There is a difference between responsive grant seeking and strategic grant seeking. The former is something most of us are familiar with – “oh look, this is due in 2 weeks but it’s worth $100,000, what do we have that fits?” Followed by lots of scrambling and futile searches for information. Strategic grant seeking can only occur when your organization has an actual strategy. Not just a mission statement that hangs on the wall, but a living breathing strategic plan that everyone in your organization is both aware of and working toward.
We’ve written lots of grants for lots of clients. Our very best indicator of success is whether or not the client was going to do the project anyway. If they were and they just need the money to make it happen – great! That strategic intent comes shining through the proposal. On the other hand, when the client is chasing money and only intends to do the project if they get the money, yikes. The worst thing that happens is that we frequently do get the money. Then what? Then the staff is unprepared and lacks the capacity to implement. This happens way too frequently.
As consultants it is often our role to talk clients out of writing for something they should reconsider. While it sounds counterintuitive, sometimes making the deliberate decision not to apply is the right choice for now. We urge all of our clients to consider the big picture and weigh the pros and cons of each application. Sometimes the amount of time invested in something you had no intention of doing until this grant opportunity came along is simply not worth it. It is always better to respond thoughtfully than to chase the money.
Shore Points Grant Professionals 