Are You Working in the Shadows? Shine a Light on The Tasks Draining Your Time

A recent report by Instrumentl, a grant database and management system, confirms what you already feel in your bones: grant professionals are drowning in administrative tasks. Instrumentl named this invisible labor “shadow work.”

After talking to over 1,000 grant professionals, they found that the average person spends about 30 hours a week on shadow work, costing organizations $53,700 per year. That’s a problem too big to ignore.

Top shadow work culprits

With roughly 75% of the workweek sucked up by shadow work, there are likely several things quietly draining your productivity. Here are three of the main offenders:

Unrealistic workloads/expectations: 80% of respondents reported increased workloads over the past two years. 52% felt leadership didn’t understand how complicated their work is.
Disconnected systems: The average grant professional juggles five different tools. Because these platforms rarely communicate with each other, 96% of respondents rely on manual workarounds.
Communication bottlenecks: Grant professionals reported having to chase down information from other departments or lacking the financial knowledge they needed to respond to funders. And only 14% of organizations had systems in place to weather a grant professional’s departure.

The shift that cuts back the shadow

Often, people assume a grant manager’s job is writing the application and final report. That narrow vision of grantwork allows shadow work to flourish. Instead of viewing yourself as simply a grant writer, start thinking of yourself as a project manager.

Your role extends far beyond paper pushing. You need to know programs inside out, manage relationships with funders and ensure every funding agreement is honored.

From the report: What grant professionals would do with the time they get back from shadow work

Steps to reduce shadow work

Using that reframe, you can tackle some of the common shadow work causes:

Unrealistic workloads/expectations → Align with leadership. Lay out exactly how long each step takes, the lead time you need and how you qualify opportunities. Use this to set boundaries and create a clear timeline for prioritizing relevant grants.
Disconnected systems → Advocate for better tools. Sifting through endless emails and spreadsheets isn't "free" because it costs precious staff hours. Pitch a dedicated grant or project management platform as a valuable financial investment
Communication bottlenecks → Connect with key teams. Ask to sit in on program check-ins and budget meetings. Build tracking systems that help everyone stay accountable and prevent you from chasing updates.

Don’t let shadow work drain your time

When you have limited capacity, you literally can’t afford to let inefficient processes drain your time. Start viewing yourself as a project manager, not just a grant manager, to gain control and streamline processes. When you do, you’ll have more time for the grant work that matters, like strategy and relationships.

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Let’s shine a light on your processes

In May, I closed the chapter on my corporate project management career to focus on Thrive Grant Services full-time.

I built Thrive quietly on mornings and weekends. Now, I am dedicating 100% of my energy to helping nonprofits step out of the operational shadows and protect their funding pipelines.

Every week, I partner with busy teams to move away from reactive shadow work and streamline their systems. I’d love to work with you next. I can help you:

Find highly aligned, new funding opportunities
Take grant work off your team's plate
Create sustainable grant strategies that prevent staff burnout

Whether you need expert help with research, strategy or writing, I would love to connect. Let’s make sure your mission has the stable support it deserves.

Book a Discovery Call

Power Partner of the Month

Jen Rhoton is the founder of Rhoton & Co., a creative collective committed to Create(for)Good — creating exceptionally good design as a way to create good in the world.

They partner with mission-driven teams (nonprofits, higher ed, healthcare, B Corps, and social enterprises) to move missions forward through branding, print, digital, and event design.

From logos to campaigns, reports, websites, signage, and event experiences, they help organizations bring ideas to life, creating compelling, impossible-to-ignore brands that inspire action.

Clients love working with them because they have their back every step of the way — from big-picture strategy to the smallest details.

Connect with Jen Rhoton.

Upcoming funding opportunities

Bright Ideas Education Grants
https://www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/community/bright-ideas/
Deadline: 8/15 is early bird deadline, 9/15 is final deadline
The Bright Ideas Education Grant Program provides funding to support innovative classroom projects that enhance student learning in North Carolina.

Civic Local Foundation
https://www.civicfoundationnc.org/
Deadline: 8/15
The Civic Local Foundation, the charitable program of Civic Federal Credit Union, supports North Carolina charities and nonprofits focused on bridging human services gaps.

Harris and Frances Block Foundation
https://blockfound.org/
Deadline: Rolling LOI
The Harris and Frances Block Foundation seeks equitable solutions to social and environmental problems, working with small and emerging organizations to improve communities and impact the world. The Foundation supports grassroots nonprofit organizations that work to foster just and sustainable communities.

Thrive Tip: To avoid compliance issues, make sure you’re involved in every step of the grant, not just writing and reporting. Having eyes on the entire process is the best way to spot and prevent mistakes early.