When hiring a grant writer or grant consultant, a nonprofit organization needs to make informed, ethical, and effective decisions. Steve Koontz, owner of Keep It Watered, talked with Sheena Weller, owner of Weller Grant Services, about when to hire, what type of professional you need, how to evaluate candidates, contracting best practices, and how to manage the relationship for success.

1. Clarify Your Organizational Needs

• Before engaging a grant professional, assess your internal capacity and goals. Key questions to answer:
• What funding do we need (programmatic, capital, capacity-building, operating)?
• Are we seeking one-time grant submissions or support for a long-term funding strategy?
• Do we have internal staff who can support data collection, budgeting, and reporting?
• Do we need help with prospect research, writing, compliance, or all of the above?

Situations that I see:

• New or small nonprofits often need organizational support. They need to get grant ready and/or a grant strategy.
• Growing organizations may need support to increase their writing capacity.
• Mature organizations may seek consultants for complex or specialized funding, such as Federal funding.