Grant’s Assistance Hotline: 1.866.973.2760 Before You Seek a Grant A Checklist for Nonprofit Organizations Native Learning

Grant’s Assistance Hotline: 1.866.973.2760 www.NativeLearningCenter.com

Before You Seek a GrantA Checklist for Nonprofit

Organizations

Native Learning Center Seminole Tribe of Florida


Course Description & ObjectivesCourse Descriptions:

You may have a project in mind that will make a positive impact on your community; however, it may need additional funding to get off the ground. Knowing how to find funds that are available, understanding the time and resources involved in receiving a grant, and pursuing alternative sources of funding will be among the topics covered in this course.

Course Objectives:

After this course, attendees will be able to:• Identify who can receive a grant• Describe the time and resources typical to creating a

grant proposal and manage it• Explain the differences between federal and foundation grants• Develop alternative sources of funding

Before You Seek a Grant

#1


Your PresenterVince Franco

Grants Compliance ManagerNative Learning Center (NLC)

6363 Taft StreetHollywood, Florida 33024

[email protected]

Ext. 10651

NLC

mailto:[email protected]


Any Questions?• If you have a question please use the hand tool to raise

your hand and type your question into the chat box (next slide).

• The presenter will work to answer your questions as quickly as possible. Questions will be answered in the order they were received.

• Please remember to complete the class survey at the end of this course.


How to ask a question?


Technical Issues? Unable to hear us?



The purpose of this training is to help you diagnose your organization’s potential for success and readiness to seek grant

and foundation funding.

Characteristics of a Successful Nonprofit

1. C


Topics• Building an Organization and Defining Your Mission (Review)• Starting a Nonprofit Organization (Review)

• Characteristics of Successful Nonprofit Organizations Clear Mission and Vision; Ability to Perform Key Functions; Strong Practices,

Procedures and Policies; Organizational and Program Development; Ability to Attain and Retain Good People; and Ability to Mobilize Others

• Key Elements Less Effective vs. More Effective Nonprofit Organizations

• Gearing Up Funders are Looking, Grants Plan, and Fundraising Plan


Building an Organization and Defining Your Mission (Review)

• Implementing a Needs Assessment It is a survey of potential customers Helps to identify other organizations doing what you do

• Conducting a SWOT Analysis Defines your Strengths and Weaknesses (Internal) Defines your Opportunities and Threats (External)

• Developing a Mission and Vision Statement A strong mission statement shows why an organization exists and its overall purpose A strong vision statement shows the future path of the organization and supports the mission

• Creating a Logic Model, Goals and Strategic Plan A comprehensive logic model helps to define the purpose of an organization Goals and a strategic plan help to determine the everyday direction of an organization

• Developing Partnerships


Starting a Nonprofit Organization (Review)

• Choosing a Business Name• Incorporating your Organization• Articles of Incorporation• Putting Together a Board of Directors• Developing Bylaws• Holding an Organizational Meeting• Registering for an Employer Identification Number• Applying with the IRS for 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Status• Sales Tax Exemption• Contributions and Applying for Grants and Funding



A Checklist for Nonprofit Organizations


Characteristics of Successful Nonprofit Organizations


Characteristics of Successful Nonprofit Organizations

The qualities and characteristics that follow are common to effective nonprofits.

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

1. Clear Mission and Vision 2. Ability to Perform Key Functions

3. Strong Practices, Procedures, and Policies

4. Organizational and Program Development

5. Attain and Retain Good People 6. Ability to Mobilize Others


Clear Mission and VisionThe most fundamental quality of an effective nonprofit is clarity about its mission – both what it seeks to accomplish and why this purpose is important.

All of the nonprofit’s programs and operation should be aligned to advance the mission.

The nonprofit should communicate its mission to everyone - Board of Directors, staff, donors, volunteers, partners, and the general public - so that everyone understands its goals and works toward a common purpose.


Clear Mission and Vision

• Prompted by thoughtful, collective decisions

• Mission is clear and the view is strategic

• Focused on serving a public interest

• Evident in programs


Key Functions for a Successful Non-Profit

Effective nonprofits are able to perform at least six essential functions necessary to fulfill their missions:

• Communicate a clear mission and vision• Seek and engage people who use its services• Achieve results and track impact• Manage an active and informed governance

structure• Secure resources appropriate for its needs• Plan for the future


Ability to Perform Key Functions

A seventh key function is also essential to effectiveness:

• Making part of the organization’s culture to evolve its programs and operations as it learns from its successes and failures.


Strong Practices, Procedures and Policies

Effective nonprofits also follow strong practices in at least two important functional areas: finance and governance.

Let’s take a closer look at finance.

• Yearly audits are conducted. • Financial statements are prepared and follow a consistent format. • Solid fiscal management processes are in place.• There is a diverse range of support from contributions, member

dues, program fees, grants, fundraising events, and investments.• Efforts are in place to establish and maintain an operating reserve.



• Budgeting begins with an assessment of needs.

• The organization uses the budget as a management tool to control expenses, measure success and to assist in planning.

• Leadership understands it must invest in the organization to survive and grow. It must develop human resources, organizational systems and capacity, and technology.

• The organization also understands how the bottom line influences many strategic decisions as well as the sense of “how well the organization is doing” at all operational levels.



Next, let’s take a closer look at governance.

• Strong leadership runs the organization.• A clearly defined process exists to properly

handle issues and make decisions.• Board of Directors use a nomination process

and term limits are in place.• Regular review of programs and plans takes

place through written and verbal review and with financial analysis.

• Board meetings are scheduled for the year.



And two more important governance issues.

• Written policies set expectations, increase efficiency, and promote transparency and accountability in operations. Examples include:

• The organization also demonstrates flexibility adjusting to economic change by taking strong measures to control costs and increase revenue.

Board term limits Personnel hiring and management

Investments Conflicts of Interest


Organizational and Program Development

• A strategic plan is in place and used. It is reviewed annually and adjusted as necessary. Staff refer to it when talking to anyone.

• Regular customer input, in the form of written and verbal surveys and comments, is welcome and used for continual program improvement.

• Staff can articulate key accomplishments, lessons learned, and future directions.

• Board of Director members are able to easily describe the successes and challenges of the organization.


Organizational and Program Development

• The organization is recognized as an entity, not solely with one or two individuals who work there.

• Other organizations doing similar work speak highly of the organization.


Attain and Retain Good People

People are key to performance, and nonprofits should invest in human resources. Recognize that recruiting, training, and

supporting the board, staff, and

volunteers requires substantial investment.

Above all, nonprofits depend on one

key resource to fulfill their mission: qualified,

skilled, and talented people.



Board of Director Members: when nonprofits lack the resources and know-how to recruit and train effective board members, their governance, oversight, and leadership suffer accordingly.

Your board should be the following:

Diverse Responsible about Stewardship Informed

Talent-Rich

Dedicated to the Nonprofit (not their self-

interest)

Engaged



Staff: the effectiveness of a nonprofit largely depends on employing an appropriate number of staff who are:

• Talented• Adequately trained• Properly supported• Motivated • Fairly Compensated



Volunteers: There are three strong reasons to involve volunteers into your programs:

• It helps build organizational strength in the sense of ownership that volunteers gain when they become visible advocates for your nonprofit.

• Volunteers have credibility that paid staff do not have. They demonstrate community investment.

• Third, using volunteers provides extra hands that enable a nonprofit to do tasks and activities that might not otherwise get done.


Ability to Mobilize Others

The ability to mobilize and engage board members, staff, and volunteers, as well as other nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies are essential skills for nonprofit organizations.

Building awareness and support among key audiences and bringing more people and resources to the table are vital to long-term stability.

There is power in numbers.


Ability to Mobilize Others

Characteristics to enhance a nonprofits ability to mobilize others:

Staff is skilled in working with government.

A willingness to partner with businesses to stretch their influence.

The capacity to inspire and engage volunteers as passionate partners and

spokespersons.

A willingness to partner with other nonprofits working to address the same

or similar issues.A commitment to sharing leadership

with board members, staff, and volunteers to empower more people to

make an impact.


Key Elements


Key Elements – Mission, Vision, Programs

Less Effective Nonprofit Organizations More Effective Nonprofit Organizations

Prompted by individual impulse Prompted by collective decisions

Program shaped exclusively by service providers

Program shaped equally by service providers

View of work is broad & mission is vague Mission is clear and view is strategic

Tendency to serve private interest Clearly focused on serving public interest

Programs do not always tie into mission Clarity of mission is evident in programs

Mission, Vision and Programs


Key Elements – Team, Structure, and Governance


Board and staff roles unclear Board and Staff roles clear and defined

Board micro-manages all functions Board oversees functions

Board involved in hiring all staff Board hires ED, and ED hires others

Decisions dominated by small group Decisions made by board as a whole

Progress limited, project to project Develops and consults strategic plan

Volunteer development haphazard Volunteers trained, managed, rewarded

Team, Structure and Governance


Key Elements – Resources, Finances, and Operations


Budget focus is “could” spending Budget focus on needs assessment

Budget cannot contain spending Budget is a management tool

Fundraising is scattershot, based on a few Fundraising is planned and structured

Hesitant to invest in fundraising infrastructure, only program

Understands and invests in itself to survive and grow

Sees fundraising as means to budget goal Sees fundraising as education and communication, and way to promote

Resources, Finances, and Operations


Key Elements - Resources, Finances, and Operations (continued)


Exclusive reliance on government and foundation grants

Individual contributors also part of the funding mix, as well as corporate support

Few board members make financial contributions

100% giving board, no matter what the level

Frequent crisis cash flow borrowing Short and long term financial planning

No one understands the budget or audit Leadership understands what budget and audit conveys

Operates within inadequacies of space Develops facilities plan for growth

Resources, Finances, and Operations


Gearing Up to Seek a Grant


Gearing Up

Funders are looking … for successful organizations and assurances that their money will be spent effectively and show measurable results. They are looking for a proven track record and organizational capabilities. These must be communicated effectively to the funder in a grant application and/or foundation letter.

Jane Smith, Executive Director Xavier Foundation 555 S. Smith St. Washington, D.C. 22222

Dear Ms. Smith:

I am writing to inquire whether the Xavier Foundation would invite a proposal from the ABC Nonprofit, requesting a grant of $50,000 to support our Enterprise 2012 initiative.

This grant would provide part of the funds needed for us to train at least 1200 low-income individuals in rural New Hampshire in the computer skills they need to create sustainable businesses . Your literature indicates that the Xavier Foundation is searching for innovative ideas to improve the lives of the rural poor; we believe Enterprise 2012 falls well within your area of interest.

Please feel free to call me with any questions . I look forward to hearing from you.

ly, Doe, Executive Director

Jane Smith, Executive Director Xavier Foundation 555 S. Smith St. Washington, D.C. 22222

Dear Ms. Smith:

I am writing to inquire whether the Xavier Foundation would invite a proposal from the ABC Nonprofit, requesting a grant of $50,000 to support our Enterprise 2012 initiative.

This grant would provide part of the funds needed for us to train at least 1200 low-income individuals in rural New Hampshire in the computer skills they need to create sustainable businesses . Your literature indicates that the Xavier Foundation is searching for innovative ideas to improve the lives of the rural poor; we believe Enterprise 2012 falls well within your area of interest.

Please feel free to call me with any questions . I look forward to hearing from you.

ly, Doe, Executive Director


Gearing UpThe following tips will help organizations to focus on a few aspects of a grants plan.

• Tip #1 - Plan Ahead. With grant deadlines released just a few short weeks in advance, take control by mapping out a tentative submission calendar. Prepare some materials ahead of time to create the longest preparation runway as possible.

• Tip #2 – Get Organized. Review the qualities that are common to effective nonprofit organizations. Utilize these characteristics to keep everything in order.


Gearing Up

• Tip #3 – Stay in Touch. Maintaining good relationships with potential funders is critical. Stay on top of administrative and reporting deadlines. Strong communication with funders is the earmark of successful funding.

• Tip #4 – Prioritize Projects. One of the best ways to manage projects is to prioritize the projects in advance and seek out funding that lines up with those projects.


Gearing UpDo you have a fundraising plan? If no, consider developing an overall plan, including multiple funding sources, such as:

• Governmental/Public Funding;• Earned income from membership dues,

product and service fees;• Institutional philanthropy from foundations

and corporations;• Individual gifts from planned giving and

bequests; • Fund raising events; and • Renting out facilities, training, computer and classrooms.• NLC Webinar “Fundraising for your Organization” 9/26/12


Review• Building an Organization and Defining Your Mission (Review)• Starting a Nonprofit Organization (Review)

• Characteristics of Successful Nonprofit Organizations Clear Mission and Vision; Ability to Perform Key Functions; Strong Practices,

Procedures and Policies; Organizational and Program Development; Ability to Attain and Retain Good People; and Ability to Mobilize Others

• Key Elements Less Effective vs. More Effective Nonprofit Organizations

• Gearing Up Funders are Looking, Grants Plan, and Fundraising Plan


Closing Notes

Technical Assistance Hotline

1-866-973-2760


Thank You! Please visit our Website

www.NativeLearningCenter.com

http://www.nativelearningcenter.com/


Next Webinar!Title: Writing Persuasively

Focus Area: Tribal Government

Course Number: TG1105

Date: July 25, 2012

Time: 2:00-3:00pm EST

Instructor: Jared Forman Registration is free!

Documents

Grant’s Assistance Hotline: 1.866.973.2760 Before You Seek a Grant A Checklist for Nonprofit Organizations Native Learning