In this moment of economic uncertainty, many Canadian nonprofits are struggling to adjust to the new (hopefully temporary) reality of unreliable institutional giving. Federal granting programs have been on hold for a while, and are now pending election results and a new administration. Meanwhile, corporate and private foundations are reacting to market volatility by shifting…
Newsflash: People work for money. I get hot and bothered by articles like this one that call out the nonprofit sector — and a few ENGOs in particular – for high salaries. It suggests that environmental and conservation organizations should be recruiting executives and employees who are “motivated by a calling rather than by ambition.” …
You put hours of time, effort, and resources into a grant application that was denied. It totally sucks, I know. But the reality is rejection is the norm, not the exception. So what should you do when it happens?
So, what’s the problem? For almost every grant application, your organization will need to define the community need that your proposal addresses. Sometimes called a ‘needs statement’, ‘problem statement’, or a ‘description of the opportunity’, what funders really want to know with this question is that you’ve researched the problem and have chosen the best…
So let’s assume your grants program has been working from a list of potential funders. (I’ve written before about the usefulness of such a list.) In order for that list to remain a relevant document, it’s got to be kept up to date. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has probably made much of your gathered research outdated in…
No one knows to what extent COVID-19 will disrupt the work of nonprofit organizations and how they fundraise. I suggest we ignore the gloomy predictions of shuttered charities for now, and focus instead on what we know: foundations, corporations, governments, and non-governmental organizations are all in a state of uncertainty. In terms of grant writing,…
Let me be honest with you: writing a grant does not guarantee funding in the short term, grants are not a one-off solution to the ongoing pressures of funding, and winning a grant probably won’t be the way your good idea gets off the ground. Too often, organizations assume the opposite. They assume that because…
What the heck’s a logic model? Even though it sounds like some new-fangled concept from a Dilbert cartoon, a logic model can be a useful representation of your non-profit’s program. And since many funders require a logic model in their grant applications, you may need to become more familiar with what they are and how…
Let’s be clear on the purpose of a proposal: to persuade the funder that you are a good fit for their money. A proposal is not to convince a funder that your idea is the best solution and the only way to address an issue. Admittedly, this is a murky point because a grant application…
I wish we’d all use the Oxford comma. Also known as the serial comma, this little mark of punctuation is the comma that appears before the word ‘and’ or ‘or’ in a list of three or more items. It almost always functions to make a sentence more readable. And in the world of grant writing,…
It’s too bad ‘collaboration’ feels like a buzzword. Especially when genuine collaboration among organizations and stakeholders can increase a program’s relevance, reach, and impact. Is your youth-targeted program informed by a committee of youth? Does your marine organization regularly consult with other marine organizations? Is your regional program part a national initiative? Collaboration will not…
[plee-uh-naz-uhm] noun. The use of more words than are necessary to convey meaning (e.g., see with one’s eyes ), either as a fault of style or for emphasis. I have a sudden impulse to tell you something: there’s no room for redundancies in grant applications. In addition, you should not be wasting your precious word…
Who’s on your short list? When’s your next grant due? Every organization should have a list of potential funders at the ready. Armed with a spreadsheet (bonus points for colour-coding!), you will be able to keep track of funding opportunities and prioritize your grant writing resources. If you’re organized, you’ll know at a glance which…
Have you ever been asked what kind of recognition your organization will offer a funder? Many funders, corporate funders especially, are interested in leveraging their grants programs for social cred. But recognition can be a trick question, because the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has very particular rules about donor recognition for charitable organizations. You…
“It all depends.” That can be a frustrating answer, but in the case of grant writing, the amount of time it takes to prepare a finished proposal can vary wildly. Grant applications come in all shapes and sizes. Some are extremely complex, while others are only a few questions long. Here are some of the…
Read more How long does a grant application take? (How much will it cost?!)
Funders want to see that you have friends. A letter of support can be incredibly important to your application narrative. The letter lets you highlight collaborative relationships, building trust and credibility for the work you do. Is there a partner in the project? Are you getting in-kind services from a well-established organization? When you ask…
Your mom was right, thank you notes are important. So if you get the grant, the first thing your organization should do is make a phone call or write a heartfelt note in appreciation. At the beginning of a funding relationship, hopefully a long-term one, a little ‘thank you’ can go a long way. What’s…
All grant writers have been asked to write grants on commission at some point or another. And the good ones should tell you that it’s not allowed. While paying a grant writer on commission may seem like a safe bet for a strapped organization, it’s actually considered unethical by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)…
Read more Why paying a grant writer on commission isn’t right
An ENGO’s grants strategy should not rely on winning one big grant—and I have a number to prove it. In 2016, 41% of environmental grants in Canada were for under $5,000. Environment Funders Canada (formerly the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers’ Network) has been tracking the distribution of grant sizes over the years, and it’s been…
Stick to what you’re good at. If you find yourself wondering how to craft your proposal to fit a funder’s guidelines, welcome to the club. That’s what we all do. But if you find yourself wondering how to change your program in order to fit a funder’s guidelines, be very careful that you aren’t…
It pays to be ready. It’s too easy for a funder to refuse your grant application if your ducks aren’t in a row. So what is ‘organizational readiness?’ In short, it’s when an organization has the capacity to get the work done, the credibility that they are the best ones to do the work, and…
The ‘good ol’ American know-who’ was something my grandpa used to say. Instead of achieving something on know-how, he was quite critical of those who achieved things by their know-who. Trouble is, in grant writing, people give to people and it’s very important to use your contacts if you have them. An outside grant writer…
Tiffany Hilman 