When Leadership Isn’t Aligned on Grant Strategy — And Why That Stalls Outside Support

If you’re part of a nonprofit leadership team and find yourselves circling the same conversation about grant writing — Should we do more? Do we need help? Is now the right time? — you’re not alone.

We work with nonprofits of all sizes, and one of the most common challenges we see has very little to do with grant readiness, funder fit, or even budget.

It’s this:

Leadership isn’t fully aligned on goals and strategy — especially when it comes to hiring outside support.

And when that alignment isn’t there, progress almost always stalls.

The Hidden Bottleneck in Grant Growth

Many nonprofits know they need stronger grant capacity. They may have:

• ambitious program goals

• pressure from the board to diversify funding

• limited staff bandwidth

• inconsistent grant results
  

What often isn’t clear is shared agreement on questions like:

• What role should grants play in our overall funding mix?

• Are we trying to grow, stabilize, or experiment?

• What does success actually look like in the next 6–12 months?

• Who owns the decision to bring in outside expertise?
  

Without alignment on these fundamentals, conversations about hiring a grant consultant can drag on for months — even when everyone agrees, in theory, that help is needed.

Why Hiring a Consultant Feels Like a Bigger Leap Than It Is

For small to mid-sized nonprofits — and even for larger organizations looking to quickly add bandwidth — hiring a consultant is often the most financially responsible option.

It allows organizations to:

• access expertise without adding long-term salary and benefits

• scale support up or down based on need

• move faster than a hiring process allows

• avoid overloading already-stretched staff
  

Yet leadership teams often hesitate.

Why?

Because hiring a consultant doesn’t just add capacity — it forces clarity.

It requires agreement on priorities, expectations, timelines, and accountability. And if leadership isn’t aligned internally, that can feel uncomfortable.

What Misalignment Looks Like in Real Life

In practice, leadership misalignment often shows up as:

• one leader pushing for aggressive grant growth while another prefers caution

• boards asking for results but hesitating to approve outside support

• uncertainty about whether grant writing is tactical or strategic

• fear of committing resources without guaranteed outcomes
  

None of this means an organization is failing.

It means the organization is at a decision point.

Why Alignment Comes Before Execution

Grant writing is not just about applications. It’s about strategy, sequencing, and sustained effort.

When leadership is aligned:

• decisions happen faster

• consultants can recommend the right level of support

• expectations are realistic

• partnerships are productive
  

When alignment is missing, even the best consultant can’t move things forward efficiently — not because the work isn’t possible, but because the foundation isn’t set.

A Better Starting Question for Leadership Teams

Instead of asking:

Should we hire a grant consultant?

I often encourage leadership teams to ask:

Are we aligned on what we want grant funding to accomplish — and are we ready to act on that strategy?

That shift alone can unblock months of indecision.

Moving Forward with Clarity

Hiring outside grant support doesn’t have to be risky or overwhelming. In many cases, it’s the smartest way to build momentum — once leadership is aligned.

If your organization feels stuck at the decision stage, that’s not a sign to stop. It’s a sign to pause, align, and clarify.

Because when clarity comes first, execution becomes possible.

If this resonates with your organization, you’re not behind — you’re at a crossroads. And with the right conversations, it can be a productive one. If your organization is navigating these questions and could benefit from a clarity-first conversation, Just Write Grants offers strategic grant support designed to help nonprofits move from alignment into action. You can learn more about our approach or connect with us when the timing feels right.