Our Services
Project readiness, proposal writing, and M&E — each built to the standard that determines whether your work gets funded, delivered, and sustained.
Spekola takes its name from specola — a word for an observation point or watchtower. The practice is built on the same principle: seeing clearly — what communities need, and what it takes to reach the funders who can help.
Service 01
Project Readiness & Design
Most proposals are written before the project behind them is ready to be funded.
We work with you before the application opens — reviewing the project design against the funder’s criteria and building the structural elements that a credible proposal requires.
The scope depends on your project and your funder. Typically, this involves the logical framework, theory of change, risk assessment, and budget structure — each shaped to what your specific funder asks for, not a generic template.
Ideal for: Organizations and service clubs preparing a first major application, those scaling to a new funder, or those whose previous proposals were rejected and are not sure why.
Service 02
Grant Writing & Editing
A proposal is a structured argument. Every section has a purpose; every claim needs evidence.
We write and edit proposals that translate the community’s work into the structured argument a funder needs to say yes — built around its specific criteria, not around what sounds good in general. The proposal is scored once. The results last for years. The writing has to carry both.
We work in English or Spanish — in the language the application requires.
Ideal for: Organizations and service clubs with a clear project but limited capacity to translate it into a funder-ready document — or those who want an experienced external review before submitting.
Service 03
Monitoring & Evaluation
Funders fund promises. M&E is how you prove the promise was kept — and how you strengthen what comes next.
We design M&E systems before the project begins — so your team collects the right evidence from day one, and your funder receives what they require at each reporting stage.
At the close of a project, we author the final impact report. Your team provides the data; we provide the analysis and the funder-ready document.
Ideal for: Organizations and service clubs setting up a new project, those with volunteer-led coordination who need an M&E system structured from day one, and those at mid-project or close who need external evaluation and report writing.
How To Work WIth Us
Three Ways To Engage
Every project is different. These are the structures that fit most situations — each scoped clearly before we begin.
Strategic Review Session
One session. Specific feedback.
Bring a proposal draft, a logframe, or an M&E indicator set. We review it against your funder’s criteria and give you specific written feedback on what needs to change.
Project Partnership
Defined scope. Fixed price.
Full support on a single project — from readiness and design through proposal, or from proposal through final report.
Advisory Retainer
Ongoing support. Set hours per month.
For organizations with regular grant cycles, ongoing M&E obligations, or those who want a consistent external quality check.
Fees are discussed at the first call and scoped per project. Spekola works with a limited number of clients at a time — this is how the quality stays consistent.
Common Questions
A few things worth knowing.
Yes — and often this is where the work is most needed. Many grassroots organizations have strong community programs but little experience with the formal structures that funders require. We work with you from where you are, whether this is your first application or your tenth.
Not necessarily. If you have a clear community need and a general direction, the first conversation can help clarify what is ready and what still needs work. If the project needs structural design before you apply, that is precisely where we start.
Yes. Spekola works with organizations applying for funding from institutional donors and private foundations worldwide. Being based in the Netherlands gives us proximity to European funders while maintaining a global practice.
No. The Strategic Review Session is designed for organizations that need focused input on one document without a full project engagement. If the budget is genuinely constrained, the first call — which is free — helps us understand what is possible and realistic.
Yes. We work in both languages. For proposals, concept notes, and M&E documents written for Spanish-speaking funders, we write in the language the funder reads.