S Diz Consulting

If you’re a nonprofit leader juggling fundraising, programming, and board meetings, you’ve probably Googled “Should I hire a grant writer?” somewhere between your second coffee and third budget revision. The answer, like most things in nonprofit life, is: it depends—but if you’re seeing any of the five signs below, you’re probably more ready than you think.

As Warren Buffett said:

“Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
— and if that’s how you feel about writing your next federal proposal or foundation LOI, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Let’s dig in.

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🚩 Sign #1: You’re Leaving Money on the Table

If you’ve stumbled across the perfect grant but missed the deadline (again), or if your team says “we should go after grants,” but nobody actually has the time, then you’re letting funding opportunities pass you by.

The National Center for Charitable Statistics reports that over 1.5 million nonprofits are registered in the U.S. alone—and guess what? They’re all potential grant applicants too. Competition is fierce, and timeliness is everything.

Hiring a grant writer means:

• You stop scrambling.
• Deadlines are met.
• You’re in the pipeline for next year even if you missed this one.

Grant funding rewards readiness—and ready means having someone focused on writing while you lead.

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🚩 Sign #2: Your Team is Burned Out (Or You’re It)

We’ve all been there. You’ve got 1.5 staff members, a half-written grant in Google Docs, and a donor meeting in 15 minutes. Maybe your Executive Director is also your development director, finance lead, and part-time janitor. 💀

If no one on your team has dedicated time, training, or bandwidth to write persuasive, funder-aligned proposals—you’re not setting your nonprofit up to win.

As entrepreneur and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey once said:

“You can have it all. Just not all at once.”

Smart nonprofits delegate. Grant writers bring expertise, focus, and strategy so your team can keep delivering impact without imploding.

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🚩 Sign #3: You Have Great Programs but Struggle to Tell the Story

You’re doing powerful work: serving youth, feeding families, saving the planet… but your grant language feels like it was copied from a 2006 mission statement buried in a board packet.

The truth? Funders don’t fund vague visions. They fund:

• Clear outcomes
• Measurable impact
• Data-driven strategies

An experienced grant writer can:

• Turn your work into compelling narratives
• Align it with funder priorities
• Use logic models, evaluation plans, and budget justifications that win points (literally, on scored applications)

If you’re brilliant at delivering services but allergic to logic models, it’s time to phone a friend. 🙋‍♀️

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🚩 Sign #4: You’ve Outgrown Your “Startup” Stage

If your organization is generating over $250K in annual revenue, has audited financials, and runs ongoing programs—you’re likely ready for larger, multi-year grants.

But those grants often come with complex requirements:

• Theory of change
• Long-term evaluation frameworks
• Funder relationship management

That’s when a grant writer becomes not just helpful, but essential. Think of it like graduating from a bicycle to a car—you need new tools to navigate the road ahead.

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🚩 Sign #5: You’re Ready to Invest in Growth

Hiring a grant writer isn’t just a cost—it’s a strategic investment.

According to GrantStation, the average success rate for well-researched, well-written grant proposals is 60%. And in my own experience as a grant consultant, clients who have stable programming and strong leadership see returns in the hundreds of thousands annually.

Legendary business strategist Peter Drucker put it simply:

“Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.”

A grant writer is that hard work—turning your strategic plans into tangible funding.

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So… What’s Next?

If you’re nodding your head to any (or all) of the above, you’re ready. 🎯

The next step is to find someone who gets your mission, speaks fluent “funder,” and can help you build a grants calendar, write winning proposals, and bring in the support you need.

Oh hey—that’s me. I’m Sabrina Diz, a grant strategist and nonprofit consultant who’s helped organizations secure funding from government agencies, national foundations, and local funders across sectors.

Let’s talk. Unless you’d rather keep writing 30-page proposals at midnight. ☕😅

📬 Reach me at sabrina@sdizconsulting.com — I will assess your organization’s grant readiness for free and provide a cost proposal that your organization can afford.