grant prospecting process and provides practical solutions to overcome them.

2/28/2024

Why You Shouldn't Use Deficit Based Language In Your Grant Proposals

Discover the transformative impact of shifting from deficit-based to asset-based language in your nonprofit communication and grant proposals. Learn why this change matters and how to effectively make the transition.

2/8/2025

Best Free Grant Writing Classes for Nonprofits in 2025

Discover free grant writing classes to enhance your nonprofit's fundraising strategies. Learn from these engaging courses to elevate your grant writing skills.

6/12/2024

How to Leverage Impactful Letters of Support For Your Grant Applications

Maximize your grant success with impactful letters of support. Discover expert tips and strategies in our comprehensive guide on leveraging letters of support for your grant applications.

2/8/2025

How to Win Community Foundations Grants in 2025?

Unlock the potential of community foundation grants with our comprehensive guide. Learn to craft winning grant proposals.

2/8/2025

2025's Ultimate RFP Grant Guide: How to Secure Funding Fast

Unlock the power of RFP grants with our comprehensive guide. Discover what they are, why they matter, where to find them, and how to respond to RFP.

2/8/2025

How to Win Grants for Operating Expenses in 2025?

Navigate the path to securing operational grants successfully with our comprehensive guide into writing compelling grant proposals.

2/8/2025

How to Win Private Independent Foundations Grants in 2025?

Discover the transformative potential of private foundation grants with our comprehensive guide.

2/8/2025

The Ultimate Guide to a Strong Case for Support (2025 Update)

Discover the essential guide to crafting a compelling nonprofit Case for Support. Learn why it's crucial for your organization's success and how to create one effectively.

9/10/2024

How To Ensure Grant Compliance After You Win Funding

Learn how to effectively manage post-award grants with expert insights from Rachel Werner. Discover tips, tools, and processes to maintain grant compliance, strengthen funder relationships, and streamline your post-award grant management process.

7/19/2024

What Are Grant Deliverables and Milestones?

If you're new to grant writing, terms like 'deliverables' and 'milestones' might seem nebulous. In this article, we clarify the distinctions between these critical components, their significance in grant proposals and program evaluation, and provide practical insights on seamlessly integrating them into your grant program.

9/4/2024

Examples of Funding Opportunity Announcements

Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) are widely accessible notices that cover a range of initiatives. In this article, we demystify FOAs, provide funding opportunity announcement examples, and offer tips to help align your project effectively with the funder's needs.

2/8/2025

How to Respond to RFPs: Crafting a Winning Response

In this extensive guide, we dive into the strategies that can elevate your nonprofit's effectiveness in RFP responses. Grant-seeking has evolved in the nonprofit sector, becoming competitive and nuanced.

3/30/2025

Grant Application Guidelines: A Comprehensive Guide for 2025

From deciphering grant objectives to managing eligibility, this guide provides a comprehensive roadmap to confidently navigate the grant application process.

5/13/2024

Best Practices for Nonprofit Compliance

Dive into the realm of federal awards and the stringent compliance requirements nonprofits must meet to maximize these resources. This comprehensive guide provides insights, strategies, and essential information for navigating nonprofit compliance within the context of federal awards.

2/8/2025

21 Easy Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits in 2025

Don't let fundraising fatigue hold you back! Unlock 21 unique and hassle-free fundraising ideas to rejuvenate your nonprofit's campaigns and events.

2/8/2025

2025 Guide to Maximizing Nonprofit Impact with Principal Gifts

Secure long-term financial sustainability for your nonprofit with principal gifts. Dive into the steps required to establish and manage a successful principal gifts program for your organization.

11/7/2023

How to Prepare for a Nonprofit Interview (5 Tips Included)

You scored an interview with a new nonprofit organization. You’re ready to save the world and get paid to do it! Now all you have to do is ace the interview to get the job.

7/23/2023

Take Advantage Of $156,000 In Free Digital Advertising With The Google + Microsoft Ad Grants For Nonprofits w/ Emily Fisher and Regan Dishon

In this workshop, Emily Fisher, Google Ad Grants Area of Practice Manager and Regan Dishon, Director of Revenue at Community Boost will de-mystify the grant opportunities and dive into the practical ways you can leverage this to drive more traffic (+ supporters) to your website.

3/31/2023

How to Unlock Recurring Grants Through Your Volunteer Program w/ Geng Wang

In this workshop, you can learn what are Volunteer Matching Grants, why they are valuable and impactful, how to use your current volunteer program to find Volunteer Grants, growing your nonprofit's volunteer grant program, and more.

3/30/2025

Federal Government Grants: How to Find Them Fast

Are you feeling overwhelmed or daunted by finding federal grants, keeping track of complicated applications, or determining which grant programs are right for your nonprofit? In this article we’ll go over what federal government grants are, why they’re important, and how to find federal government grants fast.

2/8/2025

The Best Grant Writing Blogs of 2025

We selected the best grant writing blogs based on the diversity of ideas and voices. We also took into consideration how actionable and comprehensive these blogs are. Discover some of the top learning resources for nonprofits for 2025.

10/26/2022

Fundraise Awesomer! A Practical Guide to Staying Sane While Doing Good w/ Patrick Kirby

In this 1-hour special workshop hosted by Instrumentl, you’ll get clarity on how to make the job of fundraising as awesome as it can be and learn a simple and easy-to-understand "5 Day Fundraising Framework" to organize your fundraising life.

8/6/2024

The Best Grant Writing Exercises to Improve Your Grants

Get the best compilation of 15 grant writing practice prompts, worksheets, blogs, and more to take your grant writing skills to the next level.

12/3/2022

Tips from a Former Grantmaker: Live Proposal Review w/ Shavonn Richardson

In this one hour workshop, Shavonn Richardson, founder and CEO of Thank and Ink Grants, digs into how to set your proposal up for success before you even start writing, how to make your proposals more competitive, and common mistakes to avoid.

3/30/2025

How to Write an Effective Grant Evaluation Plan

Learn how to write an effective grant evaluation plan, including building a logic model, to evaluate the success of a grant-funded project [with examples]

2/8/2025

7 Steps to Write an Annual Appeal Letter for Nonprofits in 2025

In this blog post, discover what an annual appeal letter is, its importance to your nonprofit, and 7 expert tips to write one effectively.

2/8/2025

How to Write a Fundraising Appeal Letter in 2025

A fundraising appeal letter is crucial to your funding success. Learn how to write a fundraising appeal letter that moves the needle in these 5 proven steps.

6/6/2024

Grant Professional Certification: Fees, FAQ & 5 Study Tips to Crush It

Learn everything you need to know about grant professional certification, including eligibility, fees, and 5 proven study tips to succeed.

11/7/2023

What is an Annual Appeal Letter?

In this blog post, discover what an annual letter is, why it's important, and 5 rules to follow as you write your own.

3/17/2025

How to Write a Grant: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide

In this blog post, discover the 9 essential components of a good grant proposal and learn the timeless tips and tricks to make yours stand out (along with 4 extra resources).

2/8/2025

What Does a Nonprofit Executive Director Do?

Discover what a typical day of a nonprofit executive looks like, what their responsibilities are, and importantly, how much they make [with real job descriptions].

4/16/2024

Writing Powerful Performance Indicators w/ Lori Foltz Fabian

In this 1 hour special workshop hosted by Instrumentl, you'll learn how to set your nonprofit up for success with funders by designing accurate and achievable performance indicators.

6/1/2024

How to Write a Thank You to Nonprofit Volunteers

Volunteers can make a massive difference on your nonprofit. This post explores examples of successful thanks to nonprofit volunteers and offers ideas you may be able to use for your own nonprofit.

6/20/2024

Introducing Instrumentl’s Summer 2022 Release

Today, we’re proud to announce four new features to our platform: Calendar View, Salesforce Integration, Improved Application Deadlines, and our Consultant Plan.

4/16/2024

How To Effectively Manage Your Grants Department With A Lean Team w/ Sheleia Phillips

In this 1 hour special workshop hosted by Instrumentl, you’ll be able to leverage automation and cloud systems, facilitate cross-departmental collaboration, and create basic workflows and plug-and-play grant templates.

4/16/2024

How to Write a Compelling LOI w/ Arnisha Johnson

In this 1-hour special workshop hosted by Instrumentl, you’ll be able to know what an LOI is and why it is important to the grant writing process, how to obtain the key elements necessary for an LOI, and how to understand the construction of an LOI.

10/26/2022

Data Isn't Just for Science! 5+ Secrets to Writing Evidence-Based Grants w/ Amanda Faye Lipsey

In this 1 hour special workshop hosted by Instrumentl, you’ll be able to find evidence-based data and evidence-based means, how to read and understand the data, and how to summarize evidence-based data and use it to support/justify your grant proposal.

4/17/2024

Make New Friends But Keep the Old: A Case for Consistent Prospecting w/ Amy Mauser

In this 1 hour special workshop hosted by Instrumentl, you’ll be able to build a funnel and know who goes in, how to steward funders, and how to add new prospect.

11/5/2023

How to Craft Effective Letters of Inquiry w/ Margit Brazda Poirier

In this 60-minute grant writing deep-dive session, Margit Brazda-Poirier shares her 1-page formula for writing LOIs that get attention from funders every time and we dive deep into two registrants' draft LOIs for feedback.

5/29/2024

How to Cite a Nonprofit Grant Proposal

This post details why citing sources are so important for grant proposals and then five steps you can take to do so correctly.

8/9/2023

5 Grant Research Mistakes (and What to Do Instead) with Melissa Reams

In this 1 hour special workshop hosted by Instrumentl, you’ll be able to build a funnel and know who goes in, how to steward funders, and how to add new prospects.

4/16/2024

Setting Grant Targets Through Your Prospect Research w/ Rachel Werner

In this 1-hour special workshop hosted by Instrumentl, you’ll be able to examine the criteria for weighing low, medium, and high-level priority prospects and how this can feed into dashboard data and your fundraising plan.

4/17/2024

Find the Right Grants and Learn How to Standout with Funders w/ Meredith Noble

In this 1-hour special workshop hosted by Instrumentl, you’ll learn how to utilize several different decision-making tools to help determine which prospects to pursue and create a replicable system that will help you win the right funders in the future.

5/5/2025

The Best Grant Writing Software for Nonprofits

Discover the best grant writing software and learn how to choose the right one for you as a nonprofit representative or consultant (or both!).

7/1/2024

Ideas for Grant Proposals: 7 Ways to Come Up with Them

This post explores what makes a great grant proposal, 7 easy ways to come up with grant proposal ideas, and where you can find inspiration for grant proposals.

3/21/2025

Best Grant Writing Courses

Wondering whether or not you could benefit from a grant writing course? Check out these grant writing courses we've reviewed for inspiration of places to go to level up your grant writing education.

6/6/2024

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing an Executive Summary (and How to Fix Them)

Curious about the most common mistakes when it comes to writing executive summaries? Read on in this post as we dig into errs folks make, as well as how to make sure you avoid making the same mistakes!

4/29/2024

15 Key Components of a Winning Grant Proposal

This post explores the common structure of grant proposals along with what is most important for grant proposals to help you level up your grant writing.

11/7/2023

Storytelling for Nonprofits: 45 Powerful Examples & Tips

In this blog post, we will explore exactly what to do to tell your organization’s story, delving into the most comprehensive list of 45 organizational storytelling examples and tips.

6/1/2024

27 Proven Grant Writing Examples for Every Nonprofit +Tips

This post dives into the 21 best grant writing examples to show you how to compose an impactful cover, make your case for support, and weave data into your proposal, among many other actionable tips.

5/28/2024

3 Examples of Grant Budgets That Will Win Over Funders [With Template]

Explore various budget types and real-world examples and gain insights from seasoned grant professionals. Plus, access a downloadable budget template.

8/6/2024

How Long Do Grants Take to Write?

In this post, we’ll explore the average time to complete a grant, five tips to writing grants faster, how to track and manage grants more efficiently and more.

9/4/2024

Grant Writing for Beginners: The Ultimate Guide

In this post, we’ll dig into what is a grant, what standard grant lifecycles look like, and how to find grant opportunities for your nonprofit.

3/30/2025

How to Build a Logic Model for Grants

In this post, we'll explore what are logic models for grants, when you should use them, five simple steps to build your own logic model, and then set you up with tips to help you build your own.

3/17/2025

Mastering Grant Proposals: Your Ultimate Guide + Pro Insights

This post explores the common sections of a grant proposal, different types of grant proposals, how to write grant proposals and more.

11/12/2024

24 Tips for Stronger Grant Proposals

In this post, we'll dig into what makes a strong grant proposal, effective tips you can use to plan grant proposals better, and give you techniques you can use to bolster your proposals.

7/1/2024

How to Write the First Draft of a Grant Narrative

This post digs into what is a grant narrative and why are they important, how to write your first draft in five steps, and how long a grant narrative often is.

4/29/2024

Grant Writing Basics, 11 Things You Need to Know

In this article, you'll learn the basics of grant writing, the most common sections of grants, and what to do before and during the grant writing process.

11/13/2024

Top 19 Grant Databases for Nonprofits

This article will unpack what grant databases consist of, how to select one for your organization, and the best options for grant databases that exist today.

8/10/2023

Is Grant Writing a Good Career? Your Answers Here

In this article, you will learn all about grant writer demand, how to actually become a grant writer, and what to expect from a grant writing career including stress, salary, and the best personality types for the job.

10/26/2022

Grow Your Confidence So That You Can Grow Your Mission w/ Katie Appold

In this 1 hour workshop with Katie Appold, of Do More Good, you will learn how to leverage confidence in your approach to your work and your grant strategy.

10/26/2022

Grantwriting: Not Just for Mainstream Nonprofits w/ Allison Shirk

In this one-hour webinar (including time for Q&A), Allison Shirk will teach you how the process of reviewing grant applications is changing so that more organizations are able to compete and how you can stand out and make your grants more successful.

12/2/2023

Is This Grant Worth Pursuing? 7 Signs It Is

In this post, we'll explore whether or not grants are worth all the effort, the seven signs to help you determine if a grant is worth pursuing, and bonus tips for when and when not to pursue a grant.

2/8/2025

Grant Narrative Tips: The Ultimate 2025 List

This article will describe what a grant narrative is, what the keys to an effective grant narrative are, the best tips & tricks for making your narrative stand out, and some additional resources to help you in developing your grant narrative.

12/8/2024

Transforming Grant Rejection Letter into Future Success

In this post, you will learn how to respond to rejection letters by learning how to move on and improve your proposals. We also include several samples of responses to rejections.

6/21/2022

You Found a Grant! Now, What's Next? with Shavonn Richardson

In this 1-hour webinar (with 15 minutes Q&A), Shavonn Richardson, founder of Think and Ink Grant Consulting, will share with you how to take action today and develop a proven reusable strategy for every grant your organization finds.

6/1/2024

Sample Grant Rejection Letters: Examples & What to Do

This article will explore what a grant rejection letter is, various examples of grant rejection letters, how to understand your rejection letter, and some of the top reasons grant applications are rejected.

11/7/2023

The Grant Proposal Template Experts Use To Raise More: [Free Download]

In this post, we'll dig into what grant proposal templates are, how to use them, and give you specific examples to get a head start on building your grant proposal template library.

4/16/2024

Introducing Instrumentl’s Fall 2021 Release

Today, we’re proud to announce three new features to introduce our Standard Plan. Our Standard Plan will help you find good fit funders even faster with Advanced Funder Insights, Foundation Discovery and Recipient Profiles.

12/8/2024

11 Best Grant Research Tools To Help Nonprofits Find Funding

Finding and using the best grant research tools is crucial to grantseeking success. This post explores what grant research tools are, 11 of the best resources, and then how to use these tools effectively for your nonprofit (or clients).

2/8/2025

Grant Writing Best Practices: The Ultimate List of 2025 Tips

Knowing grant writing best practices can make or break your application. In this post, we explore best communication practices to follow with funders, best grant writing practices for proposals, what to do when updating or repurposing proposals, and more.

5/26/2024

How to Write a Letter of Inquiry for Grant Funding

In this post, we dig into what is a letter of inquiry to a foundation, how to write a letter of inquiry that stands out in three simple steps, along with some helpful tips for writing effective LOIs to foundations.

2/22/2025

How Much Money Can I Ask This Foundation For? How To Determine The Size of A Grant Request

Knowing how much to ask for in a grant can be stressful. This post explores 3 factors to ask when figuring out how much to ask for. We'll dig into tools you can use starting today to know exactly what you should ask for in your next grant application.

6/18/2024

How To Write A Winning Grant For Your Nonprofit: Step-by-Step Guide

No idea where to start when it comes to writing grants for nonprofits? In this guide, we dig into what the different types of grants are, how to find grants for your nonprofit, and how to write a grant proposal in 7 steps.

3/30/2025

How to Keep Track Of All Your Grants [Template Included]

Creating grant application pipelines for tracking can be tedious. In this post, we dig into exactly how to create a grant tracking pipeline, give you a sample grant management template you can use, and tips to managing your grant pipeline.