For many early-stage entrepreneurs, grants hold great potential as a source of fundraising for their business. Grants not only offer essential financial support to the business but also lend credibility and validation to its innovations. However, navigating the grant writing process continues to be a challenge for entrepreneurs, who often find themselves grappling with the intricacies of formulating a clear and persuasive narrative, conducting thorough research to meet the grant criteria, and effectively addressing the specific expectations of the funding entity. What strategies can early-stage entrepreneurs implement to streamline this process?

Join us for a dynamic discussion where we’ll dive into how best to approach each step of the grant writing process from the perspectives of both entrepreneur and capital provider. We’ll help you determine whether grants are right for you and your business, walk you through the application process, and help you ensure that you have all the necessary files. You’ll walk away with insight into the types of questions you’ll see on applications and how to make yours stand out!

Key Takeaways:

• How to prepare for the grant writing process
• How to write a grant proposal
• What comes after you’ve secured a grant

Shereese Floyd

Founder, AI Consultants for Nonprofits

Shereese Floyd is the founder of AI Consultants for Nonprofits — a communications and messaging firm that specializes in artificial intelligence and organizational thought leadership. She is an executive coach with extensive experience in team building, culture, organization design, and facilitation, Shereese has worked with numerous organizations to help them increase revenue through story-based marketing. Prior to starting her own company, she spent over two decades in nonprofit marketing as the director of communications.

Her emotional branding style and storytelling skills have aided in companies making billions of dollars. Shereese is dedicated to teaching people how to use stories to unite people around a cause and to influence behaviors that move people to action. She is an advocate for social change and believes story is the one thing that truly brings the world together.

She has been featured as a thought-leadership expert for leading nonprofit brands such as CharityHowTo, Bloomerang, Network for Good and Nonprofit Learning Lab. She is also an adjunct professor for the Academy of Nonprofit Excellence.

Shereese is an award-winning TEDx speaker and the organizer of TEDxMintStreet. She is an advocate for social change and believes telling our stories is the one true way to change the world. Her work has been featured in Chief Learning Officer, Essence, TEDx, Forbes Entrepreneur Magazine and CEO World. She was recently named one of 100 Women to KNOW in America.

Deidre Gantt

Principal Writer & Editor, All Write Consulting

Deidre Gantt is the principal writer and editor of All Write Consulting, a business to business practice that amplifies the stories and messages that changemakers use to empower individuals, families, communities and institutions within the African diaspora and the Global South. She supports academics, artists, and social entrepreneurs with communication needs ranging from copyediting to content creation.

Ms. Gantt learned to write grant proposals almost two decades ago to support her own creative projects and community-based arts organizations in her hometown, Washington, DC. Since then, she has helped clients across the country secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in foundation and government grants. She has also served as a grant reviewer and grant administrator, which gave her invaluable perspectives on how proposals are evaluated and selected.

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