Are you ready to unlock your nonprofit’s Full potential?

Let me spill some tea — mine and my friends’.

I’ve reviewed numerous grant proposals in my time. And over the years, I’ve also had the pleasure (and sometimes horror) of chatting with lots of other grant reviewers. Together, we’ve seen it all. The brilliant. The bizarre. The “Oh, honey, no.”

So today, I’m sharing some of the most head-scratching, hilarious, and downright tragic mistakes that have crossed both my desk and the desks of my fellow reviewers. And more importantly, how you can avoid landing in the next installment of our blooper reel.

Grab your coffee. Let’s talk the truth.

Mistake #1: The Copy-Paste Catastrophe

Picture this.

A beautifully formatted grant proposal lands in the pile. It’s passionate, well written… until about halfway through, where it suddenly declares:

“This funding will support the vital programs of Big City Ballet.”

Problem? This proposal was from a wildlife rescue center.

Oops.

How to Avoid It:

• Customize every proposal. Even if you’re working from a template, triple-check names, program titles, and mission statements.
• Ask someone outside your organization to read your final draft. Fresh eyes catch embarrassing slip-ups.

Mistake #2: The Budget from Planet Mars

One time, a reviewer told me about a proposal requesting $50,000… attached to a budget totaling over two million dollars. No explanation. No matching funds. Just a quiet two million sitting there like a forgotten side dish at Thanksgiving.

I’ve seen my share of wacky budgets too. Look, I’m all for ambition. But math is not a place for magical thinking.

How to Avoid It:

• Make sure your request matches your budget. Simple as that.
• Explain how the numbers connect to your project goals. Don’t just plop a spreadsheet in and call it a day.
• Reviewers want to see that you can handle the funds you’re asking for. Give them confidence.

Mistake #3: The “I’ll Send It Later” Attachments

Here’s a fun one from the reviewer grapevine.

An applicant wrote:

“See attached financial statements.”

Except… there were no attachments.

It’s like sending a Valentine that says “open for a surprise” and finding an empty envelope.

I’ve had to chase down missing documents too, and trust me, it’s not a good look for your proposal.

How to Avoid It:

• Before you hit submit, check your attachments. Every single one.
• Some grant portals let you preview your submission. Use it.
• Create a checklist of required documents so you don’t miss anything in the rush.

Mistake #4: The Never-Ending Proposal

Some proposals are so long, reviewers have joked about needing a snack halfway through. One memorable gem clocked in at 97 pages. Ninety. Seven.

Unless you’re writing the next War and Peace, keep it concise.

I’ve definitely reached the end of some proposals and thought, “Well, that was my whole afternoon.”

How to Avoid It:

• Follow the word or page limits. Reviewers respect applicants who respect boundaries.
• Use appendices for extra details if the funder allows it.
• Be ruthless about cutting repetition and fluff. Less is often more.

Mistake #5: The “One Size Fits All” Proposal

One grant reviewer shared how an organization proudly submitted the exact same proposal to multiple funders, with zero adjustments. You could practically see the Find & Replace trail.

Funders can smell a generic proposal from ten miles away. They want to know why their mission matters to you.

I’ve run into this one too. And trust me, funders notice.

How to Avoid It:

• Research your funder’s priorities.
• Use their language and tie your project to their goals.
• Personalize your proposal so the funder feels seen and valued.

One Last Confession

Here’s the real secret, straight from me and every reviewer I’ve ever talked to: Most reviewers want you to win!

We want your proposal to be clear, compelling, and complete. We want to say yes.

So if you’re sending out grants, remember, the small stuff matters. Check your math. Proofread your attachments. Tell a story that makes your reader care.

Because while your mission might be serious, grant writing doesn’t have to be a grim slog. Learn from these bloopers, laugh a little, and keep writing.

Your next grant win could be one clean proposal away.

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Scroll down to explore this week's grants. Deadlines are always approaching, so take a look and see which ones might be the right fit for your nonprofit.

Happy grant writing!

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Sexual Assault Services: Community-Based Services Program

The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women is accepting applications for this program focused specifically on enhancing access to services for all survivors through community-based organizations, particularly in culturally specific communities.

Deadline: July 25, 2025

https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/359764

Grants to Enhance Community-Based Services for Survivors of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking

Also from the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women, this program supports comprehensive services for survivors across multiple forms of violence, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Deadline: August 1, 2025

https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/359765

Help For Children

Help For Children grants are made to charitable organizations that address child abuse through prevention or treatment.

Deadline: January 16, 2026

https://www.hfc.org/how-to-apply

Administration for Community Living

The Elder Justice Innovation Grants Program supports the development and advancement of knowledge and approaches in new and emerging issues related to elder justice and adult maltreatment prevention.

Deadline: July 30, 2025

https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/356414

American Psychological Foundation

The APF’s Direct Action Visionary Grants seek to fund innovative interventions, based on psychological knowledge, that directly address pressing needs of communities.

Deadline: July 31, 2025

https://ampsychfdn.org/funding/direct-action-visionary-grants/

AJ Muste Foundation for Peace and Justice

The Foundation’s Social Justice Fund supports grassroots activist projects, giving priority to those with small budgets and little access to more mainstream funding sources. The Fund is interested in confronting institutionalized violence against racial, ethnic, gender-based, and LGBTQ communities.

Deadline: October 20, 2025

https://ajmuste.org/apply/sjf

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Scroll down to explore this week's grants. Deadlines are always approaching, so take a look and see which ones might be the right fit for your nonprofit.

Happy grant writing!

Glass Recycling Foundation

The Foundation’s mission is to promote the preservation of the environment through supporting and promoting effective glass recycling efforts. The GRF supports nonprofits for demonstration and education projects.

Deadline: July 16, 2025

https://www.glassrecyclingfoundation.org/grants

National Geographic Society

The Society is accepting applications for its Building Resilience in Agriculture Initiative to support innovative projects that have measurable outcomes on the resilience of farms, farming communities, and natural ecosystems in the farming landscapes to the realities of changing climates and extreme weather events.

Deadline: September 30, 2025

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/grants-and-investments/rfp-building-resilience-in-agriculture/

Roy A. Hunt Foundation

The Foundation’s Community Farming Giving Circle Grant Program aims to improve access to local, organic, regenerative food and invest in farmers dedicated to their local communities – supporting holistic health and connecting people with the land.

Deadline: July 11, 2025

https://rahuntfdn.org/community-farming/

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Bureau of Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management has launched the Forest and Woodlands Resource Management Bureau Wide Program to support restoration of forest resilience to wildfire, insect and disease, and drought; sustainable wood products; and reforestation to restore forests after severe wildfire.

Deadline: July 23, 2025

https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/359777

Glide Foundation

The Foundation is accepting applications for its Grant Program to support animal protection and animal rescue organizations; land and wildlife conservancy groups; agricultural purposes; and other preservation projects.

Deadline: August 15, 2025

https://www.glidefoundation.org/grants.html

Clif Family Foundation

The Foundation supports nonprofits (with some emphasis on California) to strengthen the food system and communities, enhance public health, and safeguard the environment and natural resources.

Deadline: August 1, 2025

https://cliffamilyfoundation.org

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Let’s not sugarcoat it. Things are a mess right now.

The political climate is shifting. The economy is jittery. Funding is uncertain. Nonprofits across the country are bracing for budget cuts, donor fatigue, and a whole lot of “Wait. What now?”

So if you’re feeling distracted, overwhelmed, or like your entire strategic plan got thrown into a blender… you are not alone.

But here’s the deal. In times like these, your mission matters more than ever. Your work is the steady hand. The calm in the storm. And that means you need a plan. Not a five-year plan. Not even a one-year plan. You need a clear-eyed, boots-on-the-ground, 90-day reset.

Let’s get to it.

Why a 90-Day Reset Works When the World Is on Fire

The world is unpredictable. Your nonprofit development plan shouldn’t be.

Ninety days is long enough to make real progress and short enough to stay nimble. You can set a direction, get moving, adjust as needed, and still catch your breath in the process.

Think of it like nonprofit triage. You stabilize. You prioritize. You take action.

Step 1: Pick Your Focus Areas

Before you dive in, choose the buckets that need your attention. Not everything can be top priority. Narrow it down to three or four categories that will actually move the needle.

Here are a few to choose from:

Marketing
Get your message out. Loud and clear. People need to know what you do and why it matters. Especially now.

Communications
Stay in touch with your people. That means donors, volunteers, clients, board members, and even your neighbor who’s been meaning to donate but got distracted by, well, life.

Stewardship
This is not the time to ghost your donors. It is the time to strengthen relationships and make thoughtful asks. Trust and transparency are your secret weapons.

Sustainability
Whether it is growing your team, activating your board, or outsourcing what is burning you out, now is the time to get smarter about how your organization runs.

Step 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Ask yourself this: Ninety days from now, where do you want your nonprofit to be?

Do not say “in a better place.” Get specific. Do you want to welcome new donors with a killer email series? Do you want a reliable content plan that doesn’t involve late-night panic? Do you want to stop duct-taping your operations together and actually get some support?

Start from that vision. Then walk it back.

If your goal is a donor welcome series, that means writing the emails, setting up the tech, and testing it. If your goal is a smooth event rollout, you need deadlines, roles, and clear deliverables.

It is not about dreaming. It is about reverse engineering.

Step 3: Break It Into Bite-Sized Pieces

Big goals sound impressive. “We’re going to increase donor acquisition this quarter!” But unless you break that down into actual to-do’s with dates and deliverables, it is just a well-dressed daydream.

Let’s walk through what this looks like in real life.

Say your 90-day goal is to bring in more first-time donors. Not just warm fuzzies and hand-raisers, but actual human beings who pull out their credit cards and say, “Yes. I believe in this work.”

Here is one way to break that down:

• Week 1 to 2: Define your first-time donor offer. What will you invite them to support? Be clear and specific. People do not give to general missions. They give to things that feel real. Then create a dedicated first-time donor page on your website. It should be simple, clean, and focused.
• Week 3 to 4: Build an email welcome series. Even if you do not have their gifts yet, treat your prospects like you expect them to become part of your inner circle. Show them your impact. Invite them behind the curtain. Let them feel like insiders.
• Week 5 to 6: Start your outreach campaign. Think small and mighty. A targeted social media push. A few well-placed emails. Maybe even a short, scrappy video of you or your clients saying why this work matters right now. Make it urgent. Make it matter.
• Week 7 to 8: Track everything. Who clicked. Who opened. Who gave. Who ignored you. Adjust based on what the data is telling you. Spoiler alert: the first draft of your campaign won’t be perfect. That’s not a failure. That’s feedback.
• Week 9 to 10: Follow up. Steward your new donors like they are gold. Because they are. A handwritten note. A surprise phone call. A story that connects them back to the mission. Do not let their first gift be their last.
• Week 11 to 12: Reflect. What worked? What needs to shift? How many new donors did you bring in? What are your next steps to turn them into second-time donors?

You want more first-time donors? That is how you get them. One thoughtful, intentional action at a time.

Step 4: Review and Recalibrate

At the end of each month, block off an hour. Just one. Review what worked. What did not. Where you need help. What can wait. What cannot.

The key here is not to judge. It is to learn and adjust. This is not about perfection. It is about persistence. You are building a habit of action and reflection.

Without this pause, your next review will be six months from now when you are knee-deep in another crisis wondering what happened to all your brilliant ideas.

Final Thoughts: Get Moving, Not Stuck

The world is noisy. The news is scary. And the work never ends. But you, my friend, are a nonprofit leader. You do not have the luxury of sitting this one out.

So choose your focus. Envision the outcome. Break it down. Keep going. You already know how to do hard things. This is just your reminder to aim with intention and take one solid step at a time.

A 90-day development plan will not fix everything. But it can anchor you. And when you are anchored, you can lead. Even through the chaos.

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Scroll down to explore this week's grants. Deadlines are always approaching, so take a look and see which ones might be the right fit for your nonprofit.

Happy grant writing!

Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is accepting applications for Children’s Mental Health Innovation Awards which aim to help fill the funding gap in the under-resourced children’s mental health sector. The goal is to connect nonprofits with funders to match much-needed capital with innovative projects in the field of mental healthcare for children and youth. Grants available to nonprofits with annual total revenue under $5 million.

Deadline: July 7, 2025

https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/giving-back/childrens-mental-health-awards-faqs

Born This Way Foundation

The Foundation’s Kindness in Community Fund provides grants to community-led, youth-focused nonprofits and others supporting mental health.

Deadline: June 30, 2025

https://bornthisway.foundation/kic/

Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood

The Foundation is providing seed money to implement imaginative proposals that exhibit the greatest chance of improving the lives of young children, from infancy to 7 years, on a national scale. Areas of support include parenting education, early childhood welfare, and early childhood education and play. Submit Letter of Inquiry online.

Deadline: September 30, 2025

https://earlychildhoodfoundation.org/#application-process

Kars4Kids

Kars4Kids is supporting educational initiatives around the country from nonprofits whose work is impacting children. This grant program reaches more diverse populations by lending support to local charities doing great work for children in their communities. Focus areas include youth development, mentorship, and education. Previous grantees include Girls on the Run, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Clubs, Treasures 4 Teachers, and many more.

No Deadline

https://www.kars4kidsgrants.org/

NBA Foundation

The Foundation’s Grant Program is supporting organizations that provide skills training, mentorship, professional coaching, and pipeline development to foster employment and career advancement for under-resourced youth ages 14-24.

Applications accepted October 1 to November 14, 2025

https://nbafoundation.nba.com/grants/

W.K. Kellogg Foundation

The Foundation supports communities, children, and families as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success. Funding priorities include programs focused on thriving children, working families, and building equitable communities. Submit letter of inquiry.

No Deadline

www.wkkf.org

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