TPA Bulletin
The Key to Winning Awards Isn’t What You Think!
Did you know that the most perfectly written grant proposal is not necessarily the most successful one—the one that gets awarded? I discovered this after reviewing a handful of submitted proposals that were awarded by government and private foundation funders.
Oh, sure. Formatting and grammar are essential to a professional proposal. Making sure that you've addressed the funder's guidance and RFP requirements—also important. But you'd be surprised how many proposals that are less than adequately written make it to the finalist stack and eventually secure funding.
Why? Because relationships with funders matter. A well-established connection with a funding organization can often carry more weight than flawless writing. Funders want to support organizations and individuals they trust—those who have demonstrated alignment with their mission, responsiveness to feedback, and a commitment to collaboration.
In addition to developing relationships with funders, the project being proposed plays a critical role in securing an award. A compelling project that resonates with the funder's mission and priorities is far more likely to receive funding, even if the proposal itself isn’t perfectly polished. Funders look for initiatives that align with their values and have the potential for real impact.
Successful grant writing isn’t just about technical perfection—it’s about making a meaningful connection between your project and the funder’s vision for change.
Teri Pinney
The 10 Myths of Grant Writing
Standby - A new how-to book is about to be published! Teri Pinney has another book coming out on how to develop a professional grant proposal. It will include the common misconceptions of putting a proposal together, the common myths of writing a grant.
Workshops and Training
Do you have a board of director or staff personnel interested in learning about grants and/or how to write them? Workshops and training sessions held by Teri Pinney are available upon requests. These can be designed from three-hour mini-workshops to five or six hours of training in one full day or spread out over a week. Teri talks about how to overcome the complex federal grant process. She shows the basics of grant writing to the advanced techniques.
The Missing Heart: Journey of an Educator
What actually goes on behind the doors of a typical inner-city high school? Everything from administrative to classroom practices to student behavior is shared in The Missing Heart: Chronicles of an Educator. This popular book can be found and purchased on Amazon.
The Missing Heart: Chronicles of an Educator
