Designing a Successful Grant Strategy Elizabeth Super, MPA October 16, 2015

Goals For Today 1. Understand the components of a successful grant strategy in order to develop an annual grant strategy for your organization 2. Learn the elements of competitive grant applications

Grant Strategy: What Is This? Project management tool Task list: Stewarding, Check-ins Due dates for applications/LOIs Reports Tracking document (YTD) A way to appear organized

Components Of The Grant Strategy

Pause For Questions

Start With What You Know Review current and previous foundations Confirm reporting is up to date Grant Strategy Action Grant Strategy Action: Schedule “Applications and Reports” Action Item Make a wish list

Researching Grant Prospects Start with other organizations that work in your focus area and service population Nonprofits in your community Foster care, youth development/mentoring Social/human services Look at their websites, annual reports, etc.

Researching Grant Prospects IRS Form 990s ( finder/) finder/ Foundation websites Databases (Foundation Search, Foundation Center, GuideStar) Community foundations, United Way, etc.

From Research To Practice Make a determination: Have they funded organizations similar to ours? What was their average grant size? Do they fund organizations year-to-year? Note due dates Create a “profile” Determine your best guess on positioning What questions do you have?

Pause For Questions

Stewarding Grant Strategy Action Grant Strategy Action: Schedule “Stewarding” Action Item Read the foundation’s website List out the trustees/directors (IRS Form 990) Send to your board, your staff, your everyone. See who is connected. Call the foundation

Make Your Plan Grant Strategy Action Grant Strategy Action: Schedule “Applications and Reports” Action Item Outline the grant application (list out questions) Determine what information is needed: Decisions, Budget and Attachments.

Drafting Your Application Outline your program Ask questions internally: What is the need for program/services? What gap are we filling in the community? What will we do? How will we do it? What is the impact? How will we measure? Why is this important?

Drafting Your Application

Reviewing Your Grant Application Have someone else read your application Did we answer all the questions? Does everything make sense? Are there typos? Have someone else read the guidelines Did we include the correct number of copies? Are the attachments correct?

Submitting The Application Submit the application! Yay! Grant Strategy Action Grant Strategy Action: Move from “Applications and Reports” to “Pending LOIs/Applications.” Set a deadline to check in.

Pause For Questions

What Happens When You Get Funded? Celebrate! Hooray! Communicate with everyone who helped you on the grant. Call the foundation. Grant Strategy Action Grant Strategy Action: Move from “Pending LOIs / Applications” to “Awards To Date.” Grant Strategy Action Grant Strategy Action: Add the “report” due date on the strategy.

What Happens When You Are Declined? Be bummed, frustrated, and give yourself space to experience whatever emotion comes first. This is important: Pay attention to “why” we were declined. Call the foundation. Ask these questions: Is our program aligned with your mission? Did we forget to include any materials? How can we improve our application in the future? What other suggestions do you have for our next application? Grant Strategy Action Grant Strategy Action: Move from “Pending LOIs/Applications” to “Declined.”

Grants In Practice: The Best Grant That Was Never Submitted. Stewarding – Done! Program Design – Done! Thoughtful Process – Done! Outline application – Done! Decision to NOT submit application – DONE! Huh?

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