Instrumentl

We submit so many grant proposals that it's hard to know what's working and what's not. How can we improve? Here's advice from Instrumentl's Expert Council on how to improve your next grant submission: Matt Hugg recommends crafting an ⚡️ engaging executive summary ⚡️ by focusing on the funder's goals and how your project helps them achieve them. He also suggests showing how your mission aligns with the funder's and how who you serve aligns with their target population when connecting your mission and background. Jacob B Chase, CFRE advises using data and testimonials to showcase the need and how your project fills gaps. For the project description, he recommends presenting a realistic plan with clear activities and achievable outcomes that align with your budget and timeframe. Arnold King emphasizes the importance of reading the guidelines and focusing on the funder's mission, as well as presenting measurable and trackable results that demonstrate the project's impact. Remember: 1️⃣ Do your research on the funder! 2️⃣ Clearly demonstrate how your project aligns with their mission and priorities. 3️⃣ Use data and success indicators to showcase the project's impact. What are your best grant-writing tips? Share them in the comments! #grantwriting #nonprofit #fundraising

Grant prospecting for a new project or program is overwhelming. We asked several seasoned grant professionals about how they overcome common prospecting challenges: 1. Identify the Right Funders for Your Cause Amanda Acton, GPC shared that you should ditch misleading categories and dig into 990s and websites to understand a funder's true giving patterns. Teresa Huff advised to ask upfront if your project aligns with the funder's priorities, as not all causes are created equal. 2. Make the Most of Your Time Veronica Kulon suggested prioritizing based on impact, leveraging search filters, and collaborating with your team to overcome feeling strapped for staff and time. 3. Stand Out from the Competition Matt Hugg recommended not just telling funders what you do, but showing them how you complement their mission. He encouraged being creative, such as an adult literacy program demonstrating how a parent's literacy impacts their child's learning. Arnisha T Johnson advised not to fret over outdated listings - reach out to the funder, find similar opportunities, and update your tracker to help others. 4. Build Meaningful Funder Relationships Shavonn Richardson, MBA, GPC shared that networking to build your reputation in the community can lead to funders coming to you. Denise Henry suggested not giving up if foundations say "no unsolicited proposals" - introduce yourself with an elevator pitch and build a relationship. 5. Prepare Your Organization for Success Patrice Shumate emphasized ensuring your house is in order with clear programs, strong narratives, and realistic expectations before prospecting. Dr. Bev Browning recommended leveraging your board's network to have them reach out to private funders after researching the funder's mission and leadership. 6. Go Beyond the Basics Arnold King shared that online tools and databases are your friend when feeling the time crunch, and to not be shy about asking for clarification on unclear criteria. Sarah B. Lange (Coin Carrier) noted that even without a website, you can use Guidestar dot org to view a funder's past 3 years of 990s and see their giving trends. Remember: Grant prospecting is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay organized, build relationships, and showcase the impact you're making! What are your best grant prospecting tips? Share them in the comments below!

Ever wonder what makes a grant proposal stand out to a funder? Grant professionals from Instrumentl's Expert Council share their secrets on uncovering these priorities: 1. Mining the Public Record: ⛏️ 👉 Jacob B Chase, CFRE: "Always review the funder's 990. It reveals past giving patterns, typical grant sizes, and geographic focus." 👉 Erin Sekerak, Grants Consultant: "I look at their 990s. They offer valuable insights into a funder's giving history." 👉 Theresa Fowler, MA, GPC, Certified Grant Professional: "Do your research, check website, 990, etc. It's a treasure trove of information!" Going Beyond the Surface: 👉 Teresa Huff, ACNP, Nonprofit Strategist & Podcast Host: "Look at more than just the surface-level info on their website. Study their past giving trends and look for patterns." 2. Picking Up The Phone: 📞 👉 Chester Beard, Seasoned Grant Writer: "When I contact them and discuss what they want to see happen with their money once allocated, I find out so much information about the funder that I would not find otherwise. Questions come up in conversation that I would not necessarily come to mind while I am looking at a computer screen trying to write an email." What strategies do you use to uncover a funder's priorities? Share your tips in the comments! 🤩

We always get asked, "How do I prioritize all the grants I find?" 🤷 So we asked the Instrumentl Expert Council, “What grants should nonprofits prioritize?” Here’s a roundup of their best tips: 1. Start Locally! - "Banks often have fairly easy applications and area foundations support local initiatives. Conquer the local funding scene first." - Sarah B. Lange (Coin Carrier) 2. Only Pursue What You Need At The Start - "Consider your organization’s size, capacity, and project needs. Competitive grants are great for innovative projects; continuation grants for ongoing programs." - Rachel Grusin 3. Grants That You Have The Most Overlap With Mission-Wise - "Prioritize grants that align with your mission, vision, and strategic plan." - Elizabeth Burrows 4. Start With Continuation Grants - "Continuation Grants first. Next, Formula Grants if you meet criteria, followed by Pass-through Grants and Competitive Grants." - Matt Hugg 5. Start Small Before Expanding - "For small teams, seek pass-through and continuation grants first. Large teams should spread efforts across all grant types." - Daphne Keys, CFRE What grant strategies have worked for your nonprofit? Share your experiences below! 👇 #grants #nonprofits #grantseeking

How do you make every grant dollar count? 📊 Join the discussion on July 10 to hear essential strategies for post-award grant management, hosted by NXUnite by Nexus Marketing Link to register below 👇 #GrantManagement #PostAward #Grants #Nonprofits

Juggling multiple grants can be daunting. We asked members of Instrumentl's Expert Council for their top tips to keep everything on track. Here’s what they recommend: You need a dedicated calendar 🗓️ "A dedicated calendar is an essential proposal writing tool. Start with the submission date, then backdate with specific deadlines for each part of each proposal." - Matt Hugg, President & Founder at Nonprofit.Courses You also need a grant tracker 📊 "I use a grant tracker to log prospects and track each grant's status. Instrumentl's calendar is the most organized tracker I've seen. The biggest mistake I've seen is disorganization leading to missed tasks like deadlines and reports. Stay organized or hire someone to manage it." - Arnisha T Johnson, CEO & Chief Grants Officer at Manifesting On More Visualize your grant management 🖥️ "I use Kanban boards to see progress on multiple applications. It helps in a multi-person environment to visualize what's next for each proposal." - Matt Hugg Make it a regular practice to keep everyone informed 📅 "In Outlook, I put grant and report deadlines, inviting those I need information from with questions and prompts in the calendar body. Also, make sure your organization has a point person to manage grants. Keep others accountable to submit reports so the funder knows the funds are used correctly." - Erin Sekerak Adopt a process-oriented approach 🛠️ "Develop a process from discovery to completed proposal, and stick to it. Documenting processes allows you to handle more applications." - Matt Hugg "Identify a system that works for you and adapt it to your clients. My tracker works best for me and can be used by all my clients." - Arnisha T. Johnson Share the grant management tips you swear by in the comments below! #grantmanagement #nonprofits #grantwriting

Want to win more grants? The first step is being able to find good fit funders 🔎 Join us this Wednesday and leave with a list of new potential funders - plus special prizes for our live audience!

Do nonprofits need to follow up with funders after applying for a grant? what strategies actually work, if any? 🤔 Following up with funders after submitting a grant proposal sparks varied opinions among grant professionals. So we asked our Instrumentl Expert Council. Here are their insights: ❌ "No. Most funders do not want to be contacted after a proposal is submitted. Before, yes. After, no." - The Hon. Rachel Waterman, GPC, CFRE ✅ "As a grant writer, I always follow up with an email explaining how organization 'X' is looking forward to hearing back. I do not think it moves the needle, so it is a matter of politeness." - Chester Beard 🤷 "Yes and no. It depends on the funder. Some like the follow-up and some don't like to be bothered and some you can't even find who the person is to follow up with. It depends." - Erin Sekerak What's your take on following up with funders? Share your take in the comments below! 👇 #grantfunding #nonprofits

Hear how Jan Spackman, Director of Grants at Sleep in Heavenly Peace, doubled her organization's grant funding in just one year by scaling her grants program 📈 🤯

🎓✨ Congrats to our Grantseeker Growth Course grads! In three weeks, these rockstars not only earned 3.0 CFRE International points & a course certificate, they also: 🏁 Gained 3 new frameworks for building grant strategies across their teams 🤝 Added 7 funder relationship-building tactics to their tool box 🏗 Learned the 5-step blueprint for successful post-award management Register for our next free event in the comments 👀