Grant Writer Onboarding Sprint 2025

Bring new grant writers up to speed in two weeks. This sprint plan blends Crafty workflows, compliance training, and hands-on practice so new hires deliver value fast without drowning in information.

TL;DR

Follow a 14-day sprint covering orientation, systems, compliance, and live assignments.
Use Crafty resources like the storyboard and prompt playbook.
End with a live deliverable reviewed by a mentor to cement learning.

Sprint overview

The NCVO People and Skills report 2024 highlights capacity gaps in fundraising teams. A structured onboarding sprint reduces ramp-up time, improves retention, and maintains consistency across proposals.

14-day schedule

Days 1–2: Organisation induction, funder portfolio overview, Crafty navigation.
Days 3–5: Deep dive into the pipeline board, reporting calendar, and evidence bank.
Days 6–9: Shadow senior writers drafting sections; practise using the change control playbook.
Days 10–12: Compliance modules—data protection, consent workflow, audit readiness.
Days 13–14: Live drafting assignment with mentor feedback and sign-off.

Essential resources

Crafty workspace tour + sample prompts.
Access to oversight pack and board reporting templates.
Reference library of successful applications and variation letters.
Style guide, tone notes, brand glossary.

Mentoring and QA

Pair each new writer with a mentor for weekly check-ins. Use Crafty comments for inline feedback and track questions in a shared log. Incorporate lessons into the feedback debrief toolkit.

Next steps and downloads

Download the sprint schedule, task checklist, mentor log, and onboarding quiz. Store them in Crafty so every new hire follows the same path.

Action plan

Assign onboarding owner and mentor before the new hire starts.
Configure Crafty access and security induction on day one.
Log onboarding progress in Crafty to track readiness for live assignments.

Key takeaways

A two-week sprint delivers structured, digestible onboarding.
Integrate Crafty resources so new writers build muscle memory fast.
Mentor support and live assignments accelerate confidence.

Summary and next steps

Onboarding is more than paperwork. Follow this sprint, capture lessons in Crafty, and you’ll build a consistent, confident grant writing bench.

Adopt the sprint for all new hires and contractors.
Review and refresh content quarterly with mentor feedback.
Celebrate first wins to reinforce culture and retention.