The Basics of Non Profit Grants
You may be starting up an organization that has great aims and philanthropic purposes. This is a noble task, and the pride that comes with doing such noble work is second to none. There is no greater feeling than to know that you’re able to make even just one person’s life better in this world we live in.
Yet how can you feed hungry people if you don’t have food? How can you educate children if you don’t have books or even chalk? How can you spread a message of love and hope around the world if you don’t even have shoes on your feet?
No matter how ascetic your objectives are, you can’t change this fact: money is essential if you want your organization to be able to do anything. As noble as any purpose can be, even the most basic of organizations need funding to function properly.
There is one way for your organization to get money for its objectives. And that’s through a non profit grant.
What’s a non profit grant?
Non profit grants are, to be simple, funding from certain individuals or organizations to your organization for non profit purposes. This is the main difference between a non profit grant proposal and a proposal for investment capital. The latter aims to use the money funded to make more money, while the former aims to use the money funded to reach the objectives of the non profit organization.
What’s a non profit grant proposal?
A Non profit grant proposal is, to be simple once again, a written document requesting non profit grants from a certain individual or organization. It basically outlines the objectives of your organization, how it matches or coincides with the objectives of the funding party, the plans on how you’ll go about achieving that objective and other relevant information about your non profit organization.
What do I get out of it?
Of course, the most important gains you’ll have from getting a non profit grant is the money. Other than that, you build up social and professional networks with the party that’s funding your organization. Plus you get more social awareness of your organization, as the funding party will then support your organization. The bigger the profile of the funding party, the bigger the non profit grant’s “advertising effect” is for your organization.
What are my responsibilities?
The most important responsibility you’ll have to bear when you’re given a non profit grant is to provide a way of showing the funding party you’re able to meet your objectives. You could even take it one step further and bring yourselves to exceed the objectives you initially set when you requested the grant. You’d better prove that you’re able to solve world hunger if that’s what your organization’s all about. Otherwise, you may have the really nasty experience of having your funding pulled out from under your feet.
So now that you know the four basics of non profit grants, you may want to consider writing up a proposal for your non profit organization. After all, no organization would function without funding.
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For many organizations, grants can be an essential source of capital and funding. However, there are only a limited number of government agencies and foundations offering grant istance so competition for funding can be fierce. So, it is essential that any grant proposal should contain all the necessary information and be presented in the right manner for it to be successful. In this two-part article I look at the elements that make a successful grant proposal.
