In This Issue:

Complete a 3 question survey for a chance at a free GRANTquickstart package
Free resources for finding grant makers for your nonprofit
3 easy steps for growing your grant writing consulting business

From Betsy

After a wonderful (and much needed!) holiday vacation, 2011 is off and rolling at the Baker household. Getting back into a routine is therapeutic for me and I believe Rhodes actually thrives on one. We're even trying to incorporate healthier choices into our routine – you know, the usual suspects like eating better, exercising more and learning new things. Rhodes turns four at the end of this month so we're especially into making learning fun and an adventure.

What about you? Are you making 2011 the year to step out of that oh-so-comfortable zone, try new things and not just stick to the same old ways that haven't been working? Well, I have several new programs that I'll be rolling out in the next couple of months that might just tempt you to get started. But, before I unveil these, I want to make sure that I'm meeting your needs. I started this business to help people feel confident in their grant writing. Then I found that there was a need for guidance in beginning a successful grant writing consulting career so I try to help in that way. Your Grant Authority was developed for YOU and now I want to hear from YOU.

I have developed a 3 question survey. It will take you less than a minute to complete and for everyone who does, you'll be entered into a drawing for my GRANTquickstart package consisting of my two ebooks GRANTstarter and GRANTworks. I love freebies! :)

Go to the survey link here

Thanks so much for your participation! I really do appreciate it and will use the information to try and meet your needs.

All my best,

Betsy

Free Grant Funding Sources

I'm all about a bargain. I know that there are plenty of great, paid sites that gives you tons of information on grant funders but why not take advantage of what's free? There are volumes of information out there – you just need to know where to go find it. Here are some of my favorites that I thought I'd share with you:

Foundation Websites – First, go to the source. More and more foundations are putting their information and application online.
Form 990’s (found on the www.FoundationCenter.org website) – this is a great resource to find who they’re funding and see if they're a good match for funding you.
The RFP Bulletin, published byT he Foundation Center sends grant opportunities right to your inbox!
Also register at www.NozaSearch.com for grant activity updates.
Chronicle of Philanthropy, www.philanthropy.com →Fund Raising Tab→ Guide to Grants→ Guide to Grants Database
The Grantsmanship Center, www.TGCI.com → Funding Sources Tab → View top givers by state
www.FundsNetServices.com – Find grant funders by category. This, personally, is my favorite.

Happy Hunting!

Growing Your Grant Writing Consulting Business

I was there too. You've hung out your shingle, ready for the flood of new clients that will be signing a contract with you and then....you wait. And wait some more. You've tried it all but nothing seems to work. It is so frustrating - I know! What's going wrong?

First and foremost, I want to question your enthusiasm. As you've undoubtedly heard, enthusiasm is contagious. Did you know that people are attracted to you and the services you offer because of your excitement? People who are truly successful live and breathe what they do for a living and can't seem to get enough of it.

Second, do the right people know about you? What kind of time are you spending marketing your grant writing expertise? And, are you marketing to the right people? If you don't let people know about you, they won't know where to find you. Get involved with organizations such as as the Association of Fund Raising Professionals (www.afpnet.org.) to get word of mouth going which inevitably is the best method of clients finding you.

Third, are you pricing yourself right? Make sure that you're aligned price-wise with others in your community that do what you do. You don't want to overprice yourself. At the same time, don't fall into the trap of underpricing. If you price yourself too low, others might not have confidence in you and question why you're not charging a more premium price.

If you're ready to step up your business, you'll definitely want to consider my consulting coaching program that I'm working on as we speak. I have so much great stuff for you that I can't wait to share. Details will be coming soon. Int the meantime, why don't you drop me a line and tell me what kind of content I can help you most with?

About Betsy

Betsy Baker is President of Your Grant Authority, a company dedicated to assisting nonprofits, both large and small, develop superior grant writing techniques to help them win large grants.

Betsy is also devoted to those who wish to begin a career as a stay-at-home grant writer and provides step-by-step instruction in turning this dream into a reality.

If you liked today’s issue, you’ll love Betsy’s dynamic training products and grant funding sources that make every grant writer rest a little easier.

You can learn more about Betsy’s courses, products and training at YourGrantAuthorityy.com

Your Grant Authority
215 Dunhill Way Drive
Alpharetta, GA 30005

Contact Betsy at betsy@YourGrantAuthority.com or by phone at 678-240-0402.
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