Grant strategy and funding operations

Somewhere between we just need a grant writer and the funding strategy is a mess

is usually where I get the call. My focus is systems and narrative. The architecture of strategy and the language of the pitch.

sySTEMary Grant strategy and
funding operations

The problem is rarely the program

I work with nonprofits and research organizations that do serious work but cannot get the right people to fund it. The problem is rarely the program. It is usually clarity, framing, or the infrastructure behind it.

I build that infrastructure. That means funding readiness assessments before wasted applications. Grant pipelines that survive staff turnover. Communications that help funders understand what you do in the first paragraph.

I have built funding operations from scratch for a space life science research institute, developed fundraising and communications assessments for community nonprofits, and worked across STEM education, youth athletics, frontier science, and a few sectors I never expected.

Vagueness costs you money. I find that motivating.

Space life science research

Built a complete funding operations system from scratch including pipeline, playbook, and prospect research workflow.

Community nonprofits

Fundraising and communications assessments, donor language, case for support, and testimonial strategy.

STEM and frontier science

Strategic messaging, bridge funding strategy, DAF-ready language, and campaign architecture.

Youth and community programs

Grant readiness roadmaps, program framing, and funder targeting for early-stage organizations.

What that looks like

Each engagement is scoped, time-limited, and focused on a clear deliverable.

Funding readiness assessment

A diagnostic engagement that tells you honestly where you stand before you apply anywhere. Covers program framing, outcomes, funder fit, and risk. Flat fee, four weeks.

Grant pipeline systems

Full funding operations infrastructure. Pipeline tracker, funding strategy matrix, team playbook, and prospect research workflow. Built to survive staff turnover and scale with your team.

Strategic communications

Donor language, case for support, campaign messaging, and funder-specific framing. Built for the audience that needs to say yes, not a generic version of your mission.

Proposal development

Grant writing for STEM, education, research, and community organizations. Includes narrative development, budget justification, and alignment with funder priorities.

Board and governance advisory

Diagnostic tools and facilitation resources for organizations where leadership and fundraising are having two different conversations.

Not sure what you need?

Start with the free Funder Match Tool below. It takes three minutes and gives you a direct read on your funding situation before you spend money on anything.

Diagnostic tools for funding decisions

Free tools that tell you where you stand. Paid upgrades when you need more depth.

Free

Funder Prioritization Engine

Tell us about your organization and project. Get a ranked list of funder categories with specific reasoning for each match.

Strengths summary Gaps to address Ranked funder types Next steps
Try it free
Free

Annual Report Source Pack Builder

Enter a nonprofit's website and key pages. The tool fetches the content, organizes it into annual report sections, and flags what's missing before you start writing.

Organization summary Program areas found Impact signals Content gaps Follow-up questions
Try it free
Free

Outcome Clarity Tool

Describe a community need and your program. The tool converts your need into a clear outcome, checks whether your activities connect, and flags where the logic breaks down.

Core need statement Clear outcome Activity check Logic gaps flagged
Try it free
Coming soon

Grant Reviewer Simulator

Paste your proposal and get an honest critique from the reviewer's perspective before you submit. Know your weaknesses before they do.

Reviewer objections Narrative gaps Strength summary Revision priorities
Coming soon
Coming soon

Proposal Blind Spot Checker

What would an expert notice that you missed? Surfaces the gaps funders see that applicants rarely catch before submission.

Expert blind spots Evidence gaps Eligibility risks Fix priorities
Coming soon

Want more than a score?

The free tools give you direction. The paid upgrade gives you a custom shortlist of 10 to 15 named funders, a positioning memo, and a suggested outreach sequence — built for your specific project.

Get the full report

Transparency is part of the system

No, and here is why. Ethical grant professionals do not work on commission. Pre-award work is time-intensive regardless of the outcome, and payment should reflect the expertise and labor provided, not a variable outcome we cannot fully control. This is also the standard held by the Grant Professionals Association.
No, and anyone who makes that promise is misrepresenting how grant funding works. Funders make independent decisions based on their own priorities, capacity, and timing. What I can do is make sure your application is as strong, clear, and well-targeted as possible before you submit it.
Organizations that do serious work but struggle to communicate it in funding contexts. Research institutes, STEM-focused nonprofits, community organizations, and early-stage programs that need structure before they start applying. If you already have a well-funded, high-capacity grants team, you probably do not need me. If you are building the infrastructure or figuring out where to start, that is the work I do.
Most engagements are scoped, time-limited, and priced as a flat fee. That means you know exactly what you are getting and what it costs before we start. I do not do open-ended retainers with new clients. A typical starting engagement is four weeks and focused on one clear deliverable — a readiness assessment, a pipeline system, or a communications package.

Selected work

Real engagements, real deliverables. More case studies in progress.

Space life science Funding operations Systems design 2026

Building a funding operations system from the ground up

Designed and deployed an end-to-end grant pipeline, tracking infrastructure, and team playbook for a newly formed grants team at a space life science research institute. Four research areas mapped to funder landscape. Seven-stage pipeline. Six documents and tools handed off and ready to use from day one.

Funding operations playbook Google Sheets tracking system Team walkthrough guide Team cheat sheet Funding strategy matrix Prospect research workflow
View case study

Start a conversation

If you are a nonprofit or research organization trying to figure out your funding strategy, I am probably someone worth talking to. No pressure, no pitch — just a conversation about where you are and whether I can help.

Columbus, OH | Remote