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Happy Tuesday.
Hope you have your green outfit picked out for St. Paddy’s this weekend (or a speech prepared about how pinching is wrong).
Whether this is your favorite day of the year or you forget about it until it’s already over, holidays have never put a pause on nonprofit work, and this one isn’t any different.
So buckle in for another breakdown of what you need to know in the world of grant writing this week.
Pitfalls and Pointers
If you’re in nonprofits, you know how critical filing your IRS-990 form can be.
But once that’s signed, sealed, and delivered, there’s still one other report that – while not technically required – can help you attract new donors and strengthen relationships with existing ones.
Yup, we’re talking about your annual report.
⚠️ Pitfall: Skipping the Nonprofit Annual Report
We get it – you have enough on your plate without putting together yet another annual document. But skipping it altogether is usually a mistake.
Without an annual report, donors have no real way of quantifying the impact their contributions have made.
And if they don’t see the good of their donations, they may stop making them.
💡 Pointer: Create a Nonprofit Annual Report Every Year
A great nonprofit annual report needs 5 key things:
- A Plan: Determine a timeline, hammer down the main points you want to include, and delegate tasks.
- Visuals: Readers will most likely skim the majority of the copy, but including charts, infographics, and other visuals can help tell the story anyway.
- Donor-Centric Stories: Present your accomplishments in terms of the donors and volunteers who made them possible.
- An Intentional Tone: Using the word “you” rather than “we” can illustrate the direct impact your supporters had on your cause.
- A Call to Action: Excite your audience and give them an opportunity to be a part of next year’s report.
And the best news of all? You don’t have to start from scratch.
🎁 Download our free annual report template for nonprofits!
Fundraising Inspiration
There’s a reason everybody does it – the restaurant fundraiser works. Here’s how you can partner with a local restaurant to earn a sizable donation for your cause.
The Restaurant Fundraiser
You’ll Need:
- A restaurant to partner with
- Paper – lots of it
You’ll Do:
- Design a simple flyer with the details of your event and the cause it’s supporting
- Distribute flyers, share the event on social media, and spread the word about how people can participate
You’ll Get:
- A portion of what the restaurant earns during the event donated to your cause
- Exact terms will depend on the partnership – it may be dependent on a certain menu item or patrons presenting the flyer when they arrive
📝 Create a great flyer with these tips and tricks!
Tech You Should Know
When you spend all day writing, it’s usually a good idea to recruit a friend or coworker to give it a once-over.
But thanks to the power of technology, that second set of eyes now lives right in your computer – and it’s never too busy to help!
What:
ProWritingAid is a powerful writing assistant fueled by artificial intelligence.
How Grant Writers Can Use It:
- Grammar Checks: When your “affect” should really be “effect”, and vice versa, ProWritingAid will let you know.
- Rephrasing Suggestions: The message is there, but the words just aren’t right – ProWritingAid can give you some ideas.
- Clarity Improvements: Too many words can jumble up your message. Let ProWritingAid help you get to the point.
- Jargon Reductions: It’s easy to get caught up in the jargon of your industry. Luckily, ProWritingAid can take you from corporate to conversational in seconds.
Keep in Mind:
- Freemium: Although the free version is great, character counts and feature limits might mean you need to upgrade to a paid plan.
- AI Isn’t Perfect: As with all robots, they won’t get it right every single time. Double check suggestions and reread everything for accuracy and clarity.
Looking for more tools to accelerate your grant writing?
👉 Download the ultimate collection of resources 🎁
Expert Perspectives
🏆 Katelynn Martin on ChatGPT
Over the past year and a half, ChatGPT has become a household name.
But knowing what the tool does is only the beginning of learning how to put it into practice.
We recently spoke with Katelynn Martin, Grant Manager at Design Outreach, on all things AI, and she shared some key advice for getting the most out of the tool.
Here’s her expert advice:
- Let ChatGPT Handle Character Limits: Tackle this burdensome task in just a few minutes by dropping your boilerplate language or other too-long section into ChatGPT and asking the tool to pare it down.
- Give It the Human Touch: Writing by a robot is bound to feel, well, robotic. Give it a once-over to make sure it feels human – and confirm it got the character counts right while you’re at it – AI isn’t perfect!
✅ Discover more expert tips on using AI in the grant writing process!
Networking Nook
The opportunities that were originally shared in this issue of The Impact have since passed. To check out more recent and upcoming live events, go here.
Opportunities Spotlight
🇺🇲 Infinite Hero Foundation Grant Program
Who It’s For: Veteran service organizations offering programs or treatments for service-related mental and physical injuries
Next Deadline: Jun 15, 2024 (Letter of Inquiry)
Grant Amount: Up to US $100,000
The Details:
- Programs and services must be provided at no cost to active duty military, veterans, and/or military families
- Organizations must have a reputation for credibility, integrity, and fiscal responsibility
- Programs must fall within one of the following five categories:
- Physical Rehabilitation
- Leadership Development
- Brain Health
- Family Support
- Suicide Prevention
🧑💻 Twin Cities Fund: Career Pathway Program Grant
Who It’s For: Organizations that provide tech skills and workforce readiness to teens in the Twin Cities metro area
Next Deadline: Apr 1, 2024 (Predicted)
Grant Amount: US $5,000 - US $50,000
The Details:
- Nonprofits must have a fundamental commitment to and a demonstrated track record in engaging local youth ages 13 to 21
- Success metrics for a program include:
- Developing skills for tech-reliant jobs
- Achieving a degree or credential with value in today’s labor market
- Gaining employment with self-supporting wages
- Having opportunities for further education and career advancement
Looking for a different kind of grant?
🔍 Explore and apply for thousands of other grant opportunities!
In Case You Missed It
📑 Article: AI for Grant Writing: Use with Caution
We’ve talked a lot about the benefits of AI, but there’s reason to be skeptical as well. This article from Stanford School of Medicine covers some of the risks associated with AI so you have all the facts before your next project.
📼 Video: Unlocking How To Win Grants: Building Relationships With Funders 101
Learn Grant Writing is back with another educational video. In this episode, you’ll learn how to connect with potential funders, build long-lasting partnerships, and leverage your relationships to win grants.
🎙️ Podcast: How to improve your grant writing
The latest episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast features Instrumentl’s very own CEO and Co-founder, Gauri Manglik. Discover the top 3 reasons nonprofits are inefficient with their fundraising and how you can avoid these mistakes.
This Newsletter Saves You Time – Want to Save Even More?
Instrumentl’s all-in-one grant management platform helps more than 3,000+ nonprofits discover, apply for, and manage their funding opportunities.
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