Managing a complex, high-stakes grant portfolio for a nonprofit is no small feat. For Mitch Carr, Manager of Foundation and Institutional Relations, this challenge grew as the Center expanded its reach.

The LA LGBT Center, one of the world’s largest LGBTQ-serving nonprofits, supports 35,000 clients annually across 10 locations in Los Angeles.

Mitch oversees a $5 million grant portfolio, but with limited tools, he and his team faced significant hurdles in keeping up with deadlines, tracking documents, and managing relationships with funders.

In late 2023, Mitch adopted Instrumentl, a transformative tool that streamlined their grant management processes and allowed him to focus on advancing the Center’s mission.

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Challenge: Managing Complex Grant Processes with Limited Tools

As Mitch’s responsibilities grew, so did the complexities of his role. He needed to handle numerous grant deadlines, reporting requirements, and funder communications.

Previously, the team relied on Excel spreadsheets to manage their workload. While functional, spreadsheets were limited: color-coded and packed with information, they required hours each week to maintain and still didn’t offer the strategic insights the team needed to respond to new opportunities efficiently.

Mitch shared,

“Before Instrumentl, we had a excel sheet that had all of our deadlines and it was, it was color coordinate and it worked, but it was not efficient and it felt like old technology and it took hours to update stuff that could take minutes.”

This manual process not only limited the team's ability to plan strategically but also restricted their capacity to nurture key funder relationships—a crucial aspect of grant management for any nonprofit.

Mitch noted that managing such a large grant portfolio “has definitely given me some imposter syndrome,” especially as he was responsible for “all the prospects, all the budget planning, our fiscal year goal and more of the administrative duties that comes with grant writing.”

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Solution: Implementing Instrumentl for Streamlined Grant Management

Recognizing the need for a modern, efficient system, Mitch turned to Instrumentl in December 2023.

The platform provided a centralized solution to manage and streamline all aspects of their grant work, from tracking deadlines to discovering new funding opportunities. With Instrumentl’s intuitive layout, automated reminders, and chronological tracking, Mitch’s team quickly reduced the time they spent on administrative tasks.

“When purchasing Instrumentl, it's really improved our efficiencies. It was really streamlined in what was taking two hours a week to four hours a week. Now, it takes less than 30 minutes because we know how to use the software.”

Instrumentl also enabled the team to identify well-aligned Requests for Proposals (RFPs) with ease, empowering them to focus on the highest-impact opportunities. The streamlined process allowed the team to apply for major opportunities, including a $500,000 homelessness grant.

“A proposal that supported homelessness for $500,000… we were one of two nonprofits in the United States to be awarded that,” Mitch shared, adding that their funder “was so moved by this grant project that they actually went to their board and advocated our behalf for us to resubmit.”

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Results: Increased Efficiency and Enhanced Funder Relationships

Instrumentl’s impact on the Center’s operations was immediate and profound. Mitch successfully onboarded two new team members, both of whom adapted quickly to Instrumentl, allowing them to take on grant responsibilities independently.

“The thing I'm most proud of from these past 12 months is my team's ability to on board quickly. Both of them started last October… and they've really hit the ground running and taking, taking the initiative to find an opportunity and run with it.”

This efficiency allowed Mitch to shift his focus toward building stronger relationships with funders. As a result, the team secured high-impact grants, including the $500,000 award for a homelessness project.

With Instrumentl, the LA LGBT Center reduced its administrative workload, made strides toward more strategic funding, and deepened its impact in the community.

Looking forward, Mitch envisions using Instrumentl to further expand the Center’s funding portfolio, prioritizing mission-aligned grants and focusing on long-term partnerships. His advice for other nonprofits? “Think about your organization’s impact first rather than a financial goal.”