1. Ways To Enhance Your Grant Program
Lynn Austin
Grant Management Institute

2. The day you start your grant program is the day you start planning to end it. Grants are icing on the cake, not the cake!! 2

3. All Grants and Mission statements relieve suffering.

4. Local Library and Online
Finding Funders
Local Library and Online
Foundation Center- foundationcenter.org
GuideStar - guidestar.org
Nonprofit Explorer-projects.propublica.org/nonprofits
Check Funder’s 990

5.   If you want to write grants, take a nonprofit accounting course — write to budget

6. Don’t write like you talk
Don’t write like you talk. Use 3rd person active voice (less “be” words) Edit down until short and concise.

7. It’s not about speed; it’s about accuracy
It’s not about speed; it’s about accuracy. Tie back all numbers in the narrative to the budget.

8. Grant Components Goals – after the grant
Objectives – during the grant-measurable
Activities = budget
Outcomes/change: when, what, how much – knowledge, skills, quality of life, behavior, attitude - measurable
Outputs – number served, stats, etc.

9. SMART OBJECTIVES

10. 10

12. Don’t promise what you can’t measure!
Measurements
Logs Payroll Records
Attendance Personal Observations
Pre- and Posttests and Surveys
Evaluations
Analysis of measurement results. Program changes based on lessons learned.

13. Funders Keep You Afloat Drive Your Business (Ideally, grants are no more than 1/3 of your income.)

14. Grant $$ Comes With Strings Attached

15. If you need capital, KAP it!
Know the rules. Apply the rules.
Play by the rules.

16. Follow the Money/Guidelines
KNOW THE RULES
Follow the Money/Guidelines
Read the contract and
Obey Contract Law
FUNDERS - private, businesses, government

17. Funders Pay Forward
Operating Budget: Begin drafting Oct. 1 (April 1); give to Board in Nov.; and have Board approved by Dec. 10
End of Year Actuals to Budget ready by Feb 1. 15

18. Who Gets a Grant and How Much?
Apply The Rules
Who Gets a Grant and How Much?
Competition applicants
Score Sheets
Check for: IRS letter, cash reserve/endowment, board, outcomes,
all components – tie back #s
Three piles – yes, no, ‘round-to’

19. Post Award No Fuzzy Financials and/or Loosey-Goosey Law
Play By The Rules
Post Award
No Fuzzy Financials and/or Loosey-Goosey Law
Grants are exhibit A of a legal contract.
Be good stewards of the money

20. No borrowing from Peter
Play By The Rules
Restricted $$ in Silos
No borrowing from Peter
to pay Paul. Have a
contingency fund.

21. Spend It or Lose It Play By The Rules
No Double Dipping (2 grants for same activity over 100%)
No payback to Board or employees for supplies/services
No laundering $$

22. TRACK IT! 20

23. Finance Tips Play By The Rules
Track which budget items are fully funded- no double dip
Make necessary purchases before grant report is due
Show carryover funds from one year to next and what portion is restricted
Know how much $$ is left to raise
Audit – External every year or Internal every other year
Cash Reserves and Endowment - sustainability
Before a site visit, have report ready. What did you do with the $$ they gave you last year?

24. 5/9/2016

28.
Admin no more than 20% 26

29. Personnel Expenses – top OTPS – bottom
PROGRAM EXPENSES
Proposed Expenses
Motley Fdn. Request
Other Resources*
Program Director ( % FTE)
$42,880
$2,000
$40,880
Administrative Assistant ( 80% PTE)
$17,920
Payroll Tax
$5,900
TOTAL PERSONNEL EXPENSES
$66,700
$64,700
Other Than Personnel Services
Product Purchases
$10,000
Product Shipping
$5,000
Computer/Website
$11,000
$1,500
$9,500
Printing/Advertising
$8,000
Utilities/Anticipated Rent
$62,000
Travel/Training
$3,500
Repair and Maintenance
Insurance
$7,000
Consultants/Vols/Miscellaneous
$9,300
TOTAL OTP EXPENSES
$117,800
$3,000
$114,800
TOTAL PERSONNEL & OTPS
$184,500
$179,500
Personnel Expenses – top
OTPS – bottom
* Grants, fundraisers, fees

30. Summary Start every grant with who’s suffering
Review nonprofit accounting procedures
Read the guidelines and the contract
Be smarter than lawyers and CPAs
Don’t write like you talk
Get someone else to proof it
Tie back all numbers
Track money, outcomes, time
Keep restricted funds in silos
Have a contingency fund
Be good stewards of the grant money
Thank each donor three times per year
5/9/2016

31. Thank you for attending
Thank you for attending! More in Session II (needs assessments, logic models, workplans, executive summaries, operational and project budgets)
Q & A
Slides available
Grant Management Institute
grantManagementist.com
LYNN Austin
Grant Management Institute