Beth Goldowitz, who’s been managing nonprofit organizations for the previous 20 years, says that when “managed appropriately, grants can maintain organizations afloat. They’re secure and predictable, a income stream that the group can rely on all through a contract.”
However are you aware how lengthy it takes to write down a single grant utility?
Over 30 hours, and contemplating that grant writers normally receives a commission between $25 and $100 per hour, relying on their expertise, it’s a major price. That’s why it’s so vital for nonprofits to determine which grants to choose.
Your group could make it a lot simpler for candidates to evaluate in the event that they’re the fitting match on your venture. All of it comes all the way down to getting your RFP for grants proper, together with including the fitting sections and asking the fitting 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
Tips on how to Write an RFP for Grants
Finest 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 comparable to foundations and authorities companies encouraging nonprofit organizations to submit proposals for funding.
Basically, RFPs supply nonprofits an alternative to safe funding for varied 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 consistent with the goals outlined within the RFP.
The Challenges of Writing an RFP for Grants
I’ve spoken to a couple folks working at nonprofits to search out out what challenges they got here throughout, both whereas creating their very own RFPs or making ready RFP proposals. Listed here are the commonest obstacles.
Lack of Enough Info Concerning the Procurement Course of
The standard of your procurement course of will influence the standard of the purposes you obtain. For those who don’t share sufficient details about it, just like the timeline, finances, choice standards, and many others., then two issues may occur:
- You’ll obtain purposes that aren’t the fitting match for the venture.
- Loads of candidates who’re the fitting match gained’t participate within the course of as they’ll really feel discouraged by the dearth 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 essentially the most continuously.
Gauri Manglik, CEO and co-founder of Instrumentl, says that “many organizations wrestle to articulate what particular points they’re making an attempt to handle and the way the grant they provide will drive influence.”
What typically occurs is that RFP grant writers take a scattered strategy as an alternative of getting a cohesive strategic framework. Consequently, it’s arduous for founders who give out grants to judge the proposal’s objective and potential.
Manglik provides that “the best RFPs have a sharply outlined focus outlining the targets, goal inhabitants, and idea of change for proposed actions.”
Not Understanding the Authorized Implications of the Grant
Grants typically include phrases and circumstances 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 circumstances must be clear and simple to grasp to reduce the chance of breaching them.
Jonathan Feniak, common counsel at LLC Legal professional, says, “When writing RFP grant proposals, it’s essential to grasp the authorized implications of the grant and issue any liabilities into your plan.
If any IP is developed with grant funding, you should specify possession rights to keep away from potential conflicts with donors later.”
Feniak additionally notes that proposals ought to clearly define your expectations, and you should agree on whether or not the charity or the investor owns its rights.
“Usually, it’s finest 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 isn’t solely clear but in addition particular so it’s simpler for potential bidders to grasp what’s anticipated of them. This is applicable to the necessities, goals, and expectations of the venture.
Kimberly Wall, co-founder of BibleKeeper, says, “The problem lies in articulating the venture’s targets, goals, and anticipated outcomes clearly utilizing phrases that aren’t actually overwhelming the potential candidates with pointless particulars.”
Utilizing the fitting language will remove confusion amongst nonprofits and make it possible for their proposals precisely correspond to the wants of the RFP issuer.
The Anatomy of an RFP for Grants
RFPs for grants are available in two kinds: concise, brief tables, the place data is crammed out in bullet factors, and longer ones, which cowl every part intimately.
The previous goals to offer 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 “preferrred” size for an RFP. These kinds of paperwork can take up a number of pages and normally perform as downloadable PDFs.
For those who’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 title, this part might additionally function a brief overview of your mission. Don’t embrace an extended historical past of your group. As a substitute, use this area to offer a little bit of context on what it does and its goal market.
Mission Overview
A short introduction to the venture itself to let nonprofits know straight away if it’s one thing value bidding on — not than 1-2 paragraphs.
Mission Objectives
This part identifies what you hope to perform by 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 an extended RFP, or bullet factors if it’s brief.
Present Roadblocks and Obstacles to Success
On this part, point out any potential constraints that would both disqualify sure candidates or enhance the operational complexity of assembly targets.
Analysis Metrics and Standards
Right here, you define the way you’re going to decide on grantees. There are completely different approaches — some firms use easy “sure” or “no” evaluations to verify if a proposal meets the venture goals.
Different organizations use percentages to attain extra vital standards increased than others.
Submission Necessities
Precise tips bidders should adhere to.
Mission Due By
If there’s a particular venture supply date, point out it within the RFP. This may allow you to filter out candidates who can’t assure finishing it throughout the required timeline.
Funds
Right here, it’s best to embrace the goal finances. Specify if this finances shall be distributed amongst a number of organizations or assigned to a single grantee.
Common Circumstances of Contract
This might embrace data like:
- Applicant’s authorized standing.
- Your stance on subcontracting.
- Indemnification, insurance coverage, and liabilities.
Some templates additionally counsel asking questions that you simply anticipate bidders to reply — these can function a strategy to additional verify their alignment together with your mission.
Tips on how to Write an RFP for Grants
So, now that what goes into an RFP, let’s discover ways to write them. Under, I’ll describe the steps it’s best to take when tackling this paperwork.
In every part, I’ll work by the steps, as I construct a mock RFP for sustainability nonprofits.
My pattern group, Earthly Companions, is trying to fund sustainability initiatives based mostly within the Southwestern United States. Let’s get began.
1. Establish the goals.
On this step, I wish to checklist all the important thing data, like targets, timeline, finances, and applicant profile.
As you collect these, you’ll possible come throughout some informational gaps or issues that require skilled data, like authorized issues and grantor/grantee obligations.
This is a crucial preliminary stage, which ought to finish with a whole checklist of knowledge you’ll want to judge bidders.
Testing It Out
So, what does my group, Earthly Companions, wish to accomplish? We wish to give attention to combating local weather change within the South West, notably by drought reduction and group 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 give attention to. I may embrace my group’s values, present challenges, and the issues we want to handle.
Testing It Out
Right here is an instance of an intro to Earthly Companions’ RFP. Right here, we spotlight the mission that we give attention to and a bit of bit about our mock group’s historical past.
Earthly Companions is happy to announce the provision 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 group empowerment.
We acknowledge the significance of fostering modern options and collaborations inside our group, and thru this grant alternative, we goal to assist initiatives that exhibit creativity, sustainability, and vital influence.
We’re most curious about initiatives centered on group 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 out there finances.
Testing It Out
Right here’s my venture description for my mock sustainability nonprofit:
Grant Objective: The aim of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit proposals for initiatives that handle environmental conservation, local weather change mitigation, or sustainable growth.
We search proposals that provide modern approaches, foster group engagement, and contribute to the long-term sustainability and resilience of ecosystems and communities.
Grant Particulars:
- Complete Funding Obtainable: $50,000
- Grant Length: 12 months
- Grant Quantity: Grants could vary from $2,500 to $10,000
- Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations and group teams working throughout the Larger Metropolitan Space are eligible to use.
- Utility Deadline: July 31, 2024.
4. Checklist clear necessities.
Right here, I can specify what precisely I must know concerning the proposal. That features asking the candidates for the venture description and the way it will assist fulfill the targets of your grant.
Testing It Out
Persevering with with the sustainability grant venture from above, this part might appear like the next:
Proposal Pointers:
Candidates are invited to submit proposals that handle the next key parts.
- Mission Description: Present an in depth description of the proposed venture, together with its goals, actions, goal inhabitants, and anticipated outcomes.
- Mission Affect: Clearly articulate the potential influence of the venture on the setting or the local people. Describe how the venture will contribute to constructive change and handle 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 which may be exterior conventional approaches.
- Sustainability: Display 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 comparable to regulatory hurdles, group resistance, funding constraints, or technical limitations.
- Funds and Timeline: Present an in depth finances that outlines how grant funds shall be used. Embody a venture timeline with key milestones and deliverables.
5. Embody a submission deadline.
Right here, I wish to name out the deadline for submissions and clarify my most well-liked manner of submitting proposals.
Testing It Out
For Earthly Companions, I wish to have proposals by the top of July. I name that out, together with my most well-liked submission format, beneath.
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 title, contact data, and the title of the proposed venture within the topic line.
6. Be clear on the analysis components.
It’s vital to elucidate 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 superb match. This, in flip, will allow you to pre-qualify organizations and shorten the choice course of.
Testing It Out
For Earthly Companions, I wish to clarify how we plan to judge candidates and provides an outline of subsequent steps. This enables me to elucidate what initiatives are prone to obtain funding and the timeline for these evaluations.
Analysis Course of:
Proposals shall be evaluated based mostly on the next standards:
- Alignment with Earthly Associate’s mission and grant goals.
- Readability and feasibility of the venture proposal.
- Potential influence and sustainability of the venture.
- Innovation and creativity of proposed approaches.
- Funds justification and cost-effectiveness.
Notification:
Candidates shall 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 take advantage of the modifying course of to make it possible for all the mandatory parts are included in my RFP and that the directions are simple to observe.
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 vital particulars.
Finest Practices for Writing an RFP for Grants
Listed here are a number of issues to take note of whereas making ready your RFP.
Dedicate time to deciding on the fitting eligibility and utility standards.
That is, arguably, the one most vital part of your RFP — maybe much more vital than “finances,” as NGOs will wish to rapidly assess their eligibility.
Esther Strauss, co-founder of Step by Step Enterprise, agrees:
“Given the range of causes we assist, from training to environmental conservation, discovering a grant that gives the mandatory funding and likewise aligns with our targets may be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.”
Strauss says that, every time 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 goals and values.
The necessity to get the applying “proper” may prolong to deciding on the fitting utility format or technique. “The stress to get it proper is immense, as these grants can considerably influence our means to serve our group,” she provides.
So, how will you make it simpler for candidates to evaluate in the event that they’re the fitting match and keep away from utility errors?
Embody clear data like:
- Solely bidders who meet no less than X out of Y standards shall be thought-about.
- Proposals have to be despatched in [FORMAT] by [DEADLINE]. Functions despatched in by different channels is not going to be thought-about.
- Utility 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 can too 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 ideal piece on this topic, encouraging RFP publishers to offer it the identical stage of consideration as necessities and scope.
“Many individuals don’t embrace contract time period necessities, comparable to authorized and business phrases, in RFPs. This leads to extended negotiations,” and even failed grants, he says.
That includes the primary contract phrases within the RFP exhibits 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 by Reddit threads in style among the many RFP group, and one of the crucial 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 finest to ensure we’re not asking for a bunch of knowledge we don’t want and gained’t do something with.”
That mentioned, with regards to questions, don’t mechanically discredit candidates who can’t reply all of them. Provide organizations which have pitched a becoming venture and finances the chance to ask follow-up questions.
This may stop them from submitting solutions with low informational worth, i.e., responses which can be obscure or unrelated to your question.
Talking of supplementary questions, this results in the following 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, it’s best to present contact data with the related communication technique — both walk-ins between a particular time, like Monday to Friday, electronic mail handle, or telephone quantity.
Keep in mind that many nonprofits apply to RFPs ongoingly and can solely accomplish that in the event that they see that the grantor might 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 vital.”
Disclose any potential blockers.
Lastly, be clear about any potential roadblocks profitable 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 another 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 stipulations could possibly be having established relationships inside goal communities.
Such an strategy will assist preselect candidates, notably those that don’t have the operational capability to navigate round any potential constraints.
RFP for Grants Sources
Listed here are three sources which may turn out to be useful whereas drafting an RFP for grants.
1. Candid’s Basis Listing
Candid’s Basis Listing shares important data that can assist you make good and strategic funding requests. These sources and instruments offer you entry to funding alternatives that transcend RFPs.
It features a checklist of foundations, together with their profiles, funding priorities, utility procedures, and call data.
RFP writers can undergo the proposals which were 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 ideal starter package and can allow you to 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 title and brand.
You may 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, comparable to:
- Firm title and background.
- Mission targets.
- Anticipated venture timeline.
- Submission necessities.
- Analysis standards.
- Potential roadblocks.
Every part comes with a fast explainer that can assist you get the contents proper.
Obtain HubSpot’s RFP Templates for Free
3. Reddit – RFP Subreddits
Unsurprisingly, Reddit is likely one of the finest locations to be taught 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 matters from there.
Whereas lots of the discussions cowl not solely grants but in addition business 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 group it’s best to ask for recommendation.
Getting Your RFP for Grants Proper
Writing the RFP is the primary — and arguably — most vital step in your entire grant course of. How so? It’s as much as you because the grantor to pick the fitting questions and standards and clarify the aim of the venture.
Bear in mind, the extra data you present potential candidates, the better it will likely be for them to evaluate in the event that they match the grant goals. And this, in flip, will result in the next high quality of proposals.
Whereas there isn’t a one-size-fits-all template for every venture, there are specific must-have sections to incorporate. So, check with this text to get a head begin subsequent time it’s worthwhile to create an RFP for grants.
Good luck!
