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 their grant cycles or adjusting their giving amounts. 

Here are a few pieces of advice I have been giving my nonprofit friends and clients.

First, check in with your current funders. 

If you haven’t talked with your funders yet this year, do that now! You need to understand how the current economic climate affects your funding relationship. What are their giving plans this year? Will their intakes be changing in 2025? Will they be increasing or decreasing their giving amounts in 2025? 

Fostering those relationships has always been important, but is absolutely critical in a year of stiff competition for new grants. Since securing new funders may be more challenging in 2025, you must take extra care of the funding relationships you’ve already won. This could make the difference between the end of a granting relationship, a renewed grant of the same size, and winning a larger grant or multi-year funding.  

Second, update your prospect list with new opportunities. 

Once again, it’s time to diversify your funding sources as much as possible. Now is not the time to rely on a small number of grants. Organizational resilience depends on being able to continue your organization’s core work if you’re faced with the loss of any one grant. By investing in prospect research and doing the homework, you can identify the strongest funding opportunities for the year ahead.

I’ve written about the importance of maintaining this list before, and the importance of a good prospect list in general. (And as before, I’ll plug my services in this area.)

Third, tell a compelling story that speaks to the current moment. 

Whether you’re writing a report or a proposal, do not ignore the context of your work. How are global, national, or regional events shaping your work? Have you made adjustments to meet new needs or opportunities? Does your mission take on additional urgency in 2025? 

Competitive granting programs have always required you to frame your work in a way that entices funders to increase their impact by partnering with you right now. In 2025, all granting programs will be competitive. 

Also, don’t hesitate to highlight how your organization is staying relevant. If appropriate, add a sentence to your organizational description about forming new partnerships or coalitions, or about investing in media monitoring and engagement. Show funders that your organization is effective, adaptive, and actively meeting the challenges of the current moment. 

Lastly, reach out if you need help! 

Small and medium-sized organizations don’t always have the capacity or expertise to manage a grants program on their own. I’m here if you need me.

Read more Grant Writing Tips.