Is Your Nonprofit Making One of These Mistakes?

“I’m the founding executive director and can do everything.” 

OR 

“We’re not a huge nonprofit, and we can’t afford a staff person dedicated to just grants. We all have to wear multiple hats.” 

 

The first belief is a surefire way to achieve mediocrity because the director is spread too thin. It is also a recipe for disaster. The second belief almost guarantees that you will struggle to meet your budget year after year.   

Developing programs, hiring and managing staff, recruiting board members, hosting fundraisers, and writing, submitting, and tracking grants can be overwhelming. Wearing every hat may seem noble at first, but it quickly leads to frustration and inefficiency in areas where you lack expertise or passion. 

 

While securing funding is part of your job, it doesn’t mean you should be consumed with grant writing and reporting details. 

The director needs to be the chief visionary. When you understand the potential of grants to provide long-term financial stability to accomplish your organization’s goals, you will invest in dedicated specialists in fundraising tasks like events, major donors, and yes, grant writing. 

When you ask, “How do we find room in the budget to pay someone just to write grants?”— you are asking the right question. You will figure out the answer when you recognize the value of a good grant writer in terms of ROI. 

As the director, multitasking may be part of your daily life, but grant writing is different. Here’s why it requires dedicated focus: 

• Deadlines are strict and unforgiving 

• Each funder has different formats, logins, and reporting systems 

• Relationships with funders require personal, timely follow-up 

• Strong proposals depend on accurate data, aligned budgets, and strategic storytelling 

Successful, sustainable nonprofits build grant writing into their strategic planning and annual budget. A good grant writer understands: 

• Your mission, vision, values, and strategic goals 

• How grants fit into your overall funding strategy 

• The readiness of your organization 

• What funders are aligned with your key priorities 

 

There are many reasons to consider spending that money on a top-of-the-line grant writing consulting service like Capitol Funding Solutions: 

A faster onboarding process. Unlike a new hire, a contractor doesn’t require weeks of orientation and training. Contractors can begin contributing almost immediately, which is ideal for urgent projects. 

The option to take a ‘test drive.’ Not all new hires work out, which costs money and time. You can contract for a single project. If you are happy with the results, you can continue on a project basis or contract for a period of time. 

A roster of trusted professionals with diverse expertise. With a contractor, you get a team of experts, not just one person. In the case of CFS, we have expertise in grant writing (Federal and State, including all government agencies and corporate and foundation grants), project management, and strategic consulting. 

Cost savings.  With a contractor, you avoid recurring expenses like office space, equipment, administrative support, and employee benefits. 

Time savings for managers. You provide the goals—the contractor handles execution. This self-sufficiency allows your management team to focus on other priorities without having to provide constant oversight of your grants-related goals. 

 

Advantages specific to Capitol Funding Solutions: 

Track record of success. CFS has won more than $2.5 billion over three years for our clients.  

Strategic planning and grant readiness. CFS uses proprietary software to identify upcoming and forecasted funding opportunities. This allows you to build your grants calendar and prevent missing opportunities or scrambling to meet deadlines.  

Competitive advantage. CFS is based in Washington, D.C., giving us an advantage in the competitive funding arena. Our network of influential policymakers, government affairs representatives, and federal funding agency contacts enhances our strategies for securing competitive funding. 

 

About Capitol Funding Solutions: 

CFS is a full-service competitive funding firm based in Washington, D.C., providing comprehensive strategic consulting and proposal management services. We guide public and private sector clients through the complexities of federal, state, and private funding, delivering customized strategies that align with each organization’s mission and goals. With over $2.5 billion in competitive funding secured, CFS works collaboratively with a network of strategic partners, including technical consultants, lobbyists, and law firms, to maximize our clients’ success across a wide range of industries.