Successfully securing essential grant funding can transform missions into measurable impact. This blog outlines best practices for nonprofit grant seekers. We provide expert advice and strategies to equip your organization in securing crucial funding so you can continue doing what you do best – transforming lives and making a world of difference!
Thinking about pursuing federal funding? Here are the best practices recommended by the experts at REA Analytics.
Clear Mission and Alignment – Ensure that the grants you pursue align with your organization’s mission and goals. The grants you apply for should, if you are funded, help you to expand or enhance the things you already do so well. This might mean providing additional, targeted services to address an unmet need, or reaching out with the same services to a wider population. Organizations that can clearly show an alignment of their mission with the purpose of the funding entity are more likely to be awarded funds.
Research and Targeting – Familiarize yourself with grants.gov and other grant application websites. Dedicate time to researching possible grant opportunities that best suit your organization in terms of focus areas, geographic scope, and eligibility criteria. Cultivate Relationships – Even before pursuing a grant, reach out to your key community partners to get their commitment to contribute letters of commitment or support, which are needed with most federal grants. This step takes time upfront but will help move along the grant application process. Build and maintain strong relationships with potential funders by attending networking events, engaging in informational interviews, and seeking opportunities for collaboration prior to applying for grants.
Create a grant-procurement strategy – Create a complete grant procurement strategy that identifies areas of need in your organization, potential funding sources, and timelines for when grants will be released. A good plan will help you be prepared to act quickly as grant funding is announced.
Ready to apply for federal funding?
Read Guidelines Carefully – Read the grant announcement thoroughly. Pay special attention to grant guidelines and requirements. Make sure you meet all requirements for eligibility and carefully adhere to the qualifying conditions and application guidelines.
Compelling Storytelling – Create a compelling story that clearly outlines the mission, impact, and specific program you seek to fund. Use real-life stories and statistics to demonstrate the needs within your community that you intend to address if funded. Detailed Budgeting – Create a comprehensive budget that is consistent with program expenses. Funders want to see that their investment will be used wisely and efficiently.
Collaborative Grant Writing – Engage a team of individuals who can contribute to the grant writing process. This may include program staff, subject matter experts, and professional grant writers and evaluators. Collaborative efforts often produce stronger applications.
Proof of Impact – Collect data showing past successes by your organization and the potential for future impact. Use data and outcomes to demonstrate how your organization already creates meaningful change in the community. Review and Revise – Prior to submission, review your grant application thoroughly for clarity, consistency, and compliance with guidelines. Seek feedback from colleagues or mentors and be open to making revisions.
Remember that grant procurement is not just about securing funds, but also about cultivating long-term relationships with funders, demonstrating your organization’s capacity to create positive change, and aligning your mission with grant opportunities. By following these practices, you can enhance your nonprofit’s grant-seeking efforts and increase your chances of sustained funding.
Learn more about the evaluation design and data analysis created for partner organization Arbor Circle's RE-LINK program in our featured project case study.
