Fundraising HayDay

Disrupting the Development Hierarchy

In 2023, today’s guest (Laura Chynoweth) penned the blog post “Disrupting the Development Hierarchy” in which she spells out why grant writing so often is found at the bottom. Laura, founder and CEO of Grant Fundraising Consultants, joined us to share those reasons and ways in which grant professionals can educate their colleagues and others about the true nature of grant work. The truth is, those who conduct prospect research, develop grant proposals, and manage grant awards play a vital role in the fundraising arm of organizations. It’s time that is understood.

 

SHOW NOTES:

 

Laura Chynoweth’s Grant Professional Association Blog Post Article “Disrupting the Development Hierarchy” - Disrupting the Development Hierarchy - Grant Professionals Association

 

Laura Chynoweth - (2) Laura Chynoweth, MA, CFRE, GPC | LinkedIn

 

Grant Fundraising Consultants - Granted Fundraising Consultants

Giving USA 2024

Each year, the Giving USA Foundation and the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis releases the annual Giving USA Report. Their goal is to “advance philanthropy through research and education.” The results from the data collected and studies in 2023 were released by Giving USA on June 25, 2024. Our cohosts are highlighting charitable giving by source, types of recipient organizations to receive charitable giving, and why this matters to recipients. The overall message is that while overall funding increased, it did not keep up with inflation, and that will impact nonprofits and their work.

 

Access the data we highlighted from Giving USA on today’s podcast episode here: Giving USA: U.S. charitable giving totaled $557.16 billion in 2023 | Giving USA

 

Download the infographic from Giving USA with the highlights of their findings here: 2024 Infographic – Giving USA

 

Being Vulnerable at Work

We often spend more time at work than anywhere else. But that doesn’t mean we are closest to our bosses and colleagues. So how does that work when you have things in your life that affect your work performance? Today we are joined by Melanie Palmer, GPC, CFRE and Leilani Ocasio of Melanie Palmer Consulting, where they share their personal inspirations for leading the "Vulnerability in Grants Work: Set Yourself (and Others) Free" workshop two years running at GrantSummit, a conference hosted by the Grant Professionals Association. Together we talk about building safe spaces and safe communities for everyone to share their moments of vulnerability so we can all work together to be our true, authentic selves.

Travel Tips When Using Grant Funds

Grant funding can be used for travel, if the funder allows it. Your needs for travel expenses will vary from airline and hotel costs to reach a conference event to local mileage for traveling nurses to visit seniors in their homes. If federal funding is involved, there are some very specific rules about what you can and cannot do with travel funding. We’re talking about all those specifics to make sure you spend you grant funding appropriately.

Business Building

Have you started your own business? Are you thinking about it? Whether you plan to be a grant consultant, start a fundraising empire, or want to freelance here and there, it is important to think about your plans for maintaining or growing your business. We are joined by Kim Joyce, Founder & CEO of Kim Joyce & Associates. When she first started her business she had a handful of clients, and today she employees over 30 individuals. She’s got a lot to say about how it happened.

 

Grant Management 101

Grant management is a vital part of the grant life cycle. If you cannot keep the funding awarded to your agency, you are lessening the chance of future funding. Today we’re walking you through the five main components of post-award work. Whether you are new to the grant world or an experienced grant manager, take a listen to make sure you’re covering all the basics.

HowTo: LOI

From small family foundations to large corporation foundations, many funders ask potential grantees to submit an LOI. Do they mean a Letter of Intent or Letter of Interest? Do they want one page or three? What topics do they expect you to cover? The simple answer: it depends. Our cohosts are sharing the ins and outs of all aspects of an LOI in this “how to” episode.

More Than Grant Writers

Sure, your title may have “writer” in it, but we are more than grant writers. Grant professionals build capacity, develop programs, conduct research, work with clients, build budgets, and so much more. We also have a voice in philanthropy, because without nonprofits and other agencies to do all of its good works, foundations and government agencies would have money to give but not one to give it to. Our guests, Patrice Shumate and Liyen Chong, are two of the founding members of More Than Grant Writers, a collaborative community space for grant professionals to practice their unique collective power for social and environmental justice. Learn about More Than Grant Writers and how you can add your voice to the collective.

Critical Thinking Skills for Finding the Right Grant Fit

Grant funding is out there. In 2022, foundations gave $105.2 BILLION and corporations $29.5 BILLION. In Fiscal Year 2023, the federal government awarded $1.7 TRILLION in federal discretionary resources. So how do you wade through all those funding opportunities to find the right fit for your organization? We’re walking you through the process today.

If you are in need of resources to help conduct your grant prospect research, here are a few:

• S1, E7 Fundraising HayDay Podcast – Grant Prospect Research 
• S1, E13 Fundraising HayDay Podcast – Private Funding & How to Approach it 
• S1, E14 Fundraising HayDay Podcast – Public Funding & You 
• S4, E11 Fundraising HayDay Podcast – Prospect Research: What’s Old is New Again 
• HayDay Services Webinar – 5 Free Ways to Fine More Grants 

The Go/No Go Grant Decision Guide goes hand in hand with today’s episode. 

Professional Development Builds Leadership, Philanthropy, and More

During the 2023 #GrantSummit hosted by the Grant Professionals Association, our cohosts interviewed a variety of leaders in the grant field. They shared their experiences, insights, and words of wisdom related to a number of themes ranging from giving back to the profession, leadership, philanthropy, professionalism, volunteering, professional development, and more. Hear key takeaways from each of our esteemed guests:

Bernard Turner, GPC, Associate Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at Belmont University  

Cheryl Kester, CFRE, GPC, 2023 Distinguished Fellow Awardee and Owner of The Kester Group

Doris Shivers, GPC, Director of Grant Innovation and Management for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Egondu Onuoha, GPC, President of the Grant Professionals Certification Institute and Vice President of Real Estate and Special Programs at the Brooklyn Hospital

Jess Pettitt, Emcee of #GrantSummit, Speaker at Good Enough Now

Johna Rodgers, GPC, Immediate Past President of the Grant Professionals Association and Owner of Johna Rodgers Consulting

Leilani Ocasio, Grant Professionals Association Board Member and Project Manager at M. Palmer Consulting

Mike Chamberlain, CAE, Chief Executive Office of the Grant Professionals Association

Pat Duboise, GPC, Chair of the Grant Professionals Association Mentoring Committee and Director at Grant Initiatives

Reagan Lynch, Immediate Past President of the Grant Professionals Foundation and Grant Policy Manager at Witt O’Brien’s

Scot Scala, GPC, 2023 Distinguished Fellow Awardee and President & Senior Consultant at Scala & Associates