The Impact Issue #42: How to Plan for The Year Ahead

Hey there, and Happy New Year’s Eve!

As we prepare to kick off the new year, we want to share tips to help you better plan. We’ll cover how to create a grant timeline that works—including expert advice you can put to work immediately.

We’ll also share tech resources, articles you may have missed, and learning opportunities to help you up your grant writing game in the year ahead.

Welcome to The Impact!

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Data-Packed Insights

Did you know that October, March, and September are the busiest months of the year for grant deadlines?

We analyzed over 45,000 grants in the Instrumentl grant database between 2022 and 2023 to help you better plan your year-round grant strategy.

Read the full report here to stay informed.

Let us know if you’d like to receive more Insight Reports like this by subscribing.

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Pitfalls and Pointers

⚠️ Pitfall: Having Too Tight of a Turnaround for Grant Deadlines

You may have the capacity to write a grant in a few weeks, but what about getting the budget approved from the finance team? Can your program team get the data ready?

Your partners have varying levels of capacity, and they may be unable to meet your tight turnaround. One missed request can jeopardize your ability to complete your grant application on time.

When planning your timeline, don’t fail to take into account the other people who may need to contribute to the application.

💡 Pointer: Build at Least a Week Buffer Into Your Timeline

Set your own internal deadline to one week and one day before the grant’s actual final deadline. This will help you:

• Account for unforeseen delays
• Track down missing information
• Undergo one last final review and approval with fresh eyes

Set internal deadlines for your team members too! Don’t just tell them when the grant is due. Instead, tell them that you need their input and review by a certain date. Add these padded deadlines to your grant writing calendar for all to see. Otherwise, your partners may push it to the last minute and delay the process!

📅 Check out more tips for making the most of your grant writing calendar!

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Tech You Should Know

What:

‍TechSoup is a marketplace where you can score deals for any of your software needs.

How Grant Writers Can Use It:

• Purchase software you need at a discount, including Microsoft, Adobe, and Hootsuite.
• Explore how-to guides to help you solve challenges.
• Attend events and webinars to get programming ideas to help your local community.

Keep in Mind:

• While you can purchase the services at a discount, there’s still a cost associated with the software.

👉 Explore what tools you can get for your nonprofit here!

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Expert Perspectives

🏆 Christian Postel on Building a Grant Timeline

Christian Postel, CEO of Lexington Leadership Foundation, understands the stress that grant deadlines can bring, especially if you’re not adequately prepared. He’s found the best way to tame the chaos is to have a well-structured grant timeline.

Here’s his expert advice:

• Work backwards. Identify the grant submission deadline, and set your internal deadline to be at least 8 days before. That’s a week to put the final touches and one extra day to submit.
• Block your tasks in the pre-award, award, and post-award phases. Assign clear deadlines to each task and plot them on a calendar.
• Communicate deadlines to key stakeholders. This will ensure your partners know what’s expected of them, and they can share any conflicts they may have before they become an issue.
• Check in on a task’s progress. Just because the grant timeline is at the top of your mind for you doesn’t mean that it is for everyone else. Don’t hesitate to check in with your team on their progress and identify any barriers to execution.

Your grant timeline should be comprehensive and include all deadlines and deliverables to keep you and your team on track.

⏰ Learn more about how to build an effective grant timeline!

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Opportunities Spotlight

🌟 Looking Out Foundation Grant

Who It’s For: Nonprofits looking to empower and transform communities

Next Deadline: Feb. 1, 2025

Grant Amount: $1,000-$5,000

The Details: Looking Out Foundation Grants provide vital funding to nonprofits that support disadvantaged youth, public health, women, the environment, the arts, the hungry, and the homeless. They focus on causes that often go unnoticed and smaller nonprofits.

✅ Apply Here!

🧠 Mind & Life Contemplative Changemaking Grants

Who It’s For: Nonprofits who use contemplative practices to empower communities

Next Deadline: Feb. 1, 2025

Grant Amount: Up to $10,000

The Details: Mind & Life Contemplative Changemaking Grants encourage nonprofits to use deep thoughts to brainstorm how to address urgent community needs. Grants have supported various programs, including civic engagement, climate action, economic empowerment, education, physical and mental health, and social inclusion.

✅ Apply Here!

🔍 Explore thousands of other grant opportunities now!

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Networking Nook

💻 Webinar: Grant Writing USA Live

January 6-7th, 2025 | 8:30-3:30 CST

Start off the new year right by strengthening your grant writing with Grant Writing USA for a live virtual training! This session will cover topics that grant writers of all levels and backgrounds will find valuable, including how to strengthen your grant proposals and find diversified funding sources.

Don’t Miss Out!

✅ Register Now!

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

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In Case You Missed It

📑 Article: Love Thy Donor: Donor Retention in an Era of Dwindling Loyalty

Grant consultant Sarah Lange shares expert advice on how to foster love and loyalty with your donors. In this article, you’ll learn more about why donors are dumping you and the four key drivers of loyalty you should weave throughout your operations.

👉 Get the Full Story!

📼 Video: Apply by Instrumentl

Instrumentl recently unveiled a new AI tool to help transform how nonprofits apply for grants. This tool uses AI-powered suggestions from your best past work to cut down the time it takes to apply for grants. 

👉 Check out the new feature!

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Plan Your Way to More Grants!

We know that preparation is key to landing more grants.

Prospect research, organization, and a strong grant pipeline can all help you win more funding and increase the good you can do.

Instrumentl is the one-stop shop you need to take your grant management to the next level.

👉 Start your 14-day free trial now!