Winning grants in a competitive environment: best-practice strategies

Race Day Checklist 1. Don’t be a false-starter, avoid these mistakes! 2. You’re not in the game if you don’t have the basics 3. Coordination of grant requests :Don’t compete with yourself! 4. Collaborate! Don’t compete with everyone! 5. Race smarter not harder: Know your funder 6. Tips for gold medal applications 7. Getting the grant is not the finish line 8. The ultimate goal

False starters… Don’t meet selection eligibility criteria Don’t read funding guidelines Don’t answer the questions fully Don’t research the types of projects the funder has granted to in the past Don’t get quotes for their budget or provide all supporting documentation

The basics of grant-seeking Key messages document Prioritised, approved project wishlist Project plans & budgets List of funder deadlines Project leaders educated about funder expectations Plan for project evaluation Grants history Funder stewardship plan Sustainability (recurrent funding) Clear and current website Good writer

Key Messages Organisation description short version (50 words) and long version (150 words) Vision, mission and purpose Organisation structure Organisational history Key achievements Scope size and nature of target group(s), geographical coverage Number of staff and volunteers and profiles of key staff Funding breakdown Niche offering Partnerships Examples of successful projects/case studies

Project packaging Grants are best suited for time-limited projects with measurable outcomes Grants are best suited for time-limited projects with measurable outcomes. Funders do have expectations about how the projects they are presented with should look.. You need to show why your package is the best – what’s its point of difference? And why are you the best placed organisation to present this package? Thinking about project ideas in this very detailed way can be time-consuming – but not nearly as time-wasting and damaging as submitting a funding application for an ill-prepared project.

Project Information Aim/Goal Project need Timeline of key activities Project’s point of difference and why you’re the best organisation to deliver Target group Outputs, Outcomes, Impacts Definitions of success, and Evaluation Plan Sustainability plan Risks identified and mitigation strategies planned Collaborations/partnerships detailed Demonstrate reliability/track record Budget Before we even start looking for potential funders, we need to have a project information outline, including these things.

The best grant applications happen when everyone in your organisation knows what the process is for identifying projects and applying to funders. Ensuring there’s communication between projects staff and your grant writer means that your grant applications will contain all of the most relevant, up to date information on your project and budget. Great grant applications and funder engagement are about teamwork!

Coordinate Don’t compete with your own mission! Teamwork is also about making sure you’re not competing with your own mission or organisation! For organisations working as separate entities serving different geographic regions but under the same name, coordination of grant requests is vital to ensuring good relationships with funders. Don’t compete with your own mission!

Kotahitanga - Collaborate! Funders don’t like replication! But what do successful collaborations take? A strong motivation for collaboration Choosing partner organisations with common objectives Arranging collaborations so both members can perceive benefit to their organisation Flexibility in dealings between the organisations  Shared responsibility for the creation of clear roles, structure and guidelines Open communication Equal power sharing A relationship of trust and mutual respect Support from social and political leaders (Harman, J. 2008. Factors Influencing Successful Collaboration.) Funders like collaboration! They do not like replication. Research has found that collaboration “improves sustainability and social impact and facilitates more innovative service delivery” (Harman 2008: 3), and, of course, funders are looking for the greatest impact achievable within the value of their grant.

Race smarter…not harder Funder research – how do you connect? Ring before you write! Before you make contact with a funder, learn about their motivations for funding and their funding principles. How do you find this out? Read their website, read their annual report, research their trustees, look at previous grants. So what are you looking for in your research? Are there synergies between your organisation’s needs and funder’s charitable purpose? Look at what they have funded in the past.

Race smarter…not harder + + + Linkage Interest Ability Strategic Approach This is our best-fit project matching scenario, to help you decide whether or not it’s worth your time and the funders to apply. Is there a linkage between your organization and the funder? Have you spoken to the funder and did you get the sense they were interested in you applying? Do the dollar amounts of the grants meet your budgetary needs? If the answer to all these is yes, then yes go ahead and apply! Is there a connection between your organisation and the funder? Has the funder encouraged you to apply? Do the funding amounts meet your project budget costs?

Tips for a gold medal application… Read the questions carefully and answer them! Focus on project aim, need and outcomes Illustrate the need well, use evidence to back up the project need, and cite your sources. Talk the funder’s language and highlight synergies Don’t bury the ask Write for a reader who may have little or no detailed knowledge of your organisation or its activities. Be clear and succinct. Consider the reader and write clearly and succinctly! Don’t use 10 words where one will do! – Plain English always! Don’t be afraid to use dot points in your application! Try not to use jargon or acronyms without explaining what they are – remember you can’t assume the funder knows any of this and it’s easy to slip into acronym speak if that’s part of your everyday.

Getting the grant is not the finish line With funding comes responsibility: Who is the funder’s point of contact within your organisation? Have you scheduled mid-project dates to get in touch with updates? Do you keep the funder informed of any deviations or exciting achievements throughout? Do you know what you need to report on by when? Are you doing all you can to engage your funder as a partner? Ask: Who rings to say thank you? Who has a conversation during that phone call about how the funder would like to be thanked?

What is the ultimate key success indicator of an effective grants program? Our ultimate goal, with our grants program is for funders to call us and ask if we need more funding. This can and does happen. Exceeding expectations with excellent outcomes reporting = repeat funding