Grant Services for Colleges & Universities | Think and Ink Grant Consulting®
Higher Ed
Who We Serve — Colleges & Universities

Grant expertise
built for higher
education.

We help public and private colleges and universities pursue competitive grant funding for research, student services, workforce development, and campus infrastructure — nationwide.

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$625M+
Secured for clients nationwide
95%
Client referral rate
NSF · NIH
Dept. of Education & more
10+
Years of higher ed experience
Certified B Corp
GPCI Approved
Atlanta, GA — Nationwide
Nonprofits · Universities · Government
Research & Innovation Student Services Workforce Development Campus Infrastructure NSF Proposals NIH Funding Dept. of Education Private Foundations Pre-Award Support Compliance Strategy Research & Innovation Student Services Workforce Development Campus Infrastructure NSF Proposals NIH Funding Dept. of Education Private Foundations Pre-Award Support Compliance Strategy

Our Approach

Higher education is ambitious — and complex.

We work with public and private higher education institutions to pursue grants for research, workforce development, student services, capital improvements, and community partnerships. Our experience includes successful proposals to NSF, NIH, the Department of Education, and private foundations.

We help institutions navigate the layered complexity of higher education grant-seeking — from coordinating across siloed departments to building compliant budgets that don't disqualify you before scoring begins.

Areas of Focus
We write successful proposals for
01
R&I

Research & Innovation

Faculty-driven research proposals translated into clear, competitive narratives for NSF, NIH, and specialty funders.

02
S&E

Student Services & Equity Programs

Programs supporting access, retention, and student success — including TRIO, Title III, and equity-focused initiatives.

03
WD

Workforce Development

Career pipeline programs, employer partnerships, and credentialing initiatives aligned with state and federal priorities.

04
CI

Campus Infrastructure

Capital improvements, technology upgrades, and facilities projects funded through federal and private grant programs.

Understanding the Challenge

The five pain points we solve
for higher education

A

Internal Coordination & Silos

  • Faculty, research centers, advancement, and finance operate independently
  • No centralized strategy leads to competing submissions and duplicative efforts
How we help

We serve as your centralized grant strategy partner — bridging silos and aligning all stakeholders around a unified submission strategy that maximizes your competitive position.

B

Weak Pre-Award Infrastructure

  • Insufficient capacity in pre-award offices to manage competitive opportunities
  • Slow internal review timelines make institutions late or non-competitive
How we help

We extend your pre-award team immediately — no hiring, no onboarding. Our team manages timelines, coordinates reviews, and keeps submissions moving toward deadlines.

C

Compliance Anxiety

  • Large awards come with complex federal requirements — Uniform Guidance, IRB, cost share
  • Many fear non-compliance more than missing the award itself
How we help

We build federal compliance requirements directly into your proposals from day one — so nothing falls through the cracks and your institution stays protected.

D

Overreliance on Faculty for Writing

  • Faculty are subject matter experts — not proposal writers
  • Narratives lack clarity, competitiveness, or strategic alignment with funder priorities
How we help

We work alongside faculty to extract the science and translate expertise into winning narratives — clear, compelling, and scored to compete at the highest levels.

E

Budget & Cost Share Challenges

  • Indirect cost negotiations, match requirements, and multi-year budgeting overwhelm teams
  • Budget errors often eliminate proposals before scoring begins
How we help

We construct clean, defensible budgets that account for indirect cost rates, multi-year projections, and match requirements — keeping your proposal in the running.

Trusted by higher education institutions across Georgia and beyond

A sample of our current and past college and university clients — public and private institutions that trusted Think and Ink to pursue competitive grant funding on their behalf.

CSU Clayton State University
AMSC Atlanta Metropolitan State College
DSC Dalton State College
YHC Young Harris College
+ And more nationwide
Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

"We help higher education institutions win the grants that fund their next decade of impact — bringing external expertise and dedicated capacity to one of the most complex grant environments that exists."

Shavonn Richardson — Founder & CEO, Think and Ink Grant Consulting®

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Ready to compete for more funding?

Schedule your free consultation today. Fast, expert response. Serving higher education institutions nationwide.

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Questions? Call us at +1 (404) 566-5541