You find a grant that looks perfect. The funding is substantial, the priorities sound familiar, and your first thought is: “We could do something really impactful with this.”

Then you open the application.

Who are your implementation partners? What evidence supports your approach? What will change for participants? How will you measure it? What happens when the funding ends?

These questions are where program design and grant writing come together.

As nonprofits prepare for 2027, this is a good time to develop the ideas that have been sitting in meeting notes, strategic plans, and “someday” conversations. A clear program concept gives your organization something concrete to discuss with partners and funders before a deadline starts driving every decision.

Start with the problem your community wants solved

A funding opportunity can help move an idea forward, but the community’s needs should shape the idea.

Perhaps residents struggle to navigate available services. Small-business owners need ongoing support after completing a workshop. Rural youth have trusted community networks but limited access to prevention resources.

Before choosing activities, ask: What is getting in people’s way, and what have they told us would help?

That answer becomes the foundation for your program design, partnership strategy, and funding request.

Give your pilot a clear purpose

A pilot should help you answer a question.

For example: Would a peer-led approach help young people participate more consistently? Would bilingual navigation support help residents complete applications? Could a new reporting system help community partners respond earlier?

Define what you need to learn, who will participate, and what evidence would justify continuing or expanding the work.

You do not need to promise that a new approach already works. You do need a credible plan for testing it and responding to what you learn.

An upcoming grant I’m excited about

One opportunity I would be excited to pursue with an eligible organization and city partner is Cities Deliver: AI Solutions for Public Services, from The Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation.

The initiative offers $500,000 to $2 million over 24 months for work improving public health, economic mobility, environmental resilience, or civic engagement. Its Seed track supports a first city pilot; its Scale track supports solutions with early city-level results.

Round 1 applications are due November 29, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants need an eligible lead organization, a committed city-government partner, and a meaningful AI component. Round 1 also requires a city partner letter of intent or equivalent documentation and a short video. This is an organizational opportunity, rather than an individual grant.

Explore Cities Deliver and the application requirements.

What interests me is the possibility of connecting community knowledge, nonprofit experience, and public services. I would want to explore where a carefully designed tool could reduce a real barrier—such as helping residents understand service requirements—while keeping people available to answer questions and resolve problems.

The starting point would be listening to residents and service providers, then deciding whether AI adds practical value.

Build a one-page concept before writing the application

Whether you pursue this opportunity or another, start with a short document covering:

• The need: Who faces the problem, and what supports your understanding of it?
• The approach: What will you test, and why might it help?
• The partners: Who will deliver the work, contribute expertise, and make decisions?
• The budget: What will staffing, access, technology, administration, and evaluation actually cost?
• The learning plan: What will you measure, and how will participant feedback shape adjustments?
• The next step: What would make the program worth continuing, changing, or expanding?

This exercise can reveal missing pieces early. It also makes conversations with prospective partners much more productive.

Where I can help

My work includes developing pilot concepts, program models, budgets, implementation plans, and evaluation (MEL) frameworks alongside funding proposals.

If your organization has an idea worth exploring, I can help turn it into a practical plan—and assess which funding opportunities make sense for the work.

Contact me at sabrina@sdizconsulting.com to discuss your next program or funding proposal.

Grant information checked October 19, 2026. Review the funder’s current guidelines before applying.