Grant Intermission: Managing the Summer Slowdown

Grant Intermission: Managing the Summer Slowdown

As summer arrives, so too does a wave of out-of-office notifications that can present an abrupt intermission to the grant process. We’re all too familiar with the summer slowdown that briefly plateaus funding, causing stress and anxiety to nonprofit executives and board members. With the summer slowdown on the horizon, we will help you navigate pending grant applications and out-of-office notifications with preparation and patience. 

Preparation Strategies to Set the Stage for Success

Preparation is key to managing your organization’s grant applications. 

Develop a Grant Calendar 

Plan ahead by creating or updating your grant calendar. This will help you to stay ahead of proposal deadlines, track progress, and share meaningful grant data with organizational leadership. A grant calendar will help your organization to confidently navigate the application process and remain accountable to deadlines and stakeholders. In addition, if you have long-standing relationships with funders, a grant calendar can provide historical insights, helping you to plan more effectively. 

Learn more about key stages in the grant funding timeline to inform your grant calendar. 

We support nonprofit organizations in developing tailored grant calendars. Our grant calendar uses existing grant data or a prospect list to keep you organized with monthly tasks to help you reach your goals, combining:

• Grant history

• Upcoming proposals and reports

• Relationship-building tasks

• Progress toward fiscal year goals

• Custom dashboards.

• Anticipated deadlines

• Detailed and customized notes to help you make the right move

In the summer months, we recommend cross-referencing your grant calendar with your organization’s out-of-office calendar to ensure your team has the capacity to meet grant deadlines while managing organizational programming. 

Stay ahead of grant deadlines

With many people on vacation during the summer, it can be difficult to receive answers quickly. 

Staying ahead of proposal deadlines ensures that if any questions arise about the application, you’ll be able to reach funders and make adjustments to your proposal before the application deadline. 

Likewise, if you work closely with partner organizations on proposals to further your collective impact, you may need additional time for collaboration and board approvals. 

Approach funders ahead of time 

Get ahead of the summer slowdown by approaching funders ahead of time or simply schedule time to follow up with funders. Communicate your organization’s intent to request funding and ask questions. 

Communicate with stakeholders 

It’s important to communicate regularly with organizational stakeholders. Your grant calendar provides a jumping-off point for key status updates with board members and partners. We recommend sharing consistent, transparent updates with stakeholders to build trust and confidence in your leadership. 

Practice Patience

Once you hit the submit button, it’s time to practice patience, as you have fulfilled your role in the grant application process. Trust the process.

Maintain a positive attitude 

It’s sometimes simpler said than done, but maintaining a positive attitude is very important! Maintaining a positive outlook will help you and your team to stay motivated. 

Maintain team morale by helping everyone understand that your organization has done the work to set up for success with a grant strategy and strong prospect list.

Focus on the big picture and your organization’s mission and long-term strategic goals to help guide you forward during lags in the grant process. 

Plan to follow up with funders

It’s okay to follow up with funders that you haven’t heard from in 2-3 months. Be sure to schedule funder follow-ups before you head out of the office to make sure there isn’t a potential lapse in positive communication. 

Schedule time for rest

Summer is an important time for you to rest, as well! Dive into a book, take a hike, or hit the beach! Whatever it is that helps you to relax and rest. Allow yourself time to recharge and return to your work with a fresh perspective and appreciation. 

Hiking helps me to rest and restore.

In conclusion, preparation and patience are essential to the grant application process, especially during the summer months. Plan ahead by establishing a grant calendar, staying ahead of deadlines, and communicating with stakeholders. Practice patience by maintaining a positive attitude and taking time for rest. Most importantly, enjoy your summer! 

Data-Driven Reporting and Outcome Evaluation

In the ever-evolving world of grant funding, nonprofit organizations face increasing demands for transparency and accountability. Today, potential funders are not only interested in the projects and programs they support but also in the tangible impact these initiatives have on the communities they serve. In this blog post, we'll explore the growing importance of data-driven reporting and outcome evaluation in grant applications, and discuss best practices for demonstrating impact to potential funders.

Why Data-Driven Reporting Matters

Nonprofits have long been committed to making a positive difference in the world, but in the modern grant landscape, the focus on data and evidence-based outcomes has become paramount. Here's why:

• Transparency: Funders want to know how their contributions are being used and the outcomes achieved. Data-driven reporting provides the transparency funders require.

• Accountability: It's not enough to state good intentions; organizations must be accountable for their actions. Data offers a clear picture of an organization's effectiveness.

• Resource Allocation: By analyzing data, funders can identify which programs and projects are most effective and allocate resources accordingly. They want to ensure their investment is having the greatest impact.

• Continuous Improvement: Data-driven reporting enables organizations to assess their programs and make improvements based on evidence. This continuous improvement is attractive to funders.

Best Practices for Demonstrating Impact

To satisfy the growing demand for data-driven reporting, nonprofit organizations must adopt best practices for demonstrating their impact to potential funders:

1. Clearly Define Your Metrics: Establish specific, measurable, and time-bound metrics that align with your program's objectives. This may include indicators like the number of people served, academic achievement, or reduced carbon emissions. Implement a data collection system that allows you to track these metrics consistently. Invest in technology, training, and resources as needed.

2. Consistent Data Collection: Regularly collect and update data to provide a real-time view of your program's progress. Quarterly or annual reporting may not be enough; continuous data collection is ideal. Ensure data accuracy by implementing quality control measures. Double-check data entry, and have a process in place for data validation.

3. Data Analysis: Data isn't useful if you can't interpret it. Consider hiring or training staff with data analysis skills to draw meaningful conclusions from your data. Look for trends and patterns in your data that can guide program improvements and inform your reporting.

4. Compelling Storytelling: Data is essential, but it's often more persuasive when combined with compelling stories. Share real-life examples of individuals or communities positively affected by your programs.

5. Data Visualization: Use data visualization techniques like charts, graphs, and infographics to make complex data more accessible and engaging to funders.

6. Collaborate with Funders: Engage funders in discussions about data reporting expectations. Seek their input on which data points matter most to them. Consider working with funders to create standardized reporting templates, which can streamline the reporting process for both parties.

7. Impact Assessment: Occasionally, consider external evaluations by independent assessors. These assessments can provide a third-party perspective on your programs' impact.

Funders are increasingly looking for concrete proof of impact. By implementing these best practices, nonprofit organizations can not only satisfy the demands of modern grant applications but also drive continuous improvement and better serve their communities.

Revisiting and Evaluating Strategic Goals

Spring is a season of growth and renewal. Spring provides the perfect opportunity to revisit and re-establish goals for the remainder of the year ahead. Revisiting your organization’s goals on a regular basis ensures that team members and stakeholders don’t lose sight of the long-term goals of the organization. In this blog post, we review how revisiting strategic goals can help your organization evaluate progress and empower accountability.

Evaluate Goal Progress 

Revisiting your organization’s strategic goals can help you to evaluate goal progress. Evaluating goal progress frequently on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis will help you to remain agile and adjust based on the immediate needs of your organization. 

The steps to evaluating goal progress are similar to setting clear and achievable goals. 

Reflect on Your Mission

Your organization's mission serves as the foundation for your goals. Your mission helps you to align your organization around a shared vision. Consider if your goals remain in alignment with the core purpose of your organization and how they contribute to long-term impact. 

Assess Your Strategic Plan

Your organization's strategic plan, developed by your team and stakeholders, provides a roadmap of how your organization will achieve its long-term goals. Your strategic plan can help you to re-establish expectations with stakeholders about where the organization is headed and where support is needed. 

Review Your SMART Goals

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. SMART goals are easy to evaluate, because of the specific criteria they require to develop. This framework may also be used in your strategic plan, outlining how you will achieve your goals, including timelines, responsibilities, and key performance indicators. 

• Specific: Are your goals clearly defined for team members and stakeholders to understand? Are they actionable? 

• Measurable: Did you determine effective measurements for success? 

• Achievable: Do you need to scale back your goals or did you set the bar too low? 

• Relevant: Are your goals still relevant to your organization? 

• Time-bound: Did you set a realistic timeline to achieve your goals? 
  

Establish Regular Goal Check-Ins & Reporting 

SMART provides an excellent framework for goal setting, but it’s important to regularly monitor progress. Consider how you track, measure, and communicate goal progress across your organization, from internal teams to external reporting to funders. Establishing regular check-ins and reporting structures can help to keep team members and stakeholders accountable and provide an opportunity to voice concerns and share successes. Additionally, regular check-ins can encourage opportunities for collaboration helping to tackle roadblocks along the way. 

Re-evaluate Funding Needs & Grant Calendar

Once you have an understanding of your organization’s goal progress, it’s important to re-evaluate your funding needs for the year ahead. If your priorities have changed, you may need to identify new sources of funding to meet the needs of the organization. Similarly, if funding opportunities have fallen through, you may need complete grant research and prioritize proposal writing to fill gaps in funding. 

A grant writer can assist in identifying potential sources of funding, including researching grant opportunities and crafting compelling proposals. Bloom can help your organization to complete prospect research and develop a grant calendar.

Empower Accountability 

Revisiting your organization’s goals and evaluating progress will help to empower organizational accountability by encouraging: 

• Effective Communication with team members and stakeholders about the goals of the organization and the steps to reach them. 

• Collaboration with team members and stakeholders to effectively and efficiently reach the goals of the organization. 

• Celebration when the team achieves the goals of the organization. 

In conclusion, revisiting your organization’s strategic goals can help your organization to evaluate goal progress through reflection on the mission, strategic plan, and SMART goals. This can help you to re-evaluate the immediate needs of the organization. Opening a dialogue around goal progress will help your team and stakeholders understand the goals of the organization, become engaged in the process, and feel valued along the way.