The portal doesn't pick the winner

True North | Edition #4

October 2026

October Is When the Next Year Gets Decided

Decision makers are setting 2027 government funding priorities, and year-end giving season is weeks away.

In this issue: The work that happens before any of that shows up in a portal.

Quick Poll: What's Slowing Down Your Next Proposal?

Pick the one that fits, and we’ll take you straight to the Field Note that helps most. We’ll share the poll results next month.

The Portal Doesn't Pick The Winner

By the time a grant or contract hits a portal, most of the real decisions are already made. The program officer has a sense of who's ready. The procurement team has already talked to vendors about what's possible. The portal just collects the paperwork.

As we wrote in Field Notes this month:

"The portal receives the submission. It does not create the opportunity."

Three moves to make before anything opens:

1. Learn who's who. List the 3 to 5 people connected to the problem you solve, like program officers, department heads, or procurement leads. Ask one of them for a 20-minute conversation about what isn't working. No pitch.
2. Have your paperwork ready before you need it. That means an updated capability statement or org profile, current references, registrations, and financials. When a deadline drops, you should be writing, not hunting for documents.
3. Decide fast. Run a go/no-go before you commit 40 or more hours. If you can't name who decides and why they'd pick you, that's your answer.

Steal This

For nonprofits: Before December 31, send each current funder a three-sentence update: one result, one person it helped, and a thank-you. No ask. It's the easiest relationship-builder you'll make all year.

For GovTech vendors: If you hold a contract vehicle, build an eligible-buyer map. List which agencies in your target states can actually buy from it, and for which line items. Most dormant vehicles are missing this piece.

Read about why awards sit idle

OPPORTUNITY WATCH

Cooperative contracts let public agencies buy without running their own solicitation. This Sourcewell solicitation is open now:

• Digital Procurement Platforms with Related Services (Solicitation 11492). Due November 4, 2026. View it here.

FUNDER WATCH

• NEH Collections Stewardship. $50,000 to $500,000 to care for collections. Due December 15, 2026. Who qualifies: museums, libraries, archives, and other organizations that hold humanities collections. View it here.
• King County Veterans Service Organization Grants (District 3). A low-barrier grant with minimal application requirements. Applications typically open in March. Who qualifies: organizations in King County Council District 3 that serve veterans, their families, or active-duty military and their families. View it here.

Not in District 3? Many county council members run similar small grant programs, so check your own council member's page. The best time to prep is before the portal opens.

Where Do You Stand? Pick Your Lane:

Behind The Scenes

Want A Second Set Of Eyes?

Our free 30-minute diagnostic looks at where you stand on your next grant or bid. You'll leave with clarity and a roadmap.

All the best,

Sophie & April

P.S. We'll share the poll results next month. In the meantime, hit reply and tell us: what's the biggest grant or bid on your radar before year-end?

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