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Beth Goldowitz, who’s been managing nonprofit organizations for the previous 20 years, says that when “managed accurately, grants can hold organizations afloat. They’re steady and predictable, a income stream that the group can depend on at some stage in a contract.”
However have you learnt how lengthy it takes to jot down a single grant software?
Over 30 hours, and contemplating that grant writers often receives a commission between $25 and $100 per hour, relying on their expertise, it’s a major price. That’s why it’s so necessary for nonprofits to resolve which grants to select.
Your group could make it a lot simpler for candidates to evaluate in the event that they’re the precise match to your venture. All of it comes right down to getting your RFP for grants proper, together with including the precise sections and asking the precise questions.
Earlier than I dive deeper into the topic, let’s reply the query: what’s an RFP for grants?
The Challenges of Writing an RFP for Grants
The Anatomy of an RFP for Grants
How to Write an RFP for Grants
Best Practices for Writing an RFP for Grants
What’s an RFP for grants?
An RFP for grants, or Request for Proposals, is a doc issued by grantors resembling foundations and authorities businesses encouraging nonprofit organizations to submit proposals for funding.
Primarily, RFPs provide nonprofits an opportunity to secure funding for numerous initiatives, regardless of whether or not they relate to training, healthcare, or environmental causes.
Every RFP is tailor-made to realize a particular aim, so submitted proposals have to be in step with the targets outlined within the RFP.
The Challenges of Writing an RFP for Grants
I’ve spoken to some individuals working at nonprofits to seek out out what challenges they got here throughout, both whereas creating their very own RFPs or getting ready RFP proposals. Listed here are the most typical obstacles.
Lack of Adequate Info Concerning the Procurement Course of
The standard of your procurement course of will influence the standard of the purposes you obtain. If you happen to don’t share sufficient details about it, just like the timeline, price range, choice standards, and many others., then two issues may occur:
- You’ll obtain purposes that aren’t the precise match for the venture.
- A variety of candidates who’re the precise match gained’t participate within the course of as they’ll really feel discouraged by the shortage of readability.
The extra detailed and logical your procurement course of is, the upper the probabilities of receiving high-quality proposals.
RFP Grants Failing to Talk the Imaginative and prescient Clearly
That is an RFP grant problem that has come up probably the most ceaselessly.
Gauri Manglik, CEO and co-founder of Instrumentl, says that “many organizations wrestle to articulate what particular points they’re attempting to handle and the way the grant they provide will drive influence.”
What typically occurs is that RFP grant writers take a scattered method as a substitute of getting a cohesive strategic framework. Consequently, it’s arduous for founders who give out grants to guage the proposal’s function and potential.
Manglik provides that “the best RFPs have a sharply outlined focus outlining the objectives, goal inhabitants, and principle of change for proposed actions.”
Not Understanding the Authorized Implications of the Grant
Grants typically include phrases and situations that have to be adopted to remain compliant. Failing to take action may end in penalties and even in grants being revoked.
These phrases and situations must be clear and straightforward to know to reduce the danger of breaching them.
Jonathan Feniak, common counsel at LLC Attorney, says, “When writing RFP grant proposals, it’s essential to know the authorized implications of the grant and issue any liabilities into your plan.
If any IP is developed with grant funding, it’s essential to specify possession rights to keep away from potential conflicts with donors later.”
Feniak additionally notes that proposals ought to clearly define your expectations, and it’s essential to agree on whether or not the charity or the investor owns its rights.
“Usually, it’s greatest to seek the advice of your authorized crew all through the RFP writing course of to handle the dangers and clearly define IP possession,” provides Feniak.
Guaranteeing readability and specificity within the language used.
It’s very important to make use of a language that’s not solely clear but in addition particular so it’s simpler for potential bidders to know what’s anticipated of them. This is applicable to the necessities, targets, and expectations of the venture.
Kimberly Wall, co-founder of BibleKeeper, says, “The problem lies in articulating the venture’s objectives, targets, and anticipated outcomes clearly utilizing phrases that aren’t actually overwhelming the potential candidates with pointless particulars.”
Utilizing the precise language will remove confusion amongst nonprofits and guarantee that their proposals precisely correspond to the wants of the RFP issuer.
The Anatomy of an RFP for Grants
RFPs for grants are available two types: concise, quick tables, the place data is crammed out in bullet factors, and longer ones, which cowl every part intimately.
The previous goals to present a high-level overview, whereas the latter is the place candidates take a deep dive into their proposal.
So, there isn’t such a factor as an “excellent” size for an RFP. A lot of these paperwork can take up a number of pages and often perform as downloadable PDFs.
If you happen to’re questioning what parts grantors ought to embrace, then right here’s an RFP construction we suggest at HubSpot.
RFP: [Project Name]
Proposal Due By: [Date]
[Organization Name]
Along with the identify, this part may additionally function a brief overview of your mission. Don’t embrace a protracted historical past of your group. As an alternative, use this area to supply a little bit of context on what it does and its goal market.
Challenge Overview
A short introduction to the venture itself to let nonprofits know straight away if it’s one thing value bidding on — now not than 1-2 paragraphs.
Challenge Targets
This part identifies what you hope to perform via assigning funds to related organizations. Specify what you’ll see as a “win” so everyone seems to be on the identical web page.
Scope of Work
An outline of the venture and a scope of labor — both detailed, if it’s a protracted RFP, or bullet factors if it’s quick.
Present Roadblocks and Limitations to Success
On this part, point out any potential constraints that might both disqualify sure candidates or improve the operational complexity of assembly objectives.
Analysis Metrics and Standards
Right here, you define the way you’re going to decide on grantees. There are totally different approaches — some corporations use easy “sure” or “no” evaluations to verify if a proposal meets the venture targets.
Different organizations use percentages to attain extra necessary standards greater than others.
Submission Necessities
Actual pointers bidders should adhere to.
Challenge Due By
If there’s a particular venture supply date, point out it within the RFP. This may assist you filter out candidates who can’t assure finishing it throughout the required timeline.
Price range
Right here, you need to embrace the goal price range. Specify if this price range might be distributed amongst a number of organizations or assigned to a single grantee.
Basic Situations of Contract
This might embrace data like:
- Applicant’s authorized standing.
- Your stance on subcontracting.
- Indemnification, insurance coverage, and liabilities.
Some templates additionally recommend asking questions that you simply anticipate bidders to reply — these can function a technique to additional verify their alignment along with your mission.
Methods to Write an RFP for Grants
So, now that you recognize what goes into an RFP, let’s learn to write them. Under, I’ll describe the steps you need to take when tackling this paperwork.
In every part, I’ll work via the steps, as I construct a mock RFP for sustainability nonprofits.
My pattern group, Earthly Companions, is seeking to fund sustainability initiatives based mostly within the Southwestern United States. Let’s get began.
1. Establish the targets.
On this step, I wish to checklist all the important thing data, like objectives, timeline, price range, and applicant profile.
As you collect these, you’ll possible come throughout some informational gaps or issues that require skilled information, like authorized issues and grantor/grantee obligations.
This is a vital preliminary stage, which ought to finish with a whole checklist of data you’ll want to guage bidders.
Testing It Out
So, what does my group, Earthly Companions, wish to accomplish? We wish to concentrate on combating local weather change within the South West, notably via drought reduction and neighborhood advocacy.
We’re capable of present grants of as much as $50,000 to every nonprofit.
2. Write an introduction.
Now, I wish to present a little bit of details about the group and the realm we concentrate on. I may embrace my group’s values, present challenges, and the issues we wish to tackle.
Testing It Out
Right here is an instance of an intro to Earthly Companions’ RFP. Right here, we spotlight the mission that we concentrate on and just a little bit about our mock group’s historical past.
Earthly Companions is happy to announce the supply of grant funding to assist initiatives that align with our mission of environmental conservation and advocacy.
Established in 2010, Earthly Companions has been devoted to selling eco-friendly practices, water conservation, and neighborhood empowerment.
We acknowledge the significance of fostering modern options and collaborations inside our neighborhood, and thru this grant alternative, we goal to assist initiatives that show creativity, sustainability, and important influence.
We’re most thinking about initiatives centered on neighborhood advocacy for local weather insurance policies and drought reduction.
3. Present a venture description.
This part ought to function a high-level overview. Potential candidates will take a look at it to rapidly assess whether or not they can suggest a related venture throughout the required timeline and obtainable price range.
Testing It Out
Right here’s my venture description for my mock sustainability nonprofit:
Grant Function: The aim of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit proposals for initiatives that tackle environmental conservation, local weather change mitigation, or sustainable growth.
We search proposals that provide modern approaches, foster neighborhood engagement, and contribute to the long-term sustainability and resilience of ecosystems and communities.
Grant Particulars:
- Whole Funding Obtainable: $50,000
- Grant Length: 12 months
- Grant Quantity: Grants could vary from $2,500 to $10,000
- Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations and neighborhood teams working throughout the Better Metropolitan Space are eligible to use.
- Software Deadline: July 31, 2024.
4. Record clear necessities.
Right here, I can specify what precisely I must know in regards to the proposal. That features asking the candidates for the venture description and the way it will assist fulfill the objectives of your grant.
Testing It Out
Persevering with with the sustainability grant venture from above, this part may appear like the next:
Proposal Pointers:
Candidates are invited to submit proposals that tackle the next key elements.
- Challenge Description: Present an in depth description of the proposed venture, together with its targets, actions, goal inhabitants, and anticipated outcomes.
- Challenge Affect: Clearly articulate the potential influence of the venture on the surroundings or the local people. Describe how the venture will contribute to optimistic change and tackle recognized environmental or social wants.
- Innovation and Creativity: Spotlight any modern approaches or methods proposed to handle the recognized environmental or social problem. We encourage candidates to suppose creatively and suggest options that could be outdoors conventional approaches.
- Sustainability: Show the venture’s sustainability past the grant interval. Describe plans for ongoing funding, partnerships, and stakeholder engagement to make sure the long-term success of the venture.
- Roadblocks to Success: Establish potential challenges or roadblocks that the venture could face and describe methods to beat them. Take into account components resembling regulatory hurdles, neighborhood resistance, funding constraints, or technical limitations.
- Price range and Timeline: Present an in depth price range that outlines how grant funds might be used. Embrace a venture timeline with key milestones and deliverables.
5. Embrace a submission deadline.
Right here, I wish to name out the deadline for submissions and clarify my most well-liked approach of submitting proposals.
Testing It Out
For Earthly Companions, I wish to have proposals by the tip of July. I name that out, together with my most well-liked submission format, under.
Submission Directions:
Please submit your proposal electronically to [email address] no later than July 31, 2024. Proposals must be submitted in PDF format and embrace the group’s identify, contact data, and the title of the proposed venture within the topic line.
6. Be clear on the analysis components.
It’s necessary to clarify all the weather your group will take note of whereas evaluating purposes.
Candidates who don’t meet your standards will possible withdraw from submitting their proposal in the event that they don’t see they’re a very good match. This, in flip, will assist you pre-qualify organizations and shorten the choice course of.
Testing It Out
For Earthly Companions, I wish to clarify how we plan to guage candidates and provides an outline of subsequent steps. This permits me to clarify what initiatives are more likely to obtain funding and the timeline for these evaluations.
Analysis Course of:
Proposals might be evaluated based mostly on the next standards:
- Alignment with Earthly Accomplice’s mission and grant targets.
- Readability and feasibility of the venture proposal.
- Potential influence and sustainability of the venture.
- Innovation and creativity of proposed approaches.
- Price range justification and cost-effectiveness.
Notification:
Candidates might be notified of funding choices by August 31, 2024. Profitable candidates will obtain additional directions concerning grant agreements, reporting necessities, and funding disbursement.
7. Proofread and edit the doc.
I exploit the modifying course of to guarantee that all the mandatory parts are included in my RFP and that the directions are straightforward to comply with.
Failing to make use of easy-to-understand language may end in low-quality submissions. It’s a good suggestion to ask a number of of your colleagues for suggestions to make sure you’ve not missed any necessary particulars.
Finest Practices for Writing an RFP for Grants
Listed here are a number of issues to take note of whereas getting ready your RFP.
Dedicate time to deciding on the precise eligibility and software standards.
That is, arguably, the one most necessary part of your RFP — maybe much more necessary than “price range,” as NGOs will wish to rapidly assess their eligibility.
Esther Strauss, co-founder of Step by Step Business, agrees:
“Given the variety of causes we assist, from training to environmental conservation, discovering a grant that gives the mandatory funding and likewise aligns with our objectives will be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.”
Strauss says that, at any time when making use of for a grant herself, she must know if her group can genuinely meet the grantor’s necessities whereas staying true to the group’s targets and values.
The necessity to get the appliance “proper” may also prolong to deciding on the precise software format or technique. “The stress to get it proper is immense, as these grants can considerably influence our capacity to serve our neighborhood,” she provides.
So, how are you going to make it simpler for candidates to evaluate in the event that they’re the precise match and keep away from software errors?
Embrace clear data like:
- Solely bidders who meet a minimum of X out of Y standards might be thought of.
- Proposals have to be despatched in [FORMAT] by [DEADLINE]. Functions despatched in via different channels won’t be thought of.
- Software wants to incorporate a proposed schedule.
- Proposals have to be shorter than [NUMBER] pages. Failure to adjust to this guideline will end in an computerized rejection.
For a real-life instance, you too can take a look at this RFP proposal from the U.N., which retains the requirement descriptions clear and concise.
As you’ll be able to see, the standard of the proposals and group match lies largely in your arms.
Simplify negotiations by together with key contract phrases.
Earlier, I’ve talked about that many RFP grant writers wrestle with translating authorized necessities within the RFP.
Wayne Tung of Sendero wrote an awesome piece on this topic, encouraging RFP publishers to present it the identical degree of consideration as necessities and scope.
“Many individuals don’t embrace contract time period necessities, resembling authorized and industrial phrases, in RFPs. This ends in extended negotiations,” and even failed grants, he says.
That includes the principle contract phrases within the RFP reveals respect for each events — you because the venture operator and the organizations in search of funding.
Typically, fewer questions are higher.
I spent fairly a while going via Reddit threads well-liked among the many RFP neighborhood, and some of the attention-grabbing factors I’ve seen was about question-fit.
One Redditor, roger_the_virus, blatantly says grantors ought to keep away from “ineffective questions that gained’t present useful solutions. I do my greatest to verify we’re not asking for a bunch of data we don’t want and gained’t do something with.”
That mentioned, on the subject of questions, don’t mechanically discredit candidates who can’t reply all of them. Supply organizations which have pitched a becoming venture and price range the chance to ask follow-up questions.
This may forestall them from submitting solutions with low informational worth, i.e., responses which might be obscure or unrelated to your question.
Talking of supplementary questions, this results in the subsequent level.
Present clear contact data.
The bigger your group, the much less possible it’s that there’ll solely be one individual liable for proposal reception and answering questions from candidates.
Nonetheless, even when it’s a complete workplace, you need to present contact data with the related communication technique — both walk-ins between a particular time, like Monday to Friday, electronic mail tackle, or cellphone quantity.
Keep in mind that many nonprofits apply to RFPs ongoingly and can solely achieve this in the event that they see that the grantor may also help with applicant requests. Right here’s an opinion on Reddit from an RFP proposal author, which garnered a number of upvotes:
“I gained’t reply to an RFP except they decide to giving me their time for detailed discovery and an opportunity for them to learn me the RFP necessities line by line and why they’re necessary.”
Disclose any potential blockers.
Lastly, be clear about any potential roadblocks successful bidders may come throughout.
When making use of for grants, NGOs must know if they’ve the means to finish the venture and if there are every other points, like battle of curiosity.
For instance, say your group needs to assign funds to spice up literacy charges in distant rural areas. One of many conditions might be having established relationships inside goal communities.
Such an method will assist preselect candidates, notably those that don’t have the operational capability to navigate round any potential constraints.
RFP for Grants Assets
Listed here are three assets that may come in useful whereas drafting an RFP for grants.
1. Candid’s Basis Listing
Candid’s Foundation Directory shares important data that will help you make sensible and strategic funding requests. These assets and instruments offer you entry to funding alternatives that transcend RFPs.
It features a checklist of foundations, together with their profiles, funding priorities, software procedures, and get in touch with data.
RFP writers can undergo the proposals which have been revealed already and use them as inspiration to create their very own.
2. Free RFP Templates From HubSpot
HubSpot’s Free RFP templates are an awesome starter package and can assist you draft your request very quickly.
This useful resource offers you two RFP variations — a shorter one and an extended one. Each paperwork are totally customizable, permitting you to simply add your organization identify and brand.
You possibly can obtain them in PDF or flip them right into a Microsoft Phrase or Google Docs file.
These templates embrace all of the essential parts of an RFP, resembling:
- Firm identify and background.
- Challenge objectives.
- Anticipated venture timeline.
- Submission necessities.
- Analysis standards.
- Potential roadblocks.
Every part comes with a fast explainer that will help you get the contents proper.
Download HubSpot’s RFP Templates for Free
3. Reddit – RFP Subreddits
Unsurprisingly, Reddit is likely one of the greatest locations to study from RFP specialists in addition to perceive the applicant’s perspective.
I particularly suggest following the RFP subreddit and navigating into extra intricate conversations and subjects from there.
Whereas lots of the discussions cowl not solely grants but in addition industrial initiatives, the recommendation is common.
It additionally goes with out saying that you simply shouldn’t simply lurk across the nook — if there’s a problem you’ve come throughout whereas drafting your RFP, that is the neighborhood you need to ask for recommendation.
Getting Your RFP for Grants Proper
Writing the RFP is the primary — and arguably — most necessary step in your entire grant course of. How so? It’s as much as you because the grantor to pick out the precise questions and standards and clarify the aim of the venture.
Keep in mind, the extra data you present potential candidates, the simpler it is going to be for them to evaluate in the event that they match the grant targets. And this, in flip, will result in a better high quality of proposals.
Whereas there isn’t a one-size-fits-all template for every venture, there are particular must-have sections to incorporate. So, seek advice from this text to get a head begin subsequent time it is advisable to create an RFP for grants.
Good luck!
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