April 2, 2024
The Impact Issue #9: Data Demystified: Discover How Data Drives Grant Wins
Unlock grant writing success with tips on data collection, clear objectives, cold outreach templates, and top funding opportunities. Empower your nonprofit with expert advice!
Hey friend,
It’s once again the time of year when we wonder how eggs ever came to be associated with rabbits.
No matter how it came to be, at least it means that soon you’ll have a delicious chocolate bunny to snack on while browsing your latest grant opportunities.
But if holiday prep got the best of you, don’t worry – we’ve packed everything you need into this week’s newsletter.
Pitfalls and Pointers
When you’re writing a grant proposal, you go into it with a clear goal: to win funding for your project.
But before that, you had to develop the project itself.
It started with a problem related to your organization’s mission. From there, you developed a possible solution. And now you need funding to make it happen.
Does your proposal tell THAT story?
⚠️ Pitfall: Vague Intentions
If you want to convince funders that your project is the best bang for their buck, you have to make it clear how exactly you’ll put the grant to use.
When you’re describing the goals of your project, vagueness, wordiness, and jargon only muddy the waters.
💡 Pointer: Set Clear and Concise Objectives
Grant reviewers should be able to easily comprehend your program objectives and how they tie back to your organization’s overall mission.
For example:
- “Nonprofit Organization ABC will provide over 1,000 individuals with safe, stable housing”.
- “Nonprofit Organization XYZ will increase City A’s high school graduation rate by 25%”.
- “Nonprofit Organization 123 will provide 500 children per year with free music education”.
Suddenly, funders can imagine the direct impact their money will have. And they’ll be more likely to make it a reality.
🌟 Check out 5 more dos and don’ts for the most effective grant writing!
Tech You Should Know
Data is one of the most powerful ways for nonprofits to demonstrate impact.
When you present data, you’re showing your audience how you put their funding to good use and that they can trust you to deliver results.
But data can also help you understand how your programs are helping your community and what donors thought of your latest event.
And thanks to a little thing called the internet, collecting that data is easier than ever.
What:
Survey Monkey is an online tool loaded with survey templates designed for nonprofits.
How Grant Writers Can Use It:
- Market Research: What’s your biggest challenge related to our mission? How do you feel you would benefit from XYZ Initiative?
- Event Planning: What events are you most interested in? What time of day/month/year is best for your schedule?
- Gathering Feedback: What did you think of our most recent program? How was your recent volunteer experience with us?
Keep in Mind:
- Monthly Fees: Although there’s a free version, some features (including number of questions and customizations) are limited only to paid users.
📈 Get more tips on using data in your nonprofit work!
Expert Perspectives
🏆 Beth Kander-Dauphin on adding a human touch
Between all the too-tight deadlines and long nights spent writing, it’s easy to forget that there will eventually be a human on the other end of your proposal.
But Beth Kander-Dauphin, Chief Strategist Officer at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, uses that information to inform her approach to grant writing.
Here’s her expert advice:
- Keep it conversational – but not casual: Too many details could lose a reader, but not enough won’t make an impression.
- Be clear, warm, and engaging: Make sure your proposal has heart – after all, that’s the reason you began this work in the first place.
- Don’t submit a cold request: Stand out from other applicants by emailing the program officer or leveraging a peer to make a connection.
👉 Discover more grant writing tips Beth learned along the way!
🎁 A Gift for You
Picture this: You found a foundation in your area that aligns with your mission. They regularly give out grants for projects similar to yours.
We’ve all heard that building a relationship with funders makes it easier to win grants, but that’s usually easier said than done.
So what’s the best way to reach out?
Don’t worry, we asked the experts for you. And we used their advice to create 10 ready-to-use cold email templates that break the ice with funders.
We’re glad you’re here, so consider it our gift to you.
Networking Nook
The opportunities that were originally shared in this issue of The Impact have since passed. To check out more recent and upcoming live events, go here.
Opportunities Spotlight
⚡ Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) Assistance for the Adoption of the Latest and Zero Building Energy Codes
Who It’s For: States and units of local government with the authority to adopt the latest building energy codes, zero energy building codes, or equivalent codes or standards.
Next Deadline: Apr 30, 2024 (Full Proposal)
Grant Amount: US $10,000,000 - US $20,000,000
The Details:
- This opportunity from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) helps organizations to further decarbonize their buildings and save energy
- DOE is particularly interested in supporting States and local governments in:
- Implementing local capacity building
- Multi-year investments in workforce and education
- Long-term improvements in building energy codes through multi-cycle adoption and building performance standards
🐶 PEDIGREE Foundation: Dogs Rule Grant
Who It’s For: U.S.-based dog shelters and rescues holding a current 501(c)(3) designation
Next Deadline: Apr 14, 2025
Grant Amount: US $100,000
The Details:
- This grant is available to support innovative initiatives focused in increasing adoption rates and improving the quality of care of dogs while in the shelter or rescue
- Programs are required to deliver a manual or toolkit by the end of the program to share with the animal welfare community
Looking for a better match for your organization or program?
🔍 Browse thousands of other grant opportunities!
In Case You Missed It
📚 Book: The Little Book of Gold: Fundraising for Small (and Very Small) Nonprofits
Named one of Forbes’ top 12 must-read books for nonprofit employees, this book includes a step-by-step guide on fundraising effectively and mistakes to watch out for.
📼 Video: How to Use an Agile Framework to Write (and Win) More Grants w/ Diane Leonard
The Scrum framework has grown more and more popular over the years, but did you know you can apply it to your grant work as well? In this workshop, Diane H. Leonard, GPC, RST covers how to get started with Agile to significantly improve your grant seeking process.
🎙️ Podcast: Strengthen Donor Relationships + Fundraising Through a Crisis
The Nonprofit Jenni Show covers everything from nonprofit management to marketing to development. In this episode, we dive into strategies for strengthening donor relationships and how one nonprofit persevered through back-to-back crises.
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