Frequently Asked Questions 

Can you guarantee that we’ll receive the grant?

No. mo:) can be accountable for the quality, completeness, timeliness, compliance, and strategic fit of the proposal. We cannot control an independent funder’s award decision.

Funding decisions ultimately reflect the funder’s priorities and available budget, the strength of competing applications, the applicant organization’s documented outcomes and ability to demonstrate impact, its financial stability and organizational capacity, its compliance history, and the funder’s assessment of whether the proposed work is credible and sustainable. Most of those factors are outside the grant writer’s control.

Do you offer pro bono services?

When we can. mo:) reserves a limited amount of capacity for pro bono or significantly reduced-fee work when an organization, initiative, or circumstance strongly aligns with our priorities. These engagements are offered at our discretion and depend on available capacity.

Limited funding alone does not make a project eligible for pro bono support. mo:) was created to make experienced help more accessible, which is why our standard services are structured fractionally and priced as efficiently as possible.

Why do you require a Capacity & Readiness Assessment in some cases?

Because good work depends on knowing what already exists before deciding what needs to be built. If an organization’s staffing, documentation, systems, data, partnerships, or internal responsibilities are unclear, moving directly into grantwriting or proposal development can create unnecessary delays and a drain of resources.

A Capacity & Readiness Assessment helps identify what is usable, what is missing, what may interfere with execution, and what needs to happen next. In some cases, the assessment confirms that an organization is ready to proceed. In others, it prevents both sides from committing time and money to work that isn’t ready to be done.

Do you work on a percentage of grant awards?

No. mo:) charges for the professional work required to develop and support a grant, not for the funder’s eventual decision.

Percentage-based compensation can create ethical conflicts and may also be inconsistent with funder requirements. More importantly, an award depends on many factors outside the grant writer’s control. Our fees are agreed in advance and are based on the scope and complexity of the work.

Can you manage grants after they’re awarded?

Yes. mo:) provides ongoing grant management, compliance, and reporting support for organizations that need help staying ahead of deadlines, documentation requirements, funder communications, renewals, and closeout.

These engagements can be structured as finite assignments or ongoing maintenance agreements. The organization remains responsible for providing complete, timely, and accurate programmatic and financial information.

Do you work with government agencies and prime contractors?

Yes. mo:) is available for independent contract and subcontract assignments supporting federal, state, and local government agencies, prime contractors, and organizations administering public funds.

Our work can include grant administration, compliance, reporting, documentation, proposal support, and related capacity-building. Engagements are remote-first, with project-related travel available when needed and agreed in advance.

Do you work remotely?

Yes. mo:) is a remote-first consultancy, which keeps overhead low and allows us to work efficiently with organizations in different locations.

When an assignment genuinely requires travel, we’re available to travel with the related expenses, lodging, and per diem agreed in advance as part of the scope of work.

How do you price your services?

Whenever possible, mo:) uses fixed project fees or defined monthly retainers, rather than hourly billing. Pricing is based on scope, complexity, research requirements, deliverables, and the condition of the materials or systems already in place.

Starting prices are published on the relevant service pages. Before work begins, we agree on what’s included, what you’ll receive, and what would require a separate scope or fee.

How do you protect confidential information?

Confidentiality is fundamental to our work. mo:) does not share client documents, drafts, financial information, proprietary materials, or other nonpublic information without authorization.

When appropriate, confidentiality and non-disclosure requirements are incorporated directly into the engagement agreement.

What is lead time?

Lead time is the period between agreeing to an engagement and the date work actually begins. mo:) schedules projects based on existing commitments so each assignment receives the attention required to meet its scope and deadline.

If your project has a fixed submission or launch date, earlier is always better. Availability is confirmed before an agreement is finalized.