Grant writing
Grant applications written by people who read budgets for a living
Most grant programs now ask for more than a narrative: a benefit-cost analysis, a match plan, and proof the project can be operated after the money is spent. That is the finance work we already do. We write the whole application, at a flat fee quoted before work starts, and never a percentage of the award.
Funding scan
$750 to $1,500
For a project that needs money and has no clear program yet
- Question
- Which state and federal programs fit this project, what do they require, and which one deserves staff time first?
- Deliverable
- 3 to 5 page memo ranking the programs that fit, with eligibility, match required, award range, scoring criteria, and a deadline calendar for the next twelve months. Programs that do not fit are listed with the reason
- Typical timing
- 1 to 2 weeks from the scoping call
- We need
- A short project description, a rough cost, and any design or planning documents you already have
Application package
$3,000 to $6,000 state programs
$6,000 to $12,000 federal programs
For one application to one program, written to its published criteria
- Question
- Can we submit a complete, competitive application by the deadline without pulling staff off their regular work?
- Deliverable
- The full application, ready for your signature: project narrative, budget and budget justification, benefit-cost analysis where the program asks for one, match and sustainability plan, letters of support drafted for your partners to sign, and a checklist of every required attachment
- Typical timing
- Start 4 to 8 weeks before the deadline. If the time left is too short to do the application well, we say so on the first call
- Fee
- Fixed before work starts, based on the program's length and requirements. Half at kickoff, half on delivery of the final package
Post-award reporting
$125 an hour, or a monthly fee quoted per award
For agencies that won funding and now have to report on it
- Question
- What does this award require of us, when, and how do we keep the file clean through closeout?
- Deliverable
- A compliance calendar built from the grant agreement, drafts of each progress and financial report, reimbursement request support, and a closeout file
- Typical timing
- For the life of the award, set by the agreement's reporting schedule
- We need
- The executed grant agreement and access to the project's expense records
Where we start: Colorado state programs
Federal infrastructure funding is in transition in 2026, with several programs running on short-term extensions. State programs have steadier calendars, smaller match requirements, and reviewers who know small communities. We begin there and add federal programs when one is the better fit for the project.
| Area | Programs we write for |
|---|---|
| General capital and community projects | Department of Local Affairs grants, including the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund |
| Water supply and water planning | Colorado Water Conservation Board Water Plan Grants and related CWCB programs |
| Drinking water and wastewater | State revolving fund planning and design grants, and the grant portions of state water and wastewater programs |
| Rural health and emergency medical services | Rural health and EMS programs administered by the state, including Rural Health Transformation awards |
| Hazard mitigation and resilience | State and federal mitigation programs that require a benefit-cost analysis |
What a finance firm adds to an application
Reviewers score the narrative, but they also check whether the numbers hold together. These are the sections that most often cost small applicants points, and they are the ones we write best.
- Benefit-cost analysisBuilt to the program's own method and figures, with every input cited, so a reviewer can follow it line by line
- Match planWhere the local share comes from, in which year, and what it does to the fund that pays it
- SustainabilityHow the project is operated and maintained after the grant ends, shown against your actual budget
- Budget justificationEach line tied to a quote, an estimate, or a published unit cost, so nothing reads as a round guess
How we work
Flat fees, never contingent on award
We do not take a percentage of any award or charge a success fee. Commission-based fees are contrary to the grant profession's ethics standards, and they give the writer a reason to oversell a project. You know the full cost before work starts.
Your agency submits
Applications go in under your agency's own registrations, such as SAM.gov or the state portal. We prepare the complete package and walk your staff through submission.
Honest fit, stated up front
We do not promise an award. We tell you how the project lines up against the published scoring criteria, and if a program is a poor fit, the funding scan says so before you spend more on it.
Facts from your records
Every figure in an application traces to your records or a published source. Your engineer of record supplies technical scope and cost estimates; we do not prepare them.
Have a project and a deadline?
Start with a twenty-minute call, at no charge. Bring the project and the program, if you know it. You leave knowing which tier fits, or that the program is not worth the effort.