You're managing a non-profit grant. How can you keep track of everything?

Loads of great responses in here. But I urge leaders to consider the benefits of AI to streamline inefficiencies in grant management. Microsoft’s new product (as just one example) will help you develop a grant plan, track the plan, analyse the performance of the grant and report back on the outcomes. Give it a go!

Utilize a grant tracking spreadsheet: Create a separate spreadsheet to track key grant information, such as project objectives, deliverables, funding milestones, and progress. Include columns for status updates, completion dates, and responsible team members.

As the CEO of a nonprofit, I would ensure a dedicated team or individual is responsible for tracking grants. We would maintain a comprehensive database or system to monitor grant applications, deadlines, reporting requirements, track the financials, and outcomes. Regular check-ins and updates within the team would also be crucial to stay on top of grant management. Additionally, utilizing software or tools designed for nonprofit grant management could streamline the process and ensure transparency and accountability.

It may seem that getting the grant was the biggest challenge but now that you have the grant the reality hits that the biggest challenge is before you to carry out and finish what you've promised in getting the funds. The most critical paths are to set a timeline and also a performance driven set of benchmarks and connect the two plans. The grant contract or agreement already contains what is expected of you and what you now need to do is to be sure that as you spend the funds and move forward that there is no deviation from what has been promised. Indeed, while not per se cited in this set of action steps, negotiating and agreeing to terms in a grant agreement or contract with the Grantor is vital in being prepared to put together goals.

The relevance of having CLARITY of purpose and on the processes of a project cannot be overemphasized, in that, it will really enhance you and your team's velocity in achieving desired outcomes and then monitoring/evaluating impact.

En pénurie de main d'oeuvre et pour incarner nos valeurs, je communique de plus en plus avec les bailleurs de fonds notre intention de créer des emplois de plus grande qualité, avec de bons salaires et de bonnes conditions, quitte à créer moins d'emplois. Cela augmente la rétention, l'expertise, et les résultats suivent. C'est terminé le missionnariat (majoritairement féminin) dans les organismes. Il faut cesser de vouloir aider les clientèles vulnérables en appauvrissant nos équipes. Je calcule aussi un montant pour célébrer la cl?ture du projet. On célèbre trop peu les victoires et les realisations: il faut prendre le temps de féliciter les équipes, et cela devrait faire partie intégrante de nos budgets!

This is so crucial. When I was first writing grants, I wasn't always careful to ensure my budget estimates were accurate. Now, I always ensure that 2-3 others on the team are reviewing it.

Pour monter mon budget réaliste de nombreuses variables sont à prendre en compte. L’estimation des besoins est une tache ardue. J’utilise le logiciel Previ-start Il est important de disposer de la bonne maitrise de son évènement d’obtenir une estimation des co?ts réalistes, je calcul le budget nécessaire pour répondre à l’objectifs. Pour cela, un tableau des différentes catégories de dépenses prévues est dressé telles que : Cachets des artistes Droits d’auteur Location du lieu Scènes, son, lumières, décorations Prestataires Assurances Personnel Marketing et communication Hospitalité Matériel divers

Some costs that are often overlooked when constructing a project budget are items like annual leave loading, Award changes (increased hourly rates, progressing to next band in the award), workers insurance, and technology. I cost salaries based on the final year of the project, which provides a financial contingency for increased prices due to inflation / consumer price index (CPI).

Develop a reporting schedule and template for progress reports, financial reports, and other required documentation. Clearly communicate reporting requirements to all team members. Keep detailed records of all communications related to the grant, including emails, meetings, and phone calls. Maintain a centralized repository for easy reference.

I'm not sure how valuable this would be as each funder has such specific requirements for reporting, and often have their own templates. The software would have to be extremely flexible in order to do what you wanted it to do.

There are several software for managing grants available. I haven't used them yet but I plan to try them out. Foundant Grant Lifecycle Manager, Fluxx Grantmaking, SmartyGrants, GrantHub, Submittalbe, SurveyMonkey Apply, WizeHive Zengine, and Grant Solutions.

I manage multiple grants. Excel and Basecamp are my favorite tools to stay organized and keep my team on track of goals, assignments, and deadlines.

Keep an open line of communication with your PO throughout the grant period. Some funders truly view their supporting role as beyond funding. For instance, if you are organising an event as part of your grant and would like more representation from certain areas, tap into your funder's network. These conversations also offer natural opportunities to give updates so that the report won't have big surprises. The unexpected or unplanned is already set in a context that your advocate already has.

While every grant will have its own set of requirements, perhaps one of the most important things to keep in mind at all times is the importance of communicating variances to the grantor. Here are a few key points that I have see applicable, across-the-board: 1. Every funding organization is different, so having a solid understanding of your audience is always key. Some do not care much for over communication, so refrain from over sharing irrelevant data. 2. Projects rarely have 100% success so if a negative trend is determined early on, communicate that to the grantor to adjust expectations. No one likes to be blindsided, so being proactive in communication is paramount. 3. Own the process: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Effective communication is key part, Open communication within your team and with stakeholders. Regular meetings, updates, and feedback loops will help you stay on top of everything and ensure the grant's success.

Es importante no generar una dinámica de excesiva comunicación, con muchos mensajes o correos y con largos textos. Enfocarse en mensajes concisos y estratégicos.

Alignment and Collaboration is key: Communication is not one directional and is not a checkbox in the process. When stakeholders understand the goals and objectives of grant tracking, they can align their efforts and resources accordingly. Communication provides an opportunity to clarify any questions or concerns, ensuring everyone is on the same page. It also allows for collaborative problem-solving and adjustments as needed, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the grant tracking process.

Keeping track of everything requires multiple approaches. From my experience, commissioning a great team of foot soldiers at different levels works. The ability of one’s team creates the difference and enhances accountability, efficiency and excellence in performance.

"You're managing a non-profit grant. How can you keep track of everything?" This is an ambiguous question and could apply as much to the grant maker as to the grant recipient. Considering it from the point of view of the donor, in my view, the most powerful way you can monitor and evaluate impact, is to meet the beneficiaries of the project face-to-face and interact with them. To make reporting evaluation easier for the recipient organization, you should not constrain them to using your templates, but allow them to report in the way they consider most appropriate. For example, this might be to submit videos or report in other formats.

Often the templates you have to use for reporting to the funder is very specific and may or may not include the evaluation piece. If it does, it's often already in their on-line reporting tool.

The person who wrote the grant and solicited the funds must be looped into the M and E process if not in charge of it. This will smooth rough edges and help prevent material misunderstandings

The entire framework of the suggested responses ignores the most crucial element in *management*, which I take to mean implementation, of a complex nonprofit grant. I've been there many times. My answer is, hire the right people, create a mission-driven culture, encourage feedback and accountability, and get your head out of the computer software and out onto the floor. The answer categories suggested by the robot are typical of robotic thinking.

Grant management is very important and reflects poorly or beneficially on your organization’s ability to carry out the proposed plan. Use grant management software, add a grant management module within your donor management software, or create an Excel database that helps you manage reporting deadlines and other data to include in the report. Be sure it is clear on who will report to the grantor, who will write the report, who is accountable to keeping track of metrics, and how reminders are being sent to ensure tasks are completed in a timely manner. I found GrantHub very helpful, it sends reminders, helps set goals, enable notes and contact information of grantors. It provides reports and metrics on where we are in the process.

It’s important not to put the grant away once it’s funded but to keep an eye on what you promised and collect the data as you go. So often we’re just focused on getting the money and then we know we’re supposed to do something but without some systems to track and collect data, come reporting time we are floundering, trying to answer accurately and on time.

Managing a grant typically requires managing both performance and compliance, internally and with your donor. A lot of contributions mention usual dimensions of good project management : project plans, milestones, communication, budgeting, etc. I have found a specificity of successful grant management is the ability to minimise the difference between donors’ expectations and internal expectations. This is especially true for the performance side (objectives, outputs and outcomes), as there is usually less room for discussion on the compliance side (reporting, etc). So in a nutshell: 1. Discuss early performance indicators to reach a common ground 2. Align internal compliance with donors’ expectations to limit duplication of work.

Effective management and tracking of grant submissions are crucial for nonprofit success. Start by creating a detailed calendar with deadlines for each grant's application, follow-up, and reporting. Utilize a project management tool or a spreadsheet to log each grant's status, key contacts, and specific requirements. Regularly update this tool as you progress through the application stages. Assign clear responsibilities to team members for each grant to ensure accountability. Additionally, maintain a comprehensive file system, either digitally or physically, for each grant application, including all correspondence and submitted documents. Regularly review and adjust your tracking system to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Participatory Methodology Everyone is a stakeholder in the project. So getting voices will not only enrich productive participation but also engender ownership of the project or program thereby making it a success and sustainable.