Systems Without Feedback Are Stupid: Evaluation & Grant Writing

Nonprofits are designed to be adaptable and responsive to their changing environments—or at least they should be. An organization must be ready to change when circumstances around them change such as politics, the economy and social expectations. What does this mean for grant writers? A lot.

One of the most important pieces of the grant writing process is evaluation. Funders want to know that you have goals and that you are able to reach them. In your proposal you must have a clearly defined plan of your benchmarks and the ability to measure your success.

As Ed Skloot, Director of the Center for Strategic Philanthropy and Civil Society and Professor of the Practice of Public Policy at the Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University (whew!), once said, “Systems without feedback are stupid”.

As a grant writer, it is imperative that you work with staff and program managers to determine what your organization can achieve and how you will achieve it over a set period of time. You are not the one guiding their program goals, but rather motivating conversation. Becoming an outcomes-oriented organization with funders means that you need to have processes in place before you ask for funding or at least before you receive any grant awards.

Grant writers aren’t simply responsible for getting good ideas on paper and making them great. It is wise to make sure what you are writing about can really happen. Ask the tough questions that will help your organization think about the big picture and design programs that can provide solid feedback to funders.

~Cheers!

Grant Savvy Humor

 

Courtesy: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Grant Savvy Books: The Ask

The newest book added to the Savvy Library is "The Ask: How to Ask for Support for Your Nonprofit, Cause, Creative Project or Business Venture" by Laura Fredricks.

Below is a great review from the experts at the Paul Clarke Nonprofit Resource Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They are a tremendous resource for information and having worked with them early in their inception I can speak highly for how much knowledge Marilyn shares with those in Allen County and beyond.

"The Ask: How to Ask for Support for Your Nonprofit, Cause, Creative Project or Business Venture

In her updated and expanded version of The Ask: How to Ask for Support for Your Nonprofit Cause, Creative Project, or Business Venture, author and fundraiser Laura Fredricks offers a step-by-step approach to making the ask. Divided in two parts (What do I need to Know Before I ask? and How Do I Make the Ask?), The Ask outlines the process with chapters on: What Does Money Mean to You?; How Do I Know Who to Ask and When to Ask?; Asking for a Cause – Small and Large Charitable Gifts; Handling the Responses to the Ask: Following Up with Each and Every Ask.

Fredricks offers sample dialogues to prompt “asking” conversations along and frames the book with her list of Ten Things to Know about Every Ask."

~Cheers

Grant Writing & the 2010 Census

Census data can aid grantwriters in all phases of the proposal process. Knowing how to find data, how to gather information and and how to assimilate it into your planning is key to being effective.

If you can define how many people are underserved or how many people live below the poverty line in your community, you can make a case for developing a program to support their needs.

If you can define the diversity in your neighborhood and incorporate it into your narrative, you can point to the need to build resources that support culture, ethnicity and language needs.

Census data is also valuable when reporting or doing program evaluation. How does you program stack up to the demographics in your community? Did you serve the population that needed to be served? Did you miss an opportunity that you can build into future activities?

Bottom line: the census defines who we are as a nation. Every year, the federal government distributes more than $400 billion to state, local and tribal governments based on census data. Accurate census data help determine congressional representation, grant funding and guide local decision-makers on where to build new roads, hospitals, housing, schools and more.

The 2010 Census form has 10 simple questions. Please complete and mail back your form. Encourage your family, friends, neighbors and organizations to do the same. For more information, visit the 2010 Census.

Grant Savvy Humor

Courtesy: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Using Stories in Grants to Demonstrate Needs

One of the most compelling ways to share your organization’s success or need for funding is to put a face to your program. Collecting stories, quotes and photos throughout the year will make the proposal process much easier. When your grant writer has creative tools at their disposal, the more powerful your proposal can become.

• Do you currently collect photos of program participants (with consent)?

• Do you have system for tracking feedback or comments (an important part of the evaluation process)?

• Do you save press-clippings that are relevant to your program needs or success?

• Do you get updates from program managers on a regular basis?

Incorporating a participant experience throughout your proposal can draw the readers into your story and help them relate to your needs. Effective storytelling is one important layer in establishing relevance to what you do. Consider a few techniques to make this work:

• Use a main character who can be present during the entire proposal. An example being a small child who enters a hospital via an emergency department for care, but cannot pay for services. Throughout the proposal, you will highlight the needs of this child/family and how they relate to the program(s) you are trying to fund. Their journey will be representative of your larger population. Personalizing their journey adds a dynamic outside of statistics and raw data.

• Incorporate quotes, testimonials, and anecdotes from program participants and managers. What does the doctor in the emergency department have to say about the importance of helping a child who cannot pay for services? What does the child’s family have to say? What does this mean for them?

Proactively think about finding opportunities to bring a human element to your proposal. It makes it easier to read and much more enjoyable to write. Remember, the majority of grant reviewers aren’t an expert on your program and you need to relate in terms they can understand. People relate to people.

One final point: don’t make up stories and/or quotes in order to sell your program. Not only is this just plain wrong, it’s unethical. Don’t do it. Work with program managers, program participants, and your communications department to gather materials throughout the year that will help you. I guarantee it will make your proposal stronger and more meaningful.

What’s a great way to get started? Dust off a declined proposal that you want to make better and incorporate a bit of storytelling. Then share the proposal internally (staff, volunteers, board members) and see what kind of response you get. You’ll see what I mean…

Find Harmony in Your Relationship with Foundations & Funders

Building a solid relationship with a grant funder is like courting. You introduce yourself, you small-talk about common interest and if you have more to talk about, you schedule a time to meet for coffee (or a site-visit).

You want to choose a partner who will complement your work and help you succeed in reaching your goals. You want your partner to value what you have to offer and see the potential in your growth. You also want to be able to give something equally as meaningful to support your partner. You are submitting an ‘application for investment’ to someone who has the means to support your project or program. Why should they choose you?

So, how does this Dr. Phil nonsense fit in the world of nonprofit grant writing? Like this: Under-appreciating the value of a good relationship with your funder is a mistake that many nonprofits make in the haste to submit a proposal. The veil of the corporate giving process or the confusing connections of trustee advisors can make the grants process seem less personal, but it is not.

• Be confident in what strengths you bring to the table and be aware of your organization’s weak points.

• Don’t jump into an ask during your first meeting.

• Build trust and interest in the work you do.

• Create personal connections to the program officers who will support you. Stay connected.

• Ask questions that will help you learn more from your funder.

• Always thank them for their time. Always.

• Seek the advice of Major Gift Officers (MGOs) who operate in a highly personal donor environment.

You will learn the boundaries that are naturally created in relationships with some funders. Certain program officers don’t appreciate being inundated by emails, phone calls or annuals reports and they will tell you not to communicate with them until they reach out to you. That’s okay. Other funders appreciate updates, email check-ins, and phone calls to say thank you on a regular basis. That’s great!

Managing grants is more than keeping track of deadlines. It involves managing a team of partners with different wants, needs and values. The personal relationship, on any level, will become increasingly relevant as funders are becoming concerned about appropriate use of grant dollars during tight economic times. The bottom line: be transparent, be open and be willing learn. It’s about people first and programs second.