Grant Writing Guru

Grant Writing Guru This Page is dedicated to helping small and medium-sized non-profits or individuals that want to start a non-profit.

Mari and I were notified today that a $600,000 -- $200,000/year for 3 years -- grant proposal we wrote was approved…! YA...
06/02/2026

Mari and I were notified today that a $600,000 -- $200,000/year for 3 years -- grant proposal we wrote was approved…!

YAY…!

Our company – Villa Business Consulting – has reached a milestone that means more to us than a number on a page: 16 Nati...
05/14/2026

Our company – Villa Business Consulting – has reached a milestone that means more to us than a number on a page: 16 Native Hawaiian non-profits established across the state.
• 11 on Oʻahu
• 3 on Maui
• 1 on Hawaiʻi Island
• 1 on Molokaʻi

Each of these organizations represents kupuna (elders), ʻohana (family), and community leaders who said "yes" to building something for their lāhui (people).

Our role was a small one -- IRS approval; legal scaffolding; and the paperwork that turns vision into structure. But the kuleana (responsibility), the work, and the future belong to them.

As Hispanic/Latinx Hawaii residents, Mari and I are honored to walk alongside Hawaiian founders who: lead with Aloha; center their communities; and remind us that nonprofits in Hawaiʻi are not just legal entities.

They are vessels for language, land, healing, and legacy.

To the 16 organizations we've helped launch -- and to every founder still exploring their next step -- mahalo for trusting us to create a solid foundation for your organizations.

Milestone Moment: Another 501(c)(3) approval landed this week, bringing our nationwide total to 60 -- with five more non...
05/12/2026

Milestone Moment: Another 501(c)(3) approval landed this week, bringing our nationwide total to 60 -- with five more nonprofits ready to start the process.

Our K.I.S.S. (Keep It Strategically Simple) system works…!

We just got a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit application approved in 2½ weeks! And no, this wasn't the shortened 1023-E...
05/12/2026

We just got a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit application approved in 2½ weeks!

And no, this wasn't the shortened 1023-EZ. This was the full Form 1023.

We had shared with our client that six months was a reasonable IRS processing projection, with the possibility of it coming in earlier. But honestly? Even we didn't expect it to be approved this fast.

What this approval validates is the philosophy – and strategy -- we've honed our 501(c)(3) process around for the last 20 years: make the application’s evaluator's job easy, and the evaluator will say “approved.” .

That's the whole approach. We don't reinvent the wheel on every application. We don't get creative where creativity isn't needed.

Every document we submit has already been vetted and approved by the IRS in prior filings. We reuse what works consistently, application after application.

The reviewer opens our file and finds exactly what they're looking for -- in the format they expect -- with their questions answered before they have to ask.

Simple. Consistent. Evaluator-centric. And it works!

Congratulations to our newest 501(c)(3). Welcome to the nonprofit arena, which you are starting with a rock-solid foundation underneath you!

Party Over Here!!

At Villa Business Consulting, client and colleague feedback shapes how we grow. One suggestion kept coming up recently: ...
05/07/2026

At Villa Business Consulting, client and colleague feedback shapes how we grow. One suggestion kept coming up recently: “Offer post-award grant management as a standalone service.”

What is grant management?

Once a non-profit is awarded a grant, someone must manage tracking: budget expenditures; program progress; staff time; and funder compliance during the entire project period. They must also keep thorough documentation for reports and audits. We already do this work for grants our firm wrote and won for clients.

But grant reviewers we work with -- at the city, state, federal, and foundation levels – say they wish more of their awardees used our services. They say our reports are well-prepared and that we save them a lot of time by minimizing the back-and-forth required when awardee report submissions are insufficient.

We're now offering this service to any non-profit, regardless of who wrote the original grant proposal.

If you know of a non-profit -- anywhere in the U.S. or its territories – that’s been awarded a grant and could use experienced, reliable grant management support, please connect them with us.

Our company, Villa Business Consulting, is incredibly proud to have been the bridge that brought two of our valued clien...
05/06/2026

Our company, Villa Business Consulting, is incredibly proud to have been the bridge that brought two of our valued clients — the Building Industry Association of Hawaiʻi and the Friends of Waimānalo — together for this groundbreaking initiative.

This didn't happen by accident. It happened because we do deep work with our clients. We understood BIA Hawaiʻi's capacity to deliver world-class trades training, and we understood Friends of Waimānalo's deep roots and reach within their community.

When you know your clients that well, you start to see opportunities they can't always see themselves -- complementary resources on one side, complementary needs on the other.

So we made the introduction. We facilitated the conversation. And now, from April 13 through May 22, 2026, the Waimānalo community will have FREE access to Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training -- covering Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Blueprint Reading, and more -- with certifications in OSHA-30, CPR/First Aid, and Lead RRP included.

This is what a well-matched hui can build. Everybody wins and a community gets real, lasting opportunity.

If you're interested in enrolling or learning more, contact [email protected] | 808-629-7504. Space is limited. Apply now.

She manages grant compliance for a government agency. And after seven years of working with us, she shared something she...
05/01/2026

She manages grant compliance for a government agency.

And after seven years of working with us, she shared something she couldn't say publicly: she wishes more of her awardees used our post-award grant management system.

Not because she's our advocate, but because clean, accurate reports save her team hours of rework every cycle.

That's when it clicked for us. We've been doing post-award grant management for our own clients for years: tracking deliverables; monitoring allowable expenses; and keeping projects on schedule so their nonprofits stay fundable.

But we'd never opened that service to organizations whose grants we didn't write. Thanks to her suggestion, we're doing that now.

If you know of a nonprofit that has an active grant -- federal, state, city, or foundation -- and is spending an inordinate amount of time on post-award compliance issues instead of its mission, we'd like to talk with them.

We'll step in, build their compliance infrastructure, and ensure their reports accurately reflect the work they're actually doing.

They won the grant. We can help them keep it -- and earn the next one…!

Mari and I specialize in the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program certification -- a key pathway to government contract...
04/19/2026

Mari and I specialize in the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program certification -- a key pathway to government contracting eligibility.

To ensure our clients receive the most current and relevant information available, we’re attending the 2026 Native Hawaiian Organization Association (NHOA) Small Business Summit, taking place April 20–22 at the Ala Moana Hotel.

This summit is a central hub for the Government Contracting (GovCon) community, bringing together: small businesses; federal and state agencies; and industry experts to navigate the complexities of the federal marketplace.

Key Focus Areas:

Federal Contracting (GovCon): Updates on federal regulations, procurement trends, and legislative changes impacting small businesses.

Networking & Matchmaking: Opportunities for direct engagement between: small business owners; prime contractors; and government representatives.

Capacity Building: Workshops focused on business growth strategies, including: financing; certifications (8(a), NHO, etc), and cost-effective marketing approaches.

Military Market Integration: Sessions highlighting how local businesses can access military markets.

This summit is especially valuable for businesses seeking to secure or expand their presence in government contracting, particularly within Hawaiʻi and the broader Pacific region.

Mari and I are truly grateful and humbled to have been selected to deliver our "Grant Writing Basics for Small Businesse...
04/18/2026

Mari and I are truly grateful and humbled to have been selected to deliver our "Grant Writing Basics for Small Businesses & Non-Profits" workshop across Hawaii's island communities at a moment when this kind of support is needed more than ever.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve had the honor of presenting to chambers of commerce across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island. And yesterday, we presented to a joint session of the Hawaii Black Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Hawaii at the Taqueria El Ranchero in Kapolei.

These presentations were made possible through a federal grant initiative awarded to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii. We are sincerely thankful to have been chosen as a vehicle for this important work. Averaging 25 attendees per session, we were able to reach over 125 business and community leaders across the state in person.

Perhaps most meaningful of all is what these sessions represent. At a time when critical resources continue to be scaled back or suspended, Hawaii's chambers are rising to the moment. They are: bridging communities; pooling strengths; and ensuring their members are equipped to navigate what lies ahead.

It is an honor to serve alongside organizations that are so clearly committed to lifting up their constituencies when it matters most.

Last night, Mari and I had the privilege of attending the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce’s (NHCC) “Pūpū’s & Pro’s” ...
04/15/2026

Last night, Mari and I had the privilege of attending the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce’s (NHCC) “Pūpū’s & Pro’s” event at the Pacific Business News (PBN) office.

The evening began with a participants’ networking session, including pūpū and refreshments.

Then Lei Pedro – PBN Publisher and Market President – opened the program, welcomed the attendees, and introduced Andrew Rosen, NHCC Executive Director for remarks.

The attendees were then divided into three groups and participated in 30-minute small group talk story sessions with each of the three accomplished leaders, rotating between speakers for meaningful conversations, practical insights, and real world lessons while continuing to enjoy pūpū’s and refreshments.

Last Night’s Featured Speakers were:

Poni Askew: Director of Economic and Business Resilience, Office of Hawaiian Affairs (Entrepreneur and community leader building economic pathways for the lāhui.);

Ben Ancheta: President, Inkinen Executive Search (Executive leader with global experience and deep ties to Hawaiʻi’s business community); and

Farrah-Marie Gomes, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, University of Hawaiʻi (Leader in student success, community engagement, and leadership development).

This was the third Pūpū’s & Pro’s we’ve attended. We’ve found the speakers in each event to be not only inspirational, but aspirational as well. Kudos to NHCC and PBN for this excellent series…!

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