Why Grants?
More than any other form of fundraising, grants require extensive planning, careful execution, and broad coordination between development, program, finance, and marketing departments.
Many organizations contact us because:
They want to get started in grants, and they know they need support
They are already in the thick of it, and they are frustrated or overwhelmed
They want to know: IS IT WORTH IT?
Grants have the power to transform.
Grants have the power to transform organizations beyond the dollars raisedUnlike any other form of fundraising, grants require you to put your house in order. They require you to look closely at the bottom-line impact you are working to achieve. To set programmatic milestones along the way. To examine your financial procedures. To work toward better coordination between your development and program teams. To better align your development and marketing efforts. To plan ahead. To plan farther ahead. To justify your goals and strategies to educated stakeholders.
This complexity is why many organizations find grants so frustrating.
It’s exactly why we love grants.
And why grants are an essential part of your fundraising program. Organizations that dedicate themselves to the grants process find that their work becomes more effective and efficient, with less stress on staff.
The effort is large, but the payoff is huge.
Grants spur growth in other fundraising areas as well.
Organizations with strong grants programs have compelling, up-to-date program data on hand to present to corporate donors. They have long-range plans to share with major donors. They have great copy on all their plans and programs to use in case statements, major gift solicitations, capital campaign materials, and marketing pieces. They have more prospects in their major gift portfolios.
Grants inspire matching gift campaigns. They motivate corporate involvement. They lend credibility and visibility to an organization, which aids donor acquisition. They launch new and innovative projects that then become appealing to other donors. They ensure that an organization can handle donor restrictions or requirements with ease. Growing a grants program means growing your overall fundraising program as well.
So yes, we believe grants are worth it!
Grants offer a unique potential for growth for organizations that are serious about raising more money and becoming more efficient.