Understanding the lingo of nonprofit finances
The best way to understand how a foundation awards a grant is to look at that grant money as an investment. The foundation...
Grant writing tips
Get organized before you apply for a federal grant
If your nonprofit is even thinking of writing a federal grant, it's important you take a step back and make sure you have...
How to write grants for small nonprofits
Finances are always tight in the nonprofit sector; if you run a small nonprofit, you’re likely dealing with even more financial restrictions. Even...
How to fill out a logic model for nonprofit grants
Many organizations cringe when they talk about evaluations, metrics, and measurements. It's fun to talk about one's program, but it's often intimidating and...
What are outcomes versus outputs in grant writing?
Grant writing can involve a frustrating set of jargon — terms like goals, objectives, outcomes, outputs, and a great many more. Even if...
Be sure to avoid these common grant proposal mistakes
Especially when a grant application has a long list of guidelines and requirements, it can be pretty easy to mess something up. And...
Applying for grants without a 501(c)(3)
What happens if your charity is waiting on its 501(c)(3) status? You've sent the paperwork into the IRS, but you're still waiting on...
How to write the sustainability section of a grant
One of the most neglected aspects of any grant proposal — federal, state, or foundation — is the sustainability section. Funders often ask how...
Including volunteer hours in a nonprofit budget
Many nonprofit organizations rely on volunteers in some capacity. Food banks use them to pack meals, Habitat for Humanity uses them to build...
When foundations contribute only to preselected organizations
One of the most frustrating things we've encountered as grant writers is discovering that a foundation only gives grants to preselected organizations. They...