May 2026 Fund What Works: The May Grants Mindset Shift š±May has a way of making everything feel like it should be growingāplants, plans, programsā¦proposal pressure included. But in grantland, ābiggerā isnāt always better. In fact, one of the most strategic moves a nonprofit can make is resisting the urge to chase growth for growthās sake. This month, weāre leaning into a more fundable (and sustainable) idea: depth over hype. The organizations that win consistently arenāt always the ones doing...
8 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
April 2026 š± From One Workshop to Whatās Next April often feels like a resetāthe moment when ideas that have been sitting quietly start to take shape. Recently, I had the opportunity to lead a grant strategy workshop at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), and Iām still thinking about the conversations that came out of it. Thank you to AACTE for the invitationāand to everyone who showed up ready to think differently about funding. One thing that stood out: the...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
March 2026 š„March Matchups ā Make Your Grants Portfolio Work Harder March is where the year gets real. Q1 momentum is building, deadlines are starting to stack, and the question becomes: Are you choosing the right opportunitiesāor just the next ones? This monthās theme is March Matchupsābecause grant success isnāt only about writing well. Itās about picking battles you can actually win and punching above your weight. When your proposals go to funders that truly match your mission, capacity,...
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
February 2026 š§” Welcome to New (and Returning!) Grant Gurus and Novices If youāre new hereāwelcome! š This newsletter is written by me, Jennifer Carinci, Ed.D., PMP, Founder & Principal Consultant at Carinci Consulting and produced with help from my team. (Special shout out to Sam!) We partner with nonprofits, school districts, and higher education institutions to design smart grant strategies, write competitive proposals, and build sustainable funding pipelines. Weāve had a record number of...
3 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 7 min read
January 2026 Smarter, Not Busier: Your 2026 Grants Reset January always comes with the temptation to ādo moreāāmore proposals, more deadlines, more hustle. But if 2025 taught us anything, itās this: Working harder isnāt the same as winning more. This year, what if your guiding question wasnāt āHow much can we squeeze in?ā but āWhat will actually move the needle?ā A smarter grants year is built on reflection: Which proposals in 2025 delivered the biggest impact for the effort? Where did we...
4 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
ā³ The countdown is onā¦ Are you ready to jumpstart your 2026 funding strategy? If getting organized for grant season has been sitting on your to-do list, now is the moment to move. Every year, organizations miss out on hundreds of thousandsāand sometimes millionsāin potential funding simply because they donāt have the time or expertise to navigate the ever-changing grant landscape. To set you up for success, weāre opening a limited number of discounted Strategy Client spots* for organizations...
5 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
December 2025 š Carinci Consulting Turns 3! š Three Years of Strategy. Three Years of Impact. Three Years of Turning Vision Into Reality. This month, Carinci Consulting celebrates three years in business ā and we couldnāt be more honored or grateful. What started as a leap of faith has grown into a mission-driven consultancy that has, in partnerships, helped nonprofits and higher education institutions secure nearly $200 million in competitive grants, launch transformative programs, expand...
5 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 10 min read
November 2025 Show your mission some love with a grant strategy that actually works. November is a time for gathering, gratitudeāand if youāre playing the long gameāgetting strategic.Just like setting the table before the feast, laying the groundwork for your grant approach now sets your organization up for success in the months ahead. Why does this matter? Because data shows that nonprofits with a clear grant strategy are over 3 times more likely to secure funding than those that take an...
6 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
October 2025 š§āļø Don't Let Grant Myths Haunt Your Mission October may be spooky seasonābut letās be honest, few things are scarier than missing a game-changing grant opportunity because of misinformation or hesitation. š» Whether it's the myth that "you need a full-time grant writer to compete" or the fear that "youāre too small to win federal funding," Iāve seen these ghost stories paralyze organizations that are more than capable. The truth? With the right guidance and strategic timing, even...
7 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read