Reframe to Win: The Need for the Next-Level Grant Seeker’s Strategic Conference
The rapidly shifting federal funding landscape in 2025 has created an urgent need for a conference like the Next-Level Grant Seeker’s Strategic Conference — Reframe to Win. Several converging factors make this event not only timely but essential for nonprofits, fundraisers, and grant writers to address this critical moment in the grant proposal landscape. Here’s why:
Major Policy Shifts and Executive Orders
The new presidential administration has issued a series of executive orders and OMB memoranda (notably M-25-13 and M-25-14), resulting in a temporary freeze, review, and in some cases, modification or withdrawal of federal grant opportunities. These directives have introduced sweeping changes to how federal discretionary funding is managed, with each agency interpreting and implementing the new policies at its own pace. The uncertainty and inconsistency across agencies have left many organizations unsure about the status of their current funding, the viability of new applications, and the language they must use to remain compliant.
Stringent Language Restrictions
Federal agencies are now flagging and, in some cases, banning a wide array of words and phrases, particularly those associated with DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), climate action, and social justice. The leaked NSF 108-keyword list and agency-specific guidance have made it clear that using certain terms in grant applications can trigger additional scrutiny, requests for revision, or outright rejection. This has upended traditional grant writing approaches and created a real risk for organizations whose missions and narratives have historically relied on these terms
Increased Scrutiny and Compliance Risks
Agencies are reviewing all existing and pending grants for alignment with the administration’s priorities, and some funding streams remain on hold or are being modified to remove non-compliant language and priorities. This environment has heightened compliance risks and made it more difficult for organizations to know how to proceed with renewals, new applications, or even drawdowns of already awarded funds.
Impact on Vulnerable Sectors
The organizations most affected are those serving vulnerable and historically marginalized communities, which include homeless services, LGBTQ+ advocacy, disability rights, environmental justice, racial equity, reproductive health, and more. These groups face the dual challenge of needing to communicate their impact without using language now deemed non-compliant, risking both their funding and their ability to authentically represent their work.
Need for Narrative Reframing and New Strategies
The only viable path forward is to reframe narratives, shifting from deficit-based to asset-based, outcomes-focused language that aligns with both compliance and best practices in grant writing. However, this is a complex skill set that most organizations have not yet mastered, and the stakes for missteps are high.
Discover the Role of AI Tools
The integration of AI-powered tools into the grant writing process is emerging as a game-changer, enabling organizations to scan for flagged terms, suggest compliant alternatives, and streamline proposal development. Yet, many nonprofits lack knowledge of or access to these tools and need practical training on how to leverage them effectively. The ability of these tools to analyze narratives, reports, presentations, and social content makes them invaluable as not just grant proposals will need to be evaluated for compliance. When properly trained and prompted, they have the capacity to audit existing documents, generate reports indicating where violations are present, make recommendations for improvement, and ensure that all documentation, reports, and written information related to the organization are aligned.
Why This Conference Is Essential Now
With funding on the line and deadlines approaching, organizations cannot afford to wait for the dust to settle. They need immediate, actionable guidance to avoid losing critical resources and position themselves for success in the new environment. The “Reframe to Win” conference will demystify the new rules, provide up-to-date intelligence on how agencies are interpreting executive orders, and offer concrete strategies for reframing language and narratives using our proprietary Excellence-Driven Narrative (EDN) grant writing framework to ensure competitiveness and compliance. Attendees will gain access to AI tools and prompts designed to use the EDN framework, prompt templates for full customization, and hands-on demonstrations that make it possible to adapt quickly and efficiently. Many of these resources are otherwise out of reach for smaller organizations. By bringing together nonprofit leaders, grant writers, and fundraisers in a virtual setting, we’ll foster peer learning, shared solutions, and a sense of solidarity in the face of shared challenges, creating a powerful network of strategic thinkers ready to dominate the new funding landscape.
The Reframe to Win Conference directly addresses the unprecedented disruptions and compliance challenges facing the nonprofit sector in 2025. It is not just helpful; it is necessary. Without this kind of focused, expert-led intervention, many organizations risk losing funding, failing to renew grants, or missing out on new opportunities due to preventable narrative errors and missteps. The conference will empower participants to move forward with clarity, confidence, and the tools they will need to thrive beyond the executive orders and memoranda in this new era of federal funding.
Learn More About the Conference
This conference is scheduled for September 24, 2025, from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm EST, via Zoom. Use the button below to register. Seats are extremely limited, so register today to save your spot.
