FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Insight?
Insight is a grants development firm. We offer support services such as grant writing, editing, research, analysis, speaking/training, and evaluation to assist organizations seeking to bridge funding gaps.
Do you offer grants?
No. Insight provides assistance and support to grant seekers as they navigate the grants process, but we do not fund grants.
What services do you offer?
Insight offers a full range of grants development services for nonprofit organizations seeking grants and for-profit companies looking to assist their public sector existing and potential customers in obtaining grants to fund their products and services. Our services include (but are not limited to) research and opportunity identification, analysis, funding-seeking planning, phone and email support, grant writing, editing, training/speaking, grants tracking, sales team support, evaluation, post-award consultation, and development of informational materials and tools that are useful to grant seekers. For more information, contact us at info@insightgrants.com or visit our Services page.
Do you use consultant grant writers as members of your team?
Yes. Leveraging consultant grant writers allows us to ensure we have grant writers on our team who have track records of success in a wide range of topic areas, while keeping our overhead costs low so that our client prices may also remain low.
Then why should I work with Insight over selecting an independent consultant grant writer?
Working with Insight versus an independent consultant grant writer offers you several benefits, but the two greatest benefits are a true team-based approach and quality assurance. We are NOT “grant writing pimps,” and we will not simply take your money and sell your project to a consultant.
Team-based Approach: All Insight projects are a team effort that will involve at least one grant writer and one editor. Whether your assigned writer is a permanent team member or consultant, that individual will be supported by a minimum of one additional team member in order to ensure the project is completed on time and is of the highest possible quality. We understand that even the most experienced and successful grant writers sometimes make mistakes or may not always think of all of the angles that should be addressed in a grant application. Because of this, we ensure all projects benefit from the feedback of multiple grants development professionals.
Quality Assurance: It can be very difficult to determine whether an independent consultant is a truly strong grant writer, particularly if you are not a grant writer yourself. The Insight Management Team is highly experienced at this, however, and maintains a team of professionals with track records of success that is inclusive of only the very best writers in the country. Furthermore, we have a system for assisting all consultants throughout the grant writing process that involves project management, training, and editing support provided by our Management Team.
Do you work with for-profit companies?
Yes! Insight specializes in–but does not limit its services to–providing for-profit companies with grant support services that will be helpful to existing and potential public sector customers who require grants to purchase products and services. For more information on how we can help your company, contact us at info@insightgrants.com or visit our Services page.
Except in rare cases, we do not, however, write grants for for-profit organizations.
Insight is located in beautiful Batavia, NY and my organization is not… Can you still work with us?
Yes! Insight works with organizations across the United States. Our team has significant, successful experience working remotely. Leveraging phone, email, and fax, your project can be quickly, easily, and efficiently completed. We know that regular communication is the key to a successful remote relationship and we make it a priority!
Do you work internationally?
Insight is currently focused on securing domestic funding for organizations within the United States and its territories. We have offered some assistance to schools located in Canada, as well. If you are located outside of the US and are interested in our support services, please contact us at info@insightgrants.com to discuss your needs. We will be happy to help you, if we can.
What types of organizations do you write grants for?
Insight writes grants for nonprofit organizations and municipalities including but not limited to K-12 schools and school districts, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, local and state governments, and higher education institutions. Our team is significantly experienced in working with schools and school districts. For more information on how we can work with your organization to help you achieve your goals, contact us at info@insightgrants.com.
In what funding areas are you strongest?
The Insight team has experience with funding at all levels (federal, state, and private) and for most topic areas. The areas in which we are strongest include: physical education/physical activity and fitness/obesity reduction and prevention/health and safety, K-12 education, health and human-service projects led by community-based organizations, homeland security, and technology. We are particularly knowledgeable of federal funding streams.
Are there any grants you won’t write?
Yes. Although we will write most grants, there are some grants we feel unqualified to assist with. Insight feels it is crucial that a consulting firm knows and acknowledges its limits. Accepting projects one is not qualified to write is certainly unprofessional, but it is also unethical–because it abuses the client’s trust. It is not true that a grant writer can write “any grant” successfully. Every writer and every firm has its limitations. If you offer to contract with us on a grant we do not feel we are qualified to take on, we will be upfront about that, but we will also do our best to refer you to an independent writer or another firm that may be better qualified to assist you.
Is there a grant out there for me?
The guidance for each grant opportunity will indicate who is eligible to apply. It is important to read the entire grant guidance and pay special attention to any and all eligibility information, as well as any information regarding allowable and unallowable expenses, before you begin writing a grant to ensure your organization, project, and associated costs are eligible. In most cases, grants are given to municipal and/or nonprofit organizations, rather than to individuals and/or for-profit organizations. If you would like help identifying grant opportunities for your organization, contact us at info@insightgrants.com.
Do you write grants for individuals?
No. Insight assists in pursuing grants for nonprofit and municipal organizations. We do not offer services for individuals seeking grants or scholarships, with the exception of individuals looking to start or expand a nonprofit daycare center or other nonprofit community service.
Do you write grants for small businesses?
No. Insight assists in pursuing grants for nonprofit and municipal organizations. We do not offer services for individuals seeking grants, with the exception of individuals looking to start or expand a nonprofit daycare center or other nonprofit community service.
Do you assist with E-Rate?
No. Insight specializes in grants development services. E-Rate is not a grant program. It is, however, a very valuable and complex funding stream that requires a consultant with very specialized knowledge. For assistance with E-Rate, we recommend contacting Funds for Learning, LLC. Visit FFL today at www.fundsforlearning.com.
Do you research contract opportunities?
Insight specializes in grants development services and only researches contract opportunities for existing clients. The information leader for general contract opportunities information is INPUT. We recommend contacting that company for assistance with contract opportunities. Visit INPUT today at www.input.com.
Do you respond to contract RFPs?
If you would like assistance responding to a contract RFP, contact us at info@insightgrants.com. We consider preparing contract RFP responses on a case-by-case basis and have prepared several in the past.
If I contract with Insight for assistance, what role do I need to play in the grant development process?
Although Insight will do most of the work to prepare and submit your grant, we can only be successful in that endeavor with your organization’s participation in the process. As contact for your organization, it will be your responsibility to thoroughly read the grant guidance. You will also need to respond to all information collection tools, questions, and requests for clarification in order to provide us with the information we need to develop a strong proposal, and to assist with budget development by providing us with information on what you need and what the estimated itemized costs are. You will also be responsible for providing feedback on grant drafts and ensuring proper required signatures and letters of commitment are obtained and sent to us in a timely manner. Even with professional assistance, you should assume applying for a grant will require a notable amount of time and effort.
Can I buy or order my desired products and services before the grant is approved and then receive a reimbursement?
In most cases the answer is no. Although occasionally grants will reimburse pre-award expenditures, most grants will not. Unless the grant guidance specifically states that pre-award expenditures are allowable expenses, you should assume they are not.
Do all grants require a match?
No, but many do. You should approach the grants arena assuming you will be expected to provide a match of some sort. Although many grants require a match, most do not require a cash match. In-kind matches are almost always allowed when matches are required. Our team is highly experienced at helping clients identify potential resources to meet in-kind match requirements and we would be happy to assist your organization.
What is an in-kind match?
An in-kind match is the reasonable (defensible) dollar value of goods or services the applicant and/or its partners will be donating to the project or program the grant will be funding.
Do you write on contingency?
No. Contrary to many misleading advertisements, there is no “free money.” Grants require a commitment of time and resources on the part of the organization throughout both the development and administrative processes. Insight charges flat service rates that take into account the fact that most organizations are faced with limited budgets. For all contracts over $1,000, a partial payment will be due upfront and the remaining balance will be due within 15 days of the grant’s submission.
If our grant is awarded, will Insight take a cut or percentage?
In accordance with the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Code of Ethics and the guidelines for most grants, Insight does not accept additional payments beyond the negotiated service fee from nonprofit organizations for grants that are awarded. Insight charges flat service rates that take into account the fact that most organizations are faced with limited budgets. For all contracts over $1,000, a partial payment will be due upfront and the remaining balance will be due within 15 days of the grant’s submission.
If you are a for-profit organization interested in a bonus structure as a form of risk-sharing, contact us at info@insightgrants.com to discuss your needs, however, we prefer a fee-for-services payment structure to avoid the appearance of any procurement law circumvention.
How much do you charge?
Insight charges flat fees for services based on the amount of hours required to complete the project; our established, general hourly rates; and a fee calculation equation. Nonprofit client fees are calculated using an $80 hourly rate, and industry client fees are calculated using a $100 hourly rate. Please visit our “Nonprofits” and “Industry” pages for more details on pricing. Contact us at info@insightgrants.com for pricing for a specific project.
Your rates seem expensive…
If you are new to the grants arena, have been working with an individual consultant grant writer, and/or have been working with an “in-house” writer, Insight’s rates may seem expensive. We have done our level best, however, to establish rates that are both fair to the client and manageable for Insight. If you spend some time researching pricing with other firms, we are confident you will find we are priced lower than many. We have done this in order to make our services as affordable as possible—particularly for schools, school districts, and small to medium-size nonprofits and municipalities. If our prices are out of your budget, however, please contact us anyway at info@insightgrants.com to discuss the situation. We do offer a range of discounts that are not discussed on the pricing page, and you may qualify for a discount. We will do our best to ensure you receive assistance by either working within your budget, or, if the former is not financially feasible for us, referring you to a qualified and trustworthy independent grants consultant with a proven success record.
Your rates seem low…
If you are used to working with consultants and consulting firms, you are likely to find our rates are on the low end. We can assure you that you will receive high-end services at reasonable prices, if you choose to work with Insight. We have purposely implemented a modest pricing structure to ensure we can provide services to as many organizations as possible–regardless of whether their budgets are large or small.
Can you guarantee my grant will be funded?
No. It would be dishonest of us to guarantee that your grant will be funded (unless it is a formula grant) because the awards process involves a variety of factors–some of which we have absolutely no control over. We will, however, guarantee you that, with your cooperation and assistance, we will produce a high quality, competitive grant application for your organization that will not score below an average of 60 out of 100. Applications written by Insight scoring below that average result in grant writing for a future grant of equal or lesser value than the amount paid for the low-scoring grant.
Clients may elect to purchase grant proposal “insurance” for an additional charge at the time of commissioning the grant writing. Should the client choose this option, if the grant is not funded, Insight will credit the client’s account, thereby making the client’s next grant writing service of twice the insurance fee or less free. If the client’s next grant costs more than twice the insurance fee, the client will receive a credit for the amount toward those services. As this is an insurance option rather than a security deposit, we are unable to give refunds for insured grants that receive awards.
What is your success rating?
Insight’s team members have typically seen an overall success rating of 33% or more, or one application awarded for every three submitted. Clients who engage in long-standing relationships (as opposed to one or two projects) with Insight may see higher success ratings. We also have higher success ratings with specific programs, including the Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) grants—for which we’ve had approval ratings as high as 75% and for which we have several writers with average approval ratings of at least 50%.
Why should I contact Insight for assistance?
Insight’s team consists of seasoned grants development professionals with track records of success, and we will make helping you succeed a priority. Because we greatly value customer satisfaction, if Insight is unable to assist you or is aware of a leader in the field who may be able to serve you better, we will do our best to refer you. This is why Insight has made a concerted effort to partner with leaders in the funding field with high integrity, high ethical standards, commitments to quality customer service, and histories of success. Relationships are important to us!
