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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Published 6 days ago • 5 min read
May 2025
The Question That Ignites Change: "Is the Status Quo Really Working?
Springtime inspires us to question and renew, not just our surroundings but also our approaches. For me, the transformative journey from a W-2 nonprofit leader to a grants consultant began with a critical question: "Is the status quo the only way, and will it truly yield the results I seek?" This echoes Albert Einstein’s notion that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results—a sentiment many of our clients share before they turn to specialized, outsourced grant assistance. Consider a recent discussion with a client who realized that their traditional methods were not enough to advance their mission. They said embracing our expert grant strategies not only expanded their funding capabilities but also liberated their team to pursue more impactful initiatives. Like them, many find that this shift brings a refreshing surge of effectiveness and focus. As we delve into this issue, let's challenge ourselves to reconsider our current strategies. Are they really serving us well? Or is it time to explore new paths that could lead to greater impact and fulfillment? Let Carinci Consulting help you discover the potential of embracing change this May.
Grant Writing Secrets: The ‘X’ Factor Your Proposal Needs
What makes one grant proposal stand out while another barely gets a second glance? It’s not just about following the guidelines or presenting a solid budget—it’s about delivering that elusive “X” factor that makes your proposal irresistible to funders. This secret sauce combines strategy, storytelling, and precision to transform a good proposal into a winning one.
Unlock the secrets to successful grant writing with the Grant Guru Guide! Get expert insights, proven strategies, and essential tips to secure funding for your mission-driven work.
Award Amount: typical funding amount is $100,000-$155,000 per year
Deadline: August 20, 2025
Description: Supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the NSF. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program.
Award Amount: Capacity Building: $100,000; Scholarships and Stipends: up to $1,200,000; Teaching Fellowships: up to $3,000,00; Master Teaching Fellowships up to $3,000,000
Deadline: August 26, 2025
Description: Address the critical need for recruiting, preparing, and retaining highly effective elementary and secondary STEM teachers and teacher leaders who persist as classroom teachers in high-need Local Education Agencies (LEA), by supporting talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers.
EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement: EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence
Award Amount: up to $8,000,000
Deadline: August 12, 2025
Description: Supports the development of sustainable research infrastructure and capacity in the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) jurisdictions through collaborative, hypothesis-driven or problem-driven research and workforce development to improve competitiveness in a selected STEM field.
Award Amount: unspecified; proposals with large budgets (ca >$1M annually) will likely be subjected to either a site or reverse site visit.
Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
Description: Supports the implementation of, scaling of, or major improvements to research tools, products, and services that advance contemporary biology. Focuses on building capacity in research infrastructure that is broadly applicable to a wide range of researchers in three programmatic areas: Cyberinfrastructure, Biological Collections, and Biological Field Stations and Marine Laboratories.
Award Amount: $10,000 (for single institution grants) - $30,000 (for multi-institution grants)
Deadline: Funding inquiry June 20, 2025
Description: Supports efforts to expand teachers’ global knowledge and skills. Preference will be given to those teacher preparation institutions that are connected to state or citywide systemic effort in order to have a greater impact and to those using online courses for pre-service education or professional development.
Description: Seeks to fund organizations that uphold 5 different pillars: Prosperity, Empowerment, Access, Representation and Leadership for Black girls and women in the United States.
Mutual of America's Community Partnership Award Grant
Award Amount: $50,000-$100,000
Deadline: July 1, 2025
Description: Recognizes outstanding nonprofit organizations in the United States that have shown exemplary leadership by facilitating partnerships with public, private, or social sector leaders. Each year, they sponsor a national competition in which hundreds of organizations demonstrate the value of their partnership to the communities they serve, their ability to be replicated by others, and their capacity to stimulate new approaches to addressing significant social issues.
🌟 Real results, real impact. Hear what our clients are saying about their experience with us!🌟
Lessons Learned: Better Data, Bigger Impact
One of the most overlooked but powerful assets in a grant proposal? High-quality, relevant data.Whether you’re demonstrating need, making the case for your solution, or outlining expected impact, solid data strengthens credibility and positions your proposal for success. This month, we’re highlighting some of the most valuable data sources and visualization tools we've used with clients—many of which can help elevate your next application.Here are five data tools and what they’re great for:
📊 KIDS COUNT Data Center Powered by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, this tool is a must for youth-focused proposals. It offers high-quality data on child well-being by state and indicator, including education, health, and economic conditions. Explore the KIDS COUNT Data Center for free statistical data about economics, education and health sorted by race, sex and age in our national data center.
🗺️ Community Commons Want to build your own custom maps? This site allows you to visualize national and local datasets in meaningful ways—perfect for place-based proposals or highlighting service gaps. BONUS:MapChart – Create custom shaded maps of counties, states, or countries to visualize service areas or impact regions.
🔎 Data USA A user-friendly tool that makes economic and demographic data easy to explore. Use it to identify trends and support your narrative with statistics that funders value.
💰 Prosperity Now Scorecard Great for proposals focused on financial literacy, wealth building, or equity. It includes indicators like homeownership, net worth, and access to credit—often disaggregated by race and geography.
📈 StatsAmerica Dive deep into innovation, workforce, and regional economic indicators. Their tools include radius reports and community profiles that can help you make a targeted case for support.
And don’t forget about the U.S. Census Bureau’s data tools: an essential starting point for many grant proposals, offering everything from population estimates to detailed socioeconomic data.
📌 Pro Tip: Incorporating data is about more than just filling in numbers. It’s about choosing the right data to tell a compelling story, paired with visuals and analysis that support your narrative. If you're ready to elevate your next proposal with stronger data strategy, we're here to help.Let’s make your case impossible to ignore.
🎉 Grant Win Alert! 🎉
Purpose: To recruit and support 16 highly-qualified new teachers in math, physics, biology, or chemistry who will fulfill their commitment to teach in high-need Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in the Quad Cities area, Chicago, and beyond.
Success Total: $1,199,840
Carinci Consulting Role: Writer
Be our next success story?
Spring into action and bloom with more time and impact!
Simply reply to this email with "SPRING FORWARD", and I’ll share how we can help your organization thrive with impactful grant strategies. I’m excited to help you grow your mission—let’s make this season a turning point for your success!
🔔 Level Up Your Grant Game! 🔔 Subscribe to Carinci Consulting for expert tips on grant strategy, funding success, and nonprofit growth! 🚀✨
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?
Read more from Carinci Consulting: Strategy, Funding, Coaching, and Evaluation Services to Advance Nonprofit Impact
April 2025 Spring Into Action! Spring is a season of growth—so why not plant the seeds for your nonprofit’s success? If securing funding has been on your to-do list, now is the time to take action! At Carinci Consulting, we help mission-driven organizations develop winning grant strategies and secure the funding they need to make a bigger impact. Let’s connect for a quick call to discuss your goals! Book Here! Don't let another season pass without moving your mission forward! Read blog An...
March 2025 Redefining Nonprofit Success: Beyond Frugality This month, we've been thinking about how adopting a mindset that prioritizes ambitious goals and substantial achievements—rather than minimal overhead—can transform our approach and that of the nonprofits we serve to securing grants. Let's draw inspiration from Dan Pallotta's thought-provoking TED Talk, which challenges the conventional wisdom about how we evaluate the effectiveness of nonprofits. His insights into the double...
February 2025 Expanding Our Impact Through Community Sharing As we step further into 2025, let's embrace the power of sharing—not just information and resources, but opportunities for growth and collaboration. This month at Carinci Consulting, we're excited to spotlight how our community can expand its impact by introducing colleagues and partners to the services that have empowered so many organizations to thrive. Do you know a nonprofit, higher education institution, school district, or...
