Led personally by Dr. Nicole E. Francis Cotton — 24+ years of grant expertise, a decade-long mentorship program grant-funded in eight of its ten years, and three major institutions that renewed their funding across multiple cycles — helping nonprofits, social enterprises, and community organisations worldwide build sustainable funding strategies, rooted in the Caribbean, with a reach that extends to Africa, the United States, and beyond.
Since 2002, VLF has raised over half a million dollars for its own programs through grants, corporate sponsorships, and in-kind partnerships — and now puts that same expertise to work for partner organisations across the Caribbean, Africa, the United States, and other territories worldwide.
What We Offer
From first enquiry to funded program — VLF provides end-to-end grant support for nonprofits, social enterprises, and churches, and eligibility assessment for individual applicants — Caribbean-rooted, globally open.
Compelling, funder-ready proposals written to the specific requirements of each grant opportunity — foundation, government, and corporate funders. We research, write, and refine until it is submission-ready.
A customised roadmap identifying the right funders for your mission, timeline, and capacity — so you pursue the grants most likely to succeed rather than applying broadly and hoping.
Deep research into local, regional, and international funders aligned with your program areas — whether you are based in the Caribbean, Africa, the US, or elsewhere. We identify eligibility criteria, deadlines, and alignment before you invest a single hour of writing time.
Once funded, reporting requirements must be met precisely. We help organisations stay compliant, document outcomes, and maintain funder relationships that lead to renewals.
Train your team to manage and sustain grant funding independently. Workshops and one-on-one coaching in grant readiness, narrative development, and budget preparation.
Identify and cultivate relationships with corporate social responsibility programs and private foundations — turning one-time grants into long-term funding partnerships.
How We Work
We learn your organisation, mission, programs, and goals — building the foundation for every proposal we write together.
We identify the right funding opportunities aligned with your work, capacity, and timeline — Caribbean, African, American, and international.
We craft a compelling narrative, complete all required sections, and align your budget to funder expectations.
We manage submission, track deadlines, and follow up with funders to maximise your chances of success.
We support you through grant reporting and position your organisation for renewal and expanded funding cycles.
Our Story
I started our mentorship program with no funding at all. For the first stretch I worked unpaid, covering costs myself and carrying the program on personal effort. With the support of my family, who served as board members, I was able to work without being paid — until I had to admit it wasn't sustainable, not for me and not for the people it served. Something had to change.
So I learned to write grants.
Our first application was funded by USONA. That single award changed what was possible: we hired staff, fed our mentees, provided counseling and social events, funded after-school activities, covered meals for mentors during training, and paid our mentor trainer. Rotary Sunrise Club also gave in-kind support on one occasion. The program ran ten years, grant-funded in eight of them — first by USONA, then by AMFO.
We never wrote those applications alone. Board member Connie Francis Gumbs and I drafted them together, and other board members reviewed every submission before it was sent. That discipline — draft, review, revise, submit — is what produced the record on this page, and it is the same discipline we bring to our clients' applications.
If you are running a program on personal sacrifice and wondering whether funding is realistically within reach, we know that position from the inside. We wrote our way out of it.
Transparent Pricing
Every client is verified before service selection. Choose the level that best fits your stage, capacity, and goals.
Level 1
Best for: individuals, churches, and organisations ready to apply independently. If no eligible opportunities are identified, 50% of your fee is refunded.
Level 2
Best for: organisations wanting expert guidance to strengthen their application.
Level 3
Best for: organisations needing a fully written, funder-ready proposal.
Final fee is set by scope and never exceeds 5% of the funding you are seeking. Federal, multi-year, and large international applications are quoted individually. Applications required in under three weeks carry a rush premium.
Apply for Level 3 →All service levels require successful verification before selection. Payment details provided upon verification. All fees are fixed and payable regardless of funding outcome; VLF accepts no commission or percentage of any award. Where a client also engages Victorious Living Publishing Services, that relationship is disclosed in writing before any fee is payable.
Our Network & Impact
Step 1 of the Process
Complete the form below to begin your application. All applications are reviewed by our team within 2–3 business days. You will receive a personal response with next steps.
Prefer to reach us directly? Email grants@victoriouslivingfoundation.com or call 1-721-524-8731.
Ready to Fund Your Mission?
Start with a conversation. Tell us about your organisation, your programs, and your goals — and we'll show you what's possible.