Grant writing is a time-consuming course of. It can be nerve-wracking in the event you’re inexperienced or engaged on a very vital grant. Jeff Kutash, the chief director of the Peter Kiewit Basis in Omaha, Neb, offers with grants every day.
What does the pinnacle of a basis that gave $18 million in grant cash final 12 months need to say about grant writing and the connection between foundations and nonprofit professionals?
Don’t get trapped
One of many many errors Kutash routinely sees in grant writing is that the applicant seems to be on the utility as a set-in-stone doc that needs to be adopted like a math formulation.
“Too usually, grantees get ‘trapped by the app,’ they usually solely reply the questions that they’re requested,” Kutash defined.
He later expanded on that thought, speaking concerning the perceived “energy imbalance” between the muse and potential grantee. He thought that this could possibly be the explanation that the grantees are getting trapped. Having the braveness to step outdoors the boundaries of the appliance, and inform the muse not what they suppose they should know, however relatively what you suppose they should know could make the distinction in an utility.
The “worth” of cash
Let’s face it, the explanation nonprofits flip to foundations and grants is a necessity for cash. Some would possibly suppose that the sum of money being requested for is a significant a part of the grant utility course of, however Kutash disagreed.
“In some ways, the precise greenback quantity would be the least priceless a part of the entire grant,” he mentioned.
He additionally talked concerning the false impression that after the cash is obtained, the grantee has succeeded and the method is over. Grant reporting is essential in persevering with to construct the newly fashioned relationship between the grantseeker and grantmaker. That grantee has now gained a supporter and one other “individual” of their nook. In that sense, the connection between basis and nonprofit is similar to the connection that’s strived for between nonprofits and particular person donors.
Search for transparency
In a current article Kutash wrote for The Middle for Efficient Philanthropy, he talked about how he believes transparency needs to be utilized by foundations, and the way the Peter Kiewit Basis is working in the direction of being extra clear. We requested him to increase on a few of the issues he wrote about.
Kutash mentioned that there are particular issues that nonprofits have a proper to know. The muse’s technique, priorities and objectives of the muse, in addition to the method and standards for reviewing grants. Realizing these items might help the grant author understand how their grant is being reviewed, and what they need to emphasize within the utility.
Customer support is vital
Previous to taking the chief place on the Peter Kiewit Basis, Kutash labored as a managing director for FSG, a San Francisco based mostly consulting agency, offering help to nonprofits and different charitable foundations all over the world. We talked about how his expertise offering consulting companies impacts his work now. He mentioned the most important factor he introduced from FSG to his new place is an consideration in the direction of customer support.
“If you work in consulting, one of many issues that’s actually vital is customer support,” he mentioned. “I need our program officers to be nice at customer support first.”
He went on to elucidate {that a} concentrate on this might help in relationship-building. That’s one thing that’s vital on either side because the working relationship grows previous the preliminary grant.
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Initially printed 4.4.16—Up to date 12.26.22
