Keep it Real. Keep it Pithy.
I’m Sharmila; mom, immigrant, proud Sri Lankan, and experienced grant writer with a critical eye for how social dynamics and systems play out in our world.
This is a space for sharing reflections, advice, and resources about the nitty gritty of impactful grant writing and grant consulting — insights and stories from lessons learned, life lived, and mistakes made.
Blog content is created and curated for nonprofits, grant consultants, and aspiring grant writers.
Adventures in Grant Writing
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Grant Coaching: My ‘WHY’ Story
Almost 20 years ago I decided to strike out as an independent grant writer after making a conscious decision to leave the international development world. While I would often informally mentor my grant writing clients, I had a deep desire to share what I had learned in a more structured way. Fast forward to 2025, I decided to launch my 1:1 grant coaching practice.
Sometimes life brings you full-circle.
Almost 20 years ago I decided to strike out as an independent grant writer after making a conscious decision to leave the international development world which had launched my career in Washington, DC. While still living in the DC metro area, I reckoned with myself that working on large-scale multi-million dollar development initiatives just did not bring me joy.
So, I went in the opposite direction—I went looking for small, local community-focused nonprofits who could benefit from my grant development skills. In fact one of my earliest nonprofit partners/clients came from my own Long Branch neighborhood in Takoma Park, MD. Another came from a DC nonprofit serving people without homes. It was immensely satisfying to witness what we could accomplish with grants of $5k, 10k and 50k; meals, showers and job-support; health-care enrollment navigation. I loved it!
Two decades later, I had picked up a few tips and tricks that you can only learn through experience---unless someone sits with you and talks it through with you. While I would often informally mentor my grant writing clients, I had a deep desire to share what I had learned in a more structured way.
Fast forward to 2025, I decided to launch my 1:1 grant coaching practice.
Towards the end of the year, I was approached by Krista Zimmerman from Georgetown University, asking whether I’d be interested to provide grant coaching to executive students in their Women Faith Leaders Fellowship from the African continent. No answer but ‘yes!’ to an opportunity like that!
We spent the first 30 minutes of each coaching session with a deep dive, so I could understand the context that each student was operating in. I asked questions to understand their personal skill-level and experience with developing grants, as well as to understand their organization’s capacity and internal support structures.
We laughed as we role played, switching between roles of grantee and grantor, as we stepped back to look at not just the written grant application, but also how relationships and reputation impact how your application is received. It was gratifying to see the ‘aha’ moments as we talked about grant strategy and setting yourself up for grant success.
I was constantly amazed and impressed by these exceptionally capable and dedicated women community leaders. Literal movers and shakers in their communities and wonderful, kind human beings.
The end of each session left me feeling pumped up, as it affirmed that this personalized, mentor-style training is exactly why I launched my virtual 1:1 grant coaching program. To meet each person where they are at, and walk alongside them on their grant journey.
So while I left the large-scale US-funded international development practice, (which has now received devastating blows), 2026 marks the year that re-connected me with the Global South—except this time, it DID fulfill my desire to stay connected with local community-focused nonprofits.
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Are you curious about grant coaching?
• Schedule a free 20-minute call or send me a message. I’m happy to answer your questions!
• More details on my coaching page