Grants: For Better or Worse?

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Light warns us as nonprofit leaders to beware of the source of funds when new funding opportunities exist. Wait a minute...we are stretched thin with financial support and you want us to
not
seek funding?

Do you feel that it is more of a risk to pass up grant opportunities or, to seek funds even when it places new strains on the agency and challenges how the agency can carry out the mission?

Please consider mission drift, infrastructure and resources, leadership styles and sustainability in your response.

Ten practices that help achieve a preferred environment: 1. Center on mission Mission should be #1 atop lists in almost all discussions about human services. Everything that a program does needs to align with the mission.  2. Operate "just beyond the possible" In this last year, the governance overseen by the agency that I work at has radically transformed the expectation and demands that are placed on programs that receive funding. Due to lack of ability to get out in front of necessary changes, our region faced budget cuts based on performance. (This was similar to the example of the non profit leadership that did not innovate until forced to in order to receive funding). Needless to say, our region was playing catch up. Someone with a clear understand and vision would argue that many changes needed to occur in a short period of time. However, there were many things that had to taken into account. Mostly the fact that change had not occurred in such a forceful and overwhelming way in the last 20 years. There were high levels of resistance to change, both in ideological differences in how to deliver services and around the decrease in program autonomy these changes would bring. At this very time, I have acknowledged that we have pushed programs as far as they can go in a short period of time. We are currently giving everyone a theoretical breather before continuing to innovate. Without doing so, we run the risk of heightening fatigue, resistance and disconnect between our governing body and programs. We also need to allow for programs to adapt and implement change in a way that does put consumers at risk, with staff that are unprepared, unwilling and unsupported in carrying out a new model of care. 3. Embrace the volatility We are way beyond the days where there were only a few non profits that ruled the market and touted results that were often qualitative and not forced to change. There are many organizations that continue to operate as they did at their inception, some 30 years ago. The demands of needs, funding sources and competition do something very positive. If you run a company and your competitor begins selling a better product for cheaper, there is only one choice-- adapt and compete or lose profit. Non profits seldom have the choice not to change. There is a lot of resistance and tension, but they get on board or they non profit will not sustain itself. Yes, we all feel like we are getting squeezed and asked to do more with less. But while some agencies sit there and complain about it, others or doing it and still finding better outcomes. The bottom line is that again, we work for the consumers. Being forced to continuously change to deliver better source is unarguably a good thing. Beyond competition, it encourages proactive leadership and risk taking.   4. Use the market as an ally Most human services rely heavily on government funding. For some, it is, or, up until recently, was their only funding source (although this is becoming more unrealistic because government contracts will required matched dollars). Non profits not only can make money, but they need to! This is part of sustainability. Especially for agencies that want to take risks and introduce new or expanded services. As needs change, so does pressing issues. We see this driven by external factors, as well as media. In recent time, our local media has heavily covered both the heroin epidemic and gang violence. Organizations that target services and assist people in those areas can take advantage of a captive audience. Many very strong non profits on Long Island have very savvy leadership that understands the market and uses it to their advantage. Veteran services launching a campaign around Veteran's Day, volunteer services advertising around Thanksgiving and Christmas when people are most likely to volunteer, homeless services soliciting more donations in the winter months when all the media is talking about is the frigid cold weather and there are people living unsheltered.  Link (Links to an external site.) 5. Beware the source of funds (discussion question)  It is now very rarely that receiving funds doesn't place restrictions, obligations, and regulations on non profits. When we all have a sense of hysteria around where to find funding, any grant seems like something we should drop everything for and write the best application ever. Let's start back with our #1. Would receiving the requested funding still allow the agency to carry out its mission? Is one of the agencies strengths that it can serve anyone and does not require certain eligibility requirements or forms? Bump the brakes. Think before writing a grant and review what you are really applying for the same way that you would carefully review a contract before signing.  6. Lower the barriers to external collaboration When we began this course we talked about leadership and vision and not being able to do it alone. Many human services agencies seek to combat highly complex needs that require a multi-faceted approach. As seen in Table 3.1, there are many levels of partnerships. The strongest partnership for one program is not necessarily the strongest for others. Seek to create partnerships that increase productiveness by being both effective and efficient. Many grants are now encouraging more partnerships, as it allows funding recipients to stretch the impact or services they can provide without increasing cost. Some grant applications will ask for or require partnerships in a formalized way, through MOUs or MOAs.  Link (Links to an external site.) 7. Harvest external support You're not going to generate large financial support by having your temporary intern search for grants and give it their best shot. Fundraising is a strategy that involves planning, having material, finding personal connections, and having the key people from your agency speak to what the agency has already accomplished and stands to gain with additional support. 8. Prepare for hardball Although as a human services provider, you may be thrilled that you have created a residential treatment center for vulnerable populations, in a nice area, that is inclusive and empowering and even has the added bonus, or having stores within walking distance for those that cannot drive or cannot afford cars. Do you know who is happy about the treatment center? Almost no one. NIMBY is very real and alive and well (unfortunately)--especially in areas like Long Island that are routed in segregation, wealth, and a disconnect and general lack of understanding of the needs of those that are poor and/or vulnerable. We see consistent stigmatization of those that have criminal records, struggle with substance use, or "rely" on the government. You didn't work this hard to let community members stunt your progress when they show up at a town hall. Understand the lack of community support and hostile resistance you may face and come prepared-- not just with pleas for empathy, but also data, cost analyses, success stories, etc. 9. Pay attention to outcomes You spent the last year working way too many hours, likely at the expense of your overall health, but you transformed the lives of a lot of people and felt great doing it. Do you think your funding source is going to ask you about that when it comes times to renew? Nope. They want to see data, facts, outcomes, cost-effectiveness-- the bottom line. Even as a stakeholder, if you are learning about a program, whether on their website or in discussion with staff, you should be looking for how they measure success. Programs should have information related to number of clients served, successful outcomes (quantified), but also track data on how long it took to get clients from point A to be point B and plans to lessen that average.  10. Change the prevailing winds  Mission impossible, swimming upstream, mountains that are too high to climb. This is a make or break point and speaks to leadership that can endure extreme challenges. I cannot help myself from being overt, but almost all things seem impossible until someone does it. As mentioned earlier, feelings of hopelessness are also present with your consumers. Consumer that do not have a voice. I have described many mentors as being persistent. Those that are find ways to make things happen and respond effectively from seemingly insurmountable set backs.    Review how this approach can be aligned with Kotter's 8-Step Change Model (Links to an external site.) Alternate link