Managing grant opportunities in mid- to large-sized grant-active organizations is difficult and seldom done effectively. Existing financial systems only cover part of the grants process, leaving large holes, especially when it comes to grant tracking and grant reporting.
Organizations large and small will increase grant wins by approaching each opportunity effectively and efficiently. Such revenue-generating activities deserve the resources and attention necessary to ensure that deadlines are met and that the work generated sets a high standard for the organization.
Determining the capacity of your grants management program will help you answer some key questions:
- On average, how many opportunities will your organization pursue in a given year?
- How much time, if any, does your organization wish to dedicate to researching potential new funding opportunities?
- Does your organization want to pursue funding from private foundations?
- Will you be pursuing grant funding for high profile, multi-use projects that require a greater level of coordination?
- Will your organization be submitting collaborative proposals with other organizations in the area?
- Does your organization want to maximize competitiveness for grant funding opportunities by employing strategies like launching a PR campaign and/or other efforts to educate elected officials about your organization’s past successes while garnering their support for your upcoming plans?
Evaluating these kinds of factors will help you determine the scope of the program you can establish in your organization to manage key grant-related deliverables of application and report due dates, and grant contract close dates. This tracking allows for communication across an organization and provides all organizational levels with important information needed to effectively and efficiently manage grant deadlines.
