The top 6 questions we are asked from grant-seekers

These are our top 6 questions we are asked from grant-seekers.

Amidst the COVID-19 status quo, nonprofit organisations are facing challenging times.

A number of our nonprofit partners are experiencing the challenge of having to cancel face to face fundraising events and community fundraising initiatives due to COVID-19. With the significant loss of income, many are investing more resources into alternate fundraising income streams – grant funding being one.

We have compiled six questions which our team are asked regularly by grant-seekers, and prepared responses to help you in your grant-seeking efforts.

1. How can I squeeze all of this organisational information into 50, 100 or 200 words?

Edit. Grant writing is the art of balancing the head and the heart in as few words as possible. You need to appeal to the reader with emotive language and support your case with facts. One essential document will help you do this – your organisation should have a Key Messages document that contains a short (50 / 100 words) and long overview (250-words) of your organisation, structure history, niche offering, collaborations etc. The 50, 100 and 250-word version of the organisational overview can be used in various communications – including grant applications. By preparing the Key Messages in advance, all of the hard work is done.

2. Can I apply to multiple funders for the same project?

Yes. You can apply to multiple funders for the same project. Always be honest and open with the donors about your intentions, but to ensure you have the best chance to secure the funding, you should identify several funding sources. In the budget section of the grant application you can identify confirmed (already secured) and unconfirmed (applied for elsewhere) funding. In this section, list the names of the funders and amounts you have applied for.

3. But what do I do if I get all of the funding?

After you congratulate your team, pick up the phone and speak to the funders. Prepare for the phone call by reviewing the funder guidelines and the business case for your project. Is there a phase two of the project the funds could be used for? Are there other project-related expenses that match the funders focus? Do you have any other projects they might be interested in? Speak to the funders and tell them you have been successful in multiple applications and work out how you can work together to benefit your cause.

4. Can I apply for funding for salaries?

Some funders will consider funding a position and all of the expenses, wages and on costs, these capacity building grants are rare, but they do exist. Most, however, will not fund salary or wages as a stand-alone project, but they will fund them as part of a project. For example, if your project is to provide vocational training to teenagers to help them find work and you pay the trainers over a 12-month period, their salary expenses whilst working on this project may be an eligible project expense. As always, before you submit an application, speak to the funder to determine if they will fund a salary. Read their guidelines, pick up the phone and talk to them about your project and what costs are eligible for the application.

5. How do I fund our business as usual projects?

Business as usual (BAU) is your bread and butter, it’s what you do because you know it works. But have you got evidence to show it works? Have you measured its effectiveness – what are the outputs, the outcomes? If you have been doing it for a long time, what’s the impact, and what need are you addressing? A thorough Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework for each of your projects will answer these questions and is critical for not only BAU projects but all of your work. Because you have been doing your BAU projects for a long time, you should have data to support your work; funders are interested in this information.

6. How do I reach the ‘Invitation Only’ PAFs?

Sometimes thought of as the ‘Holy Grail’ of philanthropy, the invitation-only Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs) and trusts will not solve all your problems. But, they can become long term supporters if you spend the time to research and approach them in the right way. We advocate that you spend time researching the PAF, check their past funded projects, their geographic scope and funding focus to determine if your organisations’ programs align. Many PAFs are small, and they make their funding decisions for personal reasons, they support causes that affect them.