Do You Have Fundable Programs/Projects?

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the first section of the Grantli Writing System: KNOW. In Step 1 (Introducing Your Organization), you took an extensive look at your organization and the work you do in your community. This enabled you to create the beginning of your proposal narrative, where you introduced your organization, conveyed your passion for working with your target population and addressing relevant needs, and also showed your capacity and expertise for doing it effectively. In Step 2 (Exploring Your Options), you learned how to assess whether you’re ready for the grantseeking journey and what it takes to successfully go down that path. As part of that process, you examined your programs, perhaps brainstormed about where to go next, and explored potential partnerships. So at this point, you will likely be focused on a specific program/project and are ready to begin the grant development process to help get it funded!

But remember that no project, regardless of how fabulous and effective it may be, has a chance of receiving funding until you know whom you should approach. You have to identify the best potential funders that will become as excited about your project as you are!

So before we do any more writing, let’s figure out how to FIND the right funders for your project—those whose approach for improving communities is similar to yours. Now that you have done the work to fully understand your organization and its programs, you are in an excellent position to identify the most appropriate grants and look for funders with whom your project will resonate. 

Now that we KNOW, we can FIND.