I write a lot of grant and RFP proposals for clients in all types of industries, including non-profits, education, green tech, healthcare, and IT. One of the most frequent questions new prospective clients always ask me is about my grant and RFP win rates.
From a client’s perspective, I understand this question. You want to judge me on how effective I’ve been as a grant and RFP proposal writer. Unfortunately, I hesitate to answer this question. I believe that any RFP response writer who guarantees you a certain outcome probably doesn’t have much experience actually writing RFP proposals.
Here are some things I can openly discuss with many of my clients about RFP win rates:
Not All RFPs are Winnable
Some RFPs and grants simply aren’t winnable, even if you have the BEST application or proposal. Sometimes the funding organization doesn’t pick a winner or runs out of funds. There’s no amount of writing your way out of this one. It isn’t a reflection of your organization.
Last year, I wrote an amazing grant package for the LEGO Foundation. I did get a response, but it was just that their foundation had run out of funds for the year. The thing is, without a response, you wouldn’t know whether your grant application or RFP was actually declined or if there was no winner.
Sometimes Your Chances of Winning are Low
Some clients come to me with an RFP or grant application that they’re never going to win. Sometimes they already know this. Other times, I discuss this with them before taking on the project.
I’ll use an example here. A brand new non-profit childcare agency for the HIV community came to me and wanted to apply for some city funding through an RFP process. I read through the RFP and was honest with them. They didn’t meet the requirements of the RFP in terms of length of operation and other factors. Before getting started, we discussed it. In the end, I still wrote the RFP response for them, as we decided the content could be repurposed to use on their new website and business plan. They got a lot of value from our RFP response project.
If these types of projects were added to my grant and RFP win rates, it would drive the total much lower. Many clients decide to write RFPs they know they most likely will lose.
You Don’t Know the Competition
Even if you have a good grasp of who your direct competitors are, you don’t know who is going to apply for an RFP or grant. Maybe another organization comes that can accomplish what you can for a fraction of the cost, even if it’s unrealistic. Maybe another organization has a lot more resources nationally. You just don’t know.
Some RFPs and Grants Only Allow You to Apply for Compliance
Unfortunately, a good number of RFPs and grants already have the winner in mind when they are published. They are only published and put out there as part of a compliance process to demonstrate fairness and equity. It’s hard to know this, but I’ve had a few clients in the healthcare space say how the same single agency ALWAYS wins contracts for the same RFP issuer. Interesting, hm?
Winners are Subjective
While you and I might think you’re the best candidate for a grant or RFP, the winners are always chosen using a subjective process. What we prioritize just might not be what the organization prioritizes. You never know.
Contact a Grant Writer or an RFP Writer to Discuss Your Business’s Needs
At the end of the day, I will try my hardest to help my clients win RFPs and grants. It’s a big boost to business. I raise my glass to celebrate each and every win an excited client emails me about. While I will use all RFP and grant writing best practices to craft the perfect response, my grant and RFP win rates for other clients will not guarantee that you’ll win. If you want to discuss your RFP or grant writing needs, feel free to email me at [email protected].
