By Sydney Stapleton Grant Development Consultant Higher Education
Grant applications can be overwhelming to even the most experienced grants professionals. They often require a laundry list of items, requiring interaction with multiple individuals across your organization. Because of this, many nonprofits find themselves scrambling at the last minute to collect all documentation, limiting their ability to apply any finishing touches to their grant applications. The best way to combat that last minute scramble is by taking initiative and incorporate organizational time. A little organization early on can help your next application process be the smoothest yet.
Each grant application is unique. Funders have distinct priorities and put more focus on various aspects of an application. Federal grant programs tend to require extremely detailed applications with a lengthy list of requirements, while foundations tend to have shorter applications and may not require as much documentation. There are, however, common documents that you should maintain to enable a smooth process. Planning ahead, compiling all necessary documents and information early on, and maintaining an organized system will allow your grants process to move efficiently and increase your chance of success.
Organizational Records
Organization records are items that document what services your nonprofit has provided to the community, when those services have been provided, and how. These records include your mission statement, strategic plans, annual budgets, and other documents that display how you have fulfilled your mission. Funders will also often ask for staff biographies and resumes. These are especially important to have for any individuals leading projects since funders will want to any project managers have the ability and expertise to carry out your goals.
Account Registrations
There are a variety of account registrations that you should create and maintain when applying for funding. These accounts include things like grants.gov, state funding agency logins, and foundation website logins. These registrations can also include Tax IDs, SAMS, and EIN numbers, which funders may need. There are a variety of ways to store this kind of information, from software that collects and saves user information to a simple word document that has logins listed. Your organization’s size and structure will dictate what system works best for you.
Current and Potential Partners and Collaborators
Partners and collaborators are often key to grant application success. Having active partnerships highlights the buy-in your organization has from other groups or your community and emphasizes their belief in your mission and projects. Organizing the contact information of all your partners and collaborators allows for a streamlined process when the time comes to apply for a grant. This is also a suitable place to maintain a list of potential collaborators. This will enable your staff to easily pivot or develop new relationships that will help bolster a grant application.
Grants Management Policies or Procedures
If your organization has a grants management policy or set of procedures, they should be located within your organizational system. Having this information with all other documentation needed will allow your staff to easily find reasoning for what they can and cannot do when applying for grants. This policy should include things like defined staff roles, internal deadlines for grant applications, and evaluation plans. By having a Grants Management Policy, all those involved in your organization will know exactly what to expect when going through the application process. If your organization does not have a grants management policy in place, prioritize creating one. Having a well thought out policy in place from the beginning will allow for a more streamlined application and a better chance at winning a grant. Keep in mind the size and capacity of your organization while creating this policy. There are hundreds of management resources available online to get you started, no matter your size.
Evaluation of Your Impact
It is important to also maintain regular evaluations of your organization’s impact as a nonprofit. There are a variety of ways nonprofits can acquire this information. Depending on the size of your organization, this resource may already exist. Evaluations can include a formal review of a past grant program, a large assessment done by an outside consultant, or something as simple as a survey or collected town hall notes. What matters is that you have documentation available to share with grant funders, highlighting a positive impact on your constituents. If you do not yet have any type of evaluation, it is never too late to start having conversations with your colleagues and collecting that data so when the time comes for you to apply for a grant, you will be prepared and set up for success.
A Grants Calendar
Grants are dependable, in that they are often on a cycle. Most grants come around yearly, with some exceptions. We recommend maintaining a grants calendar. A grants calendar allows you to keep any applicable dates organized and planned so you can maximize your application process. This can be a simple wall calendar, a shared Outlook or Google calendar, a spreadsheet, or something more interactive like a task management system. It is important that everyone can see all upcoming grant opportunities and deadlines to ensure your whole team is on the same page.
Final Thoughts
Organization is key to grant application success. By taking the time to collect the documentation described above and organizing everything in a shared location, you can eliminate repetitive administrative tasks for each individual application. You will discover how much easier your grant application process will be, which will allow your organization to focus on more productive aspects of grant funding, like crafting a project description that perfectly fits the grant funders goals.