Grant Readiness Assessment: What it is and how to use it effectively.
Would it be helpful to know what you need to jump in and start working on most grant applications before you begin the writing process?
Would you love to have a checklist of the most requested documents, the required documents, and the data you will likely need when working on grants in 2019?
I have been writing grants for over two decades and decided to put together a Grant Readiness Checklist to use for myself and with clients. This list has saved me so much time over the past few years and helps my clients get organized which saves them time once they begin writing as well.
What’s in this list you ask?
I break down the areas where foundations will request additional information to six key areas. Then I list the most popular items needed in each section with checkboxes. I create this worksheet for myself with new grant writing clients, or with new coaching clients. I create a folder in my computer titled ‘Grant Documents’ and then create subfolders for each heading. As I create or locate the documents needed, I save them in the corresponding folders for easy access.
The six headings I use are:
- Organizational Background
- Tax Documents
- Financial Information
- Governance
- Program/Project Information
- Other
Under each heading, I have items listed such as:
1. Organizational Background
- History of organization (narrative)
- Year established
- Mission, vision, values statement
2. Tax Documents
- Tax exempt status letter
- 990
- W9
3. Financial Information
- Detailed organizational budget
- Financial Statement
- Audit
4. Governance
- Board of directors (including affiliations and contact info.)
- Organizational chart
- Current strategic plan
5. Program/Project Information
- Detailed program/project description
- Number served in previous year
- Current outcome measures
6. Other
- Letters of support
- Percentage of board giving financially
- Solicitation license (where applicable)
This is not the complete list but should give you an idea of the type of information that is included. Creating these files for easy access now will save you and your team a lot of time and energy next year when you get ready to work on grants for programs, projects, capital campaigns or general operating funds.
If you’d like to have the full Grant Readiness Checklist so you can get started organizing your files today, CLICK HERE and we will email it over to you in an editable Word document. I hope it helps as you work now to make next year a little less hectic.
Keep growing for good!
Mandy
This blog is an original work of the attributed author and is shared with permission via Foundant Technologies' website for informative purposes only as part of our educational content in the philanthropic sector. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this text belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect Foundant's stance on this topic. If you have questions or comments, please reach out to our team.
