We’ve all been there: you’re busy with the day-to-day work of running your programs and keeping your nonprofit functioning, when all of a sudden, a grant opportunity pops up that is perfect for your organization! 

But then you look at the proposal requirements… yikes. Do you have all of the documents and information they’re asking for? And if you do, when was the last time they were updated? As you look at the quickly-approaching proposal deadline, you wonder if it’s worth it to drop everything and scramble to put together a proposal, or if you should just let this golden opportunity pass you by. 

Government grants are a tricky area of expertise and for most small nonprofits they are not always a good fit in terms of time expended and opportunity. Knowing some basics about government grant writing can save you hours of staring at your screen making your eyes go dry as you scroll aimlessly through a government database. We’ve all been there. Here is a quick list of facts you need to know before applying for federal grant money: 

In every business sector, there is that white whale story that floats around and encourages everyone to throw pragmatism overboard and chase the near-impossible fundraising dream. Maybe you heard of a nonprofit getting a million-dollar donation from Tyler Perry after he saw their story on the news. Or that a social startup received 10 million in initial funding in their first year. Well nonprofit Ishmaels, this blog is your wake-up call that the myth of cold calling the likes of Jeff Bezos (or better yet his ex-wife) and getting funding as a startup, or receiving 1 million funding from a foundation within your first year is like a siren song. It sounds too good to be true and chasing after it is going to waste your time and shipwreck your crew.

In early 2025, one thing became abundantly clear across the nonprofit sector: uncertainty is no longer the exception. It is the operating environment. How do we fund our work responsibly when the rules keep changing?

Foundations, as one can imagine, get swamped with letters and proposals requesting funding. Many foundations have changed their policies regarding how they choose to give away funds.