Is your nonprofit grant ready?

The grantmaking landscape of 2025 and beyond is shaping up to look very different than it has looked in years past. The onslaught of changes to Federal grant priorities is responsible for a seismic shift in the way that nonprofits will need to think about using grants to augment their income stream. For one thing, as many nonprofits move away from Federal grant applications and toward corporate, foundation and state grants, this means that the grant application process will be much more competitive. 

In normal times, the odds of winning any particular grant ranges from 10 - 30%. These times are anything but normal, though. 

This is not necessarily reason for concern. Grants aren’t going anywhere. They will continue to be available as funders continue or even expand their programming to respond to the gaps left where Federal funding has pulled out.

However, it does mean that nonprofits will need to rethink and refine their grant application strategy in order to be prepared to navigate this new landscape. Sharpening their tools in their toolkits should be part of this strategy – and grant readiness is an essential strategic element.

What is grant readiness?

Put simply, grant readiness is having the structures, processes, documentation and personnel in place to ensure that a nonprofit is healthy and functional enough to keep its programs running smoothly and without interruption. 

The basics of grant readiness boil down to two things: 

1. Making sure you’re eligible to apply for grants.  Eligibility requirements can vary from one grant to another. Most funders require that you have 501(c)3 status, but they will also have criteria for the geographic area, specific target audiences that you serve – or even for a nonprofit’s size. This is why it’s crucial to perform grant research to find funding opportunities that match your organization’s mission and vision. Having access to a grant database will make this process much easier. 

2. Ensuring that your team has the right culture in place to approach the challenges of applying for, managing, and reporting on grant funding. Are your team members:

• Adaptable enough to adjust programs in light of funder requirements?

• Collaborative enough to work closely with funders and other nonprofit partners?

• Data-driven enough to be able to collect the necessary data to show the concrete impact of your programs?

• Resilient enough to deal with (inevitable) rejection and keep on plugging away at new funding opportunities?

• Willing to build capacity to scale programs and services to align with funders’ expectations?

However, these are just the first steps on the bottom rung of the ladder.  

Getting organized and getting clear

 In addition, it’s important to check these other boxes. 

• Does your organization have bylaws and articles of incorporation, and how solid are these? 

• Are you accounting for your entire income stream? There may be items you are overlooking because you aren’t counting them as income – but you should be.

• How is your board organized? Do you have the right board members in place, and how well do they understand their roles? A strong board is absolutely key to your organization’s overall health and its ability to conduct effective fundraising. 

• Do you have a clear mission and vision statement and how well do your board members know them (without googling)? Being able to clearly define the work of your organization helps convey to funders that you know where you are going and have a clear picture of the path to that goal.  

• Do you have your financial ducks in a row – including annual budget planning? This piece is essential for demonstrating to potential funders that you have the capability to manage the funds you are asking them to give you. Overlooking this part is akin to outfitting a boat with expensive gear while ignoring the leaks in the hull and the inexperience of the crew. 

• Do you have a solid basis for your program design? You need to think this through well ahead of the grant application process. Don’t assume you can just get the grant – and then figure out the program later. Understand that grants aren’t just about funding: they are an investment in a solution. If your program isn’t well-structured, community-driven, and built for sustainability, funders will be reluctant to invest in you. 

One way you can avoid most of these pitfalls is by having a Master Grant Template. Essentially a business plan for your nonprofit, the MGT is a goldmine for busy nonprofit leaders and small organizations that are pressed for cash and time, helping you get clear about your mission, goals, and objectives, keeping you focused on your funding priorities, setting up a sustainable funding structure, and so much more! 

When you are ready to apply for grants, your airplane is fully built with a clearly defined program, an active and engaged board, and a strong foundation for financial management – and you’re ready to take off.

The Grant Muse can help you get ready to apply for grant funding. Get in touch and let’s get started.

#grantreadiness #nonprofits #granteligibility #boardofdirectors #nonprofitboards #grants #grantfunding #nonprofitfunding #grantmakers #foundationgrants #nonprofitfunding #nonprofitfundraising #fundraising

Uman4Uman: A social enterprise approach to period poverty

When Haja Isatu Bah made a commitment to help women and girls impacted by period poverty, her decision was based on personal experience. 

Haja, a social entrepreneur and a student at Skidmore college at the time, was never taught about menstruation when she was growing up. Nor did she have any context for understanding the changes her body would go through when she entered sexual maturity. By the time she got her period at the age of 11, she had never seen a menstrual pad or tampon, or even knew that such things existed.  And Haja was far from unique in this respect: Ninety three percent of girls in her native Sierra Leone have no prior knowledge of menstruation before they get their periods. Most don’t even know what a period is, or how to track their menstrual cycle. 

“We were taught about reproduction in secondary school, in home economics and integrated science classes, but in a very scientific way,” says Haja. “I had to learn about ovulation on my own, in my 20s. None of this was taught in school. The topic is taboo.”

“Most girls and women learn about sex and reproduction from older relatives or from their female friends. And it's not the most appropriate knowledge. I remember my mom telling me that after I started getting my period, I would get pregnant if I touched a guy.” 

Haja had never heard the term “period poverty” before she entered college. But once she started researching the issue, she began to understand the  extent of the problem. She recalls visiting a school in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where none of the 1300 girls – and none of the female teachers – were able to track their menstrual cycle. “They didn’t know when their next period was. It was very disheartening.”

Feeling compelled to use her skills and knowledge to address this problem head on, Haja founded Uman4Uman, a company with a mission to dismantle myths around menses and provide menstrual health education and supplies directly to women and girls who need them. Uman4Uman means “Women for Women” in the native Creole of Sierra Leone.  

“The public health crisis we don’t talk about”

Period poverty is a global problem with a complex set of roots, affecting some 500 million women and girls around the world who cannot manage their periods safely. Lack of access to clean toilets or other private space, unequal access to water and soap, inability to access menstrual products, and the stigma and shame associated with menstruation are all contributing factors to period poverty. Social codes discourage open communication about periods. Economic barriers make access to menstrual products difficult or impossible. Unhygienic practices around menstruation pose serious health consequences in the form of bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infection. Girls who stay out of school when they are on their menses miss educational opportunities, amounting to as much as two months per year for each girl. Menses bring so much complication, expense and discomfort that women sometimes choose pregnancy in order to avoid having a period. The result is pregnancies that may be spaced too close together, leading to a range of health complications such as malnourishment and elevated risk of maternal complications after delivery. 

Period poverty is also an economic issue. Two out of five Sierra Leoneon girls miss school when they are on their period because menstrual products are too expensive to access. “Most period products in the market are disposable pads. And they're very expensive,” says Haja. At least two or three pads are needed with heavy flows, requiring frequent changes of pads. But for most of the country’s young women, the cost of the pads makes them inaccessible.  

A local solution to period poverty

Haja wanted to use her entrepreneurial skills to dismantle the myths and stereotypes that impact women’s menstrual health in her home country, and at the same time provide affordable menstrual products to communities most impacted by period poverty.  She got to work sewing reusable menstrual pad prototypes which she tested on herself until she came up with one that she felt was the most comfortable, affordable, eco friendly, and sustainable. Lacking a professional network, savings, or a donor pool to jumpstart her project, she looked for creative ways to make her vision a reality. After winning a social entrepreneurship grant at Skidmore College, she founded Uman4Uman.

But the goal wasn’t just to produce and sell the pads. She wanted to provide menstrual health education to teach women about healthy and safe self-care during menstruation, along with aspects of sexual and reproductive health. “Those kinds of programs are not offered in schools at all,” says Haja.  

At the same time, Haby Sondo, a Burkinabe-American woman raised in the Bronx, had already been involved in numerous cultural conversations with African women in her community around period poverty. Haja and Haby met through Princeton in Africa, a fellowship program focused on developing young leaders in the region, and they connected immediately through their shared interest in menstrual inequality. Haby’s interest in international development and her grantwriting knowledge made her a natural partner for Uman 4 Uman, which was then beginning work in Sierra Leone. 

Social Enterprise as a scalable approach  

The decision to create a social enterprise was a practical one. “Getting capital for small, non profit organizations which are women-led does not always tend to be easy,” says Haja. A social enterprise model made it possible to raise funds more quickly than conventional nonprofits, and helped them get their vision off the ground in a relatively short period of time compared to the launch time for traditional nonprofit organizations.

Social enterprises are businesses that prioritize social and/or environmental goals. Similar to nonprofits in their commitment to issues such as environmental protection, gender equity, workers’ rights, and so on, they are distinct in that their model is profit-driven. Social enterprises can take the form of profits or nonprofits, and include entrepreneurial nonprofits, cooperatives, worker-owned businesses, B corporations, fair trade organizations, NGOs, charities and credit unions. Profit is generated in the form of products and services related to the organization’s mission, and invested back into the enterprise to help it continue to address its mission. 

Traditional nonprofits may also employ social enterprise principles of selling goods and services for profit. For example, counseling services may be offered on a sliding scale by community clinics that are tax-exempt, farm produce sold by farms that operate under a Community Supported Agriculture model as registered nonprofits, and specialty goods such as coffee and chocolate grown in regions where the organization is working to improve wages for workers. Selling of goods that have an integral relationship to the nonprofit’s goals is a highly successful approach for to sustaining an organization with a mission to do good in the world.

“ Creating a social enterprise business makes sense for many entrepreneurs dealing with a variety of barriers to realizing their mission. ”

In the case of Uman4Uman, which faced increasingly stringent requirements for grant applications and scarce funding opportunities as a small non-profit operating in Africa, deciding to go with a social enterprise model seemed to be the path of least resistance. Sustainability was top of mind. If Haja were to rely on grant funding for a portion of her income stream – in the model of traditional nonprofits – Uman4Uman’s mission could be in jeopardy if the flow of grants stopped. With a social enterprise approach, however, product sales would allow menstrual health programs to continue and make period products accessible to more women experiencing period poverty. 

Another benefit was a compressed time frame. Because Haja and Haby did not need to jump through the hoops that funders usually require of nonprofits (recruiting a board of directors, submitting a list of donors, register as a nonprofit in different countries, and so forth)  it allowed them to get up to speed more quickly and begin offering their products and services where they were needed. 

Economic sustainability

Although Haja is aware of the limitations of grant funding, she acknowledges that grants can help Uman4Uman increase its impact and reach more women who need affordable menstrual products. Uman4Uman is currently a small team operating mainly through interns and part-time staff. Haja hopes to expand its Sierra Leone office, adding at least two full-time staff members in the near future. In the longer term, she plans to scale the social enterprise model by applying for larger grants and expanding their sales strategy. Seeking out venture capital opportunities will also help her reach her long term goal of reaching more women experiencing menstrual inequity.  “We are excited to move towards a more balanced financial model to sustain operations,” she says. 

Once Uman4Uman sets foot in the grantseeking world, Haja expects that her social enterprise will make the organization more attractive to funders, highlighting its perseverance and innovative mindset. She also believes that their approach demonstrates their long-term sustainability, as being able to grow without complete reliance on donors proves the value of employing diverse revenue streams. 

Donations are also part of the picture. While not a primary source of revenue, donations enable Uman4Uman to expand its services to more women and girls in Sierra Leone. In this way, donors come to feel that they are part of the organization’s mission, which helps build a community of interested and committed sponsors and insulates it against future setbacks. 

Expanding access to menstrual health for African women

To date, Uman4Uman has sold 5000 reusable menstrual pads and reached 6500 women with menstrual health workshops. Future plans include testing their model in Guinea and begin offering products and services to Guinean women in the near future. By the end of 2025, they hope to reach 5,000 more girls with menstrual health education and products. 

Recently, Uman4Uman partnered with AdvocAid, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to girls and women caught up in Sierra Leone’s legal system, to hold menstrual health workshops and donate sanitary pads for incarcerated women at Freetown Female Correctional Center. The classes showcased essential information on menstrual care, hygiene, and self-care. Following the visit, Madam Alison French, Executive Director of AdvocAid, reflected on the impact of Uman4Uman’s work — not only for the women served by Advocaid, but for all the women and girls whose lives are affected by the organization’s efforts. “This isn’t just about donating pads,” she said. “It’s about providing knowledge that will stay with them, even beyond these walls.”

Connect with Uman4Uman on Instagram or email uman4uman@gmail.com.

#periodpoverty #menstrualhealth #sexeducation #womenshealth #femaleempowerment #menstrualcare #womensempowerment

Need help with your grant strategy? Schedule a sales discovery call with The Grant Muse now.

Loren@TheGrantMuse.com

Six ways a Master Grant Template can transform your grantwriting game

The nonprofit sector is going to be awash in changes next year as a result of the 2024 election. The rightward shift of American governance at the Federal level means that nonprofits and other tax exempt organizations need to be ready to shift with the tides. It also means that leaders in the sector will have to reconsider their funding strategy moving forward. 

For nonprofit leaders who already have a great deal on their plates, this is a lot to contemplate. How to do even more with (possibly) less funding and support?

One thing you can do is streamline your grantwriting approach. 

And having a Master Grant Template (MGT) under your belt can help you do this. 

The Master Grant Template (MGT) is a streamlined solution to the problem of too many grants to write and too little time to write them. A comprehensive outline that forms the basis for every grant application you write, the MGT will dramatically cut the amount of time you spend writing proposals, freeing you to focus on the important work of leading your organization. 

Let’s count the ways a Master Grant Template can help boost your efficiency while reducing the stress associated with grantwriting.  

1. If you are a busy executive director with no development team (or a lean team that could use more help), not enough hours in the day, and too many grants to write, the MGT will save you time and money with detailed instructions for creating your own customized grant application for your nonprofit. With this in hand, you’ll have all the necessary information for grant applications in one place and be able to create multiple applications from the same template. As an investment that will pay for itself many times over, the MGT brings considerable value. 

2. Relatively new to grantwriting? Brimming with questions? Drowning in details? Wondering how to word your responses? When you begin submitting grant applications you’ll find yourself in the weeds in no time. There’s a lot to know about how to write an effective proposal that will stand out from the crowd. An MGT provides examples for responding to all the parts of a narrative. These examples make the process much more straightforward, easier to understand, and far less stressful. 

3. Grantwriting is a jargon-laden endeavor. What’s the difference between goals and objectives? How about outputs and outcomes? Can you tell a project abstract from a problem statement? Don’t give yourself a headache trying to sort it all out. The MGT is loaded with tips that make the definitions of common grantwriting terms very clear.  These tips also clarify the responses to application questions and other parts of proposals, so you know exactly how to format your answers.

4. Have a list of grants you want to apply for? The MGT can be easily adapted to different programs and initiatives without breaking a sweat or constantly having to reinvent the wheel.  You’ll be able to apply for more grants in far less time than you’ve been able to do in the past. This alone can bring about a sea change in your organization’s income stream. 

5. Is your nonprofit suffering from that all-too-common ailment, mission drift? The process of adapting a Master Grant Template to your programs will help you get clear about your organization’s mission, goals and objectives. 

6. Unclear about your funding priorities? The MGT will help. When you work from this template to create your own proposals, you’ll find that – voila! – you have a sustainable funding structure that will help move your mission forward.  If you’ve been struggling to clarify your nonprofit’s goals and objectives, you’ll also gain clarity about these essential aspects of the organization’s work.  

7. Still can’t find time to write grants, even with the MGT in hand? The Grant Muse has your back.  We will create a Master Grant Template, customized for your organization, that you can simply “plug and play” (with minor tweaks) into most grant applications. Wouldn’t it be great to have more time to lead your nonprofit and gird it for the rough waters ahead?

Jumpstart your 2025 grant strategy: Ten grants for arts and culture nonprofits

Grant funding is an essential part of the revenue stream for thousands of arts and culture organizations throughout the U.S. Federal, state, and local funding for the arts totaled $2.28 billion in 2023, with $207 million directed to the National Endowment for the Arts, state arts agencies receiving $971 million in legislative appropriations, and local arts agencies receiving a total of $1.1 billion in funding. 

Meanwhile, foundations account for a large slice of the arts funding pie, with billions of dollars allocated annually for arts organizations and programs, as well as to individual artists.  

In the wake of the 2024 elections, this picture will shift, possibly in dramatic ways. 

In the changed funding landscape that we are likely to see beginning next year, Federal funding will probably decline for certain priority areas. This will mean additional competition for foundation grants. It also means that nonprofit leaders in the arts sector need to plan carefully in order to ensure the sustainability of their organizations. 

Grants will continue to be available, however, even in the uncertain times that lie ahead for nonprofits. Curating a strategic approach to seeking grant funding, rather than applying for grants in a scattershot fashion, will be more important than ever. 

The Grant Muse is pleased to help you get ahead of the curve with this compilation of 10 foundations that make grants in the arts and culture sector. 

The funders on the list have all indicated that the arts are a core focus of their giving. Two of them – the New England Foundation for the Arts and the Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation – are geared to speciifc arts areas, while the rest are more general in their focus. Several of the funders make grants to particular areas of the U.S., while others give nationally. A few specify their maximum grant awards, while others do not. The upshot: make sure you read the descriptions carefully to determine how the grants fit your organization’s mission, needs, and geographic focus. 

This list is current as of November 2024, and will help you gain an edge on grant applications for the Spring 2025 funding cycle. 

Need help putting together a grant strategy or crafting compelling grant applications? Wondering if your nonprofit is grant ready? Want a Master Grant Template for an affordable DIY approach to grant seeking? 

Book a sales call and learn how The Grant Muse can be part of your grant seeking solution.

1. People's Bank Foundation 

Website: https://www.peoplesbancorp.com/about-us/commitment-to-communities/peoples-bank-foundation

Email: Foundation@pebo.com

Deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30 December 1, 2024

Award range: Not specified

Funding priorities:  Support for arts and cultural initiatives like art centers, museums, concerts and children’s music, art and theater programs.

Geographic region: OH, WV, KY, VA, Washington, D.C. or MD, as well as Burlington, VT and Excelsior, MN 

2. Nora Roberts Foundation

Mailing address:

Nora Roberts Foundation

c/o Bank of America

Attn: James Bea

100 Campus Drive, Suite 350

Florham Park, NJ 07932

Website: https://norarobertsfoundation.org/

Email: reply@norarobertsfoundation.org

Registration and Application Deadlines: November 15 - 30, February 15 - 28, May 15 - 31, August 15- 31

Award range: Not specified 

Funding priorities: Literacy, children, arts, social justice, environmental programs

Geographic region: While proposals are accepted from organizations located throughout the United States, there is a geographic preference for organizations located in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and West Virginia. 

3. New England Foundation for the Arts (NDPP)

Grant Name: National Dance Project Production Grant

Contact: Indira Goodwine, Program Director

Email: goodwine@nefa.org

Phone: 617-865-1831

Website: https://www.nefa.org/NationalDanceProject

Deadlines: February 15, 2025

Award range: $10,000 - $45,000

Funding priorities: “Production Grants are awarded to 20 dance projects annually through a competitive two-stage application process. Artists/choreographers and/or companies apply to receive a package of support that includes: $45,000 for the creation of a new work; $10,000 in general operating support for the artist/company; $10,000 for production residency and/or community engagement plans; up to $35,000 to support a U.S.* tour** of the work. Creation funds and general operating funds are paid directly to the artist/company or their fiscal sponsor to cover expenses related to making the new dance work during the creation period (defined as the period from the receipt of funds to the premiere of the work). Works may not premiere before October 1, 2025.”

Geographic region: United States

4. Arthur and Alice Adams Foundation

Website: https://www.wellsfargo.com/private-foundations/adams-charitable-foundation

Email: grantadministration@wellsfargo.com

Deadline: February 15, 2025

Maximum award: $50,000

Funding priorities: Arts, music, culture and education

Geographic region: Nationwide, with a primary focus on Memphis, Tennessee; Miami, Florida; and New York City. 

5. Hagen Family Foundation

Mailing address:

The Hagen Family Foundation

401 E. Linton Blvd, Suite 257

Delray Beach FL 33483

Website: https://www.hagenfamilyfoundation.org/

Email: grants@hagenfamilyfoundation.org

Deadline: May 1, 2025

Maximum award: $20,000 

Funding priorities: Arts, education, environment, religion, and social services

Geographic region: Nationwide, with special interest in Colorado, Michigan, and Florida.

Notes: In recent years, the foundation has funded innovative projects that support autistic children; General Educational Development (GED) tutoring; outdoor education; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; anti bullying efforts; job readiness; information technology; literacy; physical fitness; early learning; and at-risk kindergarten through grade 12 students.

6. Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation

Mailing address: 

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation

Attn: Mary P. Surrey, President

2233 Wisconsin Ave NW, Suite 414

Washington, DC, 20007

Website: https://www.mvdreyfusfoundation.org

Deadlines: For the Spring round of grants, the deadline is November 10. For the Autumn round of grants, the deadline is May 10.

Maximum award: $20,000 

Funding priorities: Museums, cultural, and performing arts programs; schools, hospitals, educational and skills training programs, programs for youth, seniors, and the handicapped; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and their programs.

Geographic region: United States

7. Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation

Mailing address:

C. F. Martin Co., Inc.

Attn: Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation

510 Sycamore St.

P.O. Box 32

Nazareth, PA 18064

Website: https://www.martinguitar.com/martin-foundation.html

Deadline: September 1, 2025

Maximum award: $10,000 

Funding priorities: The Foundation supports the best work of effective 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations offering programs in one or more of the following areas: Performance, participation, and education in acoustic steel string guitar music; Study and preservation of America’s acoustic guitar heritage; Arts education programs emphasizing acoustic guitar; Environmental action related to guitar-making materials and processes.

Geographic region: United States

8. DEW Foundation

Mailing address:

DEW Foundation

Oak Plaza Office Park

3300 S. Broadway, Suite 200

Tyler, TX 75701

Phone: 903-617-6331

Website: https://www.dewfoundation.org/

Email: info@dewfoundation.org

Deadline: June 1, 2025

Maximum award: $50,000  

Funding priorities: Arts; children services; disaster relief; environment; family services; foundations (community); health organizations; higher education; human services; ministries; veterans programs; and international affairs.

Geographic region: Giving in the U.S. only, including organizations benefiting international programs

9. Henry W. Bull Foundation

Mailing address:

US Bank

P.O. Box 0634

Milwaukee, WI, 53201-0634

Website: None

Deadline: April 1, 2025

Maximum award: $40,000

Funding priorities: Arts; Christian agencies & churches; people with disabilities, education; health care; health organizations; and performing arts, music. 

Geographic region: United States

10. Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation

Mailing address:

Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation

99 Main Street #236

Sheffield, MA 01257

Phone: 212-408-0590

Website: http://www.sohnfoundation.org

Deadline: None

Award range: Not specified

Funding priorities: The Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation has been formed to continue the vision and legacy of its founders. Their vision of a “wholistic” life, lived synergistically with nature and the environment, in which all people can breathe clean air, eat wholesome organic food, and be exposed to the wonders of music, dance and literature, continues in the Foundation. While the scope of the Foundation's efforts are largely centered on the environment and alternative health care modalities, the Foundation has the flexibility to contribute to such other causes as the Trustees believe are consistent with the Sohns' vision, including alleviation of poverty, education and the arts.

Geographic region: United States

Find out how The Grant Muse can be part of your winning grant strategy. 

#nonprofits #artsnonprofits #artsprogramming #artsfundraising #fundraising #grantstrategy #artsineducation #teachingartist #artistinresidence #artsprograms

Should you hire a freelance grantwriter? Five time-, money-, and hassle-saving reasons you should

As a nonprofit leader, you have a lot of things competing for your time.  Running programs. Managing staff and volunteers. Building community presence. Developing donor relationships. 

Writing grants adds a substantial chunk of work to your already-full plate. 

And if you’re doing it yourself, you’re investing time that your organization needs you to devote to other things.

Perhaps you’re worried about the financial investment of hiring a grantwriter. Understood.  Hiring an expert definitely costs money. And it should. Professionals bring much-needed expertise to the exacting work of writing grants.  But you can mitigate that cost by working with a freelancer – and not sacrificing one bit of quality. 

And there’s the headache and hassle of allocating mental space to such a huge task. There are so many things to know about writing winning grant applications. But if this isn’t your fulltime job, you most likely aren’t aware of them all. As a result, you are probably working harder, rather than smarter, without the essential inside knowledge that comes with being immersed in the field as a professional grantwriter. 

Thinking about hiring a freelancer? Here are the top 5 benefits of doing just that. 

Benefit #1. You save time. Grantwriting is a time suck. Foundation grants can take 3 - 4 weeks to write, and Federal grants are usually a 6 - 8 week time commitment (or more in some cases). That is time that you are not focusing on your nonprofit’s mission and serving your community. 

Benefit #2. You automatically gain access to a variety of databases and tools that would cost a lot of money for you to purchase on your own and wouldn’t be worth the payoff, especially if you’re a small to medium-sized organization. These include specialized software that 

• Helps find best-fit funders quickly, rather than through weeks of research.

• Combines all the information about deadlines, documents, statuses and awards in one place

• Help you apply for more grants.

Benefit #3. You get help building a strong grant strategy.  This is something you NEED to do if grantwriting is a significant part of your funding plan. Applying for a couple of grants here and there isn’t going to cut it in the long term. A freelancer can build out a grant calendar that guides your nonprofit’s funding process and maps out your grant applications for the coming year.  The grant calendar keeps things on track and keeps you moving forward in the face of distractions and setbacks. And a freelancer who doesn’t get caught up in the day-to-day issues of running your nonprofit and brings a fresh set of eyes (and brain cells) can help you keep your eye on the funding ball. 

Benefit #4. You save money. Working with a freelancer means you save on the ancillary costs of hiring employees. Freelancers are business owners who cover their own benefits, including health insurance, social security contributions, sick time, vacation pay, etc. You only pay for the time they actually work, versus paying a full-time team member 40 hours per week regardless of their workload. Having a freelancer on your team is very cost-effective in the long run. 

Another way a freelance grantwriter can help you save money (and time) is with a Master Grant Template.  A comprehensive outline that provides the basis for every grant application you write, a Master Grant Template (MGT) is a streamlined system for grant writing that enables you to produce your own high-quality grant applications. The MGT is an elegant streamlined solution for nonprofits that prefer to work inhouse as well as those who are ready to commit to building a powerful grant strategy. 

Benefit #5. You protect yourself and your team from burnout. Those frantic weeks and days before a grant deadline when it’s all hands on deck to get the application in on time? That may be time you need to put out fires in your organization, or just keep up with the daily task of keeping everything running smoothly. When you have a freelancer in your corner, they keep application timelines under control so you and your team don’t have to worry about them.  And knowing your grant application process is under control can even free up your time for other important things (like taking a much-needed vacation)! 

Ready to make your job (and your life) easier? The Grant Muse is ready to help. Book a call today and let’s explore the possibilities. 

Five social equity grant opportunities for nonprofit organizations

Although DEI is currently a political hot potato in some sectors, it's also a trending focus in grant funding. Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are important components of corporate grantmaking for foundations across the country.

A 2021 study of more than 50 corporate social responsibility officers found that Increasing numbers of foundations are saying that efforts to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in their funding strategy will be a core part of their missions going forward. And they are backing those statements with their dollars. 

“Nearly 75% of companies have committed to intentionally address DEI in their grantmaking” while about 30% of companies have implemented new approaches to put DEI principles into practice within their grantmaking teams and processes,” according to Changing Our World. In addition, 30% of companies have set a measurable goal to increase their giving in alignment with DEI values.   

Given this data, it’s clear that approaching a grant application using a DEI lens is essential for painting a picture of the need for a program. After all, diversity, equity and inclusion are the heart of grantwriting – because DEI means providing people with the tools they need to succeed in life and to meet their health, career, financial, educational or life goals. And improving access and opportunity for marginalized populations are much more than talking points.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are the heart of grantwriting – because DEI means providing people with the tools they need to succeed in life and to meet their health, career, financial, educational or life goals.

Here are five foundations that make DEI a core focus of their giving strategy, with detailed descriptions of the social equity grant opportunities they offer. If you consider applying for any of these grants, be sure to read the information page accompanying the application to be sure that your organization aligns with the foundation’s mission. Double check to ensure that you are eligible to apply. If you are uncertain, contact the foundation directly using the email address or phone numbers provided under its listing. There’s nothing worse than spending valuable time on a grant application, only to find that you are not eligible for the grant. 

If you get stuck on an application (or just don’t have time to apply), The Grant Muse is here to help.

1. WITH Foundation 

2. Impact Fund

3. Clorox Company Foundation

4. Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

5. Norman Foundation

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1. WITH Foundation

Website link: https://withfoundation.org/grant-guidelines/

Maximum grant amount: $150,000

Application deadline: August 15, 2024. (Next grant cycle closes on November 1, 2024)

Description: This is an “invitation for collaborative proposals that advance disability justice in public health and center the goals, perspectives, and needs of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in communities of color. Programs should prioritize implementation; educational resources; advocacy, power and bridging; or research. A secondary goal of this RFP is to foster new partnerships or significantly enhance existing partnerships between disability organizations, advocates, community organizations, and healthcare providers.”

Areas of support: Health; Diseases, Disorders, Medical Disciplines; Mental Health, Crisis Intervention; Civil Rights, Social Action, Advocacy

Examples of projects funded: 

• Combining Research, Engagement, and Art to Enhance – Communication and Health Equity (CREATE-CHA), a program from the Virginia Commonwealth University Partnership for People with Disabilities (PPD), will utilize theater, problem-solving, and self-determination to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities gain control over their healthcare experiences. Award amount: $410,000

• Empowering Access: Supported Decision-Making for Medicaid Recipients. This initiative of The National Disability Rights Network, in collaboration with the Protection and Agency Network, will disseminate information to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, healthcare stakeholders, legal advocates, and peer supporters to address recent Medicaid disenrollments and eligibility. Using the supported decision-making framework, Empowering Access will assist those who recently lost or are at risk of losing Medicaid coverage. Award amount: $510,000

• Inclusive Approaches to Effective Healthcare and Mental Healthcare for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, a project of The Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire, Durham. This initiative aims to develop and implement a strategic partnership between the I/DD-MH (Intellectual and Developmental Disability – Mental Health) research team and the New Hampshire Leadership Series team to expand national capacity and dissemination of health and mental healthcare information for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and treatment providers.   Award amount: $385,000

Eligibility: Section 501(c)(3) public charities – healthcare, community, and disability organizations that are based and operate in the United States.

2. Impact Fund

Website link: https://www.impactfund.org/legal-grants/application-requirements/

Maximum grant amount: $25,000

Application deadline: October 8, 2024 (letters of inquiry); November 5 (grant applications)

Description: “The Impact Fund provides grants to nonprofit legal firms, private attorneys, and/or small law firms working to advance social justice in the areas of civil and human rights, environmental justice, and poverty law. The fund provides support for public interest litigation that has the potential to benefit a large number of people, lead to significant law reform, and raise public consciousness of social justice issues. The fund is particularly interested in projects that address systemic deprivations of constitutional or statutory rights in post 9/11 cases involving denial of rights under the guise of ‘Homeland Security’; criminal justice and immigration; and education access and equity.”

Areas of support: Crime, Legal Related; Civil Rights, Social Action, Advocacy

Eligibility: Private attorneys, small legal firms, and nonprofit legal entities that do not have sufficient access to funding sources.

Geographic focus: Nationwide (U.S.)

Examples of projects funded:

• A Better Childhood, Inc. Jonathan R. v. Jim Justice. Class action lawsuit against West Virginia’s Governor and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHR) and several DHHR executives for violations of foster children’s constitutional and statutory rights. Award: $36,250

• Alternativas y Procesos de Participación Social, Class Action Lawsuit Against the Planting of GM Corn. Collective action filed by a citizens' coalition against four major multinational corporations and two government agencies seeking the permanent prohibition of genetically modified corn cultivation in Mexico due to probable impacts on biodiversity and human rights. Award: $25,000

• Fair Work Center, Jocylin Bolina et al. v. Assurecare Adult Home, LLC et al. Multi-plaintiff case to end the unconstitutional exclusion of live-in caregivers from basic wage-and-hour protections under Washington law. Award:  $40,000

3. Clorox Company Foundation

Website: https://www.thecloroxcompany.com

Application information link: https://www.thecloroxcompany.com/responsibility/foundation/apply-for-grant/

Maximum grant amount: Not specified

Application deadline: Not specified

Description:  “The Clorox Company Foundation’s grantmaking activities focus on strategically funding organizations whose programs support our signature theme of health security. Our definition of health security includes:

• Community Wellness.

  a. Racial justice

• Organizations that are working at the community-level to address social determinants of health and racial justice issues.

• Youth development/education:

• Programs that increase equity of opportunity, access, and outcomes to create lasting social impact.

• Sustainability:

• Organizations that address the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals: Our grants will center around goals 11–15, with a focus on solving environmental issues that disproportionately impact urban areas and communities of color.

Disease Prevention:

• Organizations that educate and/or provide supplies to people regarding preventing the spread of germs/disease in a post-pandemic life.

Disaster Relief and Preparedness:

• Organizations that focus on emergency preparedness, response and recovery on a national and local level.”

Areas of support: Youth Development, Youth Programs; Education; Medical Research; Environmental Quality, Protection, and Beautification; Health; Diseases, Disorders, Medical Disciplines; Mental Health, Crisis Intervention; International, Foreign Affairs, and National Security; Civil Rights, Social Action, Advocacy

Eligibility: “501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit agency or be sponsored by a qualified fiscal agent. In addition, the proposal must meet the foundation’s geographic scope and address one of the focus areas listed above.

“The Clorox Company Foundation has an invitation-only application process and does not accept unsolicited proposals. Invitations will be sent to organizations that we have identified that align with our company values and funding priorities.

“See the Foundation’s Grant Applications web page for instructions if your organization did not receive an invitation and you would like to be considered.”

Geographic focus: California (Alameda County), nationwide

Examples of projects funded:

• A $10,000 grant to Children Rising, a nonprofit that provides programming for children in Oakland’s underresourced neighborhood schools, to support their one-on-one interventional literacy and math tutoring programs.

• A $1million grant to the Cleveland Clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic to explore research, advance training and education, and launch healthcare innovations.

4. Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

Application information link: https://www.drkfoundation.org/apply-for-funding/

Maximum grant amount: $300,000

Application deadline: Open application process. Applications accepted year round. 

Description:  

“DRK Funds:

• Organizations addressing a critical social or environmental issue as the focus of their work.

• Founders who intend to expand their impact significantly over time.

• Fiscally sponsored organizations in select cases where there is a plan to spin out (in our experience, independence creates stronger enabling conditions for growth).

• Post-pilot, pre-scale organizations. This typically means:
  —Your program, product or service is already in the market or in the field.
  —You have early indication that your model is having its intended impact.
  —Your organization is 3-5 years old (this is not a rule, but a guidepost).

• Organizations with one or more founders who are full-time or intend to be.

• We value diversity of people proximate to the problem at hand and a commitment to foster justice, equity, inclusion, and belonging practices.”

Areas of support: Arts and culture, civic engagement, economic empowerment, education, food and agriculture, health, social justice, sustainability, systemic poverty

Eligibility: “Independent nonprofit and impact first, mission-driven for-profit entities, including US 501(c)3 and its non-US equivalents, C corporations, B corporations, and hybrid organizations.”

Geographic focus: Africa, Europe, India, Latin America, and the United States.

Examples of projects funded:

• A grant to the Arts for Healing Justice Network, a collaborative network of arts education organizations serving youth impacted by the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles County.  Award: not available

• A grant to the Essie Justice Group, a nonprofit which works with incarcerated women to reduce isolation, increase wellness, and facilitate personal and community transformation. Award: not available

• A grant to Driver’s Seat, a driver-owned cooperative that empowers ride-hail drivers and on-demand delivery workers to use shared data ownership to make the gig economy work better for themselves and the communities they serve. Award: not available

5. Norman Foundation

Application information link: https://normanfdn.org/applying-for-a-grant-1

Maximum grant amount: $20,000

Application deadline: None. Letters of inquiry only. 

Description:

The Norman Foundation “supports efforts that strengthen the ability of communities to determine their own economic, environmental and social well-being, and that help people control those forces that affect their lives. These efforts may:

• Promote economic justice and development through community organizing, coalition building and policy reform efforts;

• Work to prevent the disposal of toxics in communities, and to link environmental issues with economic and social justice;

• Link community-based economic and environmental justice organizing to national and international reform efforts.”

Areas of support: Environmental quality, protection, and beautification; civil rights, social action, and advocacy; community improvement, capacity building

Eligibility: Priority is given to organizations with annual budgets of under $1 million.

Geographic focus: Nationwide. 

Examples of projects funded:

• Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee, Pittsburgh, PA.  Support of an innovative organizing model that trains workers and volunteers to organize for improved wages and working conditions. Award: $25,000

• Indigenous Peoples of the Coastal Bend, Corpus Christi, TX.  Support of Indigenous-led efforts to preserve Native culture and prevent expansion of fossil fuel industry. Award: $25,000

• Center for Third World Organizing,Oakland, CA. Renewed support for training programs to expand and strengthen organizing in communities of color. Award: $25,000

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Grant research 101: a quick start guide to finding funding opportunities

There is a lot of money floating around out there to support the missions of a wide variety of nonprofit organizations. But how do you locate those funders and their cash? 

Identifying funding opportunities is as much an art as a science. There are a number of different ways to go about the process of locating grants. Most involve a computer and an internet connection. But it may surprise you to learn how many potential grant opportunities you can find in your community, just going about your life – and leveraging your social and business connections. 

Keywords, keywords, keywords

The simplest way to start your grant search is to generate a list of targeted keywords matched to your organization’s mission and goals. Make sure to include the geographic location, as some grants are specific to certain states, cities or counties. For example,  “Grants, women, Denver, CO.” To further narrow your results, add appropriate keywords such as “domestic violence,” “homelessness,” “maternal health,” and so forth. Then sit down at your computer – or grab your phone – pull up your favorite search engine, and enter your keywords. Your results using this method can be somewhat hit or miss, but it will give you a starting point. 

Grant databases

Grant databases have a broader scope than search engines and should absolutely be part of your toolkit if you are searching for grant funding. Most of these are available by subscription. How much you spend on a database subscription depends on the size of your nonprofit, as well as how many grants you expect to write. At least one offers a free subscription, while others can run into the thousands of dollars for a yearly plan. One way to get around this if your organization is short on cash is to check with your local public or university library to see if they have a subscription to one of these databases. If they do, you can use it for free if you are a library member. 

If you decide to subscribe to a funding directory or database, it can be well worth the investment if you plan to write a lot of grants. On the other hand, if you work with a freelance grantwriter, most of the time the cost of the subscription is rolled into the grantwriter’s professional services.

Each of these databases works a bit differently, has its unique pricing structure, and has its advantages and drawbacks. Here is a list of the most popular ones. Take a look and decide which — if any — are right for your needs.

Foundation Directory Online (FDO) One of the original grant databases, Foundation Directory (now known as Candid) offers a two-pronged approach: information about funders to help nonprofits support their work, and Guidestar, a directory of nonprofits that enables funders to verify and research organizations that are aligned with their priorities. Much more than just a database, Candid offers tools and resources that provide insight into funding trends, and provides one of the most comprehensive data sets about the social sector that’s available. Although free at one time, Candid now is subscription based, with a starting plan of $1599 annually ($219.99/monthly) for a single user. It’s not the cheapest option out there, but you get a lot of grant research bang for your buck – as well as the opportunity for in-depth learning about the field. 

Instrumentl comes in a close second to Candid (though for many a nonprofit, it is the preferred option). Blending three key functions of institutional fundraising – grant prospecting, tracking, and management – in one platform, it makes researching and applying for grant funding as seamless as it gets. Its tracking system and organizational tools alone make it worth the subscription cost. The database marshals a diverse list of grants from a variety of sources, including state and federal governments, corporate funders, private foundations, community foundations, and clubs and societies. 

Like Candid, Instrumentl offers a comprehensive educational component for nonprofits, including free courses, guides, ebooks, templates, and more. Subscriptions start at $179 a month, paid on an annual basis, for small nonprofits with an annual budget of less than $500,000.  The higher-dollar Standard and Pro plans offer additional services to turbo-charge your grant writing strategy. 

Grant Station is a popular database in the mid-price range. With an annual membership that goes for $179, it offers a listing of grants from a range of sources including government databases, private, corporate, and community foundations, corporate contribution programs, faith-based funders, and association grant programs. The platform allows you to search for relevant grants by state, category, and keyword, and provides profiles of funding agencies that include detailed primary contact information, geographic areas served, current funding priorities, grant guidelines, application deadlines, and "insider" information on selected funders.

A subscription to Grant Station is $179 annually. You can also get a free Grant Station membership with a 1-year subscription to The Chronicle of Philanthropy 

Grant Gopher. This no-frills but mighty database offers grant searches at a price that will fit the tightest of budgets. With a free Lite plan for five searches per month, a Pro plan that offers unlimited searches for $9 monthly, and a Pro Success Plan for $49/month, Grant Gopher will meet a large swath of your grant research needs and is easy to include in your grant database arsenal. Although it lacks the educational resources and grant management tools of platforms like Instrumentl and Candid, it’s a useful option for nonprofits that primarily need a tool to search for grants. Some grantwriters prefer Grant Gopher over other sites, as it includes grant opportunities that are hard to find elsewhere – including foundations that lack websites and require a letter of inquiry to apply for funding. It also boasts a stellar customer service team that is swift to respond to questions and offers support on various aspects of grant research. 

This list is a small sampling of the grant databases out there. Other sites worth looking into include Grant Watch, Grantscape, Funds for NGOs, Grant Forward, the Catholic Funding Guide and Devex,  Just be sure that the focus of the site you’re using aligns with your organization type, mission and goals. 

Community Foundations

Community foundations are another good place to look for funding. These are grantmaking public charities that focus on improving the lives of people in target areas with financial support to nonprofits.   Find community foundations close to you with the Council on Foundations Community Foundation Locator.

Also check the member list of your regional association of grantmakers.

Patrons of the arts (and other causes)

Step away from the computer and go out for the evening. Funding opportunities are hiding in plain sight. Do you attend the symphony, the opera or the ballet? As you page through the program, find the list of patrons on the front or back pages. These donors are people and foundations who support community initiatives. You may also see them listed in a display on the wall in the lobby. The theater may even be named after a big donor. Take note of these names, and do some digging to learn more about them and determine if they accept letters of inquiry. If they don’t, find out if your board members have any foundation connections, and if so, if they will inquire on your behalf.  

Keep in mind that donors usually have a variety of cause areas that they support. So just because ABC Foundation is a patron of artistic organizations, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t also making gifts to nonprofits of all sizes that focus on youth programs, homelessness, healthcare, veterans issues, food security, environmental causes, and so forth. In fact, they very likely are. 

Is it spring, summer or fall in your area? If so, you may be attending outdoor fairs and festivals. Look for the banners at the event entrance to see who the sponsors are. They will either be local businesses or large corporations with a local presence, or a combination of both – with a few individual donors sprinkled in. Look up the websites of these companies to see if they have a foundation. Or type “XYZ Company Foundation” into your search engine of choice and see what results you get. 

Make a list of large nonprofits that have a similar mission as yours. Go to the websites of these nonprofits and see if they list their donors. Then see if these donors have websites, and see if you can learn about the process of for applying for funding from them.

If those donors don’t have websites, don’t give up. You may be able to find them on grant databases anyway. Grant Gopher, for example, lists many foundations that lack both a website and a formal application process. For these foundations the site provides a physical mailing address along with instructions for submitting a letter of inquiry. The listings are kept current. However, if you reach a dead end with any of them, contact Grant Gopher’s site administrator for assistance. You will usually receive a quick response. 

The 990 search

Nonprofits, per IRS rules, are required to submit their financials on a Form 990. These forms – which are available to the public – are a goldmine of information, providing a snapshot of the foundation at a glance. In some cases, a foundation’s 990 will include a list of nonprofits that the foundation has funded for any given tax year and the exact grant amounts. Parsing these numbers can give you a sense of the size of grant awards, what kinds of nonprofits are funded, and how many nonprofits are funded within the foundation’s preferred geographical area – as well as outside it. Often a foundation will state that it awards funds “primarily” in a certain locality, but a glance at the 990 can tell a different story. 

990s also contain a foundation’s mission and programs, a list of the officers and board of directors, and its governance structure, policies and procedures. 

Form 990’s are available at candid.org, propublica.org, and irs.gov,

Too busy to do your own grant research? The Grant Muse offers a comprehensive strategy and research package with best-fit grant opportunities and a complete grant calendar for an entire year. Get in touch and jumpstart your grant application journey today.

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A guide to winning grants for new nonprofits

The beginning of a nonprofit’s journey is typically marked by excitement, energy, enthusiasm for the mission, and the feeling that everyone is ready to roll up their sleeves and dive into the work of serving the community.

But there’s a key element that needs to be in place at the outset, before any work can begin.

Namely, funds.

If you’ve done even a cursory search of grant opportunities and read the requirements carefully, you’ve probably discovered that most foundations don’t make grants to nonprofits that are less than 2 or 3 years old. But how do you secure funding when your organization is basically a baby nonprofit?

Establishing a track record is a crucial first step. 

When you begin applying for grants and program officers are looking over your applications, they’re not necessarily interested in whether you have been awarded previous grants or not. Sure, those are helpful, no question.

But foundations ARE looking to see if you can manage money and projects, and whether you have strong community support.

So how do you demonstrate that when you’re so new?

Here is some guidance to help you do just that.

Create diverse revenue streams.

Grants are not the only type of funding you can get to help you develop a track record. Fundraising, selling services and products, events, crowdfunding, donor contributions – all of these are good ways to build a history as an organization that is capable of managing money and building community support. Need fundraising ideas? Here’s a fun source. There are virtually endless ideas for innovative and engaging fundraisers. From the tried and true (think car washes and bake sales) to digital fundraisers that take place on social media, to events geared to singles, art lovers, kids, foodies, exercise enthusiasts, gardeners, pet owners…. you have almost too many options to count. Put few on your nonprofit’s calendar and get something started.

Start local.

Apply for funding to foundations within your geographic area. Make sure you have a specific program in mind that aligns with their stated focus. 

Corporations such as Walmart, Target, Exxon Mobil, Autozone and Marshall’s have foundations that offer grant funding for projects in local communities where a store is located. Many brands that sell products in those stores have foundations as well. Think Newman’s Own, Levi Strauss, Stonyfield Farms, Forever 21, and many, many more. There are even digital businesses (such as Google Ads) that have grants programs. It’s rare to find a large corporation that DOESN’T have a foundation, so take a look around your community (or on the shelves of your local grocery and department stores) and do some digging. Make sure you meet their geographic criteria (Auto Zone, for example, provides funding primarily in greater Memphis) and that your mission aligns with their cause area.

If you have a religious nonprofit, seek out funders that have a stated interest in funding projects with a religious orientation or specifically within a certain denomination. These opportunities may or may not have geographic limitations, but they do need to share your mission. 

Another option is to seek out local and state government agencies that serve your target population. Here’s an example from the city of Cleveland, Ohio. This municipality participates in community development block grants that directly benefit low-and moderate-income residents There are many potential projects that would qualify for these grants. Playground rehabilitation, crime prevention, transportation are just a few examples. And this website for the state of New Jersey features grant opportunities for nonprofits with focus areas ranging from agriculture to transportation.

In general, it’s best to start by requesting small amounts, as low as $500, up to about $5000. These will seed the ground to fund a specific project so you can start building your portfolio. 

Do an association tour.

Local clubs such as Rotary Clubs, Women’s Clubs, Chambers of Commerce and others often highlight local nonprofits. Find out about their events and see if you can get a speaking slot, if only for a few minutes. Many of the people in these rooms will be on foundation boards, and are interested in knowing about the activities of nonprofits in their community. You may be able to make some valuable connections.  

Leverage the foundation connections of your board members.

Do you or anyone from your nonprofit or on your board know the board members of any foundations? Start to build relationships in those capacities. Think “six degrees of separation.”  Everyone knows someone! The beauty of this approach is that it can give you a leg up on connecting with a foundation that does not accept solicitations. If you know someone who works for the foundation, you may be able to convince them to consider your nonprofit or allow you to send a letter of interest. 

Check out Federal grant opportunities.

Grants.gov is a free database of Federal grants that shouldn’t be overlooked in your search for funding, even as a startup. You can raise as much as $25,000 (or more) with a single grant. However, it is an enormous website, and you should plan to set aside plenty of time to learn how to use it. Check eligibility requirements carefully for the grants you are interested in. If you neglect this step, you are likely to waste many hours of valuable time in the application process, only to have your application declined because your nonprofit wasn’t eligible. 

Use the site to research opportunities that look like a good fit for your organization. You will have to demonstrate ability to manage money and projects (See suggestions 1 and 2), and invest substantial time on the application process, but these grants can be well worth your while and provide crucial seed funding if you get one awarded.

For grants.gov guidance, we recommend listening to Holly Rustick’s Grant Writing & Funding podcast, episodes 27, 28 and 29.

Partner with a larger nonprofit.

Another option for small startup organizations is to leverage the credibility of a more established nonprofit by joining up with them as a subgrantee. In this capacity, you will work with the larger organization to conduct grant activities under their 501c3 status. This will enable you to build your reputation as a responsible manager of funds and projects while receiving grant funds to run your programs. In some cities or regions, nonprofit umbrella organizations exist for the express purpose of helping to build capacity for smaller nonprofits. An additional advantage to this approach is access to the larger organization’s grant management archive –  a valuable resource as your nonprofit grows and begins to write its own grants. As a subgrantee, including in your portfolio a mention that you have sub operated a portion of a grant will boost your own credibiilty and track record. 

If you choose this option, make sure that you and the cooperating nonprofit or umbrella organization both understand the responsibilities of fiscal sponsorship. 

Get all your ducks in a row.

Last but hardly least, make sure that you have all the necessary paperwork before you start applying for grants. You can work on gathering these documents while you seek out other funding opportunities. These items include:

• IRS 501(c)3 letter

• List of board members including employer, start date, and service term

• Annual Report/Impact Report

• Board-approved strategic plan

• Employee list with salary information

• Current operating budget

• Previous year's profit/loss and balance sheets

• Most recent audited financials

• State Solicitation of Contributions Letter (if required by state)

• Current W9 forms

Not all grant applications will require every item on this list, but most will require many of them. Having all of these documents on hand will save time later when you are scrambling to meet an application deadline.

Maximize your funding odds by pursuing proven grant research strategies.

Getting a new nonprofit on its feet can take considerable time and resources. However, you can optimize your chances of success by pursuing tested strategies for jumpstarting your funding stream. Here is a useful guide for new nonprofits looking to research grant opportunities. Choose the approaches that make most sense for your organization’s mission and goals, and you can look forward to rewarding and potentially lucrative partnerships while your organization finds its footing and grows its capacity to serve your community. 

The Grant Muse offers grant readiness services including a Nonprofit Wellness Audit, which will increase your organization’s credibility and transparency and improve your chances of securing grant funding.

Get in touch and learn more. 

#nonprofits #grantmaking #grants #philanthropy #fundraising

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Why do my grant applications keep getting rejected?

So you’re a small to medium-sized nonprofit applying for your first few grants. You’ve done all the things. Jumped through all the hoops. 

You’ve researched grant opportunities that match the mission and vision of your organization. You’ve filled out the applications, following all the instructions to the letter. – dotted your i’s, crossed your T’s, created 1-inch margins, and never deviated from Times New Roman font.  

You’ve submitted your applications well before the deadlines. 

And waited. 

And waited.

And waited some more.

Only to get... a slew of polite rejection letters.

If you’re like most disappointed applicants, you’re probably asking yourself what you did wrong. 

And the answer will surprise you.

Most likely, you did absolutely nothing wrong. 

I can almost feel your disbelieving stare.

Nothing wrong? How can that be?

Grantwriting is like dating

Grantwriting is a long game, and often requires a long runway before funds start to flow in. It’s normal to receive three or four rejections in a row from a funding source, especially if your organization is new and has not applied to that funder before.

The reason? It’s about relationships. 

I find it useful to compare grantwriting to dating. 

When meeting a prospective romantic partner, you have questions. What are their values? Are they a serial dater or do they want to settle down? Who have they dated in the past? 

When it comes to foundations who have funds to disburse, their questions will be surprisingly similar. Is the nonprofit diligent about the way it manages money, implements programs, and serves the community? Does it intend to stick around long enough to make an impact, or is it a fly-by-night?

And in any relationship, the getting-to-know-you process takes time. 

That’s why a nonprofit’s first few attempts at applying for funding may not yield fruit. 

However, the key is to persevere, rather than give up or try to reinvent your strategy. (Unless, of course, there’s a problem with your strategy. That’s a different subject.)

Strategizing for grant funding success

But if you continue applying to the same funder for several cycles, chances are that you will break through when they see that you aren’t going away. And in the meantime, be sure to familiarize the funder with your nonprofit and its programs. Keep in touch with them. Send them your newsletter. Invite the program officers to visit. Tag them on social media when you hold a community event or hit a goal. And so forth.  

And it’s a two-way street.  Do the work of getting to know the foundation. Find their annual reports. Learn about the board members. Determine which groups have received funding from them in the past. Make sure you’re well-acquainted with their mission, so you know whether your program is a good fit. 

There are other reasons that grant applications may be rejected. In no particular order, here are some of the top ones. 

Reason #1. The funder ran out of money.

It happens. There’s only so much to go around. And most funders have certain target causes that they prioritize, so there may have been other applicants whose proposals were higher on their list – and there were no funds left in the cycle after those grants were awarded. 

Reason #2. Your nonprofit applied to that funder before, and the funder is seeking to help organizations that have never received funding. Many foundations want to make their grantmaking process more equitable. To this end, they may require that an organization sit out one or more grant cycles if they have recently received funding from them. This enables the foundation to make a broader impact with their grants.

Reason #3. Your organization doesn’t have enough experience in that program area. Insufficient experience in a program area can prevent a nonprofit from meeting the benchmarks that were outlined in their application. When a foundation puts their money behind a nonprofit, they are lending their reputation to the project, and their name becomes associated with the project’s success (or failure). This is why they want to ensure that grant applicants are prepared to execute the project outlined in their grant application, and that their money will be used effectively by a nonprofit with a track record in the type of project it’s proposing.   

Reason #4. Your organization doesn’t demonstrate sufficient community support. Having  deep relationships within the community is an indication of a nonprofit’s resilience, preparedness to serve, and ability to create lasting change. Volunteers are often a nonprofit’s most enthusiastic cheerleaders and ambassadors, and offer significant support with advancing a nonprofit’s mission. Local governments, businesses and community organizations can step in and leverage one another’s strengths and resources in times of crisis. Community partnerships with other nonprofits help engage volunteers in deeper and more meaningful ways, strengthening their connection to the organization and its mission. And these partnerships can help nonprofits tap into new donor pools, enabling them to extend their reach by securing additional funding.

Community support is also crucial for demonstrating the need for the project. As such, it’s a factor that funders look at very closely. 

Reason #5  Your nonprofit hasn’t raised matching or in-kind funds. A matching grant or in-kind funds are indications of a nonprofit’s base of support. Without this support, the organization is unlikely to be able to sustain its efforts into the future.  

Reason #6. The budget narrative didn’t align with the budget. The watchword for grant application budgets is SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. Make sure that your budget is all of these things. The budget also needs to line up with the budget narrative. Having items on the budget that are not explained in the narrative will be interpreted as not doing your due diligence (or careless editing, which is almost as bad). Go through your budget with a fine tooth comb before submitting it. Collaborating with your financial officer or bookkeeper on the budget is highly recommended. 

Reason #7. The application didn’t outline the problem or need in a compelling way. Read your grant narrative from the standpoint of someone who would be funding your project. Does this sound like an initiative worthy of support? Is the need really as great as you think it is? If so, is the problem with the quality of the writing? Did you use passive voice or active voice? Was the problem portrayed in a way that grabbed the reader’s attention? If you’re not a good writer, did you have someone with excellent writing skills look over the application before you submitted it? Engaging a skilled grantwriter can make all the difference in the quality (and outcome) of your applications.

Taking the long view

So if you're facing grant rejections, take a step back and look at the big picture, keeping these recommendations in mind. Your nonprofit's prospects are likely better than you think. Get in touch with the program officer of the foundation or government agency and ask if they can give you feedback about why your application was declined. Put their suggestions into action and plan on resubmitting in the next grant cycle. In the meantime, focus on building relationships. Invite program officers to visit your site. Send them your newsletter. Tag them on social media when you highlight program successes or hit a goal. Most important, keep at it. Before long, the tide will begin to turn on your application outcomes, and you'll start to see a steady flow of grant funding coming your way

Need help with grant writing? Let’s talk.

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