Don't Let Grants Stress You Out
I type this blog having just returned from an unplugged week away with my spouse and my friends. I can hear what you’re thinking… “Unplugged, really?!?” That is what the younger version of myself would have thought if I read a similar statement from a fellow small business owner. Years ago, I would have skeptically asked, “But what about______? And what…
Nonprofits build a sustainable culture of grants by aligning organizational priorities, visualizing staff capacity on a shared grant calendar, and fostering team-wide storytelling. Many organizations treat grant seeking as an isolated, transactional task. However, shifting to a collaborative culture secures more funding and simultaneously protects your team from burnout. This post delivers an actionable approach to transform how your team approaches grant strategy, tracks…
The phrase “we have always done it this way” is like nails scraping on a chalkboard for me, whether we are talking about a grant process, a program design, or, well … anything. And that specific phrase is not the only one that bothers me. I’ve heard that mindset brought up in seemingly countless other ways, and for some wordplay fun, I grouped other common…
I’m not very kind to my wireless/Bluetooth keyboards. In fact, I have lost track of how many times I have dropped salad dressing or cracker crumbs on my keyboard. If I look back over our tech orders for our 20+ years in business, it is probably quadruple the number of times I bought a new keyboard, given that the spills were often not catastrophic. …
For many nonprofits, securing a grant is a moment of pure celebration, until the realities of complex compliance and reporting surface. Tracking deliverables, managing restricted funding, and collecting auditable metrics can place a heavy administrative burden on a team, distracting dedicated professionals from their primary community mission. Fortunately, supportive frameworks from the Agile methodology offer a clear path forward. By adapting a collaborative Scrum…
“When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated.” – Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection I have high standards and expectations. They absolutely apply to myself and also to those that I work with, whether in a paid or volunteer capacity. (Also, of note, they apply to those in my personal life, whether my spouse, children, extended…
“Boundaries are basically about providing structure, and structure is essential in building anything that thrives.” – Henry Cloud I’ll be the first to admit that setting and keeping boundaries are two distinct skills that might take practice to use well. Unfortunately, both are skills that I have struggled with in my 20, and counting, years in business. The harsh reality I had to…
The Shift from Transactional to Transformational Grantmaker relationship management moves your organization away from “chasing the money” toward building a mutual partnership based on shared goals. Many organizations treat grants as simple financial transactions, but high-performing nonprofits view grantmakers as investors in their mission. This shift requires consistent communication that isn’t always tied to a request for funding. By focusing on shared impact, you…
A sustainable grant-research strategy ensures that every funding pursuit advances your organization’s mission and long-term stability. Rather than reacting to every opportunity that appears, a thoughtful approach focuses on ensuring alignment between a funder’s priorities and your organization’s strategic goals and capacity. Defining Your Strategic Funding Priorities Strategic priorities act as the ultimate filter for narrowing down potential funders to those that truly match…
Grant funding can be the lifeblood of a mission-driven organization, but the process often feels opaque and overwhelming. It’s not just about filling out a form; it’s a strategic lifecycle that, when followed correctly, positions your organization for long-term success and strong partnerships. Mastering the Five Rs of Grant Writing is the key to unlocking this potential and moving beyond transactional funding to meaningful collaboration….