How Grant Writing AI Powers Success for Climate Organizations

I don’t blame our clients and readers for asking us this fairly reasonable question: “Do you just feed all our stuff through ChatGPT?” 

AI is more than the buzzy hot topic of the moment. Its rapid proliferation represents the beginning of a new stage in the story of every major industry and technology—a genie out of the bottle. Those of us working in climate are particularly obligated to be intentional and discerning about our decisions of whether and when to use AI. What does this “sea change” moment mean for folks focusing on things like sea-level rise?

The clients who are pioneering new paths in sustainability on a global scale are particularly sensitive to what it means to use AI tools. After all, a tool that scours existing knowledge is not an intuitive match for never-before-seen solutions.

Here at Written Progress, we understand the apprehension. The idea that an overgeneralized tool might oversimplify the nuanced, critical work of climate solutions doesn't sit well with us either. As automation and productization become more prevalent, the fear is real: is AI the right tool for the job? And if it is as useful as promised, what about our jobs? Will bespoke, human-centric services be overshadowed by the efficiency of software?

AI technologies like Large Language Models (LLMs) are enabling a very real shift toward service models that resemble software offerings. This evolution could potentially sideline traditional methods. However, for those crafting new, innovative solutions—like many of you—tailored services are not just a preference; they're a necessity.

So does Written Progress trust AI?

The answer isn't a simple yes or no.

AI as an Ally, Not a Replacement

At Written Progress, we’re treating AI as a tool to enhance our expertise, not as a substitute. Integrating tools like ChatGPT into our workflow isn't about letting technology do our jobs. It's about leveraging ways to refine our output and expedite processes. Just as a skilled craftsperson uses the best tools to enhance their craft, we use cutting-edge AI to ensure our services are second to none.

Additionally, using AI enables us to develop content much more efficiently, even when we give it our care and attention. In fact, the first draft of this article was AI-generated! Of course it didn’t include everything we wanted to, but we saved a lot of time by letting AI take a “first pass” based on some intentional prompt engineering. Not everyone will be as scrutinizing and intentional as us, but with Written Progress you’ll always be able to sense the touch of a human… who was able to craft something in a fraction of the time that she would have without the proper tools!

Our commitment is to provide you with personalized, meticulously crafted deliverables. This dedication to customization is evident from the outset—each project begins with multiple in-depth discussions to understand and align with your unique goals. Our collaborative process is designed to build trust and foster long-term relationships—some of you have even become friends through our engagements!

Ultimately, we’re science interpreters. To us, what matters most is that accurate information is communicated to people in a way that is accessible to them. That only happens when humans work together.

How We Harness AI at Written Progress

  • Enhancing Drafts: AI helps us critique and refine our first draft, ensuring a stronger foundation before it even reaches your review.
  • Accelerating Research: We can analyze extensive documents rapidly, identifying key information and trends without compromising on depth.
  • Streamlining Editing: From spotting misplaced spaces in extensive reports to adjusting citation styles effortlessly, AI streamlines tedious tasks, allowing us to focus more on content quality and strategic insights.
  • Curating Expertise: One of the great potentials of AI is in its customizability. We create our own information ecosystems and proprietary processes, sometimes specific to an individual client or field of knowledge, to capture, synthesize, establish a context, and develop a consistent voice for the work.

If you’re sitting with skepticism about what this looks like, consider a humbler tool: spellcheck. Ubiquitous and uncontroversial—few would argue that it’s a better idea to manually review a document word-by-word with a dictionary in-hand. Sure, a human could do that work, but what a waste of attention and time!

We’re well aware of GPT’s bad habits. The term “hallucinating” has been appropriated to describe its capacity to make up fictional details when true facts are not available. That’s one reason why Written Progress will always be a team of scientists. We could never hand over our work to generalist copywriters; a huge part of our work depends on our subject matter expertise. Hallucinations don’t get very far around here.

What about energy consumption? If you’re reading this, you probably work in a climate field and have encountered complaints about the energy-intensivity of the servers that power each ChatGPT query. Training ChatGPT-3 was estimated to have roughly the same carbon footprint as driving a car for over 700,000 kilometers! This impact does not escape us, but we also recognize that many valuable resources use energy. For us, clean energy transitions spearheaded at the regional/national level—like the ones our community are working on—are a more sustainable solution to this than abstinence from AI. We believe that, on balance, using AI will help us achieve those transitions much faster than rejecting the support it provides.

Conclusion: It's About Balance

We're excited by AI even though we’re not willing to become reliant on it. Our philosophy is about balance—using AI where it adds value, not as a crutch. By combining the best of technology with irreplaceable human insights, we continue to deliver services that are not just efficient but also deeply resonant with your mission.

AI is a powerful tool in our toolkit, but it's our team's expertise, creativity, and unwavering commitment to your success that truly drive impact.

Reach out, and let’s harness the best tools available to amplify your important work.