Optimus Template

I started my career as a grant writing consultant by accident.

When I wrote my first grant proposal, I was an unemployed hospital chaplain trying to find a job. I had no idea at the time I wrote my first grant that I was starting a new business and career.

I had absolutely zero prior experience. I had never attended one grant writing class or seminar. Despite my lack of experience, I wrote my first grant proposal in under two weeks and it was funded for $300,000.

During my first year as a grant writer, I secured over a million dollars for a small, rural school district.  Sure, I had some basic writing ability, but I’ll have to admit there was a big secret behind my instant success in grant writing.

My big secret:  I had the mentoring and models of a seasoned grant writer.

I received helpful strategies and time-saving samples from an expert grant writer: my dad.

At the time I wrote my first proposal, my father, Dr. Steve Price, already had over 15 years of successful grant writing experience as an administrator for a large school district and a state university.

I used his successful grant proposals as models, and learned his grant writing strategies firsthand. I didn’t try to write my first grant proposal from scratch. I didn’t let myself get overwhelmed by the ominous RFP. I got his expert feedback as I wrote my first few proposals, section by section. This simplified the grant writing process, gave me a huge advantage in grant competitions, and led to rapid success.

I liken this strategy to traveling (or wandering) in a large, unfamiliar city. If you were lost and trying to find your way somewhere in a strange city, would you rather be given a map or a tour guide?  I would choose the tour guide every time. With a map you are still left to figure things out on your own. With a tour guide, you have someone who knows the city leading you through every step of the way to your destination. A tour guide would help you find the shortest route and make important decisions that a map will not—like how to avoid dead-end roads and dangerous streets. That’s the difference between having a mentor versus having a book or class to learn grant writing.

Experience is the best way to learn anything, and grant writing is no exception. With an experienced grant writer as a mentor, you will gain hands-on experience writing real grant applications to real funding sources for real money. You will get the personal attention you need to have your questions answered as they arise. You will also learn how to make all of the little decisions that go into writing a grant application, without having to learn the hard way, by trial and error.