GRANTS, TENDERS AND FUNDING STRATEGY
Funding support that grows with your organisation
Most organisations first contact me because an important grant or tender has opened and they want to give it their best shot.
That may be where our work starts, but it does not have to be where it ends.
I help purpose-driven organisations develop fundable projects, lead critical submissions and build a more proactive and sustainable approach to grants and tenders. This can mean support with one important opportunity, an ongoing funding partnership, or developing the people and systems to manage the work internally.
When an opportunity matters
If you have found a grant or tender that genuinely matters, I can lead the submission process and help your organisation put forward its strongest possible case.
Grant applications
Give an important opportunity your best shot.
When a grant genuinely matters, I can lead the development of a strong, submission-ready application. I assess the opportunity, identify the strongest positioning and draw out the information funders need to make a confident decision.
Depending on the application, support can include:
Opportunity assessment and positioning
Staff consultations and full drafting
Budget and supporting-document alignment
Final quality assurance and submission pack
Best suited to organisations with an upcoming opportunity where the potential value justifies specialist support.
Your organisation retains final approval and submits the application.
Tender submissions
Bring structure and strategic leadership to a high-stakes tender.
Major tenders place significant demands on leadership teams. I lead the submission process, coordinate internal contributors and keep the work moving from initial strategy through to a final, submission-ready response.
Depending on the tender, support can include:
Tender strategy, win themes and workplan
Staff workshops and response drafting
Compliance, attachments and progress reporting
Final submission pack and clarification support
Best suited to organisations pursuing a significant contract involving complex requirements, multiple contributors or substantial strategic importance.
Your organisation retains final sign-off and submission responsibility.
“James does much more than take our information and turn it into a submission. He helps us see the strengths in our work and finds a clear, compelling way to communicate them.”
Build a proactive funding approach
Strong funding results rarely come from responding to opportunities one at a time. These services help organisations understand what is holding them back, develop fundable priorities and manage funding more deliberately.
Funding Review and Roadmap
Understand what is holding back your funding results.
If you are applying for grants but not achieving the results you expect, or want to develop a more strategic approach, a Funding Review provides a clear place to start.
The review can include:
Analysis of recent applications and results
Review of grant income and conversion data
Assessment of messaging, evidence and funded-project delivery
Written findings, leadership discussion and prioritised roadmap
Best suited to organisations experiencing inconsistent results, lower conversion rates or uncertainty about where to focus their funding effort.
Managed Funding Partnership
Move from reactive applications to a managed funding function.
A Managed Funding Partnership gives your organisation experienced funding leadership without establishing a full in-house grants team.
Support can include:
Developing fundable projects and priorities
Managing the opportunity pipeline
Coordinating operations and finance contributions
Leading grant applications
Tracking funded commitments and reporting deadlines
Coordinating acquittals and funder updates
Best suited to organisations with clear priorities, no senior person owning the funding function, and operations and finance staff who can contribute when needed.
Your organisation remains responsible for project delivery, outcomes data, detailed budgets and final decisions.
Initial engagement: Six months, with a formal review after three months.
“James helped us develop a much clearer funding narrative and case for support that brought together the social and environmental impact of Green Connect and what we want to achieve in the future.”
Build capability that stays with your organisation
If you already have someone with the potential to manage grants internally, I can help them develop the judgement, systems and confidence to progressively take ownership.
Build your funding function
Develop the people and systems to manage funding internally.
Capability-building happens through live work rather than generic training alone. Your internal team member progressively takes the lead while receiving senior review, feedback and support.
Regular coaching for an internal writer
Review and feedback on live applications
Supported learning through complex tenders
Templates, systems and practical workflows
Appropriate use of AI with strong quality controls
For organisations with a capable internal team member who has the time and organisational support to develop into the role.
HOW THE TRANSITION WORKS
I lead
I establish the strategy, structure and quality standard.
We work together
Your internal team member contributes, drafts and learns through live opportunities.
You lead
They take ownership while I step back into review and strategic advice.
“This is the rare adviser who can help shape the strategy and then do the hard work required to deliver it.”
How working together starts
Start with a conversation
We discuss the opportunity, your timing and what your organisation needs.
Confirm fit and scope
I recommend the right level of support and provide a clear proposal covering responsibilities, timing and fees.
Get the work moving
We agree the required inputs, key dates and way of working before commencing.
If I do not think an opportunity is a strong fit, or there is not enough time to produce quality work, I will tell you.
Common questions
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Fees are based on the scope, complexity and timeframe of the work. After an initial conversation, I will provide a clear proposal setting out what is included, the responsibilities of each party and the agreed fee.
I do not publish standard prices because two opportunities of similar value can require very different levels of work.
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Yes, provided there is enough time to meaningfully strengthen it. A strategic review considers the positioning, alignment with the criteria, strength of the evidence and any important gaps. It is more than a final proofread.
If the application requires substantial redevelopment rather than a review, I will let you know before commencing and recommend an appropriate scope.
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Sometimes. I accept urgent work selectively, depending on my availability, the quality of the existing material and whether there is enough time to produce a strong submission.
If the timeframe would compromise the quality of the work, I will tell you. When enquiring, please include the deadline, funding amount and current status of the application.
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Your organisation retains final approval and normally submits the application through the relevant portal. I provide a complete submission-ready response and can coordinate the required attachments and supporting information.
This allows an authorised person within your organisation to confirm the declarations, attachments and organisational details before submission.
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No. I do not charge a percentage of the funding or work on the basis that I am paid only if an application succeeds.
Funding decisions sit with the funder and no consultant can guarantee an outcome. My fees reflect the strategy, judgement and work involved in developing a competitive submission. I will also tell you if I do not believe an opportunity is a strong enough fit to justify the investment.
Have an opportunity in mind?
Tell me about the opportunity, its value and the deadline, and I will let you know whether I can help.
Not sure what support you need?
Take the Funding and Growth Readiness Snapshot to identify what may be holding back your organisation’s funding performance.