Grant Writing Help
Grant Support
AML and its partners have collaborated to offer consultation to talk through members interests, eligibility, and processes for upcoming funding opportunities. Entities that have identified a grant that they believe fits a need, should complete the AML Grant Support Form, or contact AML at membersupport@akml.org or (907) 586-1325.
Grant Writing Resources
University of Alaska Grant Writing Network
NOFO Checklist
Federal Funding Procurement Checklist
LEARNGRANTWRITING.ORG
Free Grant Writing Class: A free course ranked as the #1 free class by The Balance Careers.
Become a Grant Writing Unicorn: How to write a grant that shows many examples from Alaska
Free Audiobook/Podcast on Grant Writing
Instrumentl – Non-profit resource, but many Federal Grants listed
GRANTS.GOV
USDA – Rural Funding Opportunities
Outside Evaluation
For projects requiring a significant evaluation component: If you are applying for a grant where the agency requires an outside evaluator, there are a number of options:
Preparing to Apply
What should I do before applying for a grant?
Regardless of what grant you’re applying for, there are several steps and items to prepare that are applicable to most if not all Federal grant applications.
Important information includes:
- Sam.gov log-in and password
- Unique Entity ID Number (UEI#)
- IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN#)
- Basic organizational information
- Mailing address
- Telephone and fax numbers
- Annual organizational budget
- A paragraph about community demographics including population data, geographical information about the city in relation to the state of Alaska and the city’s unique qualities.
- Information about Federal grants your city staff have previously managed or worked on.
For example,
“Hooper Bay is a small community located on the western coast of Alaska, which experiences severe erosion due to storm events, wave action, and riverbank degradation. Hooper Bay has a median age of 24.8 and median household income of $30,938. The population declined by 23.3% and median household income declined by 14.7% between 2019 and 2020. The largest ethnic group is American Indian/Alaska Native (87.1%). 54.9% of the population speak a language other than English. Hooper Bay, population 1,367 with a median age of 30.8. 9, (2020 Census) is located 20 miles south of Cape Romanzof, 25 miles south of Scammon Bay in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. 37.2% of the population lives below the poverty level. The city is separated into two sections; a heavily built up townsite located on gently rolling hills, and a newer section in the lowlands. Hooper Bay is located 500 miles west of Anchorage. The community lies at approximately 61.531110° North Latitude and -166.09667° (West) Longitude. (Sec. 26, T017N, R093W, Seward Meridian.) Hooper Bay is located in the Bethel Recording District. The area encompasses 8.7 sq. miles of land and 0.1 sq. miles of water.”
Common Federal Grant Entities:
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Department of Energy (DOE)
Department of Education (DOEd)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Grant Terminology:
FOA: Funding Opportunity Announcement
NOFO: Notice of Funding Opportunity
NOFA: Notice of Funding Availability
Usually published by a government entity, a FOA or NOFA or NOFO announces the agency’s plan to award grants in a particular area. Since government grant applications are long and complex, a FOA allows you to think ahead so you have time to prepare your application.
LOI: Letter of Inquiry/Intent
Increasingly, funders request that you submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) before preparing a full grant proposal so they can screen for strongest candidates, plan for adequate staff to review submissions, and to build a qualified recruitment list to notify about future grant opportunities. An LOI is a brief (1-2 page) letter that introduces your organization, presents a statement of need, summarizes your proposed project, and explains why this project or methodology is a solution to the need. Funders may specify LOI requirements or page/word count.
LOS: Letter of Support, LOC: Letter of Commitment
Funders often request Letters of Support or Commitment to evaluate the level of community support a project has.
MOU: Memo of Understanding
You’re a nonprofit. You work with other community organizations. Those agencies provide services that complement yours – and your services complement theirs. Do you have a written agreement about your partnership with those collaborators? Answer yes, and you’ve likely got an MOU – a non-binding written agreement that outlines what each of you contribute to the other. Funders like to see copies of MOUs as part of the grant making process. Doing so demonstrates that you’re not replicating (rather you’re complementing) other available services.
RFP: Request for Proposals
RFA: Request for Applications
An RFA is an official solicitation for applications. A typical RFA outlines applicant eligibility, project eligibility, amount of funding available, the timing of both the submission the evaluation process, submission procedures, and other key information. (Check out these elements of a grant proposal.) While many private and corporate foundations are not required to issue RFPs (as are government agencies), some do so in order to launch a new project or announce changes to an annual award.
SOW: Statement of Work, Scope of Work, Summary of Work
A Statement of Work is part of a project description in a grant proposal. You’ll use the SOW section to outline in detail how you will carry out the proposed project.
Alaska’s Grant Writing Pool
The grant writing groups listed on this page have had success with securing government grants and working with organizations in Alaska. They have all submitted information we believe is important to consider when selecting a grant writer. This list is provided for your convenience. Inclusion in this list of grant writers should not be considered an endorsement by the AK Federal Funding website or its partner organizations. If you would like to be added to the list, please contact us at membersupport@akml.org
More information and resources are coming in cooperation with AKFederalFunding.org partner, The Foraker Group.
If you want to solicit proposals from multiple firms, you can use this Model RFQ designed for tribes & municipalities – courtesy of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Alaska.
Alaska Grant Writer
Funding Results
$620,800
Grant Writers on staff and in Alaska
Team varies with 1-2 writers on the team and 6 others in Alaska, as part of the Grant Writers Unicorn Collective.
Fee Structure
Fixed fee dependent on the degree of readiness to pursue funding and how complicated the grant application is to prepare. Fixed fee is also billed by percentage of work completed monthly.
References
Hallie Bissett, Executive Director, Alaska Native Village Corporation Association (ANVCA)
Tara Sweeney, Principal & CEO Tack 71
Martha Barberio, Economic Development Director, City of Valdez
Paul Twardock, APU Professor, President, Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation
For more information on the Alaskan Grant Writer – Click Here!
Alaska Project Solutions
Funding Results
Government grant funding secured in the past five years for Alaska: $64,945,342
Foundation grant funding secured in the past five years for Alaska: $711,714
APSI Staff Members
APSI has two staff members; Joan Herrmann, President, and company partner, Kelly Herrmann, who is the CFO. Joan and Kelly have been residents of Alaska for more than 40 years until just recently, when they relocated outside. Our services continue to be provided exclusively in Alaska.
Fee Structure
APSI charges various rates for grant writing, depending on the technical range of the application. We provide custom quotes at no cost for all services, large or small. For grant writing, we require a 50% upfront deposit for grant writing with the remaining 50% due upon submission of the grant. Payment schedules are developed for other services. We provide official, detailed contracts that include a scope of work and deliverables, with all service agreements.
References
Reference contact information is available upon request.
Luis Echenique, Grants Coordinator
Galena Village, DBA Louden Tribal Council
Tom Atkinson, City Manager
City of Kotzebue
David Roland, General Manager
City of Emmonak
For more information on Alaska Project Solutions, Inc – APSI Company Profile 2023
DeerStone Consulting
Funding Results
Over the last six years, DeerStone has helped to bring in over $50 million in grant funding for more than projects, with over $415 million in pending awards. Our grant writing success rate in 2020-2021 for funding infrastructure projects was over 75%.
Grant Writers on staff and in Alaska
DeerStone grant writing has a staff of 10 which includes COO – Tashina Duttle, Senior Grant Writers – Emily Dodge and Karen Benning, Senior Project Manager – Gavin Dixon, Engineers – Devany Plentovich, Max Goggin-Kehm, Leah Olsen, and Tana Smith. Our team has extensive grant writing experience with a focus on rural Alaska infrastructure (energy, water/sewer, broadband, community facilities, housing). The entire team works, lives, and plays in Alaska!
Fee Structure
Hourly rate. Fee estimates are developed on a project by project basis, with years of grant writing experience informing our proposals.
References
Dave Messier, Rural Energy & Broadband Coordinator – Tanana Chiefs Conference
Sonny Adams, Village Energy Program Director – NANA Regional Corporation
Nathan Hill, Borough Manager – Lake and Peninsula Borough
For more information on DeerStone Consulting – Click Here!
Far North Strategies LLC
Far North Strategies LLC is an Alaska Native and Woman Owned Small Business, incorporated in September, 2021.
Funding Results (2022)
NTIA-TBCP (Collaborating writer) $8,000,000-Awarded
NTIA-TBCP (Collaborating writer) $2,500,000-Submitted
NTIA-BEAD (Collaborating writer )$2,400,000-Submitted
USDA $50,000,000-Submitted
NAAF $2,000,000-Awarded
Conservation Collaboration Grant $200,000-Awarded
National Alliance Conservation Dist. $400,000-Awarded
Grant Writers on staff and in Alaska
Team is composed of 2 principals and 3 associate writers that include a PhD candidate and MBA.
Fee Structure
Fee structures are based on consultation, degree of grant complexity and grant magnitude. FNS also has an hourly rate for grants of lesser magnitude, requiring less than a team approach for grant completion or technical writing.
References
Patricia Murphy, Calista Corporation
Andrea Gusty, The Kuskokwim Corporation
Daniel Cheyette, Bristol Bay Native Corporation
Charles Parker, Alaska Village Initiatives
Craig Fleener, Alaska Tribal Broadband
For more information on Far North Strategies LLC – Click Here!
Goods of a Soul
Funding Results
Government grant funding secured in the past five years for Alaska: $1,926,893
Foundation grant funding secured in the past five years for Alaska: $39,636
Grant Writers on staff and in Alaska
Team assembly varies with 3-6 writers on the team and 1-2 in Alaska;
Fee Structure
Fixed fee dependent on the degree of readiness to pursue funding and how complicated the grant application is to prepare.
References
Serena Fitka, Executive Director, Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association
Lara Hildreth, Executive Director, Alyeska Ski Club
Jill Chirstopher, Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley
For more information on Goods of a Soul – Click Here!
Information Insights
Funding Results
Government grant funding secured in the past five years for Alaska (approx): $2,718,093
Private foundation grant funding secured in the past five years for Alaska (approx): $832,000
Grant Writers on staff and in Alaska
Four grant writers, two in Alaska
Fee Structure
Fixed fee or hourly rate. Custom proposals are created, at no cost, for each client based on their unique needs.
References
Contact information available upon request
Shirley Marquardt, Executive Director, Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference (SWAMC)
Robert Venables, Executive Director, Southeast Conference
Anna Dalton, Director of Grants and Programs, Alaska Conservation Foundation
For more information on Information Insights – Click Here!
Kainah Consulting
Specializes in Tribal funding
Grant Writers on staff and in Alaska
One Grant Writer and administrative Staff
Fee Structure
Hourly Rate
References
City of Klawock
Don Nickerson/Mayor
907-401-1777
Klawock Cooperative Association
Lawrence Armour/Tribal Administrator
907-957-9480
For more information on Kainah Consulting
proHNS LLC
Funding Results
proHNS has helped clients secure millions of dollars in competitive grants for their priority projects. Recent wins include:
- $3.4 million from the USDOT Maritime Administration Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIPD) for the Metlakatla Indian Community.
- $881,000 from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Hunter Access Program for the City and Borough of Juneau.
- $200,000 from the USDOT Safe Streets for All Program for the Haines Borough.
- $200,000 from the USDOT Safe Streets for All Program for the Metlakatla Indian Community.
Grant Writers on staff and in Alaska
proHNS has a 2-person Grant Writing team, who in turn have access to more than 20 engineers, administrators, and other support that can assist with development of conceptual plans, schedules, and cost estimates for grant applications.
Grant Specialist Karen Garcia works in collaboration with other members of the proHNS Team to write and create powerful and comprehensive grant proposals. Karen is certified by the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and has secured millions of dollars in competitive contracts for proHNS. Karen resides and works in Haines, AK.
Grant Specialist Sara Yockey, a lifelong resident of Prince of Wales Island, AK, worked in Tribal Transportation for more than six years with an additional four years in Tribal Government before joining the proHNS Team. She is proficient in planning, writing, and administering transportation, government, and foundation grant proposals.
Fee Structure
Fixed fee, or time & expense based on hourly billing rates. Fee estimates are developed and proposed on a project-by-project basis. The availability of project information, such as planning documents and conceptual plans, will have a significant impact on our team’s time and effort. The more planning documents, project-specific information, and general community data the applicant can provide, the more affordable our services will be.
References
John Huestis, PE – OVK Tribal Transportation Director, 907-617-9970 – director(at)kasaan.org
Genelle Winter – MIC Grant Coordinator, 907-886-1560 – gwinter(at)metlakatla.com
Michele Elfers, PLA – Former CBJ Parks and Rec Deputy Director – 907-321-4498 – michele(at)alaskaflyfishinggoods.com
Annette Kreitzer – Haines Borough Manager – 907-766-6404 – akreitzer(at)haines.ak.us
For more information on proHNS LLC visit their website or read their Grant Writing and Planning Services One Pager!
Raynell Grantcatcher, LLC
Funding Results
$10 million in the last five years for national clients
$800,000 secured for Alaska clients in the last year
Grant Writers on staff and in Alaska
4 grant writers, 2 in Alaska
Fee Structure
Hourly rate or monthly flat rate, TBD based on client
References
Skokomish Indian Tribe (Shelton, Washington)
Mountain View Health Services (Anchorage, AK)
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Anchorage, AK)
For more information on Raynell Grantcatcher, LLC – Click Here!
Solstice Consulting (SolsticeAK)
Funding Results
Government grant funding secured in the past five years for Alaska (approx): $37 Million
Foundation grant funding secured in the past five years for Alaska (approx): $365,000.00
Grant Writers on staff and in Alaska
2 full-time grant writers, 6 part-time grant writers. All based in Alaska.
Fee Structure
Standard hourly rate, custom quotes provided at no cost.
References
Anna Sattler, Community Liaison, Alaska Village Electric Cooperative
Mike Monterusso, Executive Director, Alaska Botanical Gardens
Gary Hennigh, City of King Cove Administrator
For more information on SolsticeAK – Click Here!