All the Reasons We Don’t Learn Federal Grants
Grant professionals care deeply about the communities we serve, but we often hesitate to step into the federal space, even when the opportunities seem more plentiful than they currently do. Not because we lack skill or commitment, but because the pathway has never been made clear or welcoming.
Federal grants are often described as complex, exhausting, too hard, too long, too much.
There is some truth to these statements, but they aren’t about what you can do personally. And too often, very capable grant professionals pull up short of trying federal grants for reasons that aren’t actually a reflection of their experience. Just something they’ve heard.
So let’s speak plainly about the reasons we don't learn about federal grants — and the practical ways to move past each one.
1. “I’m not ready for federal grants.”
This belief often appears, and it typically rests on a misunderstanding. Readiness to write a federal grant is not about having a large team or sophisticated operation. Are you clear on your mission? Do you have a crystal clear understanding of your community’s needs? Can you demonstrate how your work aligns with a federal priority?
How to move through it: Shift the question from “Am I big enough?” to “Am I aligned and organized enough to tell this story?” Readiness grows through structure, not necessarily size, even though that’s what we’ve been taught. We can build structure, even with smaller budgets.
2. “Federal grants feel too overwhelming.”
The language is heavy. Sometimes called “grant-ese.” The appendices are long. The requirements feel endless. Have you read 2 CFR Part 200? For many, the overwhelm comes not from the work itself, but from feeling alone with it or like they need to memorize every single word.
How to move through it: Break the process into small, repeatable steps. Federal grants are methodical. Once the structure is clear, the overwhelm eases and the path becomes navigable.
3. “I don’t want to look inexperienced.”
This one touches pride and vulnerability. Grant writers who are strong in foundation or corporate work often worry that asking beginner questions will reveal gaps they “should” already know.
How to move through it: Normalize career-long learning. Everyone started somewhere. Federal grants are a different ecosystem, not a higher rung on the same ladder.
4. “I don’t have enough time.”
Most grant writers carry multiple roles within their organizations. Time is a resource you guard fiercely.
How to move through it: Reframe learning federal grants as capacity building, not extra work. You are not adding another task. You are strengthening the system that supports all the tasks. I have frequently heard that learning federal grants strengthens a grant professional’s foundation/corporate asks as well!
5. “Federal grants training is not designed for organizations like mine.”
Many training spaces center large institutions or well-resourced agencies. Writers supporting grassroots, rural, or BIPOC-led nonprofits often feel unseen. Organizations with small to mid-sized budgets ($250,000 - $8,000,000) face very different realities than institutions of higher ed or hospitals.
How to move through it: Seek programs that speak directly to community-rooted work — programs that teach federal grants without asking you to compromise your values or change your voice. (Hint: I designed the Federal Grants Accelerator with these orgs in mind).
6. “I need more community, not more content.”
Many of us have taken courses before and left with resources but no relationships. We don’t have a longer list of people to call when we have questions. We don’t have the opportunity to get to know who else is working in a similar context.
How to move through it: Look for learning spaces where high quality content is paired with community opportunities.
7. “I’ve tried to learn federal grants before and it didn’t ‘stick.’”
If a past program left you more confused than confident, that frustration stays with you. I spent years stringing together one-hour courses that often left me frustrated and confused because they were either too basic or required knowledge I didn’t yet possess.
How to move through it: Learning sticks when it is scaffolded, when each concept builds on the last, and when you can return to the material as you grow. Have you ever revisited a curriculum to realize you get a ton of new “ah-ha” moments? This happens for me when I have the opportunity to learn, practice, and revisit the learning.
8. “I’m worried about failing.”
This is the quiet one underneath all the others. Failure feels high-stakes when the work touches real communities and real lives. And, friend, I have been there. It’s scary to feel like you are supposed to know it all and be perfect all the time.
How to move through it: Failure is not the opposite of readiness. Failure is part of mastery. The goal is preparedness, not perfection. If you write federal grants, some won’t be funded. Just like all grants, no matter how good you are, you won’t experience 100% success. So you already know how to fail. ;)
What’s stopping you from learning more about federal grants?
