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While letters of support are a great way to make your grant applications stand out, securing them can be a major headache 🙄 Thankfully, grant expert Amanda Day, GPC has some tips to streamline the process👇 📅 Start Early “As soon as you know the grant is happening, determine which individuals and/or organizations make the most sense for support letters. You want people/organizations who align with the work you are talking about. You want leaders in your community who are passionate about the work you are doing.” ⏰ Give Them Time “Give the people enough time to get the letter to you - with wiggle room so that you can include the letter in the application before the deadline. While grant pros live and die by deadlines, not everyone operates the same. I always set internal deadlines for things like support letters.” ✍️ Make It Easy “I include a draft letter and tell the person they are free to edit/change whatever they want. I ask them to place the letter on their letterhead, sign, and return to me. PRO TIP: No one changes your letter so make sure it is the most glowing letter ever! And if you are asking for multiple people to write letters, make sure each letter is unique to the person signing it. If they are all carbon copies, then the funder will know you wrote them and not place much stock in what is said.” Want more tips? Check out our guide on crafting the perfect letter of support for your grant proposal: https://lnkd.in/gPvVfAqr #WednesdayWisdom #GrantWriting #NonprofitFunding #LettersOfSupport

Your board of directors can be your greatest asset...if you know how to engage them. When you build strong relationships with your board members, they can open doors, provide critical guidance, and help take your nonprofit to the next level. Not sure where to start? Here are some strategies for making meaningful connections👇 1️⃣ Keep Them in the Loop: Regular communication builds trust. Instead of waiting until meetings, establish a monthly or quarterly update cadence. Keep reports brief but impactful—highlighting program updates, funding progress, and key challenges. 2️⃣ Tap Into Their Expertise: Don’t forget that your board members are industry leaders with valuable insights. Ask for their guidance, seek their recommendations, and leverage their professional connections. If you need an introduction, just ask! 3️⃣ Build Real Relationships: Engagement doesn’t happen overnight. Take the time to get to know them personally—ask about their families, congratulate them on professional wins, and share updates on causes they care about. 4️⃣ Be Transparent—Even When It’s Tough: It’s tempting to only share wins, but true leadership requires honesty. If something isn’t going as planned, loop your board in early. They may have insights or connections to help you pivot successfully. 👉 Check out our guide on board engagement for more strategies: https://lnkd.in/gJ7qkqPt #NonprofitLeadership #BoardEngagement #Instrumentl

The pandemic caused a historic drop in civic engagement, leaving organizations short-staffed and communities in need. But now? The rebound is real. 📢 According to a new U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps research report, 28.3% of Americans volunteered through an organization in 2023—a 22.1% growth rate from 2021: https://lnkd.in/eggr92g2 While we’re still 1.7 percentage points below pre-pandemic levels, the momentum is undeniable. People are ready to give back. The real question is: is your nonprofit ready to engage them? To help you tap into this momentum, we’ve put together a guide on the best volunteer recruitment platforms for nonprofits. Whether you're looking to attract new volunteers, streamline onboarding, or improve engagement, this resource will help you choose the right tools to maximize your impact. 📖 Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gjQJ3BZm #MondayMotivation #NonprofitImpact #Instrumentl #VolunteerRecruitment

It’s time for #FridayFunding! 🏘️ This week: Walmart Foundation Spark Good Local Grant Program Here are the quick details: 🔹 Grant Amount: $250 – $5,000 🔹 Funder: Walmart Foundation 🔹 Next Deadline: April 15th 🔹 Who It’s For: Nonprofits focused on community-building, hunger relief, public safety, and education. This grant supports local nonprofits in areas served by Walmart stores, with an emphasis on projects that make a direct impact in their communities. 🚀 Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/dFhm7p8U Not the right fit? No problem! Our database has thousands of grant opportunities for every nonprofit's mission: https://lnkd.in/gAhq7rTg #GrantOpportunity #Funding #CommunityImpact #NonprofitSupport #FundingForGood

Winning grants isn’t luck - it’s strategy. 🎯 Julie Starr, BA, MPS broke down exactly what it takes to scale grant revenue past $1M. 💰✨ Prioritizing research. Finding the right funders. Building an ambitious pipeline. What was your biggest takeaway? Drop it below! 👇

Ever had a board member say, “Let’s just apply for this grant!”— even when it’s not a great fit? It’s tempting to chase every funding opportunity, but misaligned grants can drain resources, overwhelm your team, and lead to unmet obligations. So, how do you push back without ruffling feathers? Try these best practices: ✅ Educate Your Board on Strategic Grant Seeking – Not all grants are good grants. Show them how alignment fuels long-term impact. ✅ Use Data to Back Up Your Case – Share past wins (and missteps) to illustrate why the right fit matters. ✅ Create a Grant Decision Framework – Set clear criteria so funding choices are driven by strategy, not urgency. ✅ Channel Their Enthusiasm Productively – Encourage board members to build funder relationships instead of chasing every shiny opportunity. Your board wants to help—but guiding them toward smart, mission-driven funding decisions is key. 👉 Learn how to navigate these tricky conversations and keep your nonprofit on the right funding path: https://lnkd.in/d-CB4hbs #NonprofitLeadership #Grants #FundingStrategy 

You asked. 👀 We’re delivering. 🎯 Join us for our 4th training on federal funding changes. Patrice Davis, MS, CGMS will break down what’s next - and how to stay competitive. Save your spot. 👇

Tomorrow! 👀 This workshop is almost sold out... Save your FREE spot. 👇

Want better results from AI when using it for grant writing? Margit Brazda Poirier, M.S., GPC shares two powerful tips: 1️⃣ Start with a clear question or command—skip long intros (you can add context later). 2️⃣ Train AI to match your voice—tell it to respond in a specific tone (professional, friendly, concise, etc.). 🚀 We've also got a fun freebie for you: Grab 20+ free ChatGPT prompts for grant writing: https://lnkd.in/dpsueaMg #WednesdayWisdom #AIforGrantWriting #NonprofitSuccess #GrantWritingTips #FundingForImpact

More proposals don’t equal more funding. As a grant professional, you know time is everything. ⏳ But how do you decide which grants are worth the effort? Join Shannon Onderko next Tuesday to find out... 👀 RSVP 👇