The Benefits of ZIM’s Team Approach to Grant Writing
Every ZIM client has a dedicated grant writer who becomes familiar with the organization’s programs, priorities, funding needs, and voice. Behind every grant writer at ZIM, there is a collaborative team that brings every grant to the next level. We call them our “Small Teams”, groups of 5-7 grant staff who edit proposals, share experience, and review application materials before submission. For nonprofits, this provides consistent support from one writer, with additional review and expertise to help strengthen each application.
For clients, ZIM’s small-team model provides:
A dedicated writer who understands the organization and its voice.
Multiple rounds of editing and quality control.
A final review of all application materials before submission.
Access to experience across different nonprofit sectors and funder pools.
Collaborative troubleshooting when new challenges arise.
Greater continuity when schedules, workloads, or client needs change.
ZIM’s collaborative approach combines personal attention with shared expertise. Each client receives the consistency of a dedicated writer and the added confidence that comes from having a team review, strengthen, and support the work before it is submitted.
Even an experienced writer benefits from another set of eyes. After spending significant time developing a proposal, it can be easy to overlook an unclear sentence, an inconsistency, or a small but important requirement. The small team also provides a final review before submission. This review focuses on the complete application package, including required attachments, supplemental materials, formatting, and funder-specific instructions. The goal is to confirm that every component is present and ready before the application reaches the funder. This final check can catch small errors in entered responses or PDFs that do not display as intended.
“One thing I’ve really appreciated about the small team model is having a better sense of what others are working on -- especially when someone is applying for a similar opportunity. It’s nice to be able to ask questions or get advice on the spot, share ideas, and learn who else on the broader team might have helpful experience with a specific funder or type of proposal.” - Jenny Luksan, Grant Writer
These teams intentionally include writers serving different types of nonprofits and working with a variety of funders. As Jenny describes, this allows team members to learn from one another’s experience and share strategies that may be useful across clients. For nonprofits, that means their writer can draw on colleagues’ experience with specific funders, application requirements, and proposal challenges to inform their own work.
More Consistent Support
Working across different client and funder portfolios prepares team members to provide informed support when a writer is out sick or additional capacity is required for big projects. Writers already have visibility into the types of work their teammates manage, the funders they approach, and the challenges they encounter.
“I think the small teams are a great way for ZIM grant writers to learn about other clients and funders. We learn about other clients when we edit each other's work and share information about funders at our weekly meetings, building ZIM's institutional knowledge in a way that benefits all clients.” - Read Trammel, Senior Grant Writer
That shared understanding makes it easier for another team member to step in when needed, helping keep applications moving toward deadlines and reducing how much clients need to re-explain. The client still has a dedicated writer, but the knowledge supporting the relationship is not limited to one person. ZIM’s team approach is one of the ways we continue providing responsive, high-quality support as our clients and their needs evolve. It allows ZIM to combine individual expertise with shared accountability, thoughtful review, and practical systems. For clients, that means a dedicated writer backed by colleagues who help strengthen proposals, check submission materials, and provide support when needs change.
