Grant Proposal Review

Strengthen your proposal before you send it

You’ve developed the program, interpreted the guidelines, answered a formidable number of questions, and assembled a complete draft. Now you need a thoughtful outside perspective.

This service provides substantive feedback on how clearly and convincingly your proposal communicates the need, your proposed response, and the results you expect to achieve.

I’ll review your proposal from both a funder’s and a program strategist’s perspective, identifying places where the argument could be clearer, the program logic could be stronger, or an outside reader may be left with questions.

What I’ll Look At

Depending on the proposal, my feedback may address:

  • How clearly the proposal explains the need, proposed response, and intended results

  • Whether the narrative makes a persuasive case for support

  • How well the activities, outcomes, timeline, and budget align

  • Gaps, inconsistencies, or unanswered questions a reviewer may notice

  • Organization, clarity, and effective use of limited space

  • Sentence-level writing where it affects meaning or persuasiveness

  • Alignment with the funder’s guidelines and stated priorities

What You’ll Receive

The standard review includes:

  • One round of substantive review of a substantially complete proposal containing up to 5,000 words of narrative

  • Review of the funder’s guidelines, the project budget for consistency with the narrative, and an existing logic model or theory-of-change document, when applicable

  • Comments and recommendations within the proposal document

  • A written summary highlighting key strengths and priorities for revision

  • A 30-minute debrief conversation

  • Feedback delivered within five business days after all agreed-upon materials are received

Budget review focuses on alignment with the proposal narrative. It does not constitute a financial or compliance audit.

Is it the Right Service For You?

This service is a good fit if:

  • You have a substantially complete proposal draft

  • You want substantive feedback on the proposal’s reasoning and persuasiveness, not only its grammar

  • You are too close to the material to tell what will be clear to someone encountering it for the first time

  • You want an experienced outside perspective before submitting

  • Your organization developed the proposal internally but would benefit from grantmaking and program-design expertise

You may need a different service if:

  • You are still searching for funding opportunities

  • You need to develop the proposed program or strategy from scratch

  • Significant sections of the proposal have not yet been written

  • You are looking for someone to write or substantially rewrite the application

Not sure if you’re ready?

Schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation. We’ll briefly discuss where you are in the process, what kind of support you need, and whether this service is the right fit.

How it Works

Step 1: Consultation

We’ll begin with a complimentary 15-minute consultation to discuss your proposal, priorities, and application deadline. We’ll determine whether the service appears to be a good fit and discuss the materials I’ll need to confirm the scope, price, and timeline.

Step 2: Materials & Scope

After the call, you’ll send the proposal draft, funder guidelines, and any other agreed-upon materials. I’ll confirm the final scope, price, and delivery date. Your review will be scheduled once the agreement is signed and payment is received.

Step 3: Consultation

You’ll receive comments within the proposal and a written summary of key strengths and revision priorities within five business days after all materials are received. We’ll then meet for a 30-minute debrief to discuss the feedback and your questions.

Step 4: Optional Follow-up Review

After revising, you may submit the same proposal for a focused review of the changes and priority issues identified in the original feedback. This is not a second comprehensive review and must be scheduled within 14 days of the initial debrief.

  • Standard review: starting at $450

  • Optional follow-up review: $100

  • Rush review: additional 25%, when available

Packages and Pricing

Ready to strengthen your proposal?

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