What we do · per submission package
Four jobs, one team — research, write, budget, submit.
Every Ellsworth engagement is scoped around a single submission. You hand us a funder and a deadline; we take it from a blank RFP to portal-ready files — narrative, budget, forms and all. Below is exactly what's inside each piece, and what it costs.
The work, broken out
Five things we do — buy them bundled or à la carte
Funding research
Before anyone writes a sentence, we figure out where your dollars actually live. You get a ranked shortlist with the honest read on each — including the ones to walk away from.
- Grants.gov, agency forecasts & foundation cycles tracked
- Eligibility, match requirements & deadline check
- A 30-minute call to set priorities
Proposal writing
The core of every package. We draft the full narrative against the solicitation — needs statement, theory of change, methods, outcomes and evaluation — written to the points a reviewer is told to score.
- Built from your program notes & a kickoff interview
- Mapped to the scoring rubric & page limits
- Two revision rounds included
Editing & review
Already have a draft? We line-edit for clarity, tighten to the page limit, and run a compliance pass against the funder's exact checklist so nothing gets cut at the screening desk.
- Line edit for clarity, flow & tone
- Rubric & page-limit alignment
- Compliance checklist against the RFP
Budgets & compliance
The piece that gets proposals kicked back. We build line-item and multi-year budgets, indirect cost rates and written justifications that line up with the narrative and survive a program officer's review.
- Line-item & multi-year budgets
- Indirect cost rates & cost-share matching
- Narrative-aligned budget justification
Submission & forms
The last mile. We assemble required forms, certifications and assurances, format to spec, and hand you a portal-ready package with a checklist — so files go in early, not at 11:59pm.
- Forms, certifications & assurances assembled
- Final formatting to the funder's spec
- Submission checklist & portal-ready files
À la carte vs. packaged
Most teams take the full package. A few just need one piece — both work.
If you're starting cold, the packages below bundle research, writing, budget and submission at one set price. If you already have a near-final draft and only need the budget tightened, or a compliance read before you hit send, we'll quote that single piece on its own. No retainer, no minimum hours — you pay for the submission in front of you.
How an engagement runs
From kickoff to submit, in about two weeks
Kickoff call
We read the RFP ahead of time, then spend an hour on your program, your evidence and the deadline. You get a written scope and a fixed price.
Draft & budget
We write the narrative to the rubric and build the budget in parallel, so the numbers and the story say the same thing.
Two revisions
You mark up the draft; we revise twice. We flag anything the funder requires that's still missing from your end.
Package & send
Final formatting, forms and a submission checklist. Portal-ready files in your hands with time to spare before the deadline.
Submission packages
Pick the runway you need. We price the whole package, not the hour.
Opportunity Scan
- A shortlist of 5–8 fundable opportunities
- Eligibility & deadline check on each
- A 30-minute strategy call
Foundation Package
- Full narrative written & edited to the RFP
- Compliance-ready line-item budget
- Two revision rounds & final formatting
- Submission checklist & portal-ready files
Federal Package
- Everything in the Foundation Package
- Multi-year budgets & indirect cost rates
- Required forms, certifications & assurances
- Scoped on the solicitation — request a quote
À la carte editing, budget-only and submission-only work is available too — quoted on the draft you already have. Just tell us what you've got.
Before you book
The questions teams ask us first
Why a flat package price instead of an hourly rate?
Because you shouldn't be billed for our learning curve, and you should know the number before you commit. We scope each submission after reading the RFP and quote the whole thing — research, writing, budget and submission — at one price. If the work grows beyond the scope (a second submission, a new attachment the funder adds), we tell you before doing it.
How close to the deadline can you start?
Foundation packages run comfortably in about two weeks; we've turned polished drafts in as few as 14 days. Federal submissions with multi-year budgets need more runway — three to four weeks is ideal. Call us with your date and we'll be honest about whether it's doable before you pay anything.
Do you guarantee we'll get funded?
No one honest can. Funding decisions sit with the reviewer and the budget pool. What we guarantee is a complete, compliant, persuasive submission that's written to the scoring criteria and in the portal on time — which is the part you can actually control.
We already have a draft — can you just fix it?
Yes. Our editing & review service (from $600) takes a near-final draft, line-edits it, trims it to the page limit, and runs a compliance pass against the funder's checklist. Budget-only work starts at $750. Send the draft and the RFP and we'll quote the single piece.
Who do you usually work with?
Small-to-midsize nonprofits and university or independent research teams pursuing federal and foundation grants. If you're a first-time applicant unsure where to even start, the Opportunity Scan is built for exactly that.
Let's scope your submission
Tell us the funder and the deadline. We'll quote the package.
Pick up the phone or send a few lines about your project. We'll tell you honestly whether we can help and what your package would cost — no obligation on the first call.
Call us
(813) 260‑7676- Mon–Fri9am – 6pm
- Saturday10am – 4pm
- SundayClosed
612 10th Ave SE, Ruskin, FL 33570
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