Inside the Grant Lifecycle: How We Support Nonprofits from Pre-Application to Post-Award
- elaine4122
- Sep 4
- 3 min read
When most people think about grant consulting, they think about writing. Drafting narratives, attaching budgets, and hitting submit before the deadline.
But in reality, writing is just one phase of the process. The nonprofits that win (and renew) grant funding consistently are the ones that treat grant work as a full-cycle system, starting long before the application and continuing well after the check arrives.
At Just Look Left, we’ve built a grant workflow that supports nonprofits at every stage of the grant lifecycle. Whether we’re building a grant calendar from scratch or tracking final report deadlines a year after an award, we provide structure, capacity, and clarity that let our clients focus on what they do best: the work.
Here’s a look behind the scenes at how our workflow supports the entire grant process, and what it means for your nonprofit.
Phase One: Pre-Application Strategy
The grant process starts long before you begin writing. In this early phase, we help clients make smart decisions about what to pursue and how to engage funders before a proposal is even drafted.
✅ What We Do:
Review your grant calendar or vet last-minute opportunities
Assess fit based on eligibility, funding history, budget size, and geography
Coordinate and facilitate funder meetings, including pre-call coaching
Advise clients on whether to pursue, pause, or prep for a later cycle
💡 Why It Matters:
This phase protects your time and increases your odds. By prioritizing aligned opportunities and establishing early funder contact, you start the process on stronger ground.
Phase Two: Grant Writing & Submission
This is the part people expect, but our process goes much deeper than just drafting a narrative.
✅ What We Do:
Create a custom grant skeleton based on funder prompts (not just a template)
Coordinate with clients to gather needed documentation and attachments
Ensure the grant portal is prepped and all accounts are in place
Complete a strong first draft, then route through internal peer review
Finalize drafts after both internal and client review
Submit early (ideally 3+ days before the deadline, but we know how deadlines realistically go) and save final materials in client folders
💡 Why It Matters:
Our structured approach reduces stress and errors. It allows for thoughtful revisions, internal QA, and confident, early submissions, without chasing documents at the last minute.
Phase Three: Post-Award Support
Whether a grant is awarded or declined, our work doesn’t end when we hit “submit.” In fact, that’s often where the relationship-building begins.
❌ What We Do If the Grant Is Declined:
Update records in our tracking systems
Notify the client with care and transparency
Request feedback from funders and document what we learn (this is the most important step! Not only does it build the relationship with the funder, but helps you improve for future apps, or discover maybe it’s just not the right fit)
Strategize how and when to re-approach in the future
✅ What We Do If the Grant Is Awarded:
Review the award letter and confirm next steps
Coordinate grant acceptance with the client (or handle it ourselves) and send a thank you note.
Save the award documents, set up a reporting calendar, and flag upcoming deadlines
Draft interim and final reports, gather outcomes, and submit reports on the client’s behalf
Coach clients on how to thank and steward funders appropriately
[Optional] Draft press releases for major awards ($50K+), including quote coordination and media outreach
💡 Why It Matters:
Renewals are built on trust. We help clients stay compliant, communicate clearly, and maximize every opportunity to build a long-term funder relationship, not just a one-time award.
Why This Workflow Works
Our system is:
Consistent across clients and funders, so nothing falls through the cracks. And since we’re a team, we have a coverage plan in place for vacations, illnesses or other urgent needs that pop up.
Flexible enough to accommodate unique funder requirements and client needs
Collaborative. We stay in close contact with your team without overwhelming your bandwidth
Strategic, not reactive. We think beyond deadlines and write with the bigger picture in mind
One of our clients recently told us, “We’ve never felt this organized around grants before. We actually know what’s coming and what to focus on.”
That’s what this workflow is designed to do.
Final Thoughts: Your Grant Writer Should Be More Than a Writer
Great writing gets you noticed, but great strategy and follow-through help you win (and keep) funding.
Whether your organization is just getting started or you’re ready to scale up your grant program, we’d love to walk alongside you. From pre-application planning to post-award stewardship, we offer the infrastructure, insight, and partnership that nonprofits need to succeed.
🤝 Need an outsourced grant writing team that thinks beyond the proposal?
Or if you’re ready to talk about what this could look like for your organization:
