Writing Successful Grants: What’s a grant part 1
I’ve written successful national, state, municipal, and private or public foundation grant applications for 25 years. I taught students to write grants in writing programs at Western Washington University and Cornish College of the Arts. I have served on many grant application evaluation panels. I’ve managed workforce grant funds and application processes (bio). Reach out if you have questions, want me to write your grant or want to connect star@mix-muse.com.
Writing successful grant applications may seem like a confusing, complex labyrinth. They are, AND they are very doable with support, information, and guidance. I’m writing this multi-installment series to help decipher the process. In this first part, I help you understand the basics of grants, different types of grants, and what a grant application is.
Start by asking yourself:
Is applying for grants the right decision to fund your nonprofit amongst all the funding sources available to you?
How much energy will you be able to invest in the process?
What programs and services does your nonprofit intend to provide, fund?
What are grants?
A grant are funds an organization receives from a funding source (grantor). Grants are not expected to be repaid to the grantor. To receive a grant, organizations submit an application, which is evaluated by the grantor. While grants are not paid back, they are not free, no-strings attached money. Funds must be spent responsibly and according to stipulations of the approved application. Deviations from the approved plan must be communicated to grantor's program officer, who is the individual responsible of overseeing your particular grant project.
What is a grant application (also called a grant proposal)?
A grant application is a request that a grantor join the nonprofit as a kind of partner to achieve specific results. The application appeals for money (a grant). A grant application must be a persuasive and well-supported argument for some kind change that is articulate by the applicant. If the application is successful, and funds are awarded, the money is given to the grant-awarded organization. Many corporations, organizations, and government agencies dispense billions of dollars in grants to profit or non-profit companies.
Who can apply for grants?
Grants are often available to nonprofits, businesses or individuals by application. Having an accurate understanding of the types of grant funding sources is essential when searching for grants that best fit your organization’s needs. Also, consider the eligibility requirements and focus audience of the funding source, so you avoid wasting time on grants that are not suitable for your organization.
Who provides grants?
Grants may be awarded by the following. They are referred to as grantors or fund sources.
Private or public foundations or charities.
Corporations or small businesses.
Federal government grants.
State government grants.
Local city government or municipality grants.
What are the characteristics of grants?
Competitive. Grant programs will often have more applicants than available resources they can fund. Due to high demand, even strong applications may fail to receive funding. Grant applications are reviewed or evaluated by a committee or a panel pulled together by grantor. Many grantors provide feedback to applicants from those reviewing or evaluating them. It is important to read the feedback in order to improve your application and apply again. The program officer can help you understanding the reviewers’ comments. If the fund source does not have a program officer, reach out to the grantor’s Executive Director or Program Director/Manager.
Targeted. Grant funding opportunities are authorized by the grantor (fund source) to address a particular focused problem, need, or opportunity. They do so within specified parameters, which is communicated in the Call for Applications. A grant will only fund projects or programs that fall within the scope of this stated purpose.
Extensive. Grant applications (also called grant proposals) contain a thoroughly described plan to address a problem, need, or opportunity that meets the purpose provided in the application guidelines provided by the grantor/fund source. The guidelines require grant applications to contain a written narrative. Applicants must conduct extensive research and planning to complete this narrative
Sometimes, depending on the grantor, complex proposals can take upwards of 6 months or more to complete and submit. Applicants must know how much time and resources they will need to invest in the application process in order to plan accordingly. Researching, writing, and submitting grant applications at the last minute, on a whim, or without forethought, research and planning are seldom successful. I strongly recommend organizations develop their program or project first. Then, shop for a grant or fund source that your program best fits. More on this in another post.
Conditional. Applicants must ensure they are eligible for the grant opportunity. Read carefully the Call for Applications and guidelines prior to working on an application, so as to not waist time on grants for which your organization is ineligible. Each grant/fund source has its own specifications or requirements with respect to who is eligible to apply, grantee obligations, and reporting requirements. All requirement must be followed.
Specificity. Grants are typically awarded for a distinct program, project or purpose. Grantors (fund sources) generally focus their “giving” on specific areas, such as a specific population, certain types of nonprofits, or particulate types of support/projects/outcomes/social impact/etc.
Grants can provide different types of support for your organization, such as:
Operating support or unrestricted funding. These are grants for day-to-day operating costs. Awarded funds are used to support the general work of an organization rather than dedicated to a particular purpose, project, or program.
Capital support is commonly given for specific campaigns to support building construction or acquisition, land acquisition, renovations, remodeling, or the rehabilitation of property.
Program support is given to provide funding or restricted funding for a particular purpose, project, or program. Program support is the most common type of grant funding.
Important: grant funds may be restricted or unrestricted to specific purposes or functions as outlined by the grantor and described in your application. Always contact the program officer about any questions you have about expectations about how funds can (or can not) be spent.
Grant-based funding alone won’t sustain an organization. Grant funding must be part of a diversified fundraising plan as well as revenue stream for your organization. There are many sources and experts offering advice about the “best mix’ of funding sources for an organization’s fiscal health. Check them out! Too much dependence on any one type of fund source and you risk jeopardizing your organization, if a key fund source diminishes, grants falls through, or revenue declines.
Next time: Part 2 Where can you find grants?
