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Grant Writing for Non-Profits

Major Takeaways From Informational Interview Challenge & How to Create Opportunities for Yourself [Video]

Major Takeaways From Informational Interview Challenge & How to Create Opportunities for Yourself

We hosted an Informational Interview Challenge in the Global Grant Writers Collective and we learned so much. 🤓

Why did we do this Challenge? Well, lots of people in the Collective were getting hung up on these things:
🔸 Convos not going the way they wanted them to
🔸 Not drawing out the need
🔸 Spinning wheels
🔸 Fear of reaching out

AND, a foundational aspect of your success deploying the Grant Writing Unicorn Method is conducting informational interviews. So, we did this challenge to blast 🚀 those roadblocks out of the way!

This video highlights our key takeaways, a brief overview of the audit Merdith did on her own interview, 🧐 and tips on how to have the best info interview and create opportunities for yourself.

Confused how informational interviews fit into our overall process? Stop 🛑 and watch this webinar for how all the puzzle pieces fit together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjbmZoe8W5U&t=2765s

➡️ Organic Networking Framework: tried and true method to find paid work opportunities through informational interviews, without prior grant writing experience.

➡️ Informational Interview: having a genuinely curious conversation with someone that interests you to learn about them and their organization.

These interviews allow you to draw out an individual’s pain points, need to understand grant writing, or need for a grant writer. If there is a need, you can present yourself as the solution! 🎉

We have a 5-Step Checklist for the Organic Networking Framework. All the details are in the Course in Phase 1.
1️⃣ Contact List Development
2️⃣ Outreach
3️⃣ Preparation for conversation
4️⃣ The Informational Interview
5️⃣ Follow Up

Reasonable expectations of the informational interview process include:
🔸 33% of the interview requests you send out will result in an interview.
🔸 Not every proposal is accepted, even if they ask for one.
🔸 You are worthy of paid work, even as a beginner.

It’s totally a numbers #️⃣ game. The more you do, the better you get at it, the more opportunities you will create for yourself.

We recommend you record your interviews so that you don’t have to furiously take notes 📝 and can just listen. In the Bonus Training available to Collective members, there are lots of interview audits covering what to do and what not to do.

Meredith did this challenge too! Auditing your own conversation is where you’ll do the most learning…even if it’s brutal. 😬

✨ Pro tip: If you have any connection to any community or organization, that can be a great starting point. Don’t get so hung up on it having to be a super cold lead. ❄️ Start within the sphere of your network that you have a touchpoint with.

❗MAJOR TAKEAWAYS ❗
💡 Quantity matters.
💡 Record your interviews or you’ll never get way, way better at it.
💡 Your intent is key.

When you meet with people, you must enter into the space from a place of genuine curiosity and desire to serve and help. Info interviews and the Organic Network Framework are not sales. You literally help a person with a problem if there is a problem. That is values aligned. ✨

FYI: There is a full, in depth debrief in the Bonus Trainings section available to the Collective. Conducting info interviews is truly a skill that you can fine-tune and one that can change your life!

More questions? Post them in the comments section below!

Still have questions about the Global Grant Writers Collective? Check out this elaborate FAQ page: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/faq

Feel free to DM us on Instagram as well. https://www.instagram.com/learngrantwriting/

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:37 Recap on Organic Networking Framework
02:08 Informational Interview
02:30 5-Step Checklist Overview
02:53 Expectations
04:27 Sneak Peek of Bonus Training Inside the Course
08:06 Major Takeaways

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Categories
Grant Writing for Non-Profits

Veteran Grants: Business, Education, Farm, Home (Tutorial, Links) [Video]

This video is PACKED with grants and services from government agencies, corporations, and nonprofit organizations, for veterans – including disabled veterans - who want to start a small business; start a farm; buy, adapt, or repair a home; and pursue college or career training. Special note: Some of these grant funds are from veterans, for veterans, offering not only dollars but a large community of other veterans as mentors and colleagues. Time Stamps:00:00 There are many grants available for veterans00:30 Grants for veterans to start a business01:11 Grants for veterans to start a farm01:28 Grants for veterans to buy, repair, or adapt a home02:19 Education and training grants for veterans03:26 Meeting immediate needsIf you are in personal crisis, these services are available. VA benefit enrollment is NOT required:Veterans Crisis LineCALL 1-800-273-8255, Press 1TEXT 838255CHAT https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/Military Crisis LineCALL 1-800-273-8255, Press 1TEXT 838255CHAT https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/military-crisis-line/ Related Grant Chatter videos:The Small Business Administration, Grants for Small Business, https://youtu.be/EXThoaHxvzo Grants for Disabled Persons, https://youtu.be/q-ZB53CNLhM Links mentioned in video (NO affiliation. NO paid promotion):Grants for veterans to start a businesshttps://streetsharesfoundation.org/the-veteran-small-business-awardhttps://www.warriorrising.org/ Find SBA offices near you, https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/headquarters-offices/office-veterans-business-development/office-veterans-business-development-resourcesSBA business guide, https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/grow-your-business/veteran-owned-businesses Service Corps of Retired Executives, or SCORE, https://www.score.org/resources-veteran-entrepreneursVA Veteran Entrepreneur Portal, https://www.va.gov/OSDBU/entrepreneur/index.asp Grants for veterans to start a farmFarmer Veteran Coalition, https://farmvetco.org/fvfellowship/USDA information (2 links), https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/initiatives/veterans/veterans-and-entrepreneurship#I and https://www.nal.usda.gov/legacy/aglaw/veteran-farming#quicktabs-aglaw_pathfinder=0USDA Service Center, https://www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/USDA-service-centers Grants for veterans to buy, repair, or adapt a homehttps://purplehearthomesusa.org/apply/https://www.habitat.org/stories/helping-us-veterans-critical-home-repairs https://homesforwoundedwarriors.com/veterans-apply/ https://operationhomefront.org/housing/ https://corporate.homedepot.com/foundation/partnershipshttps://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/#get-veterans-housing-assistance Education and career grants, plus trades training for veterans2 long lists of scholarship options for veterans, http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/veterans.htmhttps://usveteransmagazine.com/list-of-military-scholarships-for-service-members-spouses-and-dependents/VA, https://www.va.gov/education/ Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/programs/entrepreneurship/start-up/ebv/ Home Builders Institute, https://corporate.homedepot.com/foundation/tradestraining and https://hbi.org/military-programs/ Lockheed Martin Heroes Program, https://www.lockheedmartinjobs.com/lockheed-martin-heroes Hiring our Heroes, https://www.hiringourheroes.org/career-services/fellowships/ SkillBridge, https://skillbridge.osd.mil/index.htm Warrior Care Program, https://www.socom.mil/care-coalition/ What about immediate needs?(1) Veteran and Military Crisis Lines are listed above(2) Food, clothing, emergency shelter, help with bills, or immediate repairs, you can also call 2-1-1More information at https://www.211.org/(3) Free help with municipal, circuit and probate courts in your state by contacting Connect2Help.orghttps://connect2help211.org/ About the VAFor VA benefits, find your nearest Veteran Service Office: https://nvf.org/veteran-service-officers/ Grant Chatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram dot com/grantchatter/ Grant Chatter on Facebook: https://www.facebook dot com/grant.chatter.5 Subscribe to Grant Chatter, to learn how to find grants, write grants, and win them! Thank you for watching. See you in the next video!