Strategy

25 Aug

Posted at 17:29h in CFRE, Competency Seven, Competency Six, GPC Credential, MA, Professional Development, Professionalism, Shauna O'Toole, Strategy
I was one of the lucky 10% of aspiring GPCs (Grant Professional Certified) to see the following words float across my screen: “This email is to notify you that your packet has been selected for audit.” Audits are best practice for credentialing organizations to uphold the integrity of the credential. No matter how ethical or diligent one is, being audited is always a bit nerve-wracking. I am sharing my experience to show you how to track documentation to be audit-ready. I will give a real-life example of undergoing an audit after submitting my initial eligibility packet and the things that I now do differently as a result.

24 Jul

Posted at 13:23h in Competency One, Research, Roxanne Jensen, ED. SPEC., Strategy
Did you know that while there are two main types of 501(c)(3) organizations, the IRS has set nine different activities to qualify as a 501(c)(3) organization? Organizations with 501(c)(3) status play a vital role in serving communities and advancing various charitable causes. Known for their tax-exempt status, they are eligible to receive tax-deductible donations, making them appealing avenues for philanthropy. While most of us are aware of these organizations' existence, there might be some intriguing facts yet to be uncovered. In this blog post, we will explore the two main types of 501(c)(3) organizations and delve into the nine different activities outlined by the IRS that qualify for 501(c)(3) status.

14 May

Posted at 18:42h in Competency Three, Competency Two, Kellie Brunguard, Professionalism, Strategy
Collaborations are a growing trend in the grant industry, but how do you successfully lead a project without pulling your hair out? Managing projects with multiple parties involved is sometimes the most prominent barrier experienced in a project. Our calendar has been booked full of new and exciting projects. While this is wonderful, our deadline-driven world means staying on top of proposals, attachments, and signatures to avoid that day-of submission panic. Let’s discuss some tips on how you can manage up to keep your projects on track and your professional relationships intact!

21 Apr

Posted at 19:48h in Community, Competency Three, Competency Two, Culture, Relationships, Roxanne Jensen, ED. SPEC., Strategy, Volunteering
Volunteerism has become a vital component to supporting community needs throughout the United States. Volunteers are engaged in critical activities at virtually every level from direct service delivery to data collection and reporting to board-level involvement and fundraising. Without volunteers, many nonprofits would not be able to implement their programming or serve their clients.

23 Jan

Posted at 19:46h in Case Statements, Competency Four, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Narrative, Strategy, Writing
Did you wake up with a foreboding sense of deja vu? Like you've written the exact same narrative over and over again? There are not too many occasions when I can relate to Bill Murray waking up and reliving the same day, except when I find myself reworking the same narrative for another application. You know the feeling – when you have tried and true narrative pieces that perfectly depict the history, need, and program design that makes you feel like you are stuck on repeat? So, what can you do when the programs aren’t changing, but you need to breathe some life into the writing? Here are some tips to refresh your writing and wake up feeling rejuvenated for a busy grant season!

13 Jan

Posted at 19:16h in Case Statements, Competency Eight, Competency Nine, Competency Three, Kellie Brunguard, Strategy, Writing
Case statements are a vital component of a nonprofit fundraising strategy. They are living documents that describe the essential elements of an organization or specific program. These comprehensive descriptions cover topics most funders request – organization history, goals and outcomes, sustainability plan, organizational structure, etc. The purpose is not to create a generic grant to send out to every funder you know but to serve as a starting point for tailoring information to a specific request. A case statement helps information remain consistent among multiple proposals and establishes a master document for updating annual information, statistics, and outcomes. These documents can also be tailored for individual donor prospects, bring a new partner up to speed, or inform new staff on the organization. Creating a comprehensive case statement requires an investment of time. The good news is that annual maintenance is much easier once it is complete. Here are some helpful tips to keep your case statement fresh in the coming year:

13 Jan

Posted at 18:40h in Competency Seven, Kellie Brunguard, Professionalism, Strategy
In 2023, everyone has an app or system that they live and breathe by - color-coded calendars, project management tools, or to-do lists read by Alexa each morning. Are you the person who struggles with sticking to a new system? Or you may get a jolt of motivation when a new application creates a shortcut in your day. Whatever the reason for your attention, here are four tools that have helped my projects stay on track. With the best of intentions, these tools will carry me through 2023!

07 Jan

Posted at 20:29h in Competency Three, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Professionalism, Program Design, Program Development, Strategy
What about January makes us habitually declare resolutions that will result in a new and improved version of ourselves? It could be that following a season of holiday parties and socks filled with candy, we need a hard reset. Or the accountability en-mass as like-minded individuals dredge out of their homes to the gym. Research shows goal-setters have a higher success rate when starting the commitment to pursue a goal after a temporal landmark (e.g., a new week, month, birthday, or holiday); this is called the “fresh start effect.” This phenomenon of New Year’s resolutions is more common in the United States. A poll conducted for the last three years reports that 44% of U.S. participants set a new goal, while only 12-18% of Swedish residents make a resolution.

11 Dec

Posted at 19:29h in Competency Eight, Competency Five, Competency Seven, Funder Relations, Grant Calendar, Grants Management, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Professional Development, Strategy
This time of year starts to get a little strange between projects wrapping up for the year, the time change I still have not adjusted to, and differing work schedules for holiday plans and using up vacation time. While some like to bank their paid time off to have a full holiday break (which is fully respectable), I like to use this quieter time to work on projects that get pushed to the side during busy seasons. Here are some ways I like to use downtime to my advantage.

21 Nov

Posted at 09:43h in Competency Five, Funding, Kellie Brunguard, Narrative, Strategy, Writing
Looking to re-submit a proposal that didn’t get funded last year? Applying for a new funding opportunity? Or re-applying for a highly competitive grant? If this sounds like you, listen up! Grant proposals are denied for so many different reasons and sometimes, unbeknownst to us. In the best cases, you get reviewer feedback, but more likely you are left wondering where your proposal went wrong and what could be done differently to set it apart from the flood of other applicants. Fear not – here are some tried and true, back-to-the-basics ways to improve your proposal and elevate it from the competition.