Frequently Asked Questions
Who are your current and recent clients?
All of our clients are non-profit organizations. Our current and recent past clients include Abbott House, Boys and Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, Child Care Council of Westchester, Community Center of Northern Westchester, Country Children’s Center, Downtown Music, Gilda's Club Westchester, Jewish Family Services of Delaware, JCY-Westchester Community Partners, Lifting Up Westchester, Music Conservatory of Westchester, Ossining Children’s Center, Paramount Center for the Arts, Putnam ARC, SCORE Westchester, SHORE/ICARE, Siegel JCC of Delaware, Teatown Lake Reservation, The Guidance Center, Visting Nurses Services in Westchester, Westchester Exceptional Children's School, YMCA of Central & Northern Westchester, and YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester. Please see the Who We Work For section for a complete listing of clients.
How do you work with staff?
The difference between Howie Grant Writing & Consulting and other grant writers and fundraising consultants is that we are able to take a project from start to finish with little assistance from the Development Officer or Executive Director. We will find suitable funders. We will do the necessary demographic research. We will create the needs assessment, project details, objectives, outcomes, target markets, evaluation techniques, methodology, etc. Once the proposal is written, you will receive a draft to circulate, complete with cover letter. After you make any necessary corrections, a final package will be prepared for you to sign and mail or we can submit it online on your behalf.
Are you available for meetings?
Certainly! We meet with clients virtually and in-person. On the other hand, if your time is limited, we would be happy to correspond with you via e-mail and telephone.
What billing arrangements do you offer?
Depending on your budget, we can offer you various options. If your finances are limited, we can bill you by the project, at an hourly rate. For those who prefer to have a consistent monthly accounting entry, we offer a monthly retainer for a specific amount with a guaranteed minimum number of hours per month.
How do I get billed?
Typically, bills are sent out monthly on the last day of the month.
Do I need to sign a contract with you?
Howie Grant Writing & Consulting will provide you with a contract before any work is started. However, there is no risk to you. After completion of all verbally contracted projects, you can cancel the contract by sending us a letter via email or in writing.
What would I need to send you in order to get started?
Corporate, foundation, and government grants require the following addendums so we ask that you send then as soon as possible: 501 (C) 3 tax exempt letter, incorporation papers, financial audit, 990 tax return, organizational budget, list of current financial supporters, board of directors list, annual report, organizational brochure or press kit, and recent newsletter. In addition, we will need your letterhead. We will need a Jpeg of your signature.
Do I have to find my own funding sources, or are you able to find them for me?
We are able to access the funders that are most applicable to your organization through online foundation databases, grant RFP e-newsletters and other sources. However, your organization might have direct knowledge of funders via your own correspondence or experience. We usually prepare a list of funders through a combination of our own searches and your knowledge.
Do you ever work on a percentage basis?
We do not work on a contingent fee basis. In most cases, grant preparation costs cannot be paid from a grant, unless specified as an eligible cost item in the RFP's budget instruction. Also, respected industry organizations such as the Grant Professionals Association frown upon the practice and consider it unethical. We charge a flat hourly rate or monthly retainer, regardless of the success of the grant application. Our bill will itemize the project(s) and the number of hours. Upon request, we will provide a price quote.
Do you have a special relationship with funders?
Howie Grant Writing & Consulting knows many funders and can certainly provide contact information to a client that wishes to call ahead or follow up on an application. However, NYS and MD Charities Bureaus do not allow us to ask for money on your behalf. For the most part, funders typically do not know about our involvement in the proposal development process; in essence, we are a "ghost writer" for you. Our job is to provide you with high quality, technically correct, "fundable" proposals that have a chance at being funded.
