Substance and Style

    Tag: Grants

    • Three Non-Fundraising Fundraising Activities for Your Board

      While some nonprofits have engaged Boards that regularly bring in revenue, there are far more that don’t do any fundraising at all. This can be a problem when it comes to finding new grants; many foundations will not even consider funding organizations that don’t have 100% Board contributions. With only slightly over half of nonprofits…

    • Top 5 Places to Find Grants Without Paying to Search 

      Everyone wants grants, but most people don’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars a year to search grant and foundation databases. Here are some places to look for free: Your local government. Start at the town or city level, move on to the county, and then to the state. Most local governments have a…

    • Grant Series, Part 4: What’s Next?

      Once you’ve submitted the grant, it’s time to sit back and wait (probably for a longer time than you think). Don’t contact the funder or pester them for an answer. Distract yourself by looking for more opportunities. Eventually, you’ll hear from them. If you receive the grant: Pat yourself on the back. This is a…

    • Grant Series, Part 3: Writing The Grant

      Now that you’ve done the prep work, actually writing the grant will be much easier. You’ve already gathered the information you need to make your case; now it’s a matter of organizing it effectively and writing persuasively. Every application is different, but most will ask for an overview of your organization or company, an overview…

    • Grant Series, pt. 2: Be Prepared!

      Once you’ve located some grants, do as much prep work as possible before trying to write one.  Find the right fit. Carefully review the guidelines and only apply if your organization meets all of the criteria: • Your mission is clear and aligns with theirs• You are in the geographic location they require• You have…

    • Grant Series, Pt. 1: Get Around the Gatekeeping

      Grants are an ideal source of funding for nonprofit organizations and small businesses, but most people don’t know where to find them. Foundations don’t make it easy; most of them don’t have a website or they they require an invitation code to gain access. Services like Grantwatch can be extremely useful, but they cost hundreds…