Why You Should Think Carefully Before Pursuing Grant Funding

Do you find yourself coming up with new ideas for your nonprofit that need to be funded….NOW?!

Is your first thought to find a grant to fund your project?

Here’s why you should think carefully about this approach…

Grants can be a great way to fund a project or an emergent need that your organization has. But grants have limits:

- You may only be able request restricting amount that could be less than what you need

- Deadlines may be very tight by the time you find the opportunity, leaving you with little time to prepare and submit

- What if you have questions about the application and you can’t talk to the grant officer?

- The grant may only be available for one year of your program, then what?

Grants are often the “go-to” for nonprofit startups. They require lots of time and effort and many submit with little to no interaction with the grant decision-maker; leaving it all up to chance like waiting for your SAT results.

Don’t get me wrong. Grants are and will always be an integral part of a fundraising program. But they are not necessarily a means to an end. Use them, but don’t rely on them to sustain your program every year.

Building meaningful relationships on behalf of your nonprofit with the right passionate individuals is much more sustainable.

Finding people who have a link to your organization (through your board, staff or acquaintances) who are interested in your mission and have the ability to give at a significant level, can be the key to sustainable funding for your organization.

Bringing them closer to your mission by helping them understand what you do and how you do it for the people you serve, while listening closely to what excites them about your organization will ensure that you’ve found donors who will give year after year.

Asking them for money is actually the easy part.?