Happy 6th of July, (Doesn't roll off the tongue as well as the 4th 😣),
"CAN AI HELP ME FIND AND WRITE GRANTS?", asked you.
Last week I started a series called "Colorado EDs' Most Asked Questions," where I answer the top ones each week. Last week was "Where do I start to use AI for real organizational impact?" Please check that out if you missed it. This week, the question is:
Can AI help me find AND write grants?
For this, I have to reference another post I did on the Psychology of AI Success, where I state, the answer to any "can AI do this?" question is always YES. Please read that one too; it was a top reader.
So now that we know the answer is yes, the real question that has you salivating is " HOW?"
Not the garbage version where you type "find me grants" and get the same grants every time; those grants you either don't qualify for or already applied to.
And how to write grants that sound like YOU, not grants drowning in em dashes that say things like "That's not nonprofit work, that's doing God's work." 🙄(Annoyingly written, but true; you are doing God’s work)
Honestly, AI is great at the finding and writing the first draft. You are great at the editing and the relationships building.
Let's merge the two...
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Actionable Task:
Find grants, then write them in your voice.
How to FIND grants:
1. Go to your favorite AI tool (ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude)
2. Click the plus button in the chat and select the "Research" option (worded differently per tool, but it'll say Research).
3. Paste this prompt:
"I want you to be the best nonprofit grant researcher. Research and find 5 current grant opportunities my organization definitely qualifies for; explain why we qualify so greatly. I'm the [TITLE] of [NONPROFIT, WEBSITE], serving [POPULATION] in [STATE]. Prioritize active grants with upcoming deadlines, only active grants and share the closure date of the grant. I'll paste a list of grants I've already applied for or been denied; avoid recommend those [Upload or paste list of grants to avoid]. These are my other criteria [ADD STIPULATIONS]. After you're done finding the grants, before you provide them, create a feedback loop to compare your recommendations to my criteria and ensure what you provide hits all my qualifications and criteria including not being part of my excluded list, and that you provide the best 5 grants you can find for me and explain why they fit my criteria perfectly"
How to WRITE grants in your voice:
On a new chat, use this prompt:
"I want you to write a detailed grant application for this specific grant [PASTE GRANT WEBSITE]. Write it so that you, as the grantor, would approve it by hitting every criterion of a successful application. But before you start, study the 3 to 5 previous grants I'm attaching [Attach previous grants]. Learn my writing style, reading level, mission, vision, and statistics so you write exactly like me. Then write the grant. Before you provide the grant create a feedback loop where you review the grant as the grantor and ensure the grant is a 9.5/10 in approval rating and hits all the criteria of a successful grant" (Attach the link to the grant and the grading rubric if provided)
...Last thing, don't go Hollywood and forget about my AI Consulting services when you're making it rain and the money starts piling in. ☺️
Note: There's a lot of nuances to get both of these perfect, more than I can fit in a minute-ish email. If you want the slow walkthrough for free, schedule time with me: Calendar Link. My goal with this post is to answer the question above and to prove it's totally possible to find and apply for grants with AI.
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Remember:
Your magic is in the room with a funder, not buried in grant research at midnight. Hand the hunting and the rough drafts to AI. Keep the editing and the relationships. That's where your irreplaceable charm changes everything. (Pound Sign JobSecurity 😋)
(For the younger group, “Pound Sign” is what you stole and called a “Hash Tag; I’m bringing pound sign back✊🏾)
#ExistToServe
P.S. Drowning in tasks AI could handle? Don't know where to start? Need to save time and money? Sincerely, let's talk.
Let's hop on a 30-minute call. I'll show you how you can clock out on time, get home to your family, and still serve more community members:
Regis Arzu (he/him/his)
[email protected]
ETS AI Consulting | CEO
347.748.5078
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Mondays are rough. It's scary times for Nonprofits. Your time is scarce. That’s why I created the Monday Motivational Minute. Each week, I’ll send you one high-impact, actionable idea to help you leverage AI and save time. It will always be a 1-minute read or less. If it adds value, great. If not, unsubscribe, but I’m betting you’ll want to stay. (Challenge Accepted ☺️)
