“No such thing as a free lunch.”

The first time I heard this expression was when I started my career as a grantwriter with the City of Los Angeles. I was surprised at first - I had thought the whole appeal of grants was that promise of a free lunch.

In theory, yes, grants should relieve burdens and remove barriers for those already struggling financially.

However, in practice, a single grant can be so tedious that it becomes a full time job. To get a grant, someone has to do the research, read the guidelines, and write and submit the application on time. Then, if awarded, they'd have to read the grant agreement, deliver the project, track finances, and prepare reports.

This is a significant amount of staff time to manage a single grant that most grantseekers do not have in the first place. This conundrum creates a system where well-established organizations with dedicated grants teams have a significant advantage over those without, regardless of their true merit.

So (to continue with this poor metaphor that I've cornered myself into), even though free lunches may not exist, I want to live in a world where everyone still gets the lunch that they deserve. I believe that grants should open new doors for those who are most capable, passionate, and ambitious - not just for those with the staff to write applications. I created Viridian Grants because I want to close this gap. I want to provide free services to help anyone who is committed to building a sustainable and equitable future for all. With my expertise, I believe that I can demystify processes and build effective, self-sufficient systems for any grantseeker.

Grants should remove barriers.

Viridian Grants is a personal project by Thien Phan. He has been a grant administrator for the City of Los Angeles since 2019. He is also a California-licensed professional civil and environmental engineer.