How to Learn Grant Writing: The Real Path from Beginner to Funded
The Question Everyone Asks
"How did you learn to write grants?"
I get this question constantly from nonprofit leaders who are staring at funding applications, feeling overwhelmed, and wondering if there's some secret training they missed. And I most recently got this question on the Nonprofit SnapCast.
Here's the honest answer: There's no traditional path to becoming a grant writer. Most of us learned through a combination of necessity, trial and error, and if we were lucky, formal training plus mentorship from people who had figured it out before us.
Which means, you don't have to struggle through it alone. Let me share how I actually learned grant writing, what I wish I'd known earlier, and the most effective ways you can build these skills today.
Feeling like you're starting from scratch? You're not alone, and you've got this. If you want a head start, grab my free tools and templates here: Freebies & tools.
My Grant Writing Origin Story
The Trial by Fire Years
I didn't set out to become a grant writer. Like many people in this field, I fell into it because an organization I cared about needed funding, and somehow I became the person responsible for getting it.
Sound familiar? That's how most of us end up here not because we planned it, but because someone had to do it and we stepped up.
My first real grant writing experience was working for a Mexican NGO with an incredible mission. They were 97% funded by grants, which meant grant writing wasn't optional, it was survival.
Here's what that looked like in practice: Every week, as we prepared to write our next proposal, the executive director (who was also the founder) would go through her email and forward me every old proposal and presentation that was related to the new call for proposals, anything in that geographic area or on that topic.
I was grateful to have something to start with, but it was also completely overwhelming. Every proposal became a Frankenstein creation, pieced together from different sources, trying to make sense of it all, trying to deduce which was the most recent information.
What I learned the hard way:
Writing grants without a template or system is exhausting and inefficient
You can't just copy and paste from previous proposals each funder is different
Having some starting material is much better than starting from scratch, but organization is key
Ever feel like you're reinventing the wheel with every proposal? That's exactly what I was doing, and it's totally normal when you're starting out.
Two simple fixes that change everything: One, create a grant boilerplate that serves as your central source for all content for writing new proposals, which your team updates annually (I share more guidance on this in my free masterclass). Two, create a grant tracker your team updates weekly. Here's exactly how to set up a grant tracker: Transform your grant process with a grant tracker.
Learning from the Big Players
My next major learning phase came from working at Chemonics, at the time the largest USAID contractor. They were a machine at new business development and proposal writing, specifically for USAID funding.
What I learned from the pros:
How to systematically research and qualify opportunities
The importance of standardized processes and templates
How to manage multiple proposals simultaneously without losing quality
Compliance that still tells a compelling story
How to demonstrate both technical expertise and implementation capacity
💡Want to build these muscles fast? Start by officially putting in place the 6 roles that every grant writing team needs to have covered. This guide breaks it down: Building a high performing grants team.
The Insider Perspective Game Changer
The real breakthrough in my grant writing education came when I switched sides and became a funder myself.
I spent several years at the Inter-American Development Bank, where I was receiving proposals, codesigning and cowriting final proposals with applicants, and submitting recommendations to our board of directors.
This experience gave me the 6th sense of things you can't learn from a course:
What funders actually discuss when they're evaluating proposals
Why some applications immediately grab attention while others get dismissed
How funding decisions really get made behind closed doors
What red flags make funders nervous
How to structure proposals so they're easy for reviewers to evaluate
There wasn't some secret door in Washington, DC that you had to knock on to get funding. But there were real funder doors, and once behind one of them, I realized there were definitely insider insights that made all the difference.
The Skills You Need (And How to Build Them)
Skill #1: Analytical Thinking
What this means: Research funders thoroughly, critically analyze fit, and write your proposal strategically.
How to build it:
Analyze successful proposals in your field
Assess your organization honestly strengths and gaps
Ask: "Are we truly a good fit for this funder?" (Pro tip to answer this question: Go beyond the funder's stated guidelines and study the past grants they've given, to whom, for what).
Struggling to find the right funders? That's one of the biggest challenges everyone faces. If you need a faster way to identify aligned funders, read this post (includes a copypaste prompt to get AI to help you): Steal this prompt to find funders that are perfect for you.
Skill #2: Strategic Communication
What this means: Make your complex work understandable and inspiring for even your aunt or neighbor.
How to build it:
Practice plainEnglish explanations
Study how top organizations describe their work
Start your proposal by describing the Need/Problem. Do NOT start by talking about your organization.
💡 Need clearer messaging? Let me walk you through it step by step in my free masterclass.
Skill #3: Resilience and Persistence
What this means: Handle rejection, learn quickly, and keep improving.
How to build it:
Always ask for feedback to declined proposals
Build peer support
Celebrate small wins
Track early indicators (# meetings with funders, # proposals sent)
Getting a lot of rejections? That's totally normal, even excellent grant writers get rejected more often than they get funded. The key is learning from each "no" and celebrating the progress you're making. Ultimately, you want to be getting “yes”s to 30%-70% of your proposals (this varies greatly depending on if you are mostly applying to open calls or responding to invitations).
💡 Need a template for asking funders for feedback? Download it from the Freebies & tools section of this website.
The Learning Paths Available Today
Formal Education Options
Graduate programs, certificate programs, and workshops can provide a foundation, but/and hands-on practice wins.
💡If you want guided, practical learning with templates and coaching, explore: Work with me (NGOs) and see real outcomes on my Results page.
Self-Directed Learning
Read successful proposals
Follow funder communications and attend webinars
Practice with funders who promise to give you feedback
Find a mentor
Learning from the Other Side
Want to see grant making from the funder perspective? Volunteer to review grants, such as with Unfunded List. This gives you invaluable insight into what the universe of proposals looks like, and what questions reviewers ask.
Feeling overwhelmed by all the learning options? Start small. Pick one approach that feels manageable and commit to it for a month. For example, start with selfstudy for a month, then next month add in systems (start your tracker and boilerplate with the resources above) and reach out if you want me to guide you through it step by step with my expert support!
The Mistakes I Made (So You Don't Have To)
Mistake #1: Trying to learn everything at once → The fix: Start with one skill or one grant maker type.
Mistake #2: Working in isolation → The fix: Find peers/mentors.
Mistake #3: Focusing only on writing → The fix: Invest equally in research & relationships.
Mistake #4: Not tracking what I learned → The fix: Make a “Grant Writing manual” for your organization with everything you learn. As you research new funders and submit proposals, document all of this too.
Have you made any of these mistakes? Don't worry, we all have. The key is recognizing them and adjusting your approach!
Your Learning Action Plan
If You're Just Starting Out
Month 1: Research 10 funders, read 5 funded proposals, attend a funder webinar
Month 2: Identify 2–3 smaller opportunities, join one community, find a mentor/peer reviewer
Month 3: Submit your first proposal, start systematic tracking, build your template library
💡 Want hands-on help to move faster? Check out my Funded with Ease grant writing intensive.
If You Have Some Experience
Assess your skills, pick one area to improve, find one person for feedback (I love giving this as a Thought Partner!), build your network, and tighten your systems.
If You're Already Successful
Stay at the top of your game. For example, check out How I'm using AI tools to lead more effectively.
Give back! Mentor others, stay current, and explore new sources. For example, I am a Volunteer Reviewer for the Unfunded List.
What I Wish I'd Known Earlier
It's Not About Perfect Writing: Clarity beats prose every time.
Relationships Matter More Than I Thought: Build them early. Be friendly, helpful, and persistently present. Try not to be TOO intense. (I didn’t get into this too much in this blog post because relationships actually aren’t critical, but they can help a lot.)
Rejection Is Market Research: Every "no" teaches you something valuable. Capture the learning.
Systems Beat Inspiration: Templates, checklists, and trackers win over sporadic bursts of creativity.
Does any of this resonate with your experience? For sure, learning these lessons earlier would have saved me so much frustration. But hey, that's how we learn, right?
Final Thoughts: The Journey Continues
Here's what I've learned after all these years: Grant writing is a skill you build over time. The landscape changes; the learners who systematize and stay curious win.
Feeling like you have a long way to go? That's okay. Every expert was once a beginner. The key is to start where you are, use what you have, and keep learning as you go.
You don't need to figure it out alone, surround yourself with mentors and peers (connect with me on LinkedIn!), keep improving your systems, and stay focused on your mission.
Your mission deserves funding. And with the right approach, you'll get it. You've got this.
Want to hear me talk this through? Check out this Nonprofit Snapcast episode I did with Mickey Desai for even more insights and guidance.
To stay up to date with my grant writing tips and tools, follow me on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter.
