Grant Gatherings Will Change the Way You Work
I cringe when people ask fund development professionals how much “they” have raised.
Consider this: Baseball’s grand slam directs all the credit to the batter, and much credit is due. But it’s a team-driven event. Contributions from trainers, coaches, and multiple players make it happen. (Three other people did have to get on base!) The more impressive the achievement, the more people you can typically credit.
So yes, I refuse to answer the question of how much I have raised on behalf of nonprofits. It pains me that a grand sum remains a job interview staple and a highlight of development officers’ bragging rights.
The largest foundation awards I have had the pleasure of securing arrived because of contributions that ranged from a CEO’s vision to a program expert’s contacts.
One of the most important things we can do as fund development leaders is encourage the teamwork that leads to our field’s grand slams.
Do It
The best grants shops bring teams together to foster a culture of learning and collaboration. They do so year-round, not only in the crunch time preceding a deadline. They create the kind of cyclical learning that allows the lead grant seeker to educate colleagues, who in turn, educate the grant seeker.
If your chief executive finds these convenings unnecessary, invite that leader to discuss the rationale. Yes, you can crank out a $10,000 proposal solo. Raise that to $100,000 or more, and your office needs collaborative systems to accommodate a new level of work.
Make the case that finance, program, data, and subject matter experts strengthen the most competitive proposals. They also bring contacts, which you can parlay into a culture of shared networks. You need some dedicated time to help your organization excel.
Name It
Name your convening. I call it a Grant Gathering. You’re welcome to use that term or call it what you like.
A name signifies something of substance. Something that has been carefully considered. It will help your meeting stand out from the many others with mundane titles that feel…mundane.
It doesn’t hurt to brand your Grant Gathering with a little flair. In person, that means food. Virtually, a well-chosen ice breaker works.
Standardize It
When people hear Grant Gathering, they should know what to expect. Your agenda will evolve (see below for ideas). At each stage, touch on predictable themes that people know are valuable to them and to the organization.
Position the agenda items under umbrellas such as revenue, goals, and data—all of which let participants know you are serious about advancing the organization, not just your own work. Add to that emerging financial or strategic plans, or significant funding opportunities that stand to transform the work.
Discuss how you plan to address the above and what’s in it for your colleagues (e.g., Program depth! Technological efficiencies! New hires!). Come prepared with actions that show team members how they can contribute.
Become a master at moving the agenda along. End before the prescribed time, and you’ll become a minor hero among your coworkers.
Routinize It
Bursts of education work best. If your office holds quarterly strategy meetings or monthly budget sessions, schedule your meetings around that aligned ritual. You can pull some of the most relevant news from those discussions into your agenda, as it relates to foundations.
Convene around timely funding opportunities. Keep a running list of non-funder-specific agenda items for times when your grant docket slows.
This isn’t an ad hoc event. Keep the momentum going.
Evolve It
If your organization is early in its major grants journey, begin with a session that allows colleagues to understand the trajectory your leadership expects of its grant revenue and the benefits it will bring. Groups can move through these topics over time:
Major grants basics: how your nonprofit defines them, why they are necessary, inputs needed to make them competitive
Organization-wide relevance: the importance of planning, data, communications, and funder connections
Strategy: how foundation partnerships present opportunities related to programs, infrastructure, transformational goals, and other priorities
Funder confidence: improvements to the systems, strategic visions, and communications that build faith in your nonprofit
When you find a particularly promising prospect, let that opportunity prompt and guide a Grant Gathering. Determine who knows the funder, what you need from the subject matter experts, and how best to position your nonprofit to stand out.
Brand It
Did I mention fun? Don’t lose sight of the food or fun. Major grants can make for intense experiences, and you don’t want colleagues to feel resentful every time they see a Grant Gathering on the calendar.
Brand your events with a little something to look forward to, including a celebration of your team’s next big win.