When Your Grant Seeking Is Flat
When I ask my in-house peers how their grant seeking is going, many will say, fine.
Probe a little deeper, and “fine” translates to this:
We have hit a ceiling.
I can’t break through to new funders.
Our foundation revenue is flat.
Major grants require momentum. Like a bike ride, you’ve got to push yourself if you want to make it to a hilltop.
The muscle that propels major grants is credibility.
It’s the trait I see funders adhere to when they take serious interest in a potential grantee. It’s nuanced and takes many forms but is a worthy north star.
Credibility over Persuasion
You might argue that your job relies on persuasion. That approach prompts an inferior relationship with your funders. If you lead with persuasion, you force one-sided messaging that touts your organization’s strengths. You compel a funder to partner with you.
Credibility is not pushy. It’s about standing tall on your organization’s merits. It’s about creating a profile that attracts the right investors.
Consider this difference: You can launch into funder communications crusading for your organization, or you can paint a symbiotic picture of your nonprofit and this foundation, two of the leading advocates for formerly incarcerated adults.
There’s a confidence about the latter that reassures your audience.
Credibility in Context
Three types of nonprofits struggle with credibility:
New organizations. Start-ups must be creative. Yours might find power in the founder’s subject matter expertise or lived experience, or the program’s early results. In the grants space, early investments from individuals also yield credibility.
Older, little-known nonprofits. I have sat in countless meetings where I learn that an organization is a “best kept secret”. That humble approach, while admirable, can create obstacles when an organization wants to emerge from the shadows. Ask what’s kept your nonprofit around for so long. Like an archeological dig, your colleagues must search not for shards of credibility but a fully-preserved work of art.
Entities with obvious weak spots. Credibility is not perfection. You weaken it when you force a program officer to call you after learning about last year’s budget deficit. If your financials are shakier than last year, proactively make clear that inflation has upset specific expenses. Explain how you plan to move beyond the situation, even if the proposal at hand is part of your plan.
Pursuing Credibility
The road to credibility varies. It can be as simple as refreshing outdated media assets. Or it can push a staff and board toward a cultural overhaul. Most nonprofits fall somewhere in between.
Here are a few reasons you’ll want to post affirmations that remind you to regularly pursue this path. They apply whether you’re crafting funder communications, proposals, or most anything related to major grants:
Credibility builds trust. Trust leads to investments.
Credibility demonstrates curiosity. When you know your nonprofit’s work is worth a significant investment, you are confident enough to take the focus off your organization. You ask questions about the program officer, the foundation, and grant making trends. You synthesize this information and provide a tailored case for support rather than a generic one.
Credibility shows confidence. I know people who have willed a grant into existence. They are prepared and poised. They know the power of their nonprofits’ work to make a difference. They see a program officer as one of many partners who are going to want in on the journey. They say things like this:
While our materials might not be as polished as others’, here’s what we know. We are resourceful and determined to support every child in our county’s foster care system. We estimate that will take three to six years. We know the more ambitious timeline is achievable with the support of every foundation in the county.
Each of the above oozes with your organization’s values.
Avoid the Hard Sell
Yes, you are in the business of selling your mission to investors. Shift your mindset to credibility, and you change the conversation. You elevate your standing.
The next time someone asks you how your grant seeking is going, you’ll respond, fine, if you’re trying to persuade them—or yourself—that you’d rather not talk about it.
The credible response is one that acknowledges you’re building the momentum that takes you to that next level.
Thanks to all who continue to send input and ideas. I enjoy hearing from you!