Are you grant ready?

Grant readiness is more than just having the right content to put pen to paper. Grant funding is essential for the development of nonprofits, particularly new ones. You may be desperate for funds to get things moving, but how do you know if you are truly grant ready?

1. You have a clear Mission Statement and Value set

   Are you clear with the mission of your work? Have you presented your mission to your board for approval? Some grants or foundations will have a requirement for a brief mission statement with less than 30 words, craft a secondary mission statement for these cases. In addition to your mission, a clear set of values and beliefs is crucial for grant writing.

2. You have all your documents in place

   Your’ve got your basics: your official IRS determination letter, 990s you’ve filed, your W-9, an annual budget, and board roster.

   You’ve also compiled the supplements: your most recent audit, annual report, an org chart, a logic model for each of your programs, and data that supports your programming. Bonus points for photos, testimonials, and success stories.

3. You have the capacity to achieve what you say you will

   Most grants will ask for you to dream big, but but practical as well. Don’t write a grant that you know you can’t achieve. This is especially pertanent for new nonprofits who don’t have data to support their impact on the community. Unless you’re writing for a capital campaign, stick to what you know is well within your limits.

4. You have a strategic plan

   Grant funding is a serious committment, whether your project planning, capacity building, or trying to cover operational costs. Have a plan in place; you won’t win every grant you apply for, no matter how closely the foundations values match your own. Avoid mission creep by assessing the values of each grant against your strategic plan.

5. You’ve done your research

   Grant writing is hard work. No two grants ask the same question, and as quick as you are to writethe process is still time consuming. Be smart as you research, skip grants who don’t operate in your service area, and focus instead on funders whose values match your own, who support projects in your community, and where possibilites for volunteering exist.