For Strategists
For Strategists
Even the most successful independent experts often spend more time finding clients than serving them. And when collaboration could help a client, there's rarely a clean way to do it without losing the relationship or the revenue. Expert Grant Ecosystem changes that. The platform takes independent experts and gives them the tools to operate as strategists. Strategists can earn revenue on every engagement they coordinate, whether they deliver the work personally or select another expert through the marketplace to deliver diversified training. The platform provides proprietary AI-companion tools built from real expert knowledge to guide client discovery, identify what each business needs, and help clients access optional funding sources like government grants, corporate sponsorships, community patron contributions, and investor sponsorships. The platform grows each expert's brand through professional certification, social media tools, podcast co-hosting, networking events, and lead generation. All at no cost. No side deals. No awkward negotiations. No lost relationships. Your expertise. Your clients. A whole team behind you.
Who Strategists are
Strategists are independent grant strategy professionals who subscribe to the platform under the Platform Services Agreement (PSA) to deliver grant-funded engagements to Clients under their own Service Engagement Agreements with each Client. The client-facing role name is "Strategist"; the underlying credential earned through the platform's certification program is "Certified Grant Strategy Consultant" (CGSC). "Subscriber" is the platform-internal contracting term used in the PSA.
What Strategists do on the platform
On the platform, Strategists:
- Deliver grant strategy, application preparation, and post-award compliance support to Clients. Each engagement is governed by a Service Engagement Agreement (SEA) executed directly between the Strategist and the Client.
- Are matched with prospective Clients through the platform's matching infrastructure: the Lead Lock Registry, the Strategist Lock framework, and automated lead-routing systems.
- Operate under the Platform Services Agreement (PSA), the framework agreement governing Strategist platform access. The PSA framework is currently being finalized and will be published when LOCKED.
- Deliver Special Project Rate engagements under a Strategist Project-Rate Agreement (SPRA), with an associated SPRA Client Agreement between Expert Grant Ecosystem and the Client.
Independent merchant, Provider of Record
Strategists are independent merchants and are the Provider of Record for the professional services they deliver to Clients. The platform does not direct or control how Strategists perform their work. Strategists set their own pricing, exercise their own professional judgment, and maintain their own business entities, insurance, and tax responsibilities.
How Strategists are compensated
Strategists are Stripe Connect Express account holders connected to the applicable Division's Stripe platform account. Client payments are processed through the platform with Expert Grant Ecosystem as Merchant of Record; the platform distributes Strategist compensation under the PSA Exhibit B framework. Inbound payment processing fees are allocated to the Primary Recipient (typically the Strategist); outbound Stripe Connect transfer fees on platform-distributed payouts are borne by each recipient individually.
Subscription model
Strategists access the platform without a fixed subscription fee under the Zero-Cost Affirmation. The Platform Administration Fee on processed transactions covers infrastructure costs: the Dedicated User Seat, Siloed Access Credentials, AI tools, CRM, compliance automation, Merchant of Record risk absorption, dispute infrastructure, and the rest of the platform's contracted Core Infrastructure Pillars. Above the monthly Verified Delivery Units threshold, the rate steps down to the Enterprise Rate.
Merchant of Record risk absorption
As part of the Platform Administration Fee, Expert Grant Ecosystem absorbs Merchant of Record risk (chargebacks, payment disputes, third-party Dispute Fees and Chargeback Penalties) as a Core Infrastructure Pillar per PSA Exhibit B §1.3.1.7. Strategists do not absorb chargeback risk; the platform does.
Brand and independent business identity
Strategists operating under the platform are the Publisher of Record for their independent business identity and external marketing per PSA §1.3.3. The "Powered by Expert Grant Ecosystem" mark is available as an optional secondary brand attribution; its use is at the Strategist's discretion within the platform's brand-use framework.