Grantseeking Solo Securing Awards with Limited Staff

In this webinar, Alice Ruhnke, President of GrantStation, focused on practical strategies to generate additional funding requests for a nonprofit organization with limited staff. This webinar has the following key learning outcomes:
* Mastering the art of consistently filling your grant proposal pipeline with promising opportunities
* Streamlining the proposal writing process to maximize efficiency and effectiveness
* Creating a collaborative grantseeking team, distributing tasks to optimize your collective strengths
* Forming strategic partnerships to bolster your grantseeking endeavors, leveraging external resources and expertise

1. GrantseekingSolo:
Secure Awards with
Limited Staff
Alice Ruhnke
President of GrantStation

2. Setting the Stage
Source:
GrantStation’s 2024 State
of Grantseeking Report

3. Setting the Stage
Source:
GrantStation’s 2024 State
of Grantseeking Report

4. Agenda
•Set realistic expectations
•Streamline the proposal writing process
•Use the talents and strengths of your stakeholders to
support your efforts
•Increase efficiencies through artificial intelligence tools
and time-saving techniques
•Form strategic partnerships
•Question and answers

5. Set Realistic Expectations
Basic Report
Example:
•Small Budget
•Arts, Culture, and
Humanities

6. Comparison Points
•Age of organization
•Size of organization’s paid staff
•Organization’s annual budget
•Percentage of funding from grants
•Percentage of grants that are reoccurring
•Sources of grant funding
•How many grants submitted
•How many grants received
•Total amount of grants awarded: range and dollar amount
•Largest grant awarded:
–Amount
–Source
–Grant cycle
–Type of support
•Collaborative grant: applied and awarded
•Greatest challenge in successful grantseeking

7. Example

8. Example

9. Free Access!
www.GrantStation.com
Free to all—Click on the
Public Resources Tab and
Select State of
Grantseeking and/or
Benchmarker

10. Where Are We?
•Set realistic expectations
•Streamline the proposal writing process
•Use the talents and strengths of your stakeholders to
support your efforts
•Increase efficiencies through artificial intelligence tools
and time-saving techniques
•Form strategic partnerships
•Question and answers

11. Streamline Your Process
•Making decisions on funding opportunities to
pursue
•Develop a file of common attachments
•Use a Project Planning Framework (hint: plan
once, write several!)
•Write templates of reoccurring sections

12. Why Use a Decision Matrix?
•A decision matrix canhelp you
make smart decisions as to
which funders you will pursue
and which ones you will not!
•It is an ideal decision-making
tool if time is limited for writing
proposals as you will focus on
the most likely candidates.
•Using the matrix, IF it has been
adopted by your Board or
Fundraising Committee, will
allow you to comfortably say
“no” when presented by an
opportunity.

13. Basic Matrix Components
Criteria: Develop a set of decision criteria
•Timing
•Credibility
•Relationship
•Staff time
Weights: Assign a weight to each criteria
•Negative
•Neutral (“0” weight)
•Positive
Score: Determines if you apply or not

14. Establish Your Own, Unique Criteria
1.Is this funding consistent with our mission?
2.Is this a good fit given funder’s portfolio?
3.What is our relationship with the funder?
4.Do we meet all of their criteria for applying?
5.Is time a primary consideration?
6.Do we have a detailed approach in place?
7.Will the award cover administrative/indirect costs?
8.How competitive are we?
9.What is the likelihood of an award?
10.Do we need to have an audit?
11.If matching funds are required, do we have them?

15. Weigh Each Criterion
•To add weight to a decision
matrix,assign a number (between 1-3
or 1-5, depending on how deeply you
want to drill down).
•Work sideways! Start by looking at
those criteria you’ve listed that you
know will cause you the most trouble
(such as staff time).These criteria
deserve more weight than others.
•Work with other stakeholders in your
organization to help you determine
how to “weight” the criteria—different
perspectives will lead to better
decisions.

16. Full Criteria: An Example
Criteria Weight
Compliments grantmakers goals 5
Builds on our mission 4
Likelihood of award 3
Competition for award 3
Relationship with grantmaker 5
Provides sufficient funding 3
Matching funds required 3
Administrative costs allowed 2
Adequate time to apply 5
Required outcomes are achievable 5
Audited financials required 3
Project plan prepared 3
Requires collaborative effort 5
Score 49
Key
0 = neutral
1 = low
5 = high
Apply
Score of 40 or higher
Requires leadership approval
Score of 35 to 39
Do not apply
Score of 34 or lower
Design and adopt a key
as a reference tool to
rate each opportunity.

17. Develop a File of Common Attachments
•Nonprofit incorporation letter
•List of board members
•Audits
•Tax forms (990s)
•Resumes of key staff and volunteers
•Job descriptions
•Organizational budget
•Annual reports

18. Project Planning Framework
Templates
Organizational Background/Capacity
Need
Condition or Status of
Community and
Population Served
Program
Outcomes
Evaluation
Indicators
Reasons Behind
Condition or Status of
Population Served
Approach Outputs
Budget

19. Where Are We?
•Set realistic expectations
•Streamline the proposal writing process
•Use the talents and strengths of your stakeholders to
support your efforts
•Increase efficiencies through artificial intelligence tools
and time-saving techniques
•Form strategic partnerships
•Question and answers

20. Build Your Team Using Strengths
•Research
•Writing
•Editing
•Communication/public
speaking
•Technology
•Data visualization
•Layout and design
•Photography
•Data collection or analysis
•Accounting
Excellent thing for a board
member, volunteer, or intern
to do
Don’t go at it alone!
Start “where you are at”

21. Learning Styles
Action
For some, action is at the core of
meaningful, satisfying experiences.
They prefer to begin with the work,
learn from it, and refine their next
steps as a result. Their motto is
“Just Do It!”
People
For some, the human element of a
learning experience is first priority.
They want to be sure everyone’s
voice is heard, conflict is resolved
effectively, and needs are met. These
are the “pulse-takers” of the group.
Meaning
Meaning is the first priority for some
people. They want to understand
why the work is being done and how
it contributes to a greater cause.
Effective work starts with a clear
vision. These are the “big picture”
visionaries in the group.
Structure
Some people need to know that
structures are in place to support the
work and the people doing it. They
are aware of organization, timelines,
workflow, and rules of the road.
These people help the group stay on
task.

22. Why Does This Matter?
Because you need to develop a team that has
people in all of quadrants…

23. Volunteers in Service to America
Anti-Poverty Program
1-Year Full-Time Service Term
Indirect Service - Capacity Building
AmeriCorps VISTA
If your organization is interested in applying to
sponsor VISTA members, please complete a Concept
Paper in eGrants.
AmeriCorps VISTA How to Apply
AmeriCorps VISTA

24. Where Are We?
•Set realistic expectations
•Streamline the proposal writing process
•Use the talents and strengths of your stakeholders to
support your efforts
•Increase efficiencies through artificial intelligence tools
and time-saving techniques
•Form strategic partnerships
•Question and answers

25. AI/ChatBots
•Creating first drafts
•Editing proposals
•Brainstorming ideas
•Writing job descriptions
•Repurposing source material into grant
applications
•Reducing narratives
•Summarize narratives

26. Where Are We?
•Set realistic expectations
•Streamline the proposal writing process
•Use the talents and strengths of your stakeholders to
support your efforts
•Increase efficiencies through artificial intelligence tools
and time-saving techniques
•Form strategic partnerships
•Question and answers

27. Spectrum of Partnership Models
Associations
Coalitions
Collaboratives
Joint
Programs
Shared
Support
Functions
Mergers

28. Resources to Explore
Fiscal Sponsor Directory
https://fiscalsponsordirectory.org/
National Network of Fiscal
Sponsors
https://www.fiscalsponsors.org/
National Network of Fiscal
Sponsors
Guidelines for Comprehensive Fiscal
Sponsorship
http://s3.amazonaws.com/nnfs/file_as
sets/d0758100838a/NNFS%20Guideli
nes%20for%20Comprehensive%20Fis
cal%20Sponsorship.pdf

29. Questions?
Alice Ruhnke, President
GrantStation
www.grantstation.com
[email protected]
877.784.7268
[email protected]
Today and
tomorrow
only!