Grant writing is time-consuming, technical, and increasingly competitive. Araya Advisory helps New Orleans nonprofits find the right opportunities, build stronger applications, and manage their funding pipeline — so your team can focus on the work.
Grant funding keeps New Orleans nonprofits running. It pays for staff, programs, facilities, and the day-to-day work that communities depend on. But the process of actually winning a grant — finding the right opportunities, building a competitive application, managing funder relationships — is a full-time job in itself.
Most of the organizations we talk to are already stretched thin. They know the funding is out there. What they need is someone who already knows how to win it.
Federal, state, foundation, and corporate funding shifts constantly. Knowing where to look — and which opportunities are actually worth pursuing — requires ongoing research and funder awareness.
Funders read dozens of applications for every award. A technically complete application that doesn't tell a compelling story about mission, outcomes, and community impact rarely makes it through the first review.
Grant budgets, matching requirements, indirect cost rates, allowable expenses — these financial details directly affect whether your application is competitive and whether you stay in good standing if awarded.
Without a managed pipeline, opportunities fall through the cracks, duplicate effort builds up, and the pressure to "just get something in" leads to weaker applications.
Greater New Orleans has a deep and active nonprofit sector — and a competitive grant environment to match. Here's what organizations are up against.
Whether you're preparing for your first grant or managing an active funding pipeline, we have a service level that fits where you are.
A structured review of your organization's capacity to pursue grant funding — where you're strong, where there are gaps, and what to prioritize first.
End-to-end support on a grant application — from funder research and narrative development to budget alignment and submission. You focus on the mission. We handle the application.
Ongoing support to identify, track, and pursue grant opportunities on a rolling basis — so no deadlines are missed and your funding pipeline keeps moving.
We're not a national grant consulting firm. We're a New Orleans-based practice built around the specific funders, foundations, and community organizations that make up this city's nonprofit sector.
We know the local foundations, the city and parish grant programs, and the community landscape that funders care about. That context shapes every application we write — and it isn't something a national firm can replicate.
Financial narratives, budget justifications, indirect cost calculations, allowable expense categories — these are the parts most nonprofits struggle with. Our accounting background means we get them right.
New RFPs, shifting foundation priorities, federal program updates — we monitor the landscape continuously and surface the opportunities that are actually worth your organization's time.
Our pricing reflects the reality that most NOLA nonprofits operate lean. We're here to be genuinely useful — not to run up a consulting bill that outpaces the grant itself.
No commitments, no pressure. Here's how a typical engagement starts.
Use the form below — or just email us. Let us know your mission, your current funding situation, and what you're trying to accomplish. Any amount of context helps.
James will respond personally, usually within one business day. The first conversation is free and carries no obligation — it's a chance to understand your needs and assess whether there's a good fit.
If it makes sense to move forward, we'll agree on a clear scope with no surprises. From there, we handle the research, writing, and logistics — and keep you informed throughout.
James Araya is based in New Orleans and has spent his career in accounting and financial advisory. Over time, he watched local nonprofits — community organizations, arts groups, social service providers — leave funding on the table not because their missions weren't strong, but because they didn't have the bandwidth or expertise to compete in the grant process.
Araya Advisory started from a simple idea: what if local nonprofits had access to a grant writing partner who combined genuine financial acumen with the kind of careful, methodical approach that accounting demands?
James works with organizations across New Orleans. He's not a national grant writing firm — he's someone you can actually talk to, who understands how this city works and which funders are paying attention to it.
Whether you have a specific grant opportunity in mind, need help understanding your options, or just aren't sure where to start — send us a note. The first conversation is always free, and there's no obligation to go further.
James responds personally to every inquiry, usually within one business day.
"No pressure, no obligation." We know that reaching out to a consultant can feel like a commitment. It isn't. Tell us a little about your organization and what you're working toward, and we'll give you a straight answer about whether and how we can help.
Tell us about your organization and what you're trying to fund — we'll take it from there.