3 Simple Questions to Ask Yourself Before Applying for a Grant

Our consultant - June 5, 2024

Should I apply for this funding opportunity? The short answer is no, not always. Use these three go-to questions to guide you in the right direction, and to avoid headaches further down the road.

A simple rubric: Whether you’ve had a long career and learnt some version of this lesson the hard way (most of us have), or whether you are a little newer to applying for grant-based funding, these three questions can help you to make an informed decision about whether or not to apply for that grant.

Optimism is great, but it doesn’t always serve us in the long term

For many of us working for non-profit organizations, the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Request for Applications (RFA), or Calls for Proposals (CFP) can all look so tempting. This is especially true for anyone working in a smaller organization, trying to build up their funding portfolio while often struggling with basic expenses like keeping the lights on, or trying to raise enough money to pay their most integral team members. The temptation to change your activities, core programs, etc., in order to align with the funding opportunity can be incredibly strong.

Watch out and get prepared

Unfortunately, applying for the wrong opportunity can have serious and negative repercussions in the long term. So, before hitting ‘apply’, here are three simple questions that you can ask yourself, that might just save you time, money, and stress down the road.

1- Does this project align with our vision and mission?

For a great many people involved in non-profit work: not only grant-writers, from fundraisers to front-line service providers - a healthy sense of optimism is what keeps us going. It can be all too easy to read about a funding opportunity that is loosely related to our work.

Having a clear vision and mission statement can be incredibly useful in this way. In order to avoid “mission drift”, ask yourself this first question. If the funding opportunity does not align with your mission, consider that moving forward with the application might create a steep learning curve, take staff time away from their main responsibilities, and cause more administrative work. It can be hard to turn down a funding opportunity, but remember, the time that you save here can be used to keep searching for funding opportunities that will make your organization’s work easier, not harder.

2) Who wants this project to happen?

Just as non-profit organizations are usually created with a specific group of people or cause in mind, the vast majority of funding opportunities are created by organizations who have their own specific agenda,and their own boxes to tick. But is this project what your organization needs right now?

While Trust-Based Philanthropy is on the rise, and gaining increased recognition for its capacity for impact and efficiency it can still be hard to find core funding, or flexible funding.

As long as funding opportunities still have specific eligibility requirements, reporting requirements, etc., it will remain important to double check that the impetus for the project is serving your organization - especially your organization serves human beings.

So, ask yourself: is this project something that the funding partner wants? Will this project serve the needs and priorities of your clients, beneficiaries, or the activities and initiatives that your organization prides itself on? If the answer to those questions is ‘yes’, then you most likely have found a good opportunity that will support your mission. It’s also worth remembering that you will never be able to do everything for everyone. It’s entirely possible to have two funding opportunities to choose from that directly contradict one another. If you have any hesitation, return to the question - who wants this to happen? Is this a genuine priority for our organization and the communities we serve? Or are we being led in a new direction in order to serve the person holding the purse strings?

It may be helpful to remind yourself that no one knows your organization better than the communities that you serve. As such, maintain a healthy dose of skepticism, and avoid the potential to perpetuate harmful power imbalances between the global north and south, between the haves and the have nots. If the funding opportunity does not take your organization and communities needs into account, you might be better off steering clear altogether.

3- Could another organization do it better?

Working for non-profits can be extremely rewarding, interesting, and for many smaller organizations (those who struggle to find sustainable funding), it’s quite likely that you and your colleagues have gotten used to wearing many hats. But just because you could take on a new project, does not mean that you should do so every time.

Is your organization best placed to take on this project? Is this really in your wheelhouse? Or is there another organization you know of that could take on this project and deliver just as well or even better? In order to stick to what you do best, you can pass these other opportunities along to other nonprofits in your network. Not only will the work get done as well as can be, but they may just return the favor someday.

Don’t waste your time and energy bending over backwards just to secure funding

Remember, other funding opportunities do exist! If you are having a hard time finding them, you can find out more about ICG’s grant research and other services here.

Good luck, and remember to follow your gut. You will thank yourself in the long run!