I spoke with Chelsea Fretwell about her grant writing position at Pioneers for about 20 minutes before I realized… she’d made no mention of money or funding levels. She did, however, talk a great deal about relationships.

“Grant writing isn’t transactional, it’s transformational. I truly mean that,” she explained. “Relationships are key. We might work with a foundation for 18 – 24 months just to understand how God is moving in their hearts – and their outreach.”

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5 

 Admittedly, I was skeptical. For me, “writing grant applications” conjures visions of tiny print, endless questions and excruciating details. Just prepping for the conversation with Chelsea gave me a vague sense of writer claustrophobia. 

 “I didn’t say it was easy!” She laughed when I shared those perceptions. “My favorite part of grant work is being a storyteller. You are mobilizing people to learn more about unreached people and finding ways to help. Foundations want to steward their resources well, of course!  But some don’t know how or where to give. Others might say, ‘We really love Business as Missions, or…Southeast Asia, or….the Middle East, etc.’”

That’s why storytelling is important. Chelsea gave me a vivid overview of the “chocolate factory” example.

“We knew about this unreached people group in Southeast Asia that was harvesting cacao beans on their island. It was a 15 hour boat ride to this remote location. Our Pioneers mission team forged relationships, helped with farming methods and literally helped create a local chocolate ‘factory.’ This employs locals and provides a fair wage. With that comes a long term opportunity to share the Gospel with people who might not otherwise hear.” 

There were no specific “grant templates” for chocolate factories in Chelsea’s file. Part of her relationship building role is to make each unique idea come to life for a grant, with the ‘right’ partner foundation. Foundations also require a report anywhere from 6-12 months after a project begins. Was there employment, church planting, people coming to faith?

“There’s a natural tension on the reporting side,” she acknowledges. “Much of the funded work requires time to implement and each country is so different. Some teams don’t have infrastructure to measure and report. We help to coach them on gathering results because Western donors do want to hear about outcomes, expanded capacity and sustainability.”

How did she get involved in grant writing? “I took a grant writing internship during my undergrad studies at the University of Central Florida. I actually started a grant writing department for a local non-profit.” After graduating, Chelsea taught English in Thailand and then back in the USA.  “At one point I decided to take a ‘Sabbatical’ of sorts and considered a career change.”

Her career change began with a receptionist role for the Pioneers ministry. Within a year Chelsea joined the fundraising team. Her job title is Global Project Coordinator. Chelsea doesn’t just love her work, she see’s important connections to the purpose of the Great Commission*.

“On the one hand, we provide an opportunity for people to steward their resources and open doors for others to hear the Gospel of Jesus.  That, in turn, equips field teams to create even more avenues to share the Gospel.” 

Chelsea has summarized her expertise in ‘A Grant Writing Guide for the Relentless Pursuit of the Unreached.’ “I originally wrote this to equip grant writing interns and to address common misconceptions,” she explains. “It includes plenty of how-to’s for executive summaries and other common application questions.”

Since 2021, Chelsea also leads a 10-week summer intern program. This program helps upcoming professionals hone their skills, broaden their view of missions and thrive in a strong, Christ-centered community. 

You can learn more about the Pioneers Orlando Internship program at https://pioneers.org/internships. Chelsea’s Grant Writing Guide is available for download here.

Be encouraged!

*Matthew 28:18-20