Having everything in place that grants ask for is over half the battle. This means knowing who your organization is, who you serve and how you provide services. You've probably heard the term grant ready before, but what is it? And more importantly, how do you become grant ready?

Topics discussed in this episode: 

- What is Grant Ready? [00:00:28]

- The Four Areas An Organization Needs To Focus On To Be Grant Ready. [00:01:00]

- When Grants Aren't The Answer. [00:14:10]

- Grants Can Be A Very Good Thing For Your Nonprofit. [00:22:14]

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

- Mission, Vision, Values Training [00:01:26] https://mathisnps.heightsplatform.com/courses/mission-vision-and-values

- Fundraising Plan  [00:07:00] https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/first-year-fundraising-plan/

- Develop a Grant-Ready Program (and a Free Worksheet) [00:10:00]

https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/develop-a-grant-ready-program-and-a-free-worksheet/

- I Have My 501(c)3! Now What?!? Your Blueprint to Starting Your Nonprofit Without Being the Sole Funder (book) [00:10:01]

https://amzn.to/2QG73hN

- A Comprehensive Grant Process Readiness Checklist [00:12:20]

https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/grantchecklist

Episode transcript:
Episode #1 Transcript

Want to Explore More?

- Join the Facebook Group, The Nonprofit Founder’s Club https://www.facebook.com/groups/npofoundersclub/

- Join Nonprofit Founder’s University for training on different aspects of building a nonprofit. https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/FoundersU

- Check out the website www.nonprofitfounders.club

- Sign up for either the Monthly Meeting Notes https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/meetingnotes

- Or the Weekly Meeting Notes https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/WeeklyEmail

- Check out What Is... ? YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDWeK2lOBX9YR0ygIJgwAlw

Episode title: Grants are Part of a Fundraising Strategy. Not THE Strategy.

Episode summary introduction: Having the single strategy of getting grants is a bad strategy and it will not keep you going long-term even if you do get a grant in the first few years. Let's talk about.

Topics discussed in this episode: 

- Find out what the Fundraising Strategy Hierarchy is and where grants fit [00:02:28]

- Why grants are part of a greater strategy [00:04:43]

- Why being grant ready is your best strategy to start [00:07:31] 

Resources mentioned in this episode: Bullet point list of links to external

resources mentioned throughout the episode. Include timestamps when each article is introduced.

- Fundraising Plan [00:06:55]

- Grant Readiness Plan  [00:07:31]

Episode transcript: Transcript of the episode’s audio.

- Join the Nonprofit Founder’s Club Facebook group

Episode summary: 

I find when Founders have misconceptions about nonprofits and grant writing, they make some serious mistakes. When I was writing grants, these were the mistakes Founders made and the misconceptions that led to those mistakes. Understanding these misconceptions is the first step in not making the same mistakes.

Topics discussed in this episode: 

Misconceptions Founders Have

- Grants will Fund us [00:01:59]

- leads to the mistake of chasing grants that you won't qualify for. [00:02:24]

- Instead, Founders would serve their nonprofit better if they ask, “how do we become grant ready by doing this”? [00:02:52]

- Grants are a One and Done Activity [00:03:27]

- Grants are a process  [00:03:50]

- Founders can avoid the mistake by asking, “ how do we set up the grant process?” [00:04:26]

- Grants are Free Money [00:05:09]

- The free money myth leads to Founders putting all their hopes in grants and ignoring the costs at the expense of the organization. [00:05:32]

- There is such a thing as opportunity cost in business. [00:06:31]

- Sometimes you must ask yourself, “ Is what I may gain from this option worth the sacrifice of the gain from this other option?” [00:07:27] 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

- Nonprofit Founder’s Club Facebook group [00:00:00]

Episode transcript: 

Ep_ 3 Three Grant Misconceptions Founders Have Podcast Transcript.pdf

Calls-to-action: 

Join the Nonprofit Founder’s Club Facebook group

Episode summary and introduction: My philosophy and everything I do with founders is that I look at everything through donor and funder perspective. So everything I design has the non-profit in mind, but approaches the task from donor and funder perspectives. In this episode, I'm looking at the details of being grant ready from the funder's perspective. 

Grants should be part of a fundraising plan. So looking at this from a Foundation standpoint, they want to know you are a good investment. They see you as an investment. And so. When grants are part of a fundraising plan, you are showing them that you've thought this through and you are going to be a good steward of their money.

Funders want to know that they made the right investment. So, what makes your organization a good investment? Let's jump in.

Topics discussed in this episode: 

- Organizational Resources Needed [00:02:20]

- Operational Resources Needed [00:15:30] 

- Financial Resources Needed [00:16:00]

- Program Resources Needed [00:20:35]

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

- Fundraising Plan 

- Develop a Grant-Ready Program (and a Free Worksheet)

- A Comprehensive Grant Process Readiness Checklist

Episode transcript: Ep 4: How Do We Become Grant Ready? Podcast Transcript 

Calls-to-action: 

- Nonprofit Founder’s Club Facebook group

Episode summary introduction: One fundraising strategy that you can use when you are new is an Introduction Appeal Letter. It’s also called a fundraising letter but it’s a special kind of fundraising letter for new nonprofits. 

Topics discussed in this episode: 

- We define an Introduction Appeal Letter [02:07]

- Tell you the Three Purposes of Introduction Appeal Letter [04:01]

- Explain Why an Introduction Appeal Letter Works [08:30]

Episode transcript: Transcript of the episode’s audio.

Calls-to-action: 

- Subscribe to Meeting Notes, a once-a-month email with a lesson on that month’s topic, terminology/tips, and resources to dive deeper. https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/meetingnotes

- Subscribe to the podcast

- Join the Nonprofit Founder’s Club Facebook group https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/group

Episode summary introduction: 

In this episode, we get into how to write an Introduction Appeal Letter. It is one of the first fundraising letters you will create. This letter should be sent to 10 of you and your board members, friends, and families and sent on letterhead if you have any.

There is a format that helps raise more money. This episode walks you through that format. We begin with the Introduction paragraph and move through the entire letter to the P.S. Grab your pen and paper. You’ll want to take notes!

Topics discussed in this episode: 

Here are specific things we will discuss.

- How to Write the Introduction [00:01:30]

- How to Write the Body of the Letter [00:02:30]

- How to Craft the Ask [00:03:34]

Episode transcript: https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/HowToWriteAnIntroLetterTranscript

Calls-to-action: 

- Subscribe to Meeting Notes, a once a month email with a lesson on that month’s topic, terminology/tips, and resources to dive deeper. https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/meetingnotes

- Subscribe to the podcast

- Join the Nonprofit Founder’s Club Facebook group https://www.nonprofitfounders.club/group

Building a successful nonprofit is hard especially if you don’t have a roadmap. I know first hand from my days on a new nonprofit’s Board. I had nonprofit experience in larger organizations so I knew what one looked like from the inside but I saw so many things that needed to be done. I Googled “start a nonprofit” and got plenty of articles on the paperwork but after the 501(c)3, there wasn’t much help. So, I began researching the reasons nonprofits fail in the first year. I figured that was a problem to tackle so we weren’t just another statistic. And what came out of my research and talking to other Founders was my book, I Have My 501(c)3! Now What?!? As I talked more to Founders and mentored them, I found it wasn’t enough. That’s why I created the Build a Successful Nonprofit framework to help Founders put together the pieces that create a successful nonprofit- one that covers costs and builds infrastructure. This Framework governs everything I do in my business. There are three pillars to the framework.

Topics discussed in this episode: 

- Pillar 1: Infrastructure Pillar [00:01:25] 

- Board [00:03:00] 

- Strategic Plan [00:03:21] 

- Tactical Plan and Budget [00:04:30]

- Program Development [00:05:21]

- Policies and Procedures [00:06:30]

- Fundraising Foundations [00:07:08]

- Pillar 2: Time Management Pillar [00:12:09] 

- Pillar 3:Fundraising Basics Pillar [00:13:37]

- Know Your Donors [00:14:30]

- Know Your Strategy [00:15:19]

- Know Your Plan [00:15:45] 

- How the Framework Solves the Problems of Lack of Infrastructure and Lack of Funding [00:16:00]

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

- Grant Ready Program Development Template [00:06:03]

- Payment Processor- Givebox [00:08:03]

- Email Service Provider- MailChimp (free up to 2,000 email addresses) [00:09:30]

- Email Service Provider- MailerLite (free up to 1,000 email addresses) [00:09:30]

- Email Service Provider- Constant Contact (free trial) [00:09:30]

- Free Accounting Software- Wave App [00:10:05] 

- Donor Database- Little Green Light (Deep Discount through TechSoup) [00:12:00]

- A Founder's Guide to Building a Nonprofit Without Being the Sole Funder [00:17:38]

Episode transcript:

S2Ep1 Transcript

You Might Like: 

- Join The Nonprofit Founder’s Club™ 

- Download the free A Founder's Guide to Building a Nonprofit Without Being the Sole Funder

- Join the email list that gives you more tips and information monthly

-  Check out the Nonprofit Founder’s University where you can get courses to help you build your nonprofit.

This episode is a continuation of our Build a Successful Nonprofit Framework topic. We are going in-depth with the first pillar, Infrastructure. This pillar focuses on three areas with nine steps total- Management, Policies and Procedures, and Fundraising Foundations. 

The 9 Steps were born after I tried Googling “Start a Nonprofit” and found tons of information on the actual steps to create a nonprofit but nothing about what happens once you have your 501(c)3. I hear that over and over from Founders too. There is a sentiment of, “Now what”. It was out of my frustration that I sat down and researched why new nonprofits fail in the first year. My research showed over and over that lack of infrastructure and lack of funding were the two main reasons nonprofits fail. So, I began asking what infrastructure builds funding? What needs to be in place to create a nonprofit that can easily find funding? The 9 steps were formulated. They are the foundations of the Infrastructure Pillar of the Build a Nonprofit Framework. 

Topics discussed in this episode: 

- Management [00:02:30]

- Boards [00:02:43]

- Strategic Plan [00:17:29]

- Tactical Plan and Budget [00:19:50]

- Program Development [00:21:20]

- Policies and Procedures [00:23:00]

- Management Policies and Procedures [00:23:00]

- Policies and Procedures Necessary for the IRS Form 990 [00:23:35]

- Fundraising Policies and Procedures [00:25:10]

- Fundraising Foundations [00:26:30]

- Website and Social Media [00:26:33]

- Ideal Donor [00:28:00]

- Fundraising Essentials [00:28:55]

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

- Nonprofit Founder’s Club™  [00:17:53]

- Nonprofit Founder’s Society [00:18:22]

- Nonprofit Founder’s U Board Training [00:12:19]

- Develop a Grant Ready Program [00:21:20]

Episode transcript: S2Ep2 Transcript

You Might Like: 

- Join The Nonprofit Founder’s Club™ 

- Download the free A Founder's Guide to Building a Nonprofit Without Being the Sole Funder

- Join the email list that gives you more tips and information monthly

-  Check out the Nonprofit Founder’s University where you can get courses to help you build your nonprofit.