A data-informed grant strategy that doubled funding, expanded foster parent recruitment, and enhanced youth support services.
Written by: Johanna St. John
Children 1st Community Development Services, a Georgia-based nonprofit providing foster care services for children in Fulton County, approached Resurgens Impact Consulting (RIC) in Spring 2025 for support on Fulton County’s Community Services Program Grant. In their position, Children 1st was privy to an urgent problem. Fulton County, Atlanta’s largest county, had an overwhelming number of children needing foster care but not enough foster families available. To fulfill their mission, Children 1st desperately needed the funds to conduct robust foster parent recruitment and to offer enhanced support to existing foster homes—necessary steps to reduce burnout, retention issues, and ultimately, give vulnerable children a stable place to grow.
With a lean and committed staff stretched thin—and having missed out on this grant the previous year—Children 1st needed support with both the dedicated capacity to put together a comprehensive proposal and the expertise to ensure the proposal was competitive and to win critical project funding. Our expert Grant Consultant Johanna St. John led the project, working closely with Children 1st over multiple weeks to develop a strong application for the Fulton County grant opportunity. They began with a collaborative needs assessment and impact analysis. Drawing on previous proposals, reviewer feedback, and Children 1st’s operational insights, Johanna crafted a clear, compelling, and data-informed proposal. The application detailed practical steps and resources needed, backed by a comprehensive budget narrative and a sharp focus on measurable and social outcomes. After two rounds of review and edits by Children 1st, the team submitted an on time and complete proposal that communicated Children 1st’s proven impact and urgent funding needs.
The outcome was a resounding success. Children 1st was awarded a $40,000 grant—nearly double their previous awards from the funder. This enabled them to recruit 40 new family resource home applicants, directly increasing placement availability for children in need of temporary placement. The grant also funded a summer camp and new supports targeting health and behavioral services and critical summer childcare for foster youth. With enhanced resources, Children 1st expects to retain 90% of existing homes thanks to enhanced training and support made possible through this grant.
This case exemplifies how nonprofits can leverage RIC’s grant consulting to secure larger grants and translate their mission into winning proposals. Partnering with RIC allows organizations to focus on delivering services confidently, knowing that expert grant support is advancing their sustainability and growth.
