In this article, we share two major game changers that will make your grant writing process a lot easier. When we ask potential clients what grants they have applied for and received in the past, we often get answers like this:
- Well, we got our city’s grant one year, but then we were in production when the application came up, so we missed it the next time.
- I have a list of 20 grants I know we’re good for, but I can never make the time to write more than one or two each year.
- Every time I learn about a grant, the deadline is coming up so quickly that I just can’t get it written in time between running the organization and my day job.
- We do great work, but I can’t understand why we’re not getting grants, so I just stopped applying.
While the root cause for these challenges may be slightly different for each organization, the lack of capacity for organized institutional fundraising (grant writing) is a common theme across 90% of the groups that come our way. Artists creating dynamic, boundary-pushing, community-engaging work have a lot on their plate. When it comes to priorities in the moment, grant writing often falls off the list.
This makes total sense when besides working your day job, being on-site to install a show, running around town picking up supplies, managing your social media marketing you have to write a grant that you won’t hear back from for months. It’s only natural for that last item to be cut.
Many groups that come to Benvenuti Arts end up growing, but many simply want to make their jobs easier. So when we’re thinking about finding a few more resources that you don’t have to work as hard for, it’s important that we make it possible for you to consistently apply to grants that are practical and achievable. There are two ways that we help groups do that. Here are two main tools that allow you to do so.
Grants Calendar
It may seem simple and obvious, but the first thing we do with a client is create a simple spreadsheet calendar of practical grant opportunities.
Many groups don’t know how to identify which grants are actually their best prospects, opting for the flashier grants that get a lot of buzz instead of the classic standbys that have smaller award amounts.
And don’t even get me started on well-meaning board members who send online forms to their organization’s leaders without vetting the grants! If one more Board member tries to tell a group with a $50,000 budget and no connections that they should “look into getting MacKenzie Scott’s money,” I might scream.
One example of the setup for a grants calendar spreadsheet. If an organization has few or no grants currently and has minimal staff, we begin with prioritizing:
- Local and state government opportunities. While the forms can be annoying and time-consuming, we find that public money is very accessible when you know how to write the application, no matter your org’s size.
- Small local funders, even if the grants are only $1,000. This builds a base of trust for larger funders in the future.
- One to two more ambitious opportunities that are a perfect fit. We dismiss any that make us twist ourselves into knots to fit the guidelines.
Even if deadlines are past, we put in the next date based on the last application to encourage clients to start preparing a template months in advance. You can do this based on the past year’s application. Even if the funder changes the form, you at least have something started.
Interested in building a customized grants calendar? Reach out to us to learn more!
Boilerplate
In addition to ensuring you are applying to the right opportunities, you also need to make the writing process itself easier. This is where a boilerplate comes into play.
A boilerplate is a large, robust document with all of the language you might need to write a grant. By creating this document, you will be able to streamline your writing process instead of starting from scratch on each application. There are a few things to keep in mind:
- A boilerplate is a living document. It’s only useful if you keep it updated! This doesn’t have to be difficult: every time you submit a grant application, simply compare it to the boilerplate and update any language that has changed.
- A boilerplate is a starting point for a grant application. While you start by cutting and pasting language from the boilerplate into the grant application, you must then make updates based on that specific funder’s perspective and any changes within your organization since you last updated your document.
- A boilerplate is always going to have far more language than you’ll ever use in one application. But by compiling this in one place, you give yourself a strong foundation for efficient grant writing. AND make it possible to pass off writing to someone else one day.
Building a boilerplate does take time, but that’s where we are here to help. In October 2026, we are relaunching our Boilerplate Writing Sessions. Within three group sessions and two individual consultations, you will build a system to keep your language organized, up to date, and readily usable.
Having a boilerplate is essential for streamlining not only the grant writing and reporting process, but also marketing and donor communications.
Working on a boilerplate, especially for the first time, takes time and creative energy. Our session format provides the time and creative space to develop a high-quality boilerplate through several feedback loops with our consultants, your team, and peer participants.
Register for the Sessions with a 10% Early Bird discount through August 21.
Grant management and grant writing do not need to be exhausting. Start with these two tools, develop a habit of using them, and you will see how much easier and clearer it gets. And if you need help to figure it out, book a free 30-minute consultation with us, and we will find a solution together.
