Our Grant Services

Strategy Services

Grant professionals do so much more than just writing grants. Grant strategy involves discussions and thoughtful analysis regarding what funding you have, what funding you need to do what you currently do or want to do in the future, what funding might be out there, what types of funding you feel prepared and comfortable going after, who you could work with to pursue and administer funds, and how ready your organization is to do all this. So, as you can see, the grant strategy starts far before the release of that RFP. When AGS is brought in to help with grant strategy, we help organizations create or refine grant programs to align with organizational strategic plans. AGS helps organizations look at their current funding mix and consider how a grant program may make it possible for them to braid funding together with a focus on leverage and sustainability. Finally, AGS helps identify potential funders and build grant calendars in accordance with organizations’ risk tolerance and their capacity for programmatic and fiscal administration. Let us help you align your grant strategy to your greatest organizational needs.

The following activities are examples of Grant Strategy:

• • • • • • AGS will work with clients to align the objectives of a grant program to an organization’s strategic plan and priorities.
          • AGS will conduct an initial search for potential funding sources based on requirements and criteria provided by or agreed upon by the client.
          • Upon the client’s request and sharing of grant priorities, AGS will monitor subscription and public search tools for grant opportunities and share in the format requested by the client (e.g., regular report, periodic emails) and on a frequency that is mutually agreed upon between the client and AGS.
          • AGS will utilize an existing grant calendar if the client has one in place and/or create a grant calendar if needed.
          • AGS will apply criteria to determine “fit” based on the client’s current funding priorities, geographic emphasis, giving history, and the funder’s updated deadlines and application processes.
          • AGS will offer support and coaching for clients who reach out to or are preparing to visit with funders for initial visits.
          • AGS will create a case statement describing the key components most grant funders want to know about an organization and its programs. This is a living, iterative document in which AGS and the clientcan add further information about a program to create a more comprehensive description as more grants are written for an organization.
          • Before concentrating on any one grant proposal, AGS will talk with a client about existing and potential stakeholders, the current revenue mix of funding, overall requirements or concerns for their organization’s grant-seeking efforts, the status of income/expense budgets for programs for which grants may be written, the status of outcome measurement and data collection methodology across programming, and other project management needs.

Organizational Development Services

AGS is frequently approached by clients (large and small) who want to start or grow their grants program. AGS will come alongside organizations no matter where they are on their journey and help them experience greater success in serving their respective communities by increasing grant revenue and expertise. AGS client managers can offer strategies, best practices, and appropriate templates to support clients’ journeys down the grant readiness continuum.

The following are examples of how AGS helps organizations assess their grant readiness:

• • • • • • AGS will provide an organizational assessment tool for the client to complete that will provide a visualization of where the client might seek additional coaching and support from AGS to build competency in key areas of grant readiness. Based on the results, AGS can offer customized technical assistance, training, or templates.
          • AGS and the client will discuss the client’s organizational infrastructure and high-level capacity limitations or considerations (e.g., data systems, staffing, need for audits).

Proposal Writing Services

AGS offers skilled client and project management for large projects with multiple partners and smaller projects such as proposals to family foundations with rolling deadlines that clients don’t have time to get to. Let AGS handle your proposal writing so you can work at the top of your scope while we do the same.

AGS is also equipped to assist organizations with overflow work or to help navigate temporary situations. Organizations may need help getting through busy periods – or personal or maternity leaves – or  that want extra expertise (and time) to tackle that federal opportunity they’ve had their eye on. The grant professional on staff may be preparing to leave and wants to ensure the organization doesn’t have a downturn in grant activity during the transition period. Some organizations realize that the number of grants  and reports they have planned for a new year exceeds their internal capacity, and they outsource the full grant calendar.

We hear from our clients that having AGS handle their overflow work helped save their staff from burnout, which, unfortunately, continues to be a problem in our field. Our credentialed team at AGS has vast education and experience in various subjects, from the arts to sciences to social services. This experience means we can match consultants with clients to ensure an organization doesn’t miss an opportunity!

The following are examples of how AGS will project manage the proposal development process from pre-design to submission:

• • • • • • Technical assistance with registration in online portals.
          • Creation and management of a project work plan.
          • Creation of attachment templates (e.g., budgets, letters of commitment, timelines)
          • Facilitation of client calls and follow-ups following an agreed-upon communication plan.
          • Narrative and attachment document creation via a multi-step quality control process with a second reader and copy editor.
          • Preparation and formatting of the final proposal package.
          • Submission assistance according to the needs of the client.
          • Ongoing consultation and support throughout the proposal development process and submission.

Grant Management Services

AGS believes that a successful proposal begins with the end in mind. We offer clients grant management services covering the full grant lifecycle, from opportunity research to award close out and audit. AGS comes alongside clients to ensure all their grant awards, regardless of funding source, are managed effectively, consistently, and in compliance with industry best standards and applicable guidelines/regulations.

The following are examples of grant management services AGS provides for clients with federal, state, and foundation awards:

• • • • • • Assessment of organizational development for grant readiness.
          • Coaching on award terms and conditions prior to award acceptance.
          • Implementation support and technical assistance.
          • Preparation of award amendments, budget revisions, required reports, and responses to the funder’s requests for additional information.
          • Creation of spending plans, progress monitoring plans, and data collection plans.
          • Review of policies and procedures.
          • Support the development of compliant policies and procedures for grant management.
          • Provide award close out support.

The best time to inquire about grant management services from AGS is before an award is made. Let us be your grant management partner from day one for a successful project from start to finish.

Reviewing Services

AGS offers comprehensive reviewing services from a team of expert reviewers to ensure an error-free, highly competitive proposal. Our services are customized to meet client needs and always include:

• • • • • • Creation of a detailed grant rubric.
          • Rigorous evaluation and assessment of proposal using the rubric.
          • Individualized feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Our team of experts has reviewed thousands of proposals and helped hundreds of clients bolster their scores and receive funding. This team includes experts who have served as federal grant reviewers and know exactly what to look for and questions to ask in a proposal.

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Coaching Services

AGS offers customized coaching services from credentialed grant professionals to help you grow in your field. While these services include grant reviewing and expert feedback to maximize your proposal’s point potential, they go above and beyond by providing individualized support through the entire proposal design process. We work together with our clients to deliver:

• • • • • • Customized coaching plan developed to meet client needs.
          • Ongoing calls to guide and support the grants development process.
          • Individualized review and assessment of proposals with feedback and suggestions for improvement.
          • Development of high-quality grant templates.

Still wondering why you should choose AGS coaching services? AGS is staffed by a team of credentialed grant experts (Grant Professional Certified, Certified Grants Management Specialist, Project Management Professional, and Certified Fund Raising Executive). In fact, AGS has more credentialed staff than any other professional grant services firm in the country! Not only do we have 14 GPCs on staff, but we also have four GPA Approved Trainers!

Professional Development

Our highly relevant grant training programs are designed for nonprofit leaders and support staff to help increase understanding of today’s funding landscape. We offer custom online and on-site training sessions that equip professionals with the tools they need to win more grants and achieve outcomes that support their organization’s mission.

Each presenter is Grant Professional Certified (GPC) and brings first-hand real-world experience to their members. AGS has four Grant Professionals Association Approved Trainers on staff, and each has areas of expertise that they’ve shared with nonprofits that are members of organizations like theirs.

We Practice What We Present, Every Day. Our presenters have an established history of delivering quality training presentations on the local, regional, and national conference levels. Whether you are just getting started in the nonprofit world, an experienced grant professional, or anything in between, our trainings bring the expertise that comes from writing more than $400 million in awarded proposals since 2007 for you and your organizations.

View our Live Training Calendar
View our On-Demand Training Catalog
View our Grant Training Series
Talk to us about Custom Training!