Think and Ink Grant Consulting

09/04/2026

AI can read a 90-page NOFO in seconds. It still can’t tell you whether to apply. 🤖

That gap — information vs. judgment — is where strategy lives. Pair AI’s speed with human judgment. Learn how in our AI/ML hub.

👉 https://thinkandinkgrants.ac-page.com/aiml-learning

Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

09/02/2026

📢 New fiscal year, new funding!

FY2027 competitions are opening. Quick readiness check: ✅ SAM.gov active ✅ Grants.gov alerts set ✅ capacity sections pre-drafted. Want a curated opportunity list? That's our grant research.

https://www.thinkandinkgrants.com/grantresearch

Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

09/01/2026

I have a confession: I am admittedly the most critical reviewer on a federal grant review panel.

Last week I told a room of Georgia fundraisers what that actually looks like from the inside at the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) Atlanta Southern Impact Georgia Fundraising Professionals Conference which took place on the campus of the Atlanta Metropolitan State College (Official) (which just so happens to be a client of ours).

I didn't share what's in the published rubric. I shared the mechanics nobody writes down.

Like the fact that reviewer fatigue is a scoring variable, you have to say more within a smaller grant writing real estate, and manage 3-4 week deadlines.

Same evidence to prove. Half the room to prove it in.

Full recap here, including the two rewrites that got the most photos:

Last week I stood in front of a room of fundraising professionals at the 2026 Southern Impact: Georgia Fundraising Professionals Conference and opened with a confession. I have read more than 300 federal grant applications, and I am almost always the most critical reviewer on the panel.

08/31/2026

The federal fiscal year ends Sept 30 — smart teams are already planning for Oct 1. 🗓️

New year = new appropriations and fresh NOFOs. Finalize priority projects and line up partners NOW so you can move fast. Preparation beats reaction.

📖 https://www.thinkandinkgrants.com/articles

Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

08/28/2026

If you read one grant email a month, make it ours. 📩

No fluff — just funding trends, reviewer insight, and field-tested lessons for grant leaders. Subscribe and get a free E.P.I.C. Assessment.

👉 https://thinkandinkgrants.activehosted.com/f/1

Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

08/26/2026

A grant doesn’t have to be huge to change lives. ❤️

We won a $24,640 AARP Community Challenge grant for the Virgin Islands Housing Authority — equipping senior housing with smart-home tech so residents can call 911 and reach family by voice.

Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

08/24/2026

Before we write a word, we THINK. 🧠

The “Think” phase is where awards are won — clarifying goals, testing the evidence, and confirming real funder fit. It prevents the costliest mistake: writing a proposal that was never a match.

Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

08/21/2026

Your competitors already use AI. The real question: are they using it WELL? 🤖

Careless AI = forgettable proposals. Strategic AI = more time for the case that wins. The difference is skill. Build it with our AI/ML learning hub.

👉 https://thinkandinkgrants.ac-page.com/aiml-learning

Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

08/19/2026

📢 Foundation funding alert for large nonprofits!

Fall is prime foundation season. Refresh your case for support, spot funders whose priorities shifted, and warm up relationships early. Our grant research builds your target list.

https://www.thinkandinkgrants.com/grantresearch

Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

08/17/2026

The fastest way to lose a funder? Win their grant, then go quiet. 🤐

Late reports and vague outcomes quietly kill renewals. Grant management IS relationship management. More on the blog.

📖 https://www.thinkandinkgrants.com/articles

Think and Ink Grant Consulting®