Do what you do best and outsource the rest.” — Peter Drucker (The Father of Management). 

It’s a quote that should hang above every charity CEO’s desk — especially the ones hunched over half-written funding applications, juggling 14 other jobs, and still expected to craft a masterful grant proposal between meetings, budget reviews, and fixing the office printer. 

Wearing multiple hats might sound noble. But noble doesn’t win grants. Precision, focus, experience — and often, a cool outsider’s perspective — do. 

Let’s be honest: charities are competing in the same talent market as slick corporates and shiny tech startups — but with nowhere near the same firepower. So why, in the name of all that is strategic, are we still asking one person to research, write, qualify, budget, proofread, and submit major funding bids… solo? It’s like asking your head chef to do the accounts, wait tables, and clean the loos — while cooking for a Michelin star. 

Hiring a full-time grant writer? Great, if you’ve got the budget and bandwidth. But what if you could access the same expertise — or better — without the salary, the pension, or the morning small talk? Enter the external grant specialist. Nimble, laser-focused, and detached enough to read your bid like a funder would, not how your team hopes it reads. 

And the cost? Let’s talk outcomes. A skilled external partner might cost a fraction of what you’re currently losing in failed or late applications, missed deadlines, or simply not having the time to apply at all. 

This isn’t just about saving money. It’s about maximising impact. Could you be using your precious time better elsewhere — like leading, inspiring, and delivering change? 

Still not convinced? Ask yourself this: if your peers are outsourcing and you’re not, are you even in the same race? 

Drucker was right. Do what you do best. And for the rest — especially when ‘the rest’ means bringing in the lifeblood of your organisation — maybe it’s time to get help. 

Charity work is hard enough. You don’t need to be a martyr with a Microsoft Word habit. Think smarter. Write better. Win more.