Grant Deadlines to Watch Before the End of the Year

As the year winds down, several exciting grant opportunities remain open or are closing soon. These can be game-changers for small businesses especially if you’re ready to invest in growth, marketing, or new services. Here’s a quick rundown of what to keep on your radar:

1. Amber Grant (Women-Owned Businesses)

  • Monthly Awards: Constantly open with a deadline at the end of each month
  • Year-End Bonus: Winners throughout the year are eligible for a $25,000 additional grant
  • Why It Matters: Great support for women-led businesses aiming to scale or pivot strategically
    LGA+1Investopedia

2. Freed Fellowship Grant

  • Deadline: Monthly rolling deadlines; being selected earlier makes you eligible for a larger end-of-year grant
  • Why It Matters: A smart, recurring opportunity worth consistent effort throughout the fall to qualify for extra funding at year-end
    MFBO Online+9Homebase+9NerdWallet+9

3. ZenBusiness Grant Program

  • Timing: Quarterly submissions are accepted, rolling through the year
  • Why It Matters: Offers $5,000 support and is especially valuable if you’ve recently launched through ZenBusiness and want to boost your foundation or outreach
    NerdWallet

4. Start.Pivot.Grow. Micro Grant

  • Application: Rolling or quarterly windows
  • Award: $2,500 plus business planning tools which is great for covering essential expenses and planning for growth
    LegalZoom+1

Why It Pays to Act Now

  • Deadlines are close: Especially for October, so don’t wait until the last minute.
  • Competitive edge: Many grants reward consistency and preparedness and applying early or more than once can boost your chances.
  • Strategic impact: These grants aren’t just about the money, rather they often include mentorship or planning resources to amplify your success.

What You Can Do Next:

  1. Make a quick audit: Which grant deadlines align with your business stage or owner profile?
  2. Gather your materials: Prepare a concise pitch, financial data, and a clear plan for funds.
  3. Schedule applications: Block time in your calendar this fall so you don’t let any deadlines slip by.

At Highline Virtual LLC, we help Princeton, MN, business owners get organized and stay ahead especially when timing matters. Visit us at highlinevirtualllc.com to learn how we can assist you in staying on top of funding opportunities and getting more time back for what truly matters in your business.

Fall Back into Focus: How to Reset Your Business Before Year-End

As the leaves change and the holidays approach, many business owners realize the year has flown by, and the goals set back in January may have gotten lost in the shuffle. The good news? Fall is the perfect time to pause, reset, and set yourself up for a strong finish.

At Highline Virtual LLC in Princeton, MN, we help small business owners streamline operations and find clarity when things feel overwhelming. Here’s how you can use this season to get back on track before the year ends.

1. Revisit Your Annual Goals

Take a step back and review the goals you set at the beginning of the year. Which ones have you achieved? Which ones are still in progress or need to be revised altogether? This simple step gives you a clear starting point for your reset.

2. Organize Your Finances

Fall is the perfect time to get your books in order before tax season sneaks up. Update expense records, review outstanding invoices, and start organizing financial reports. A little preparation now will save you a lot of stress later.

3. Streamline Systems and Processes

If things felt messy or disorganized this year, now’s the time to fix it. Whether it’s your client onboarding process, email templates, or scheduling tools, look for ways to simplify and save time. Even small changes can make your business run more smoothly.

4. Refresh Your Marketing Plan

The fall season brings fresh opportunities for marketing: think holiday promotions, new service launches, or end-of-year sales. Evaluate what worked this year, plan your upcoming campaigns, and get your content calendar ready.

5. Set a Clear Focus for the Final Quarter

Choose your top priorities for the remainder of the year and make them realistic. Maybe it’s finishing a big project, launching a new service, or simply wrapping up the year feeling organized and prepared for what’s next.

Reset with Highline Virtual LLC

You don’t have to tackle it all alone. At Highline Virtual LLC, we help small businesses in Princeton, MN, and beyond get organized, stay on top of admin tasks, and free up time to focus on growth.

Visit us at highlinevirtualllc.com to learn how we can help you fall back into focus before the year ends.

Maximize Business Success with Quarterly Reviews

As a business owner, it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day whirlwind such as emails, client work, marketing, bookkeeping, you name it. Before you know it, another quarter has passed, and you’re wondering where the time went. That’s where quarterly reviews come in.

A consistent quarterly review habit gives you a chance to pause, evaluate, and set your business up for success in the months ahead. At Highline Virtual LLC in Princeton, MN, we help small businesses create systems that make this process simple and effective. Here’s a quick guide to help you get started.

1. Set Aside Time on Your Calendar

Quarterly reviews don’t happen unless you make space for them. Pick a day near the end of each quarter (or at the very start of the next one) and block out a few hours to focus on your review. Treat it like an important client meeting. It’s a meeting with the future of your business!

2. Review Key Metrics and Goals

Look back at the goals you set for the past quarter:

  • Revenue and expenses
  • Client or customer growth
  • Project completions
  • Social media or marketing results

Which goals did you meet? Which ones need more attention? This helps you see what’s working and what might need adjusting moving forward.

3. Gather Team and Client Feedback

Your team and clients often see things you don’t. Ask for quick feedback, for example, what’s going well, and what could be improved? Even a simple survey or short conversation can uncover valuable insights to guide the next quarter’s priorities.

4. Identify Systems That Need Tweaking

Are there processes that take too much time or cause confusion? Your quarterly review is the perfect time to streamline. Maybe it’s updating your client onboarding process, revisiting how you track expenses, or scheduling social media posts more efficiently. Small changes can make a big impact.

5. Set Clear Priorities for the Next Quarter

Don’t leave your review without choosing your top 3–5 priorities for the next three months. Make them clear, measurable, and realistic. This ensures you hit the ground running with focus and direction.

Make It a Habit with Highline Virtual LLC

Quarterly reviews don’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right systems in place, they can be simple, quick, and incredibly effective for growing your business.

At Highline Virtual LLC, we help small business owners like you get organized, stay on track, and free up time for what really matters.

Visit us at highlinevirtualllc.com to learn more and schedule a discovery call today.

3 Simple Systems Every Small Biz Needs

Running a small business can feel like juggling a hundred moving pieces at once. From managing clients to staying on top of finances to keeping your operations running smoothly. It’s a lot. The good news? You don’t need to over complicate things. With the right systems in place, you can save time, reduce stress, and free yourself up to focus on growth.

Here are three simple systems every small business should have in place:

1. A Client Management System

Whether you work with five clients or fifty, having a streamlined way to track communication, contracts, and project progress is a game-changer. A good client management system (sometimes called a CRM) helps you stay organized, follow up on leads, and deliver a professional experience without dropping the ball.

2. A Financial Tracking System

Money in, money out and keeping track of your finances is non-negotiable. A simple bookkeeping system not only helps with tax time but also gives you a clear picture of your cash flow, expenses, and profitability. Whether you use software or spreadsheets, the key is consistency. Regular check-ins will help you avoid surprises and make smarter decisions.

3. A Task & Project Management System

Post-it notes and mental to-do lists can only get you so far. A task and project management system allows you to keep track of deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Even simple tools can make a huge difference in reducing overwhelm and improving productivity.

Why These Systems Matter

These systems don’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, the best ones are the ones you’ll actually use. Putting them in place now will save you countless hours down the road, help you make better decisions, and give you peace of mind knowing that your business is running smoothly behind the scenes.

👉 Ask Us About 1:1 Support

At Highline Admin in Princeton, MN, we specialize in helping small businesses set up and maintain the systems they need to thrive. If you’re ready to simplify your operations and free up more time for the work you love, ask us about our 1:1 support today.

How to Know When It’s Time to Get Help

Running a business often means wearing many hats whether it’s manager, marketer, bookkeeper, scheduler or customer service rep. At first, it might feel manageable, even empowering. But as your business grows, so does your to-do list. The truth is, you don’t have to do it all alone, and in fact, trying to may be holding you back.

So how do you know when it’s time to bring in help? Here are some clear signs:

1. Your To-Do List Never Ends

If you’re constantly working late and still feeling behind, that’s a red flag. Endless tasks don’t mean you’re failing, they mean your business is growing beyond what one person can manage.

2. You’re Missing Opportunities

Have you ever turned down new clients or projects simply because you didn’t have the time? Delegating admin tasks frees you to focus on growth opportunities instead of getting stuck in the weeds.

3. You’re Spending Time on Tasks Outside Your Strengths

Just because you can handle scheduling, invoicing, or social media posting doesn’t mean you should. Your expertise is better spent leading your business, not bogged down by admin work.

4. Stress Is Affecting Your Work-Life Balance

If your evenings and weekends are disappearing into catch-up work, it’s time to reassess. Getting support helps you reclaim balance and prevents burnout.

5. Things Are Slipping Through the Cracks

Missed deadlines, unanswered emails, and overlooked details can cost your business credibility. Having an admin partner ensures nothing gets lost along the way.

Why Highline Admin?

At Highline Admin in Princeton, MN, we specialize in helping business owners like you streamline operations and get back to what matters most. Whether it’s calendar management, client communication, or document prep, we’re here to lighten your load so your business can thrive.

📅 Ready to Take the Next Step?

Don’t wait until overwhelm turns into burnout. If you’ve noticed one or more of these signs, it’s the perfect time to explore how support can change the way you work.

👉 Book a free discovery call with Highline Admin today and find out how we can help you simplify your workload.

Are You Grant Ready?

Securing grants can be a game-changer for your business or nonprofit. Grants provide valuable funding that helps you grow, launch new programs, or strengthen your operations without taking on additional debt. But before you can successfully apply, it’s important to ask: Are you grant ready?

Many organizations jump straight into applications without having the right foundation in place and that often leads to wasted time, missed opportunities, or declined proposals. The good news is, with a little preparation, you can set yourself up for success.

What Does It Mean to Be “Grant Ready”?

Being grant ready means your organization has the essential documents, systems, and clarity needed to submit strong applications. It’s not just about having a great idea, it’s about proving you have the structure to deliver on what you’re asking to fund.

Signs You’re Not Quite Ready Yet

  • You don’t have an up-to-date budget or financial statements
  • Your mission statement or organizational goals aren’t clearly defined
  • You haven’t identified which grants align with your work
  • You’re missing required documentation like nonprofit status, board list, or policies
  • You feel rushed every time a grant deadline pops up

How to Get Grant Ready

Preparation is key. By having the right tools and documentation ready ahead of time, you’ll save stress and increase your chances of securing funding. Some steps include:

  • Organizing your financial records and budgets
  • Clarifying your mission, goals, and impact stories
  • Gathering key organizational documents in one place
  • Researching grants that truly align with your needs
  • Developing a system to track deadlines and requirements

Why Highline Admin?

At Highline Admin in Princeton, MN, we understand how overwhelming the grant process can feel. We help businesses and nonprofits get organized, gather the right materials, and stay on top of deadlines so you can approach grant applications with confidence.

✅ Grant Readiness Checklist

Use this simple checklist to find out if you’re truly ready to apply for grants:

  • ☑ Clear mission statement and organizational goals
  • ☑ Up-to-date budget and financial statements
  • ☑ Nonprofit status or business documentation (as required)
  • ☑ Active and engaged board of directors (if applicable)
  • ☑ Organizational policies and procedures documented
  • ☑ Impact data or success stories ready to share
  • ☑ List of potential grants that align with your work
  • ☑ Calendar system to track application deadlines
  • ☑ Templates for common application sections (narrative, budget, bios)
  • ☑ Time or support dedicated to grant writing and follow-up

✨ If you can check off most of these items, you’re well on your way! If not, now is the perfect time to prepare.

👉 Ready to Take Action?

Highline Admin can help you get grant ready and stay organized every step of the way. Contact us today to learn how we can support your funding goals.

5 Admin Tasks You Can Hand Off This Fall

Fall is a busy season for many businesses. Between wrapping up summer projects, preparing for year-end, and staying on top of daily operations, it’s easy to feel stretched too thin. The good news? You don’t have to do it all yourself. By delegating some of your administrative tasks, you can free up valuable time to focus on growth and strategy while keeping your office running smoothly.

1. Calendar Management

Scheduling meetings, rescheduling when things change, and sending reminders can eat up more time than you realize. Handing off calendar management ensures you never miss an appointment and that your days stay organized.

2. Email Inbox Organization

Sorting through hundreds of emails, flagging important ones, and clearing out the clutter is time-consuming. Let someone else organize your inbox, so you can respond only to the messages that really need your attention.

3. Data Entry & Document Prep

From updating spreadsheets to formatting reports, these routine tasks add up quickly. Delegating them ensures accuracy and consistency while freeing you from repetitive work.

4. Travel Arrangements

Booking flights, securing hotels, and planning itineraries can be stressful. An assistant can handle the details, so you can just pack and go.

5. Social Media Scheduling

If you know what you want to say but don’t have the time to post consistently, handing off scheduling and basic engagement keeps your brand visible without draining your energy.

Ready to Lighten Your Workload?

Don’t let the busy fall season overwhelm you. Start by handing off just one or two tasks and notice how much time and mental space you gain.

👉 To help you get started, we’ve included a printable checklist you can use right away.

🍂 Admin Tasks to Delegate Checklist 🍂

Use this list to decide what you can hand off and enjoy more time for what matters most this season.

  • ✅ Calendar management – scheduling, rescheduling, reminders
  • ✅ Email inbox organization – flagging, filtering, clearing clutter
  • ✅ Data entry – spreadsheets, CRMs, reports
  • ✅ Document preparation – formatting, proofreading, compiling
  • ✅ Travel arrangements – flights, hotels, itineraries
  • ✅ Social media scheduling – content posting and engagement
  • ✅ Customer follow-ups – calls, emails, appointment reminders
  • ✅ File management – organizing digital and paper files
  • ✅ Invoice preparation – billing, reminders, tracking payments
  • ✅ Research – gathering information, summarizing resources

✨ Start by choosing 2–3 tasks from the checklist, and free yourself up for a more productive, stress-free fall with Highline Admin by your side!

Why Every Small Business Needs a 5-Year Plan And How to Create One

By Highline Admin

At Highline Admin, we assist small business owners in Princeton and beyond with everyday challenges. This support allows them to stay focused on what matters most. One of the most powerful tools a small business can use to grow with intention is a 5-year business plan.

Why You Need a 5-Year Plan

Running a small business often means living in the day-to-day but having a long-term plan helps you think bigger. A 5-year plan provides:

✅ Clarity – Know where you’re going and how you’ll get there
✅ Focus – Say yes to what aligns with your goals and no to what doesn’t
✅ Financial Confidence – Know what you’ll need to earn, invest, or borrow
✅ Growth Roadmap – Track how you’ll expand your team, offerings, or reach
✅ Peace of Mind – Prepare for what’s next with less guesswork

What to Include in Your 5-Year Plan

You don’t need a 40-page document, just a clear, practical overview. Here’s what to include:

1. Executive Summary

A quick intro: your business name, what you do, and your mission.

2. Business Snapshot

Where are you today? Include your structure, team, services, and tools you use.

3. Market Analysis

Who are your customers? Who are your competitors? What trends are shaping your industry?

4. 5-Year Goals

Break your goals into yearly benchmarks. Use SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Example:

  • Year 1: Hire a part-time assistant
  • Year 2: Add a new service
  • Year 4: Move into a larger office space

5. Marketing & Sales Strategy

How will you get in front of the right people? Think about social media, networking, email marketing, and referrals.

6. Operations Plan

Include workflows, systems, tools, and standard procedures that keep things running.

7. Financial Forecast

Plan for income, expenses, profit goals, and investments. Even ballpark numbers are better than none.

8. Contingency Planning

List a few “what if” scenarios and your backup plans just in case.

How to Get Started

1. Start with your vision.
Where do you want to be in five years?

2. Break it down.
List what needs to happen each year to reach that vision.

3. Keep it simple.
Use bullet points, charts, or checklists—whatever works for you.

4. Review regularly.
Set a reminder to check your plan every 6–12 months and adjust as needed.

Need Help Getting Organized?

At Highline Admin, we specialize in helping local business owners create systems, documents, and plans that actually work. If you need help creating your business plan, we can assist you. We can also help put it into a clean, printable format. We’ve got your back.

📍 Serving Princeton, MN and surrounding communities
💼 Admin services, planning support, systems setup & more

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!

Trade Permits vs. Grant Writing: Overlapping Skills and Processes

HIGHLIGHTS

Why Trade Permits and Grant Writing Are More Alike Than You Think (and Why That Matters for Your Business)

Need help with trade permits or grant writing? Discover why both processes require attention to detail. You need persistence and tech-savvy portal skills. Learn how small business admin support can make a big difference.

If you’re a small business owner, contractor, or nonprofit leader, you’ve probably run into one or both of these challenges: applying for trade permits or writing grant proposals. At first glance, these two processes may seem unrelated. After all, one deals with inspections and job sites, and the other with funding applications and program descriptions.

But here’s the truth: trade permits and grant writing have a lot in common. They both require time, patience, and attention to detail.

1. Both Require Extreme Attention to Detail

Filing a trade permit application or writing a grant proposal means getting every detail right. That includes:

  • Filling out every required field accurately
  • Uploading documents in the correct format
  • Meeting all submission deadlines
  • Following specific instructions down to the last checkbox

Whether it’s a construction permit or a nonprofit grant application, one small oversight can set your project back weeks. In both cases, the paperwork is just as important as the work itself.

2. They Rely on Complicated Online Portals

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: online portals.

Submitting a building permit application through a city portal can feel like navigating a maze. The same goes for submitting grants through platforms like Grants.gov, Foundation Directory, or local foundation websites. You’ll deal with:

  • Login issues and password resets
  • Hidden forms and unclear error messages
  • File format restrictions
  • Character limits and formatting rules

If you’re not familiar with these systems, they can eat up hours of your time. That’s why many contractors and nonprofit leaders turn to admin support services—to help navigate the digital side of things.

3. Persistence Is the Name of the Game

Whether you’re applying for permits or funding, things don’t always go smoothly on the first try. You may need to:

  • Resubmit forms
  • Revise your documentation
  • Wait through lengthy review periods
  • Handle rejections and try again

In both the permit process and grant writing, persistence is key. Success often comes after several attempts—and the ability to stay organized and keep moving forward is what sets efficient businesses apart.

Small Business & Nonprofit Takeaway

If you’ve mastered trade permits, you already have the mindset for grant writing. If you’ve worked on grant proposals, you understand what it takes to deal with permitting. Both require careful preparation, digital confidence, and the ability to keep going when things get tough.

If you’re tired of juggling forms, deadlines, and frustrating portals, you’re not alone. Many small business owners and nonprofits simply don’t have time to do it all—and that’s where admin support services come in.

Need help with permits, grants, or organizing your business paperwork?
Let’s talk. At Highline, we specialize in back-office support for small businesses and nonprofits, helping you spend less time in the office and more time building your mission.

📩 Email us to get started today:

faith@highlineadmin.com

lara@highlineadmin.com

💻 7 Easy Tips to Make Your Website Look Great

(Even If You’re Not a Designer!)

Your website is often the first impression people get of your business, and at Highline Admin, we know how important that impression is. Whether you’re running a small business, nonprofit, or professional service, your website should reflect your brand, your message, and your professionalism.

Here are 7 simple tips to help make your website look clean, modern, and user-friendly.

1. ✅ Keep It Simple

Less is more when it comes to design. Clean layouts, plenty of white space, and easy-to-read fonts make your site look polished and trustworthy. Avoid clutter and stick to just a few colors and fonts.

💡 Pro tip: Use no more than 2 fonts and 2–3 brand colors throughout your site.

2. 🎯 Make Navigation Easy

Visitors should be able to find what they need in one or two clicks. Your menu should be clear, with labels like “About,” “Services,” “Contact,” and “Blog.” Avoid creative names that confuse users.

3. 🖼️ Use High-Quality Images

Blurry or outdated images can make your website look unprofessional. Use bright, clean, relevant photos—or consider free stock photo sites like Pexels or Unsplash.

✨ Better yet, use real photos of you, your team, or your products for authenticity!

4. 📱 Make It Mobile-Friendly

Over half of web visitors browse on their phones. Make sure your website looks great on all screen sizes—especially mobile.

✅ Most modern website builders like Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress themes do this automatically—but double-check!

5. ⚡ Improve Load Speed

If your site takes more than a few seconds to load, visitors may click away. Compress images, limit animations, and use a clean theme to keep it fast.

⏱️ Try testing your site speed at PageSpeed Insights.

6. 🧭 Guide Visitors With Clear Calls to Action

What do you want visitors to do—contact you, sign up, donate, or book an appointment? Use clear buttons and links to guide them where they need to go.

📣 Example: “Schedule a Consultation” or “Donate Now”

7. 📝 Keep Your Content Updated

Old blog posts or outdated event listings can hurt your credibility. Review your site at least once a month to refresh any stale content.

🌟 Final Thought

A beautiful website doesn’t require a full-time designer. With the right structure, visuals, and updates, your site can make a strong impression and help your business grow.

Need help organizing or updating your site?
That’s what we do at Highline Admin—Office Work Done for You.

📬 Let’s Connect

📧 faith@highlineadmin.com
📞 612-709-7959
🌐 http://www.highlineadmin.com