As grant writers, we routinely roll our eyes at funding practices. So many times, I have thought, “Do they have any idea what it’s like to write a grant or run a nonprofit organization?” Some application questions and requirements seem out of left field and defy logic.
For example, last week, I wrote a grant application with a maximum award of $5,000. The application consisted of 17 long-form questions and 12 supporting documents—for $5,000!
I wrote the grant because we were invited to apply, and we have someone on the inside pulling for us. Without that, I would never have written this grant.
Grants like this are why I love…
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This genius idea is a LinkedIn profile with 26,000+ followers. Their entire purpose is to review and call out foundations and corporations with unreasonable and unnecessarily cumbersome funding practices. I am here for it all!
Grant writers can submit our grievances here, and the volunteer staff review the funder. If they agree that they have crappy funding practices, they blast them on their social media channels with a detailed description of why the grant opportunity should be avoided.
For example, this week, they exposed the Cigna Group Foundation, which aims to improve health equity and mental health. However, the foundation will not fund fringe benefits for staff members. It will fund specific salaries but not the health care benefits that “improve health equity and mental health” for those doing the actual work in our communities.
That is a crappy funding practice. Head over and support them and submit a funding grievance if you have one.
Until next time,
Write Epic Grants
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