Grants

Both private and government grantmakers often require outcome data and reporting on the success of the funded projects and programs — and that data comes from inside your organization. But where do you get external data to provide benchmarks as you build your organization’s overall grantseeking program?

The search for new income for almost any nonprofit is never ending. And often, we simply get paralyzed by indecision, trying to figure out how to move forward. We know it’s critical to devise a plan on how to secure the funds our organization needs to operate and grow.

Grants are becoming increasingly more challenging to write and competitive to receive, so nonprofit organizations should always be asking themselves, “How can I make my grant applications stand out in a crowded field?”

Building a good relationship with funders is as important today as it has always been, but how do you build any sort of camaraderie if phone and face-to-face contact seem to be “out” and text and email are “in”? The answer, I believe, is simply learning how to communicate well.

Sometimes, no matter how many trainings you take, no matter how many articles you read, no matter how many times you polish your proposal, you simply aren’t successful in your grantwriting efforts. In short, you’ve tossed the boomerang out there, but it just won’t come back.

It’s true, when we are nervous, we tend to ramble. Asking for a contribution makes most people nervous, which causes rambling. And together, we have the perfect storm to make the most common fundraising mistake: talking too much.

A rural public district hospital in the Tri-Cities area of Washington found its capital campaign stalled. This campaign conducted 10 years ago was important. It was launched to expand and improve the hospital’s emergency department to better meet the needs of its growing community.

In today’s philanthropic climate, an important key to unlocking the grantmaker’s door is to become bold in your thinking. Encouraging leadership to embrace new ways to fulfill your organization’s mission is a major step in that direction.

During #GrantWeek, Cynthia Adams will share her insights on various topics in grantseeking, from finding grant opportunities to building grantmaker relationships. Cynthia has been dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations identify and secure the funding they need to do their good work for well over 40 years.

During #GrantWeek, Ellen C. Mowrer will discuss the current state of grantseeking. She is president and chief operating officer at GrantStation.com.