When nonprofit organizations begin a new grant writing strategy, many expect to see results within a year. The one-year checkpoint can seem like a logical point to assess progress and make strategic adjustments. However, grant writing success often demands more patience and a long-term view. Here’s why the 12-month mark may not be the best time to measure the effectiveness of your grant writing fundraising strategy.
1. The Length of Grant Cycles
Grant cycles typically run on an annual or biannual schedule, meaning applications are reviewed only once or twice a year. For many foundations, this timeline includes not only the application submission and review but also a multi-month award decision period. If you submitted your first proposals during the initial months of your strategy, it’s quite likely you’re still waiting on decisions at the 12-month point.
Moreover, if you’re applying for competitive grants that may require multiple rounds of proposals or interviews, those decisions can be further delayed.
2. The Time Investment for Relationship Building
Successful grant funding often hinges on strong relationships with funders. Building rapport with program officers, attending informational webinars, and demonstrating alignment with a funder’s mission can take several months or even years.
At the one-year mark, your team may just be getting on funders’ radars. In many cases, funders want to see a history of communication and alignment before committing support to a new nonprofit partner.
3. Establishing Credibility and Track Record
Many foundations and grant-making organizations are hesitant to fund new programs or organizations that lack a proven track record with grants. Grantors often prefer to see that you’ve successfully managed similar grants and met reporting requirements before awarding larger, multiyear grants.
It’s common to start with smaller foundation grants before progressing to larger opportunities, which require proven outcomes and data. The 12-month mark is more of a starting point for credibility building rather than a checkpoint for strategy efficacy.
4. Time Required for Program Development and Impact Measurement
Grantors are increasingly focused on funding programs that demonstrate measurable impact. To show impact, however, you need time to implement your programs, track outcomes, and collect data.
One year is often not enough time to execute a new program fully, analyze results, and then communicate these outcomes compellingly in your grant applications. By waiting longer to assess the success of your strategy, you’ll be able to showcase more tangible achievements, which will enhance your grant applications.
5. Iterative Improvement and Learning Process
Like any strategy, grant writing improves over time as you refine your approach based on early outcomes and feedback. It takes time to identify which funders align most closely with your mission, refine your proposal language, and strengthen your narratives.
The feedback you gather in the first year is invaluable but not yet fully actionable. A longer timeframe allows you to apply lessons learned and improve the clarity and competitiveness of your proposals.
6. Diversifying Funding Sources Takes Time
An effective grant writing strategy involves building a balanced portfolio of funders. Relying too heavily on a few sources can be risky, but diversifying funders is no small task. Nonprofits need time to apply to a range of foundations, corporations, and government entities to create a sustainable funding pipeline.
At the 12-month mark, you may only be at the beginning stages of establishing this diversity. A two- to three-year view will give a clearer picture of the strategy’s sustainability.
When to Assess Instead?
Rather than conducting a full assessment at the 12-month mark, use it as a point for formative evaluation. Review what’s working in terms of proposal submission numbers, early feedback from funders, and preliminary award outcomes.
A more substantial assessment at the 18- to 24-month mark often provides a richer, more accurate reflection of your grant writing strategy. By this time, you’ll have a larger data set, which allows you to identify trends, recognize successful approaches, and recalibrate areas that need adjustment.
Tips for Progress Tracking in the First Year
Track Proposals Submitted vs. Awarded: Count the proposals submitted, how many were awarded, and reasons for any rejections to identify early patterns.
Establish a Funder Relationship Log: Note all interactions with funders, such as meetings, emails, and webinar attendance, to ensure you’re nurturing relationships effectively.
Collect Early Program Impact Data: Begin to track the outcomes and stories from funded programs as early as possible. These will be vital in showcasing your organization’s effectiveness in future applications.
Create a “Lessons Learned” Repository: Record feedback from funders and internal observations on proposal quality to fine-tune your approach going forward.
Grant writing isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. By recognizing the limitations of the 12-month mark, nonprofits can stay focused on a long-term vision, continually improve, and set themselves up for a sustainable and effective grant funding pipeline. The key is patience, persistence, and a commitment to continuous learning.
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