Grant Writing - Beyond the Written Word

a message from McKenzi Kumpf, Grants Coordinator

To complete a puzzle one needs a good eye, patience and more patience. It takes time to put the pieces exactly where they need to go, and sometimes it takes a village to get to the finish line when the last piece is being placed. I like to view grants as a puzzle. I’m given pieces of a project and then given the responsibility to tell the project’s story. Much like puzzles, grants come in all shapes and sizes from a simple application to a multi-page narrative with documents attached. Like puzzles, one needs all the pieces to make it complete. 
 
There is one thing I have learned about my role: writing is just a piece of that puzzle. 
 
Before the writing even begins, there is work that needs to be done. There is researching, data collecting, budgeting and picture taking to build the foundation upon which the narrative stands. It's necessary to analyze instructions to ensure the pieces of the puzzle are put in the right place. 

When the final pieces of the grant writing puzzle are complete, the goal is always to be awarded. Many factors influence the outcome of grant awards, many of which are outside of our control. Things such as the number of applicants, ask amounts, giving priorities, etc., all factor into the final decision. However, the pieces of your puzzle are also pieces of your next puzzle. These pieces provide the foundation to the next funding opportunity and the next after that. For every grant applied for, a fraction is awarded. It's important to note that un-awarded grants aren't failures, but enhance the foundation of your puzzle moving forward. 

I am here to discover funding opportunities for your visions and projects. Once we find the opportunity, I am here to not only write your project narrative in the proposal, but I am here to assist you in piecing the information together that will make your project concrete whether through additional research, making videos or even counting houses on Google maps. I am here to help you read between the lines and look for things you might not consider. I am here to help create the blueprint for your story. 

Your visions and projects can be made possible through the abundance of grant opportunities available out there. We only need to find the opportunity, bring it to the table and get to work piecing the puzzle together.

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