Title

Interview Questions for Christine Lopes (Grants Coordinator/Writer)

Message

Ryan,

Here is a structured list of questions for your upcoming interview with Christine Lopes. They are designed to validate the key themes we've uncovered and dig deeper into the specific workflows of a grants coordinator.

1. Introduction & Role Context (2-3 minutes)

• "To start, could you please walk me through your current role and the typical grant lifecycle you manage?"
• "Roughly how many grants do you manage or write in a typical school year?"

2. Discovery & Prospecting (5-7 minutes)

• "We've heard from others that finding the right grant opportunities can be the most time-consuming part of the job. Where do you typically look for grants, and what does your prospecting workflow look like?"
• "How do you currently track opportunities and deadlines? Is it through a specific system, spreadsheets, or something else?"
• "How do you stay on top of shifting funder priorities—the so-called ‘seasonal trends’ that funders are focused on each year?"

3. Evaluation & Go/No-Go Decision (5-7 minutes)

• "Once you find a potential grant, what’s your process for quickly deciding if it's a 'go' or 'no-go'? What are the biggest factors that lead you to pass on an opportunity?"
• "How often do you find that a grant's eligibility criteria are ambiguous, causing you to spend time on an application you later discover is a poor fit?"

4. Data, Drafting & Collaboration (5-7 minutes)