There are grant dollars everywhere. We’re benefiting from the momentum of the digital age, a time when information is abundant and accessible in a way that didn’t exist 50 years ago. Heck, even 20 years ago, it didn’t exist in the way it does today. Communication exchanges for things like applying for and reporting on grants, sharing organizational news, and promoting fundraising opportunities are now online processes first, followed by other means of communication. This is our default. It can simplify tasks, making it easier to forge and reinforce important connections with stakeholders. This heightened access has been a great advancement; it’s resulted in a greater amount of information and more options.
How do you form a grantseeking strategy that works, taking into account that there are options everywhere, but your time (which is your greatest resource) is limited? Each organization has to find what best suits their needs. When considering how to navigate those grant dollars opportunities to be efficient and accomplish the desired results, it may be best to assess your methodology. Are you casting a wide net and looking at lists of grant opportunities and evaluating whether your projects will fit? Or are you identifying your project first, then searching for grants based on those needs?
Again, every organization is different and should work to find a grantseeking technique that fits for their needs. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed by options and are unsure of how to use your limited resources as efficiently as possible, it might be best to consider the approach. It’s likely more productive to review grant opportunities for a specific fundable project in mind, as it can be more fruitful than the wide net, general funding approach.
Consider Battleship. You can use all your turns with random guessing. E3, B9, H5. And you might hit something. But the game is a strategy guessing game. If you determine your guesses through strategy – what you know of the board, what you know of your opponent, what you know from your past Battleship victories and losses – your chances of a successful hit are likely to increase because of the application of knowledge to your ultimate goal.
If you’re looking for a sign to change up your grantseeking strategy, here it is. Feel empowered to try something new that employs a strategic approach. It may protect your resources while furthering your fundraising goals.
Photo credit: Marco Verch Professional Photographer
