On a MIssion!

Nothing gets my undies in a twist more than a mission statement that reads like Gone with the Wind or quite the opposite, makes no statement! Take this one for example:

“…the primary mission of the agency is to provide effective, high quality intervention and prevention services to targeted low to moderate-income families who are experiencing problems associated with substance abuse, teen pregnancy, infant mortality/morbidity, physical health and child abuse. The agency’s philosophy is to provide a holistic and comprehensive approach to improved psychosocial and physical functioning through outreach, intervention and prevention services.”.

Alrighty now! If the purpose of the mission statement is to inspire action, this one certainly ranks as the death march. The wording is so full of psycho-social babble that no person would want to take up the charge. Who would join this mission?

The mission statement should be one sentence, and worded such that anyone in the company can memorize it. It should certainly inform all why the company exists and should definitely inspire all to action.

Challenge: How would you re-write the above statement?

The Beauty of Logic

I'm working with a client on a strategic realignment project. In the middle of the project an opportunity for funding arose which required immediate attention. I have three weeks to prepare a proposal, which in grant writing world is a long time. Most time I get - "its due next week, can you pull a rabbit out of the hat?"

The beauty of having time is that you can create some type of a production plan. Some people can get very elaborate with the plan, especially if there is a team. But when doing it by myself, I usually create the plan/time line in my brain (not always a great way to go), and start with the logic model.

Creating the logic model brings clarity and focus to the project you are proposing. The logic model represents your best recipe for achievement and provides a means to evaluate your efforts. If done correctly, it will map your road to success and inform your funding source of every direction and turn you choose to take on the venture.

I prefer the theory of change logic model. It tells the complete story of your project on one page, including problem, needs, outcomes, strategies/activities, and assumptions. The layout I use is appealing and easy on the eye to read. It does not include a time-line, preferring to create a time-line as a separate document.

I've seen some attempts (or lack) at logic models that just didn't make the cut. I'm sure that that funding didn't materialize either. What those that don't take the time and opportunity to develop a logic model fail to realize is that it is a systematic way to show how all the aspects of your program relate to one another - problem, need, resources, activities, and outcomes. It is an evaluation tool that effects program planning.

The logic model is your program map. It facilitates planning, implementation and evaluation. It provides a picture of how you believe your program will work. If you take the time up front to map your program, you will save yourself hard-ache in the end, plus increase your chances at getting the funding you seek. If you don't know where you're going, how do you know when you get there?

A good resource document on logic models can be found at the W.K. Kellog Foundation.

Help! My Agency Needs a Grant - Now!

How often I've heard that statement made by an Executive Director or Board member of some nonprofit agency doing great work to benefit the public. They've expended blood sweat and tears to help nature, the poor, the down trodden, men, women, babies, people with HIV/AIDS, children in African and India. What they have failed to do is help themselves. There is no fund development plan, or at least not one that is being actively worked by the Board.

There is this myth that getting a grant to cover operating costs will solve all problems. There is a myth that grant funding is all you have to do. There is a myth that grants will come like manna from heaven - upon demand, within 30 days. There is a myth that everybody believes in the good work you are doing. There is a myth that once received, you can just continue down the road as usual. There is this myth that grant writers will work for free, waiting until the grant is received to make some type of draw on services rendered.

This I know for Sure
Executive Directors and Board members don't really want to face the truth about their current situation - they have no plan, have failed to plan and need a miracle to overcome the current situation.

What Every Good Grant Writer Knows

• Grants should never exceed 20% of your operating income. Some experts believe it should average about 10%. The majority of program income should come from individual donors and/or members, depending upon the type of organization you have, and/or social enterprise ventures.
• At a minimum it can take 90 days to receive grant funding, most times its longer. If you need an influx of cash, quick, grant funding is not the way to go.
• The shotgun approach to grant writing will usually end in failure. Besides, the heads of foundations talk and it will quickly get out that you have a money problem that is directly tied to your inability to plan.
• The work you do should be tied to your mission. Your mission should have something in common with the mission of the foundation from whence you seek funding. Don't try to change your focus to get funding, it will be all too obvious.
• It is unethical to expect to pay your grant writer a percentage of funds received. It takes resources on the part of the grant writer to research and write a good grant. So if you don't have money up front to engage a grant writer - find someone on your staff and have them trained. Besides, most funding sources expect that funding will be used for programs, not to pay grant writers.
• People give money and fund activities of people they like or that work for causes they like. You need to know the people that have the money. You need to know what causes they believe in. You need to make sure your cause matches with theirs to even get through the door.
• The Board should be actively involved in all fund raising activities and work with the Executive Director to ferret out funding opportunities.
• You need to have your act together prior to venturing down this road. Unless you are applying for seed money or capacity building money - you really do need to know what you do, who you do it to, why you do it to them and what happens after you do it to them!

This is just the beginning of the conversation. I can say for sure that if you don't have it together, it will be reflected in your grant proposal and will result in lost funding opportunities. It's not the fault of the funding source, its your inability to plan and focus your funding requirements and potential sources.

My question to you...are your ready to obtain and recieve the money?