“Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets planning”
-Thomas Alva Edision
Every community is unique and offers something special to citizens or members. It may be a cosmopolitan environment, access to outdoor recreation or the special feeling of a small town. It is thus imperative that every community be ready to tell its particular story. As part of the relationship building strategy, it is imperative that the staff at Community Grants Associates understands your organizational needs and culture. The first step with meet with clients and listen carefully to their needs.
The funding landscape is dynamic and requires a careful, consistent and coordinated approach if one is to regularly succeed. As a result of the information gathered at this meeting and our later research, Community Grants Associates will make some recommendations about basic strategy to pursue and offer some early ideas on potential funders. Over the course of our relationship, regular meetings will take place which will further shape the funding strategy. Our experience in this field allows to apply lessons learned from throughout our careers to to shape an easy to follow approach that will yield results.
As part of this planning process, we will also make suggestions regarding ways to improve organizational effectiveness in this area. For example, different city departments often do not coordinate their grant seeking activities. This approach can limit returns and increase the amount of work required to reach a funding goal.
Further, it is our experience that grants are often won or lost before the writing process begins. An essential part of this preparation involves creating a data set that accurately depicts your organization, district or municipality. This data could include demographics, numbers served, percentage of participants successfully completing an existing program etc. As part of the strategic planning process, we will work with clients to keep this information current. Access to current local information is an excellent way to enhance any grant application.
Community Grants Associates will also keep track of data provided throughout our working relationship. Too often grantees collect this information, report it, and promptly forget it exists. This data has many other uses. It can show the effectiveness of this work to the community large and help your organization, district, or municipality craft a positive message for the community. For example using social media to issue this type of information is an efficient and inexpensive way to conduct community outreach and influence decision-makers.