What Dating Taught Me About Winning Grants For Nonprofits

The struggle of finding the one is real.

Anyone who’s been single and dating for a period of time can attest to the struggle of knowing how and where to find “strong” potential matches, what to look for (i.e. reg flags), how to build a genuine connection, and knowing when it might be time to close the deal or walk away. Dating is very similar to the grants process. The time I spent dating as a single young woman living in a large metropolitan city, Washington D.C., has taught me how to apply a similar approach to grant seeking.

Here are lessons from the dating world that can help you navigate the grant-seeking process to ultimately find the right funders and win grants.

Grant Lessons from the Dating World

Be Clear On What You Are Looking For

You must have clarity on what you are looking for before you start the process of finding potential prospects. What specifically are you looking for? Is it salary support for personnel, supplies, or other direct costs? How much funding do you need and by when do you need it?

Tip for Getting Started: Make a list of things, programs, supplies that your organization needs. Will new programs be launched? Are there plans to expand current ones? Do you need to renovate a building? Have you lost annual funding for a program and need to fill that gap this year? 

If you work at a large organization, talk to other staff about what needs funding. Share this list with your organization’s leadership and Board of Directors so they too have a clear understanding of the fundraising priorities.

Need help with this step? Grab The Finding Funders Starter Kit. 

See Who’s Out There

In dating, while there is plenty of fish in the sea, no one ever found love by just sitting on their couch. It’s the same for finding and winning grants. Nonprofits should try to be present and engaged both on the ground by attending community, industry events, and networking events as well as online with an updated and compelling website and social media account/s. I’ve used LinkedIn so many times to find Corporate and Foundation contacts.

Tell people in your inner circle that you are looking

According to the Center for Charitable Statistics, there are over 1.5 million nonprofits registered with the Internal Review Service (IRS) in the United States. An increase of 2.8% from 2003.

That’s a lot of nonprofits that are often competing for the same money.

In dating, you may have heard that there is a lot of fish in the sea — well it applies here too. In 2014, total giving to nonprofits from individuals, foundations, and businesses totaled $358.38 billion. So there is grant money to be had if you’re willing to go fishing for it.

Share your fundraising goals and needs with current funders and donors, doers (volunteers and staff), and Board of Directors. People in your nonprofit’s inner circle, are your champions in helping you identify potential donors and advocating for support because they know the importance of your work. Give them the proper materials that will help them make the case for your nonprofit.

Stick to your non-negotiables and values

Funders are selective. You should also be selective in finding funders that match your nonprofit’s mission, values, and needs. Don’t try to fit a square peg in a round hole. Look for foundations that are in alignment with your nonprofit’s goals, mission, and vision.

Know your awesomeness

Short story — Four years ago, I got a call from the Program Officer of the charitable arm of a corporation.
She was not happy. She had a major issue with the proposal I submitted to her a few days earlier.
Her issue? The proposal did not tell the story of the organization and why we were the best-suited organization to deliver this program. She then told me what was needed and to resubmit the proposal in a few days.

Major. Lesson. Learned.

Many nonprofits are at times too humble and do not showcase and own our achievements enough. However, we must be able to demonstrate to potential funders why we are a smart investment by confidently communicating what our organization does, how we do it well, and the difference we are making for the people and communities we serve.

Wished I learned the importance of confidence in grant seeking and dating.

Tip: Present the core elements of what your nonprofit does, whom it serves, and how you make a difference, clearly.

Know when to make it official and when to walk away

You have established a rapport, spent time getting to know each other, presented your organization’s case, now it’s time to make it official with “the ask”. The verbal “ask” should always be followed with something in writing whether that is a letter of intent, full-scale proposal, or sponsorship form.

But if the answer is no or all your courting attempts are failing, you need to decide if it’s time to move on and focus on another funder. Make sure to end the relationship on good terms because the philanthropy world is small and many of us move around the industry. It’s not uncommon to run into an old contact with a new potential funder.

Keep The Spark Alive

The courting, love notes, and date nights don’t end once you find the one. It’s the same for grants. Nurturing your relationships with your current funders not only increases the chances of continued funding. You can keep the spark alive with funders in a number of ways, such as inviting them to your organization’s events, open houses, tours, and/or opportunities to see the work in action. Nonprofits can also consider featuring funders in their organization’s newsletter, website, most definitely in the annual report. Unless otherwise stated, funders like being recognized and appreciated.

If At First, You Don’t Succeed, Try and Try Again

The process of winning your first grant might feel similar to the twist and turns of the dating journey to ultimately find the one. You can do everything right and sometimes it doesn’t work. Don’t worry! You don’t have to beat yourself up. As I shared in the story of my first grant, success is possible. I found grant success and you can too by learning from mistakes, making adjustments, dusting yourself off, and trying again.

Similar to dating, grant success starts long before you find a potential suitor. Ready to increase your chances of grant success? Download a free copy of the grant strategy checklist to guide you in winning your first or next grant.