The Golden Rule may be quaint, but it carries force in grantor-grantee relationships. Be cautious in advancing opinions. People seeking funding may give more weight to your opinions than is warranted. You will seldom be told that you are wrong, even if you are. Be timely in responding to inquiries and proposals.
People seeking funds often attach positive expectations to silence.
Fundseekers must be constitutionally optimistic about funder reactions to their proposals. Continually pursue knowledge and understanding by keeping up with reading about new developments in your field and by engaging people who know more than you do. Principles and practices for good grantmaking are readily available from grantmaking associations and subscribed to by many foundations. Something more is needed. The ombudsman solution is one of those good ideas that doesn't seem to work.