Twenty years of experience has taught me what attracts stakeholder interest...and what doesn't
For twenty years I worked in two of the most interesting professions in the world: television news and advertising.
People think the number one rule of news is, "If it bleeds it leads," but it's not. The number one rule is, "never be boring." And number two is never miss a deadline.
I've taken the two cardinal rules—never be boring and never miss a deadline—and applied them to grant writing, with great success. Grantmakers read countless applications that contain a cookbook introduction, an indirect ask, and a vague case for need stuffed with lots of airy, aspirational prose.
And they get rejected.
I understand. I wrote that way when I started in news. My first story was a two-alarm fire, a paragraph thicker than a Big Mac that didn't get to the point until the second patty. I thought I was brilliant. My news director smiled and handed me some past copy so I could learn how it was done.
Here's the unvarnished truth: Program officers spend about 20 seconds on a proposal's first page; then it likely goes to "delete." On to the next one...
My background is built on getting around that filter, grabbing attention while cutting out imprecision and fluff. I write with concision and focus, the product of having to explain a budget meeting or geopolitical crisis in a minute and a half.
So if you're a program or individual looking for someone to help make the case for your program or you're juggling projects under pressure, we should talk. Details are at the bottom of this page.
John Grabowski San Francisco Bay Area based grant writing consultant - food security, nutrition, health, education
Services
From initial content discussions to completed files for submission, I work with you to produce:
-
“Letter of Intent” templates to customize for prospective funders
-
Full grant proposals meeting all funder requirements
-
Attachments and Appendices (budgets, bios, vision statements, etc.)
-
Grant reports to current funders
Grant Research & Writing
Your project deserves funding —and thanks to a career in journalism and advertising, I know how to make the case. Drawing on years of research and persuasive writing, I craft grant copy that pairs hard data with compelling narrative to show exactly why your work can't wait.
Strategy & Planning
Winning a grant starts long before you write a word. I help you identify the right funders, map your project's goals to what they actually care about, and build a strategy that sets your application apart before the first sentence is written, saving time and money.
Relationship Development
The best funding relationships don't start with an ask. I research and prospect for funders aligned with your mission, then help you build the kind of authentic, lasting connections that turn first-time donors into long-term champions.
Content & Communications
Every touchpoint with a donor is a chance to deepen their belief in your work. I bring professional advertising copywriting to the full spectrum of nonprofit content — from case statements and annual reports to website fundraising pages — crafting stories of impact that don't just inform, but inspire action.
Adjacent Fundraising
Not every funding opportunity looks like a grant—and not every ask is the same. I write across the full spectrum of fundraising, from major gift proposals and capital campaign materials to crowdfunding copy and corporate sponsorship, tailoring the language and strategy to match the stakes of each.
