Why Grant Writers Shouldn’t Fear Federal Grants
Adapt Your Existing Skills to Succeed at a Higher Level
If you’re a grant writer, you already have most of the skills needed to tackle federal grants. Yes, Federal RFPs are longer (ok, MUCH longer), with more complex requirements and online systems that can test your patience. But if you can write grants, you can write federal grants. It’s just about learning the quirks, adapting your existing skills, and learning how to navigate the hidden challenges.
Skills You Already Have—And How to Adapt Them
1. Ability to Follow Directions
You’ve already mastered the art of carefully reading and following instructions. Federal grants just require an extra level of precision. The trick? Understanding that words like “may” often mean “must” if you want to be competitive. And missing a minor formatting requirement? That could mean an automatic rejection or at least the loss of critical review points. Developing standard practices as your review an RFP can help ensure you don’t miss essential details.
2. Writing Persuasive Narratives
Federal funders, like foundations, want to see clear, compelling proposals. You already know how to tell your organization’s story and align it with a funder’s priorities. The main difference? Federal agencies expect data-driven storytelling. They want evidence: needs assessments, measurable outcomes, and past performance metrics. Remember when foundations started asking for logic models? A logic model is a great way to make sure that your project design and evaluation are logical. Logic models only occasionally show up in federal grants, but the practice of using one can help reassure you that your project is logical and reasonable, which is, in my opinion, the foundation of persuasive writing. In federal grants, no amount of flowery language will hide a poorly designed program.
3. Budget Development Skills
If you’ve built budgets for foundation grants, you know the basics—salary, benefits, supplies, and other programmatic expenses. You’ll likely need to seek out some training to deeply understand the way federal budgets (and associated budget narratives) need to be written, but you already have skills in facilitating budget creation. You’ll need to categorize expenses according to specific federal guidelines and justify every line item. The good news? The federal budget forms (SF-424, SF-424A, etc) seem intimidating at first, but once you learn them, you’ll see they actually make life easier. What belongs (and what doesn’t) in any given budget category is fairly standard across agencies and funding opportunities. When there are deviations, they are explained. Compared to foundation grants, these guidelines are typically quite clear and leave little room for interpretation.
4. Managing Deadlines and Complex Applications
You’re already juggling multiple deadlines and requirements for private grants. Federal grants require the same level of organization—just at a larger scale. There might be multiple attachments, letters of support, and certifications required. You know how to prioritize components, you likely know how long components will take to prepare, and you understand how certain actions depend on others. You are already a project manager. With a solid system for tracking deadlines and requirements, it’s manageable. And remember, breaking down components into subcomponents is the easiest way to feel less overwhelmed! Take that 20-page project narrative, break it into sections and subsections, and start writing a section at a time.
5. Identifying the Right Opportunities
Not every grant is worth pursuing. You already assess whether a grant aligns with your organization’s mission and capacity. With federal grants, this skill is even more crucial. The key difference? If you apply for a federal grant that you aren’t competitive for, you’ve likely used upwards of 100 hours of time. What else could you have been doing with your time?
Federal grants tend to be highly competitive, so assessing your organization’s readiness—both in terms of programming and compliance—is essential. Additionally, do you have the internal capacity to complete the proposal? Do your programming, finance, human resources, and evaluation leads have time to plan intensively over a short time frame? Do you have enough time on your calendar to pull the grant together? An opportunity may be a fit for your organization, but an opportunity still isn’t “right” for your organization if you can’t dedicate the necessary time to pull it off.
Ready to Tackle Federal Grants?
Federal grants aren’t an entirely different world—they’re just a different level of the game you’re already playing.
As I’ve spent time teaching and supporting grant writers moving from foundation and corporate writing to federal grant writing, a theme emerged: the need for skill development is second only to the need for confidence building.
That’s precisely why I created the Federal Grants Accelerator: Fast Track Training—to help grant writers like you build confidence, understand the process, and successfully compete for federal funding. If you’re ready to take the next step, check out the course details! I’m offering beta access to this brand new training and support resources, but with limited seats. In exchange for the lowest price we will ever offer this course, you’ll be asked to complete a series of surveys to continue to improve the content and user experience. You’ll also be the first to see new services roll out; we have a really exciting plan for resources, reviews, and other add ons.