Common questions.
Honest answers.

Yes. Most clients are small-to-mid-sized nonprofits, including some with no development staff at all. Tellinghouse specializes in helping organizations like yours secure funding even if you're just getting started.

Absolutely. We walk you through every step, from finding the right opportunities to crafting a compelling narrative. No prior experience necessary. That's what the Grant Ready phase is for.

Not at all. We'll help you gather what funders expect and work with what you have. If something is missing, we can help you get grant-ready first before pursuing funding.

No. We work with nonprofits of all types: faith-based, secular, grassroots, and everything in between. If your mission is strong, we're in your corner.

Both. We research opportunities tailored to your mission and can also write for grants you've already identified. Either way, we've got you covered.

Every engagement starts with a discovery conversation where we learn your mission, funding history, and goals. From there we assess readiness, identify opportunities, and begin crafting proposals. You're involved at every stage — we don't disappear and hand you a document.

Every funder has a different timeline, but most grants take 3 to 6 months from submission to award. We focus on building a pipeline that brings consistent results over time, not just quick wins.

Yes. Grant stewardship — reports, funder communications, and compliance documentation — is part of what we offer. Winning a grant is only the beginning of the relationship with a funder. We help you maintain it.

No ethical grant writer can guarantee a win, and you should be cautious of anyone who claims otherwise. What we do guarantee is a strong, funder-ready proposal backed by years of experience, a GPC credential, and a proven track record. Our goal is to give you the best shot possible.

Rejection is part of the process and doesn't mean your mission isn't fundable. Often it means the proposal wasn't aligned with the funder's priorities, the timing was off, or the narrative needed strengthening. We diagnose what happened and build a stronger path forward.

Jonathan holds the GPC credential — the only nationally accredited certification in the grant profession — and is an active Director of Development. This isn't theoretical consulting. It's practitioner-led strategy from someone who has sat with the people your grants are meant to serve, written the proposals, and managed the compliance. That combination is rare.