Embracing the Journey: Turning Grant Writing Challenges into Opportunities for Growth and Success

Grant writing takes a lot of effort. It requires hours of time to think through a project idea, and even more to craft a well-written application.

Acceptance rates are low too. They can range anywhere from less than 5% to over 50%, depending on the type of grant, the funder, and the quality of the grant proposal.

I understand why people get tired of applying.

It’s a risk to write a grant proposal, especially knowing the time and resources it can take away from other revenue-generating activities that may have a higher probability of success.

No one wants to fail either. It’s something everyone naturally wants to avoid.

However, drawing from the wisdom of experienced surfers, skaters and entrepreneurs alike, it becomes clear that falling and failure are inevitable parts of any growth process.

By embracing setbacks as a natural part of the journey, you can shift your perspective from fear to acceptance, allowing you to learn from your mistakes.

A valuable strategy in this process is to actively seek feedback from grantors, especially when an application is unsuccessful.

Feedback can help you gain insights into the reasons behind the decision. It can help organizations identify areas of the grant application that need improvement, such as the proposal’s structure, content or budget.

Feedback also provides insight into the grantor’s priorities. Gaining a deeper understanding of the evaluation criteria allows you to tailor your future grant applications to better align with the grantor’s priorities and expectations.

Feedback isn’t always about telling you what you did wrong though. It also provides more clarity about the process itself.

Sometimes, when you get feedback, you discover that your application was strong, but the competition was simply too fierce or other organizations appeared to have a greater need for funding or support.

Other times you learn that the process is political, and your application was never going to be successful no matter how good it was. This helps you become more selective about the grants you apply for in the future.

Ultimately, approaching grant writing with an open mind, embracing the learning process, and growing from mistakes will significantly enhance your chances of success in the long run, for both you and your organization. 

It is important to remember that the journey of grant writing is one of growth and discovery. I encourage you to embrace each challenge as an opportunity to learn, refine your skills and strengthen your connections – your persistence and resilience will pave the way to success.