Many leaders view grants as “free money,” but they fail to account for the hidden costs of the process. When you chase every opportunity without a strategy, you risk wasting precious time and burning out your team.
Grant writing without adequate preparation is like trying to reach a destination without an address. Consider the time investment: a single federal grant application can take 40 hours or more to complete. Even for smaller grants, you are paying for the time it takes to prepare the application, manage the budget, and handle reporting compliance once the funds are awarded.
Rushing to meet a deadline without the proper systems in place is “miserable” and often leads to errors that damage your credibility with funders. Furthermore, if you pursue a grant that isn’t a fit, you are diverting staff time away from the programs that actually “change and save lives”.
To avoid the cost of “chasing,” focus on quality over quantity. Be intentional, stay transparent with your team about capacity, and only pursue the grants that offer a high likelihood of success and a true alignment with your mission
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