Carinci Consulting: Strategy, Funding, Coaching, and Evaluation Services to Advance Nonprofit Impact
As Founder and Principal Consultant of Carinci Consulting, I bring two decades of non-profit leadership launching national strategic and research initiatives, conceptualizing networked improvement communities, and forging diverse partnerships to address gaps and improve stakeholder outcomes. Since launching a grants agency in December of 2022, I have helped clients win over $30 million in grant funding and have advanced a total of over $54 million in my career. How could leveraging my expertise advance your mission and free up your time?
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🎃 Don’t Get Spooked by Grant Myths
Published 3 months ago • 5 min read
October 2025
🧙♀️ Don't Let Grant Myths Haunt Your Mission
October may be spooky season—but let’s be honest, few things are scarier than missing a game-changing grant opportunity because of misinformation or hesitation. 👻
Whether it's the myth that "you need a full-time grant writer to compete" or the fear that "you’re too small to win federal funding," I’ve seen these ghost stories paralyze organizations that are more than capable. The truth? With the right guidance and strategic timing, even lean teams can land transformative grants. 🎯
This issue is your flashlight in the fog—spotlighting the most common grant myths that keep nonprofits stuck and the strategic truths that can set you free. It’s also a nudge to start planning smart for 2026 (yes, already!).
Because Q4 shouldn't be a graveyard where ambition dies—it’s the opportunity for your next spellbounding strategy comes to life.” 🧟
Opportunity Cost of not Partnering with a Grants Strategist and Writer
“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.” — Red Adair
When it comes to nonprofit grant seeking, hindsight is often 20/20. You pass on investing in a grants strategist or writer during budget crunches—and months later, you're staring at missed deadlines, underwhelming proposals, or worse, unfunded programs. The true cost? It’s not just lost dollars—it’s lost momentum, relationships, and mission impact.
Grant Writing Tips: 3 Myths that Could Be Costing You Grants
(and What to Do Instead)
💀 Skeletons in your grants closet? Pull your grant toolkit together like a good spellbook—ready to summon when deadlines start creeping in. 📖
1. Myth: “We’re too small for federal grants.”→ Truth: Many federal programs prioritize underserved communities and organizations with strong local partnerships—even if they’re small. Tailored storytelling and clear capacity-building plans matter more than size.
2. Myth: “We need a perfect track record to win.”→ Truth: Funders want credible plans, strong logic models, and data-informed goals—not perfection. Show your trajectory and learning curve. New programs can be funded with the right framing.
3. Myth: “We don’t have enough time to apply.”→ Truth: Most grant prep can be modular. Build templates, bios, evaluation narratives, and budget structures now so you're ready to move fast later.
🕷️ Don’t let the final quarter sneak up and scare you—having polished, ready-to-use standard materials is your secret weapon against deadline dread. Whether it’s a boilerplate narrative, budget template, or updated org chart, organizing now means fewer frights later.
So grab your (metaphorical) broom 🧹and start sweeping your grants closet clean—before spooky season turns into scramble season.
Grant Opportunities
Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Directorate for STEM Education (IUSE: EDU)
Deadline: January 21, 2026 for Institutional and Community Transformation (Capacity-Building and Level 1) proposals and Engaged Student Learning (Level 1) proposals
Description: Supports projects to improve STEM teaching and learning for undergraduate students, including studying what works and for whom and how to transform institutions to adopt successful practices in STEM education.
FY25 ONR Office Of Naval Research (ONR) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
Award Amount: Unspecified
Deadline: Rolling through June 30, 2026
Description: Funds STEM education programs and activities, which is formal or informal education that is primarily focused on physical and natural sciences, technology, engineering, social sciences, and mathematics disciplines, topics, or issues (including environmental science education or stewardship).
Seeding Critical Advances for Leading Energy technologies with Untapped Potential (SCALEUP) Ready program
Award Amount: The Federal share of awards may vary between $5 million and $20 million.
Deadline: Applications will be accepted any time while this NOFO remains open.
Description: Provides a vital mechanism for the support of innovative energy R&D that complements ARPA-E’s primary R&D focus on early-stage transformational energy technologies that still require proof-of-concept.
Description: Provides funds to the nation’s neediest schools so that they can extend, update, and diversify the book and print collections in their libraries with the goal of encouraging students to develop a love of reading and learning.
Award Amount: Fellows receive $70,000 for one academic year, distributed in two installments.
Deadline: November 13, 2025
Description: The NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship supports early career scholars working in critical areas of education research. Through professional development, funding, and mentorship from senior scholars, the fellowship enhances the career and research opportunities of the fellow.
As a highly competitive initiative, this fellowship annually identifies and supports 25 of the most exceptional researchers conducting postdoctoral studies relevant to education.
Description: Supports nonprofits and educational institutions dedicated to helping girls in grades K–12 build the skills, confidence, and preparation they need to thrive in STEM.
FY25 Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Program
Anticipated Award Ceiling: Category 1: Up to
$2,000,000; Category 2: Up to $1,000,000
Deadlines: SF-424 in Grants.gov: October 27, 2025; JustGrants: November 3, 2025
Description: The goal of the STOP School Violence Program is to improve school safety by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, quickly respond to, and help prevent acts of violence.
🌟 Real results, real impact. Hear what people are saying about their experience with us!🌟
🎉 Grant Win Alert! 🎉
Purpose: Develop the first fully open set of artificial intelligence tools to accelerate scientific discovery and enhance the United States’ leadership in AI innovation.
Success Total: $75 million from NSF, with an additional $77 million from NVIDIA
Carinci Consulting Role: Coach and Project Execution Plan (PEP) Co-Writer
Lessons Learned:
Q4 Is Not the Time to Ghost Your Grant Strategy
Many nonprofits often treat fall as a sprint to finish the year. But seasoned grantseekers know September is a strategic springboard. Here’s why: You’ve likely heard that many funders have fall deadlines. But what’s less talked about? The why—and how you can use that insight to your advantage.
Federal Agencies often ramp up RFPs in Q4 to align with the end of the federal fiscal year (Sept 30) or to allocate remaining funds before the next cycle.
Private Foundations use Q4 to wrap up giving cycles aligned to calendar-year budgeting, pushing out opportunities that need to be spent before Dec 31.
School Districts & Education Grants plan proposals now to secure funding for the next academic year.
📅 That means October can be your strategic sweet spot (think treats not tricks) for research, readiness, and submission.
📥 Pro Tip: Don’t wait until January to map your grant calendar. Start prospecting now using free tools like:
🎯 Want a more advanced approach? Consider a 12-month grant calendar segmented by federal, foundation, and local timelines to keep your team aligned and proactive.
Let’s Make Q4 Count
Whether your funding momentum has stalled, you’re ready to level up your strategy, or you just need a clearer path forward, I’d love to help.
I’ve seen firsthand how a strategic reset in October sets the tone for success—not just for Q4, but for the year ahead.
Whether you need help refining a proposal, revising your grants calendar, or making sense of which opportunities are worth pursuing, I’m here for it.
📩 Let’s talk about how to maximize your next big grant win—before the deadlines start stacking up.
Schedule a free consultation or just hit reply to this email.
Carinci Consulting: Strategy, Funding, Coaching, and Evaluation Services to Advance Nonprofit Impact
Jennifer Carinci
As Founder and Principal Consultant of Carinci Consulting, I bring two decades of non-profit leadership launching national strategic and research initiatives, conceptualizing networked improvement communities, and forging diverse partnerships to address gaps and improve stakeholder outcomes. Since launching a grants agency in December of 2022, I have helped clients win over $30 million in grant funding and have advanced a total of over $54 million in my career. How could leveraging my expertise advance your mission and free up your time?
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