If you’re a nonprofit, the likelihood that you have or will need to apply for a grant is almost inevitable. Most nonprofit organizations sustain themselves at some point with the help of a grant. For some, a grant serves as a supplement and for others, grants are their livelihood.
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As a consultant, I’ve been called upon on numerous occasions to assist with this process, either through technical support, assisting with compiling information or actually writing the grant altogether. In most instances, there has been a common theme of disjointedness, which shouldn’t be the case.
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Although a nonprofit by nature usually equates to enormous need and limited resources, staff and executives can operate more efficiently if they create processes and systems.
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A nonprofit is no different from any other business that is governed by a series of daily operations. With that in mind, any activity that is repeated more than two or three times should be systemized. And grant writing is a good place to start.
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Here are just a few reasons why systemizing this process should be the nonprofit’s next big priority:
1. Increase Productivity
When you are taking the time to do something over and over again from scratch, you waste time – a lot of it. By creating a standard process and system you allow your organization and staff to set some standards each time you prepare to submit a grant application. Regardless of who is working on the task, they’ll easily know what to do and how to do it.
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2. Maximize Resources
I have seen an incredible amount of time, energy and resources being utilized to put a grant proposal together. While putting a proposal together does take some effort, it shouldn’t eat up all the resources of the organization. When you put a clear system and processes together, simple questions like, what individuals should be working on this, are easily answered.
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3. Improve Results
A poorly written grant is often attributed to a lack of preparation and time. If a grant proposal is thrown together, it will usually read that way. If you’re rushed to put a grant together, small details can be overlooked. Your best chance for success is to clearly state your cause, answer the questions that are asked, show relevant outcomes and lay out your document in a way that is easy to understand and read. This can’t be achieved if you are scrambling to find information that should be readily available.
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Systemizing the grant writing process is an important activity that can significantly improve efficiency, productivity and results. Learn how to create an effective system by accessing the Nonprofit Grant Readiness Package.
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