Nonprofit Grant Management

All organizations look for ways to improve results, but the answer to getting more out of grants may not lie in filling out more applications or knocking on more doors than in previous years. The answer may lie in improving your grant management process so you can spend more time on higher return processes. Grants take time. Proposals have deadlines, and the grant reporting process is especially time-consuming considering reports for different grants must be filled out and turned in. Your management team may require comprehensive grant reports so they have all the information they need to seek out new opportunities.

Here are some ways your nonprofit organization can take control of the grant management process:

Create a Grant Management Calendar
Proposal and reporting deadlines are never conveniently on the same day. This is why every organization should have a dedicated grant calendar with automated reminders about key dates and deadlines. Favorable options for this include Outlook or Google Calendar, a dedicated spreadsheet, or even a whiteboard or wall calendar. The important thing is to dedicate one system of organization solely to grants and their sometimes complicated timelines. Everyone on the management team should have access to the calendar and supporting grant documents. Organizing the information this way puts you in a better position to meet deadlines and build relationships with donors.

Make Sure All Grant Documents Are Accessible
Organizations need to track key information about donors, and when this information is disorganized or not recorded at all, it jeopardizes future fundraising efforts. Having quick access to a funder’s key contact information, Form 990, past grant history, social media links, notes of past conversations, and other trackable data helps everyone in your organization manage present and future opportunities.

Assemble a ‘Grant Response’ Document
It takes a lot of effort to compile financial and organizational information every time a grant opportunity comes around. That’s why it’s best to be proactive and have the majority of this information ready to go at a moment’s notice. With the majority of the work done upfront, organizations can apply to more opportunities faster.

Consider Automation
Many nonprofit organizations handle reporting through spreadsheets or even by hand, but there is specialized accounting software that exists solely for nonprofit groups. This software acts as a grant management tool and automates many tasks. It also serves as an information database that allows you to have more transparency with financial matters or pull up different reports quickly.

Find a Resource for Nonprofit Grant Accounting
Professional accounting firms like Rubino have worked with nonprofit groups at different stages of their maturity, from the beginning developments to well-established organizations that work on a federal level. These firms have the ability to examine your financial recordkeeping not just from an organizational standpoint but for regulatory requirements as well. They spot inconsistencies and simplify processes, even for volunteers who may not be financially inclined.