Meet Shavonn Richardson | Founder and CEO, Think and Ink Grants

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shavonn Richardson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shavonn, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

As a nonprofit leader, I saw how difficult it was to get grants. I co-founded the prostate cancer nonprofit Blue Flowers Org and have walked the journey so many nonprofit leaders walk. Then, I started working for a corporate foundation. I distributed over $1.3 million in grants and sponsorship to Atlanta nonprofits annually. It was a privilege to read multiple applications, learn what stood out in some applications, and see opportunities for improvement in others.
These experiences helped me see both ends of the grant “giving” and “seeking” equation, I saw a crystal clear vision of what resources are available and what funders expect from nonprofits. The gap between the availability of professional help and the ability of nonprofits to meet funders’ expectations was miles apart. The situation for nonprofits seeking help was dire.

I thought, “How can we help level the playing field?”

This is how Think and Ink Grants was born.

Think and Ink Grants provides customized, real-world solutions to help nonprofits “think” through grant-seeking strategies and “ink” competitive proposals. During my time as a nonprofit leader and grantmaker, I saw many nonprofits skip the strategic “thinking” step and rushed right into writing grants. This is why we help nonprofits be more strategic in their grant-seeking so that they can submit competitive applications.

We are proud to specialize in supporting nonprofits that work on improving the status of women, children, health, and education. We specialize in these areas to help the most vulnerable members of our society and change the world- one grant at a time.

What should our readers know about your business?

Founded in 2016 in Atlanta, GA, Think and Ink Grant Consulting® provides customized, practical, and real-world solutions to help organizations “think” through effective grant-seeking strategies and “ink” competitive proposals. We specialize in grants supporting women, children, health, and education- the most vulnerable members of our society.

Led by our holistic approach, we provide outsourced end-to-end grant-seeking support through five services: (1) grant-seeking strategic planning, (2) grant research, (3) grant writing, (4) grant reporting, and (5) evaluation support.
Our clients include large nonprofit organizations with budgets of $3 million +, such as institutions of higher education, state and county government municipalities, and community health departments. Our team is dedicated to helping organizations across the country deepen community impact.
Our newest initiative, Get.Grants.Better.® provides training, education, and discounted services to underserved small-sized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

We are a woman-owned, Black-owned business. We are a MBE/DBE certified firm.

What makes us different?

We are unique because we:

1. We help nonprofits “think” through strategy and how to demonstrate impact before we “ink” competitive proposals. Many often skip the “think” step.

2. Specialize in grants supporting women, children, health, and education. We believe if we focus on improving these four focus areas, we can help change the world.
3. Leverages over 150 years of combined real-world experience as former employees of foundations, grant reviewers, and experienced consultants.
4. Provide all the value-added grant-seeking services most nonprofits would ever need under one roof- one firm, one relationship.
5. Applies the most advanced techniques and processes in the grants industry -our curated and time-proven approach is unmatched

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We are fortunate to have everything from exciting places to eat and drink to various outdoor activities in and around Atlanta. If I was planning a weekend trip, we’d start with a visit to the Georgia wine country, enjoy horseback riding in my hometown of Milton, GA, and end the weekend with an evening in some of the best restaurants in Atlanta.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The Grant Professionals Association has been instrumental in my growth as a grant professional and has been a supportive network. ACE and Score have been invaluable support system.

Website: https://www.thinkandinkgrants.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkandinkgrants/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shavonnrichardson/