Capitalizing on Grant Writing

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   mel22posted 12 years ago

   Is it an oxymoron to to write a grant asking for donated money ,to fund a needy cause, that will ultimately use volunteers, only to turn around and capitalize on the deal by invoicing the company who hired the grant writer?
   
   Shouldn't the grant writer of a needy social cause be volunteering their grant writing time when the grant is calling for volunteerism.
   
   an example would be Habitat For Humanity where the donated money is for discounted ( sometimes donated )materials but volunteers will help build the structure.
   
   How can they be allowed to write on a socialist need yet capitalize on the deal? ( ...and yes I have an agenda on this topic, this time...)

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      LeanManposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I used to write grant applications for companies to access European and UK funding for various things but they always paid me from monies other than the grant as the grants forbade the payment of a third party for writing their proposals.. I hope that made sense... Most grants are fairly specific as to how the money can be used and it usually excludes actually writing the grant proposal..
      Even voluntary organizations have to use paid expert help from time to time if there is no one in the group with the required skills... you need to recruit someone with grant writing skills to the group or ask someone very nicely to help out!

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2. 60

   mel22posted 12 years ago

   @LM
   but you could've volunteered your time ,right? So what you're saying is they hired an outside capitalist to write their socialist grant. ...ok.so basically someone paid 600 dollars (just an example)out of pocket to have someone write them a proposal to pay themselves $50,000 to oversee a fund to disburse the other 250,000 left over grant money to some specially needed service. So basically you got paid to write someone else a fancy resume worth whatever the managements pay was. Aren't you basically just writing the resume for a conglomerated group of beaurocrats ?
   
   This post is not personal toward you, but what percentage of total monies goes to directors and management of the project- on average- . They must have a percentage cap on pay compared to what gets paid toward the project.
   
   It just seems overly pathetic that the people managing the project don't have the necessary skills ,or at least one in the group, who can prepare the grant  for presentation and have to use paid outside help to get their idea across.Isn't that showing a lack of management skills.
   
   If you're able to understand their idea, present in short form and get it accepted, shouldn't you be the one in charge?
   
   Do you consider yourself a capitalist since you capitalized on the deal? Again this isn't personal. i'm being serious in a devious way. You just happened to be the first to answer. Personally I would not write for no pay either, but then again I wouldn't  write grants because it pays beaurocrats rather  than volunteer management. Have you ever written  a grant where the management team was completely volunteer and would not get paid ? If so, what was the name of that company?( I know, a ton of questions... you don't have to answer any if you don't like).. Thanks for responding in the first place even after stating I had an agenda.

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   1. 79

      LeanManposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      My only grant writing was for companies that are looking to introduce new technology, generally small start up companies with big ideas and no funds! In addition to this larger companies that I showed how to twist environmental grants to help them in some way (whilst still being environmentally friendly also!)
      Most of the companies I advised went off and wrote their proposals themselves as I told them how easy it was - after all most grants have a very clear set of guidelines defining exactly what is required to apply, how to apply and exactly what they are looking for - anyone with a small amount of management and business sense can do it without too much effort!!
      I had a 100% success rate in applying as most grant providers actually have problems getting rid of the money and fear less funding for future years if they fail to dish out the cash!! (I worked both sides of the fence working on a government contract I also worked for the people administering the grants!!)
      I did actually write a request for a school once that I did free of charge as my kids went to school there and I was a school governor - when they wanted to make some improvements I was aware of grants that could be made to fit what they wanted to do and applied for them successfully in my own time. Why would I charge?
      However there are a number of companies out there that do this as a business and make very good money from it - sometimes 10% or more of the grant if it is successful - more often than not it will be due to the reasons I gave above.

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   mel22posted 12 years ago

   Oh... it sounds as if you were applying for capital funds for a capitalist start-up. That's different. Anyway, I'm not attacking grant writers per se , just the beaurocrats that receive the money!... yeah that's cool you applied for the school grant on a voluntary basis.... Ok well I'll just drop this topic ;you answered quite a bit in just a few posts. Thanks, Have a good day or night!

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   1. 79

      LeanManposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Just to add a little, I was involved in the sidelines with a few other educational and charitable organizations that applied for funding through the UK lottery, the applications were done through the members of the organizations not through third parties..

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