New nonprofits can sometimes look at grants as the savior of your nonprofit’s finances. In some cases, this is actually true. Many nonprofits function financially predominantly thanks to grant money. Some are started with a grant and are now looking for more. Running your nonprofit with grant money you don’t yet have is not for the faint of heart. While it’s generally beneficial to diversify your sources of income, grants should be something your nonprofit should consider. Rather than trying to get a few singles with bake sales, you could invest the time into hitting a home run with grants. Finding the right grants can be time-consuming though – time which you probably feel you don’t have. Here are some tips if you are just starting out.
Do put together a grant-writing doc
It’s important to be organized in your grant-writing. Otherwise, it can become a huge time-suck. Plus, generally, grants are given to organizations who are, well, organized. Spending an hour or two on a basic document regarding your grant research strategy not only will it help you stay focused, but it should help with collaboration and continuity. Make sure to update it at a minimum whenever there is a new person heavily involved.
Some items to include:
Why do you need to apply for grants? What are your alternative sources of revenue?
Like everything, your grant research should be mission-driven. The why is important. It should help you think through other funding sources and could keep you on task and hopefully motivate you. It just takes a few minutes. Write this out. Many grant-makers specifically ask questions like how will you fund it without the grant or after the grant is used.
What is your ideal realistic grant?
Much like you might do for a marketing plan, write out your target audience. Be realistic though. You won’t find grants that take 30 minutes to apply for and offer unrestricted funds. At a minimum, think through what type of organizations would be most likely to be inspired by your cause, how much time you have to apply, if you’re looking for a one off grant to fund an innovative project or a long-term funder, and how much money do you need/realistically have the capacity to spend wisely and where you’d spend it.
An overview of past grants
If you’ve applied for grants in the past, do a short write up of them and the results. Learn from your grant-writing.
Who will be involved in grants
Is this something you outsource and then give it a review in-house? Or vice versa? And then who should be involved internally before sending an application in – finances, operations, the board, etc.? Don’t spend all this time researching and then writing a grant that doesn’t actually make sense for your nonprofit.
Do create a grant research doc and calendar
A general guiding doc is a great start. But it’s not all you need. Put together a document to track grants you have researched with some basic information about them. Even if you don’t think you will apply, you can prevent others from wasting their time looking into this grant. Perhaps in the future some will also make more sense. Also, when you do decide to apply for some, ensure you have a team calendar you’re tracking for due dates, including due dates for follow ups and second round proposals for other grants. This can help you set realistic goals for what you can apply for when.
Don’t focus too much on big corporations or massive foundations
Some might be looking for newer or more innovative projects, but many are looking for nonprofits with more of a track record with successfully used grants. A lot of them don’t even take proposals.
Do aim for the low-hanging-fruit
A big exception to the not looking too hard for big corporation’s grants is the Google Adwords grant. This 10,000 a month in marketing resources can really get the word out on your nonprofit. You might also want to look into finding in-kind donations if you need equipment such as computers or projectors. Keep in mind that local businesses might also be more likely to help you and donate. It’s worth reaching out to local businesses to see if they have any grants, especially if you have some personal connection to them.
Don’t forget about the people behind the grant
Grants ultimately come from people. Spend some time researching the people behind the grant. If you think it’s appropriate, try to forge a connection. The more you know about them, the better you can write for them.
Do understand your grant competitors and/or potential partners
If this grant has a history, research the nonprofits who got the grants in the past. You can even try to find out who is applying for them – check social media posts or even just ask. Perhaps a collaborative effort is even more beneficial than applying on your own. Grant-makers often like to see you are not alone.
Don’t forget your wishes are not always granted
It’s hard to find grants that allow you to spend the money however you see fit. Really understand the grants as much as you can before applying. It’s important to know all of the stipulations so you can apply properly and ensure you can meet their requirements.
Do think about hiring an experienced grant-writer
You can try to find a qualified a volunteer for this or you can try to go about it yourself. Sometimes though it’s just more cost-effective to work with an expert. Spend some time researching the applicable grants and searching your network for a potential volunteer with experience, but in the end it might be best to pay for something that can end up with big dividends.
Do search for nonprofit grants for sustainable growth
This is what TreeRoots is all about. Maybe you just need a one-off catalyst to get you to the next level. Maybe you do need some immediate funding to keep a program from closing. But long-term you should not be looking for grants to help you survive, but rather to thrive.