How to Build a Grant Timeline: Never Miss Out on Funding

Writing grants can feel like a frantic sprint through an airport to catch the last flight home or like relaxing in the comfort of a first-class seat. The difference lies in having a well-structured grant timeline.  

Embarrassingly, I once tackled a major grant proposal without a proper timeline, and my team has a photo of me asleep on my keyboard just two hours before the submission deadline. I’ve learned from my mistakes so you don’t have to learn from yours; missing grant deadlines can be a thing of the past. Imagine the relief of hitting every milestone on time with the confidence of knowing your funding success is on a well-planned track thanks to a grant timeline.

In this article, we’ll show you the importance of a comprehensive grant timeline, provide practical steps to help you plan grant activities, and explain how Instrumentl can assist in organizing and tracking these essential tasks.

At first glance, grant due dates might seem straightforward, but managing multiple grants simultaneously can quickly become overwhelming. 

Think about managing grants like raising kids: one is fun, two suddenly feels like more than double the effort, add a third and you begin to feel like you're treading water, by the fourth you feel like you’re just running a circus! 

Implementing well-structured grant timelines transforms this chaos into a coordinated effort, enabling your team to work harmoniously and thrive in managing funding opportunities.

Navigating Grant Writing Complexities

The reality is, writing quality grant proposals is complex. 

Crafting a compelling narrative to demonstrate how your organization and its goals align with a foundation's funding objectives requires careful planning and internal collaboration (even if you’re part of a lean team). 

This process involves:

• Listening to programming teams to help you develop a comprehensive proposal.
• Creating detailed budgets to outline the use of potential funds (often including an accompanying budget narrative).
• Conducting thorough research.
• Projecting programmatic outcomes related to the funding. 

Consider too, the added layer that no two proposals are the same. As a friendly heads up, most complexities found within the grant process don't reveal themselves until the writing is underway, like outcomes measurement re-alignment for grant compliance or the need for more research than what you might have in the queue. 

Listen to what Arnisha T Johnson, CEO and Chief Grants Officer, had to say about managing multiple grants at once: 

“The biggest mistake I've seen organizations make when managing several grants is letting important tasks fall through the cracks. This can easily happen when there is disorganization of information possibly due to overload or overwhelm. These important tasks could be deadlines, documents meant to upload, follow-ups required, or even late reports—all things that can cause the missed opportunity for grants.” —Arnisha T Johnson, CEO and Chief Grants Officer

A well-constructed grant timeline ensures buffer time is built in to manage these uncontrolled variables and that your team can effectively manage overlapping deadlines while sharing the collective workload efficiently. 

Where a Grant Timeline Really Benefits Your Organization

As a leader focused on generating more revenue to advance your mission, you're always on the lookout for additional funding opportunities. 

Understanding when to pursue grants is a critical component of determining which grants to pursue, and this is where a surefire grant-timeline really benefits your organization.

For example, my organization recently identified funding (thanks to Instrumentl!) for a position that would allow us to hire a youth sports coordinator. The unfortunate reality is that without a grant timeline and a grant calendar, we would have pursued this funding prematurely, resulting in a poorly crafted proposal, and likely more photos of me using my keyboard as a pillow. Worse, I would have pushed my team during an already full season of proposal writing. We now plan to prioritize this proposal next spring, ensuring a more well-prepared submission.

This advice was echoed by Erin Sekerak, Grant Strategist & Consultant: 

“Stay organized with tracking sheets and calendars. It's the only way you won't miss a deadline or get off track. Missing a deadline could cost the organization thousands for their mission. Also don't take on more than you can manage or try to fit your organization into a grant. Getting the funds is great but it could mean managing some pretty intense outcomes that you're not equipped to handle.” —Erin Sekerak, Grant Strategist & Consultant

When deadlines overlap, a grant timeline acts as a preventative solution, transforming potential chaos into an organized and manageable schedule, warding off the threat of the circus coming to town. Instead, it’s like having a clear roadmap that guides your team through the ongoing grant writing journey, reducing stress and increasing the likelihood of success.

These essential tasks are based on the assumption that your organization is continuously researching grant opportunities. 

If you’re not yet there, make sure your team understands the difference between grant research and donor prospect research, and (for the sake of your grant timeline) focus on grant research. 

Utilize a checklist of ongoing responsibilities to ensure your organization is continually mining new funding opportunities. And for a quick bonus tip before we jump into the three phases of essential tasks in a grant timeline, here’s how you can expedite the time it takes to find grant funding. 

Pre-Award Phase

Ensure your organization's mission and values align with the foundation’s mission and values. (1 day)

• Task: Review their 990 forms to understand the types of projects and organizations they prefer to fund.
• Details: Analyze past grants awarded, typical grant amounts, and funding preferences.

Read RFPs and Identify Proposal Due Dates (1 day)

• Task: Read Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and identify key deadlines.
• Details: Note submission deadlines and any pre-application requirements.

Conduct Internal Programmatic Due Diligence (4 days)

• Task: Perform internal due diligence on programmatic needs and financial requirements through staff collaboration.
• Details: Assess how potential funding will impact your programs and budget.

Gauge Financial Impact (2 days)

• Task: Prepare to gauge the financial impact of the potential funding.
• Details: Project how funds will integrate into existing financial plans.

Schedule Research Period (1 week)

• Task: Allocate time for research to inform the grant proposal.
• Details: Gather data, statistics, and other relevant information to support the proposal (This is a great opportunity to delegate responsibility!).

Schedule Initial Drafting Period (2 weeks)

• Task: Block time to craft the initial draft of the grant proposal.
• Details: Allocate uninterrupted time based on proposal complexity.

Review and Edit Draft (1 week)

• Task: Schedule time to review and edit the initial draft.
• Details: Have someone not involved in drafting review the proposal.

Prepare Budget Narrative (4 days)

• Task: Prepare a budget narrative if required, blending programmatic and financial details.
• Details: Ensure clarity and alignment with the proposal; sometimes less is more.

Internal Review and Feedback (3 days)

• Task: Conduct an internal review and gather feedback on the draft and budget narrative.
• Details: Circulate the draft among key stakeholders for feedback (but be sure you’re getting it in the hands of trusted editors and not cheerleaders who will simply clap and affirm).

Finalize Proposal (3 days)

• Task: Finalize the proposal, making necessary revisions.
• Details: Ensure completeness and accuracy, and verify compliance with RFP requirements. (I repeat, verify with RFP requirements!)

Prepare Supporting Documents (4 days)

• Task: Compile required supporting documents (e.g., financial statements, letters of support).
• Details: Ensure documents are up-to-date and meet foundation requirements.

Submission Preparation (2 days)

• Task: Prepare the final submission package.
• Details: Double-check all elements and format appropriately. (Navigate the submission portal online the week before submission is due!) 

Award Phase

Submit the Proposal

• Ensure familiarity with the foundation’s submission process and submit your proposal accordingly. Not all online portals are created equally (and beware the notorious inability to go back!) so, again, be sure to navigate the submission portal early!

Communicate With Funders 

• Be prepared to address any questions from the foundation. Clarifications are often necessary as funders may not be as familiar with your operations. It goes without saying, but respond to inquiries promptly and clearly.

Schedule a Team Meeting Around the Anticipated Funding Announcement 

• Lead discussions on how the grant will affect internal operations, programming, and communication.

Examine Three Key components Impacted by Funding

• Responsibilities: Identify new responsibilities for team members.
• Accountability: Determine who is accountable to whom and for what new tasks.
• Reporting: Establish processes for reporting and measuring outcomes.

Prepare for Efficient Outcome Measurement 

• Develop internal reporting processes to effectively measure grant outcomes.

Contingency Planning 

• Evaluate potential changes if the proposal is not funded.

Post-Award Phase

Acknowledge Receipt of the Award 

• Review the award announcement and agreement immediately, and formally acknowledge receipt.

Celebrate and Recognize Contributions 

• Celebrate the award with your team and acknowledge everyone's hard work. (A small amount of recognition goes a long way!)

Communicate the News 

• Inform your board and stakeholders about the award and share the positive news.

Conduct Scheduled Team Meeting 

• Hold the planned meeting to discuss the impact of the award. 

Review Reporting Requirements

• Go over programmatic and financial reporting needs, and prepare for potential audits and confirm the start date with your team and develop a pre-start-date to do list to prepare for new program implementation.

Implement Internal Processes

• Establish evaluation, tracking, and communication processes within the organization to manage the grant effectively.

Ensure Compliance Communication 

• Set up compliance communication with the foundation. 
• Understand the agreement’s details, identify your primary contact, and establish the best communication method.

As you can likely gather, there’s a ton that goes into securing grants. Without a clear timeline, you may find yourself racing against deadlines, but a well-organized grant timeline is essential to keep your team on pace and ensure no steps are missed. Keep reading and we’ll show you how to build one!

Step 1: Set Up Your Dedicated Grant Calendar

To elevate your grant strategy, investing in a cloud-based grant calendar—like the one from Instrumentl—is essential. 

My journey with Instrumentl began through my blogging hobby, which aligns with my passion for writing and nonprofit fundraising. From the first trial, the value of Instrumentl was immediately apparent. The interactive grant calendar has quickly become an invaluable asset for my team.

Instrumentl’s cloud-based grant calendar allows you to track everything from task assignments to final application deadlines, including supporting documentation and vital reporting requirements. 

Organizations not leveraging tools like Instrumentl are missing out on significant advantages. If you want your organization to go further faster, this is one of the best ways to streamline operational efficiency. 

Step 2: Review the RFP and Schedule Wisely

Carefully review Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and mark all due dates. (By the way, when you save a grant in Instrumentl, its deadline will automatically be added to your calendar for intuitive tracking!)

Pro Tip: Always create a buffer. Building in at least a week of buffer time before the actual due date safeguards against unexpected delays.

Step 3: Assign Responsibilities

Once you’ve added in your deadlines to your grants timeline, it’s time to start assigning responsibilities. 

• List all sections of each RFP and assign writers and due dates to each.
• Determine what research is needed. It's nearly impossible to craft a grant proposal and then integrate research. It’s best to do research in advance and craft the narrative simultaneously. Delegating research prevents it from becoming a logjam in your timeline.
• Assign deliverables. Outcomes evaluation may be done by a program lead, while the budget narrative could be completed by a CFO or accountant. 
• Order tasks: The order a foundation requires an RFP to be submitted doesn’t have to be the order in which you work on it. Often, it makes sense to start with desired outcomes by collaborating with program leads, then crafting a narrative to describe how you’re going to achieve them. Consider what best makes sense to work on first, and begin filling out your grant calendar accordingly. 

Manual or non-cloud-based grant management is exhausting, especially if managing more than a few grants per year. Fortunately, features like assigning tasks, setting deadlines, and tracking progress are seamlessly managed through Instrumentl’s software. 

Instrumentl’s digital interactive calendar streamlines efficiency, tracks progress, and ensures your team meets deadlines. It’s a comprehensive solution for nonprofit organizations. 

Don’t just take my word for it—the Salesian Sisters of Tampa successfully ditched their Excel sheets in favor of Instrumentl and quickly raised $129K.

Step 4: Integrate Check-Ins

Scheduling regular check-ins is essential for maintaining progress and team morale. 

Whether it’s a 15-minute weekly check-in or a three-hour full-team session once a month, providing face-to-face time helps ensure continuity and offers opportunities to discuss proposal progress and key learnings.

Step 5: When Awarded, Extend the Grant Timeline in Your Calendar

Upon receiving the thrilling news that your team’s hard work has secured a grant, carefully review the award agreement and promptly incorporate the reporting deadlines into your calendar. 

With Instrumentl’s Awards dashboard, you can easily manage all of your awarded grants and track your reporting deadlines for each. 

Integrating a cloud-based calendar into your grant management process is a game-changer, and Instrumentl can help guide your stress-free process. With features that seamlessly blend scheduling, task management, and progress tracking, nothing falls through the cracks. 

From pre-award planning to post-award implementation, Instrumentl provides the tools your organization needs to streamline efficiency and boost success in securing and managing grants. You can try it out yourself with a free, 14-day trial today.