Good afternoon. The weather has been beautiful this month and the plants are showing it! We have had the chance to get outside and see all of the flowers and enjoy all the views that Western Washington has to offer. I’m sure hiking, camping, fishing and water sports are on most lists of things to do this month. We are so lucky to live in such a gorgeous part of the country.

I would also like to bring up one of the other favorite Washington pastimes: going for coffee. We have many lovely local coffee shops and one of my favorites is Fika, located in Puyallup, at Farm 12. They have a nice selection of baked goods, comfortable chairs and a lovely view of the surrounding fields. My granddaughters and I are there often, enjoying a break from the day to day routine. Farm 12 with its parent company, Step By Step Family Support Center, do wonderful work in the community and it feels good to help support such a great cause.

So anytime you’re in the mood for a cup of coffee and a mid morning break be sure and check out Fika, and not only give yourself a treat, but give your community a helping hand.

Moderation in all things?

The Greek philosopher, Socrates, is credited with saying “All things in moderation” but the essential thought is most likely the work of the Greek Poet Hesiod around 700 bce. That was a pretty sobering thought back then, I would think. At a time when human beings were just getting started on the big problems, like creating governments, medical procedures and facilities, and making other important decisions that would affect us for hundreds, if not thousands of years, it had to be enticing to go overboard and just do what felt right at the time and not think too much about the consequences. And yet, it’s obvious that that’s exactly what they were thinking about.

We modern humans might be wise to listen to those old Greeks. We have a tendency to “Think big”, “Go for the gold”, or “Go big or go home”, but this may not always be in our best interest. Do we ask for so much in grants that we are in danger of not getting anything at all? Or, do we ask for too little, in the interest of not upsetting the funders, and not ever have enough to do the job we really wanted to do?

My feeling is that we always give an honest answer. If we think we cannot do a good job for less than $250,000, and that is what is available, then we should ask for that. After all, a funder can always give less, or ask why we think we need that much. But if we believe that we can do a good job for less, then we should be honest about that too. Asking for more and not being able to spend it, or justify it, accomplishes nothing worthwhile. It only makes funders more cautious next time.

There is really no right or wrong, but it is something to think about. Here’s wishing you the perfect amount for you to accomplish your goals!

Hello everyone, and welcome to our first bi-weekly blog! Just for clarification, that means every other week. We will be talking about all kinds of things, including life, grant finding and grant writing and grant management. I hope you find it interesting and please feel free to email comments or suggestions.

People pursuing grant funding face similar circumstances. There are seasons to grants depending upon the political atmosphere, what diseases or hazards are at the forefront of research, and what is practical for you to pursue. This situation, while it can be challenging, is actually a benefit. It can help you focus on what is relevant and how you can pursue a project that will help make the world a better place! The bottom line is that receiving a grant is never guaranteed but the search can be both exciting and rewarding.