Fundraising HayDay

Good Enough Now

The work is piling up - grant deadlines, conference presentations, a new capital campaign, the next fundraising gala, and other duties as assigned. You feel like you're a jack of all trades, but a master of none. How do you get to the place where you feel good enough and are okay with that? Join our conversation with Jess Pettitt, author of Good Enough Now, as she shares how to "do the best we can with what we have some of the time."

Writing Tight for Character Counts

You know the drill. A funder asks a series of questions, then gives you anywhere from 100 to 1,000 CHARACTERS to answer each question. When you have a million things to share, but a very limited space to do so, how do you fit it all in? Today we're talking writing tight.

Fundraising Across the Pond

Sure, we all speak English, but are we talking about the same thing? Fundraising is not an exclusively American thing, so we are talking to our friend across the pond. David Burgess, and his firm Apollo Fundraising, provides consultancy, training, and support to arts and cultural organizations. Turns out, we have more in common than we think - and more to learn from one another in getting the job done well.

Grants Gone Wrong

It's the Fundraising HayDay annual episode that is ripped from the headlines. We are talking grant fraud stories and the consequences that happen when the rules are broken. We've got stories about a university professor and a local mayor. We're also following up on a story from last year's episode about the Tennessee state senator who was accused of using federal grant funds for personal gain. 

How To: Goals and Objectives

Most every grant proposal requires the creation of goal(s) and objective(s) to demonstrate the change your program will bring about during the grant period. If you have ever wondered how to come up with specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-oriented objectives, this is the episode for you. 

Expert Opinion: K-12 Education

It's not unusual to specialize in a specific field of the grant profession. So how do you determine which one fits your career? The best way is to learn as much as you can about the differences between them all. Today we are highlighting Olivia Smith-Daugherty and her work in K-12 education. She manages the grant needs of entire school system, serving students, teachers, and administrators. Could this be the grant specialty for you? 

Grant Productivity: Managing Your Workload

Whether you are a one-woman grant office, a consultant with a slew of sub-contractors, or a giant grant team, there are always a million tasks that must be accomplished in the grant profession. So how do you keep up with it all? It's the age-old question for grant pros around the world. Today we are talking with Allison Boyd of Boyd Grants. In 2021 she earned her clients $38 million, which helped transform the lives of 5.5 million people. She is the master of systems and scheduling to crank out the work. Join our conversation to learn how Allison manages her workload.

The Why in Grants is Silent - Part 2

Last episode we spoke about the whys in grant - as in why do grant applications have such limited character counts to complicated questions and why are grant portals so complicated? In part two of this discussion, we are lifting up organizations and individuals who are fighting the good fight, working to make the grant space more equitable. Learn how you can amplify their voices by participating in activities and processes aimed at making the world a better place for us all, one wonky grant process at a time. Because a rant may be cathartic, but it will get old if nothing ever changes.

The Why in Grants is Silent - Part 1

If you have spent any time preparing a grant proposal, managing a grant program, or dealt with the many requirements centered around grant funding, you have most likely thrown up your hands in frustration, and probably more than once. From limited character counts and ridiculous online portals to the abysmal funding levels awarded to nonprofits serving and led by people of color, it's enough to make you want to burn the whole system to the ground. In part 1 of this discussion, we are asking all the whys: why is this so bad; why is this so difficult; and why, why, why can't funders make it better? Sometimes a rant is cathartic. 

When Should You Write a Grant?

Everyone wants grant money for their organization, and why not? It helps fund programs, staffing, infrastructure, equipment, and so much more. But to be competitive in the grant funding world, you need all your ducks in a row to ensure your organization is grant ready. From compiling needed paperwork and creating documents, to ensuring that your organization's board of directors is on board with all the work needed to create quality grant proposals, it is a lot of work. Is your organization actually ready for you to write a grant, or do you need to jump through a few hoops first?