As we all begin planning for 2023, I want you to pause for a moment and consider how more grant funding could change your day-to-day nonprofit operations.

One of the realities of the nonprofit world is that organizations are frequently expected to do more with less, to stretch dollars and fill in the gaps with longer hours.

But the fact of the matter is that it’s a lot simpler and healthier for everyone involved to do more with more. And I’m talking about more funding.

More funding makes a lot possible for organizations. When I hear from Grant Writing Made Easy students about their grant wins, they invariably share what a difference that money makes in their day-to-day operations.

So that’s what I want to get you to think about today. What could you accomplish with more grant funding?

You can serve more people and serve them better

When I talk with people about why they want more grant funding, one of the answers I hear most frequently is that they want to serve more people.

This makes sense. It doesn’t feel good to have to turn people away, especially when you know the need is there and you know that your work can address the need.

But grant funding will not only allow you to serve more people, it can make it possible to serve them better.

You can be more consistent in your programming. And you can invest in training yourself and your staff to better accomplish the goals and aims of the program. You could also invest in a building or materials that will make your programs run more smoothly.

You can take care of yourself and your staff

The overhead myth has been the subject of much conversation in recent years. Many in the nonprofit world have asserted that the long-held belief that nonprofits need to have as little overhead as possible makes it much more difficult to do good work.

While many grants still place limitations on how much they will fund administrative expenses, there is a simple work-around. I tell this to folks in Grant Writing Made Easy all the time. The portion of staff salary that corresponds to hours spent in programs can be included in program budgets.

This is important because many small nonprofits are funded by sporadic donations or are powered almost completely by volunteer labor.

If you’re an executive director/founder, and you’re funding your work out of your own pocket, know that it doesn’t have to be like that.

You can hire the staff you need to really deliver your programs with more stable funding. Rates of burnout in the nonprofit sector are high, but delegating a workload among an appropriate number of people can make a huge difference.

What’s next for you?

Like I discuss in Grant Writing Made Easy, having a grant strategy is the best way to increase the number of grants you win and increase your award amounts.

As you build your own grant strategy, I want you to keep in mind what you hope to accomplish with more funding. Grant writing is hard work, and keeping your ultimate “why” in mind will keep you motivated and committed even when you feel like giving up.

It’s also helpful to surround yourself with a support system. We provide just that in Grant Writing Made Easy (enrollment closes forever on 12/15/22).