The Impact Issue #29: Keep Your Grant Writing On Track with These Mid-grant Strategies

Hey there,

We all know how important it is to keep things moving smoothly, especially when you’re in the thick of a grant project. This week, we’re diving into why mid-term evaluations can be a game-changer, along with some expert advice and tools to keep your grant writing sharp. Plus, we’ve got upcoming grant opportunities that you won’t want to miss.

Take a few minutes to recharge and get inspired. Welcome to The Impact!

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Pitfalls and Pointers

We get it—it can be tempting to put off thinking about grant reporting until the deadline begins creeping up.

With so many things on your plate, how bad could waiting until the last minute really be?

⚠️ Pitfall: Skipping Mid-Grant Evaluations

Waiting until the end of the grant period to assess your progress could leave you scrambling to fix issues or justify outcomes.

This approach often overlooks early signs indicating whether your project is on track or if adjustments are needed.

💡Pointer: Embrace Progress Evaluations

Mid-term or progress evaluations offer a proactive approach to keeping your project on track. You can identify any potential roadblocks and adjust as needed to improve your chances of meeting your grant objectives.

These evaluations can also provide valuable data to share with funders, demonstrating your commitment to success.

Here are some tips to make this work for your organization:

• 🗓️ Schedule Midterm Evaluations: Make sure to calendar your midterm evaluations early. These check-ins are crucial for staying on track and making any necessary adjustments to ensure your project meets its goals. By setting aside time now, you’ll avoid scrambling later.
• 🗣️ Prioritize Communication With Program Managers: It's essential that your program managers are fully aware of what has been promised to the funder and the expected outcomes. Clear communication ensures everyone is on the same page and working toward the same objectives.
• 📊 Share Easy-to-understand Metrics: Ensure each member of your program staff knows exactly what data needs to be collected and how it will be used. Create and share easy-to-understand metrics so that everyone is aware of their role in gathering and reporting this information.

👉 Learn more about grant outcome indicators and process evaluations!

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Tech You Should Know

What:

‍IDinsight’s Guide to Impact Evaluations offers practical tools and methodologies for conducting robust impact evaluations, which can be especially useful for mid-term assessments.

How Organizations Can Use It:

• Clarify Objectives: Use the guide to refine and clearly define your program goals, ensuring they are measurable and aligned with your funders' expectations.
• Select the Right Methods: The guide provides insights into choosing the most appropriate evaluation methods, which can help you gather the data needed to demonstrate your program's success.
• Leverage Case Studies: Learn from real-world examples to better understand how to implement effective evaluations and improve your grant proposals.

Keep in Mind:

• Customization Is Key: While the guide offers a range of tools, tailor the evaluation methods to fit your specific project needs and the expectations of your funders.
• Data Quality Matters: Ensure the data you collect is accurate and reliable; this will strengthen your reports and increase your chances of securing future funding.

🔗 Explore the IDinsight Impact Measurement Guide!

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Expert Perspectives

🏆 Steve Boland on How to Use Logic Models to Show Outcomes From Correlations

When it comes to grants, success isn't just about securing the funds—it's also about demonstrating impact that’s sustainable.

Steve Boland, the managing consultant at Next in Nonprofits, shared with us how to leverage grant outcomes to show amplified impact over time—even when you don’t have many resources.

Here’s His Expert Advice:

• Use Your Logic Model to Assist Your Grant Search: By proactively creating a logic model for your organization or individual program, you can evaluate different grant opportunities and determine how closely your objectives and impacts align. Never try to create a logic model based on what you think the funder wants to see.‍
• Make Sure to Distinguish Between Outputs and Outcomes: Grant outcomes are the specific, measurable results that occur as a direct consequence of a funded project or program. Outcomes are the changes that those outputs produce. Even if funders use them interchangeably, you should maintain a clear distinction in your proposals and reports.‍
• Use Output Data to Show Impact: Most nonprofits don’t have the resources to conduct longitudinal studies to measure impact. However, you can still compare your program data to publicly available comparative data sets to showcase the impact of your programs.

🌟 Dive deeper into the strategies for successful outcome reporting!

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Have You Tried This?

Instrumentl’s Free Balanced Scorecard Template

Tracking your organization’s progress can feel like trying to navigate a maze. But with Instrumentl's Balanced Scorecard Templates, you can simplify that process and keep your team aligned with your mission.

These free templates are designed to help you clearly define your nonprofit's objectives and track key performance indicators across multiple perspectives—financial, operational, and more. Whether you're aiming to improve grant management, optimize fundraising efforts, or enhance your overall strategy, these templates provide a structured approach that brings clarity and focus to your organization.

Why It's Useful:

• Strategic Alignment: Ensure every team member understands and contributes to your nonprofit’s goals.
• Performance Monitoring: Easily track and measure outcomes to see where you excel and where adjustments are needed.
• Decision-Making: Data-driven insights help you make informed decisions that propel your mission forward.

🚨 Download the free Balanced Scorecard Template!

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Opportunities Spotlight

🔥 Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Grants

Who It’s For: Nonprofits and government entities focused on public safety, disaster relief, and military services

Next Deadline: October 10, 2024

Grant Amount: $15,000 - $35,000

The Details:

This grant supports projects such as providing life-saving equipment to first responders, public safety education, and disaster relief efforts. Applicants must be within 60 miles of a Firehouse Subs restaurant.

👉 Apply Here!

🏠 FY 2024 and FY 2025 Continuum of Care Competition

Who It’s For: Nonprofits addressing homelessness through community-wide initiatives

Next Deadline: October 30, 2024

Grant Amount: Varies

The Details:

This program funds efforts to end homelessness by supporting permanent housing, supportive services, and system improvements.

👉 Apply Here!

If these grant opportunities look interesting, check out our full database for more details and key insights for a successful grant proposal!

🔍 Explore thousands of other grant opportunities now!

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Networking Nook

📅 Conference: Association of Fundraising Professionals ICON Conference

April 27-29, 2025 in Seattle Washington

AFP Icon is the world’s largest fundraising conference, attracting over 3,000 fundraising professionals annually. Tickets will go on sale at the beginning of 2025, but make sure you save the date and plan your attendance so you can take advantage of all of the resources this event has to offer!

Mark Your Calendar!

👉 Save the Date!

To check out more recent and upcoming live events, go here.

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In Case You Missed It

📑 Article: How to Track Payments From Funders After You Win the Grant

Monitoring your projects goes beyond tracking indicators. Making sure that your spending aligns with the progression of the project and its deliverables is every bit as important. This article covers everything you need to know about financial monitoring once your proposal is accepted!

👉 Read the Full Article!

📑 Workshop Replay: From Chaos to Clarity: A Proven 3-Step Path to Seamless Grant Management

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the complexities of grant management, this workshop is for you. Learn how to transform your approach with a simple 3-step path to bring order and efficiency to your grant process.

👉 Watch the Workshop!

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Making Grant Management Easy, From the First Day to the Last Report

Finding grants, applying, meeting deadlines, and following up with funders can be hectic.

Looking for tools to manage your grants from planning to the final report?

Try Instrumentl's all-in-one platform for free and see how easy managing your grants can be.

👉 Start your 14-day free trial now!