Finding, applying for, and winning grant funding: Tips for nonprofits

Public charities and other nonprofit entities rely on the generosity of individual and corporate donors as well as institutional funders, many of which provide support in the form of grants that require detailed applications, supporting documentation, and regular reports. This can prove time-consuming for the grantee. Below are some tips to ensure your organization is prepared to efficiently apply for, win, and report on grant funding.

Finding grant opportunities

Quality grant opportunities can be identified by performing online research, engaging with associations of grant makers, and connecting with government agencies. Numerous grant databases also exist, and fees for these databases vary.

Some funders offer grants by invitation only. To raise awareness of your organization to such funders, it is important to cultivate relationships by engaging your organization’s staff, board members, supporters, or others who may have or be willing to make a connection with the funder.

Is it a match?

Funders provide grants for various programs and issue areas. For the sake of efficiency, your organization should consider only pursuing grants that align with your organization’s mission, programs, and geographic reach. In addition to understanding each funder’s grant requirements, researching which nonprofit organizations a funder has supported previously is a great way to see if your organization would be a good fit.

Know your stats!

Most funders are interested in understanding the impact of the work they fund. This may include both outputs (short-term, measurable results) and outcomes (long-term impact and desired changes). While some funders embrace qualitative information, many funders still require some form of quantitative impact data.

Consider what data is currently available for your programs as well as your overall impact reporting capabilities. Demonstrating your impact will bolster your case for support and having measurement protocols in place will facilitate reporting in the future.

Funders will also likely require financial and other documentation, like recent 990 tax forms, audited financials, and your IRS determination letter.

Be prepared and stay organized

Create a calendar of deadlines as well as a list of requirements for each grant proposal. Some grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis, while others must be submitted by a particular deadline. Some can be submitted via an online form and others must be emailed.

While each grant proposal should be customized to the funder’s specifications, having standard language that describes your organization, the various programs for which funding is sought, biographies of key leaders, the organization’s theory of change/problem statement, and other details, can serve as a starting point for grant applications.

Reporting

Once you have received a grant, you will likely still have some work to do. Many grants have quarterly, bi-annual, or annual reporting requirements. You will need to keep track of these deadlines as well. Reports often require information such as how grant funds have been used, how much funding remains at a particular point in time, if there have been any unforeseen challenges, and if your organization has had leadership changes. Final grant reports may ask questions including how many participants the funded program served and geographic reach of the funds/program.

Make sure your organization is clear on reporting requirements at the beginning of the grant so that you can plan to capture and deliver required data.

It is important that reports be delivered to funders on time, complete, and with required supporting documentation. For multi-year grants, successful submission of reports may be required to release subsequent tranches of funding.

Whether your organization is just starting to pursue grant funding or working to improve its existing practices, a full understanding of the grant process and a bit of strategic planning can make the process more efficient and fruitful.