Grants Plus

Thank you to the National Council of Nonprofits and other members, along with Democracy Forward, for continuing to advocate for nonprofits and helping to protect the funding required to sustain critical initiatives that benefit our society. Please read below for an important update on funding: #grants #FederalGrants #GovernmentFunding #Nonprofitfunding #nonprofitfundraising

Ensuring all mothers and their children have access to the care and supplies they need is critical for all communities. Kudos to Baby2Baby for the important work they do to support new mothers and their families! #BlackMaternalHealthWeek #BlackMaternalHealth

#TuesdayTip Are you looking for ways to strengthen your grant program? Below are more practical solutions from Grants Plus Founder and CEO, Lauren Steiner, to help nonprofits navigate today's changing funding landscape (2 of 2): 6. Deepen Funder Relationships. Reach out when you're not asking for money. Schedule stewardship calls, share impact updates, and explore shared priorities. 7. Track Key Performance Metrics. Monitor your win rates, renewal rates, number of proposals submitted, and new funder relationships. 8. Stay on Top of Trends. Understand shifts in funding like changes to DEI policies, political impacts, and corporate giving patterns. 9. Align Your DEI Language Thoughtfully. Frame your work around equity, access, and inclusion in ways that reflect your mission. 10. Create Space for Strategic Pause. Schedule regular reviews of your grant program. What's working? What's not? Adjust based on results. For more information: https://lnkd.in/g5hZT5H6 #grants #GrantTips #nonprofitfundraising #fundraising

It’s been years, but I still think about her. I was doing grant writing for a college readiness program in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. One day, I sat in on a panel where recent graduates were speaking to high school students from the city—sharing what college was really like, how to navigate it, how to decide if it was even the right path. The students in the room were half listening, half distracted—as you'd expect from any group of high schoolers. The panelists were trying, working hard to reach them. And then, the Q&A began. A girl sitting quietly in the middle of the room raised her hand. Her question stopped me cold. "Do you have to fight in college?" I remember my jaw dropping. Fight? Not for grades or a spot in the dorms. She meant physical fights. That question cracked something open in me. I thought about my own upbringing—where college meant new ideas, not survival. Where I never once worried for my personal safety in a classroom. The panelists didn’t even blink. One of them calmly said, “No, not really.” Like they’d heard it before. I think about her often. What she must have been carrying. What it meant that that was her question. This is why I do the work I do. Because every now and then, a girl like that raises her hand—and maybe hears something that shifts her future. And maybe, in the background, someone like me was helping secure the funding that made that moment possible. 💛

As we recognize National Crime Victims' Rights Week, we are reminded that safety, dignity, and being safeguarded from exploitation are basic human rights. Grants Plus is honored to work with the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking to further their mission to protect the most vulnerable. Thank you to Lauren Steiner for sharing the video below highlighting the Collaborative's important work: #HumanTraffickingAwareness #HumanTrafficking #endhumantrafficking #BeTheChange #nonprofitfundraising #Nonprofitfunding

Thank you to the National Council of Nonprofits for spearheading this important initiative to share stories from nonprofits about their impact and value in society. If you are interested in contributing, please see the details below

#TuesdayTip As nonprofits continue to face uncertainty, many are left wondering how to navigate the shifting grant landscape. Grants Plus Founder and CEO, Lauren Steiner, breaks down the latest trends, common pitfalls, and winning strategies to secure funding in 2025 and beyond. (Part 1 of 2): Below are 5 practical actions she recommends for nonprofits to adapt, compete, and thrive in today's changing funding landscape: 1. Refocus Your Strategy - Stop chasing every opportunity. Reassess your grant-seeking strategy to prioritize funders whose missions align with yours. 2. Build a 12-Month Grants Calendar - Create a rolling calendar of deadlines, cultivation milestones, and reporting dates. 3. Invest in Reusable Content - Develop strong boilerplate language for common sections - organization overview, program descriptions, leadership bios, and impact data. 4. Clarify Internal Roles - Define who does what in your grant process-research, writing, approvals, reporting-and use a shared system to keep things moving. 5. Set Realistic Grant Goals - Make sure your revenue projections reflect opportunity, not pressure. Learn more here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g5hZT5H6 #grants #GrantTips #Grantwriting #FundingSuccess #GrantApplications

If you work in the nonprofit space—or fund it—please read and share: This article by Stephanie Beasley from The Chronicle of Philanthropy lifts up several emergency response funds that are stepping in where the government has stepped back. From the SAFE Initiative at Borealis Philanthropy to Safety Net Grants from The Boston Foundation to GlobalGiving's Safety Net Grants and others, these funds are providing critical support for legal help, security, and keeping core services going. Read more below. #Grantseeking #nonprofit #Philanthropy #nonprofitfundraising

#TuesdayTip In this volatile environment, it's critically important to examine your organization's revenue mix and diversify your funding sources. Now is the perfect time to: ➡️ Research prospective new funders. ➡️ Uncover connections between your individual donors and foundations. ➡️ Ensure you are asking for appropriate amounts from your institutional funders. Whether you need assistance finding additional funding opportunities, growing your grant successes strategically, or additional grant writing capacity, Grants Plus can help. https://lnkd.in/gkQPmPQZ #grants #nonprofitfundraising #GrantTips #FundingSuccess

Right now, many of us are looking to grant funders and wondering: Will they shed their chicken feathers? Grant seekers exist at the mercy of grant makers. We navigate uncertainty, waiting to see who will show up, who will take risks, and who will step in. That’s why this piece by Lisa Pilar Cowan of the ROBERT STERLING CLARK FOUNDATION, INC. struck me. It takes courage for a grant maker to admit their own fear, to name the discomfort of risk, and to recognize that their privilege has shielded them from the same precarity nonprofits face every day. Lisa could have stayed quiet, like so many do, but instead, she chose to step forward and name the truth: philanthropy has been risk-averse for too long. Some funders are embracing this moment—moving money faster, loosening restrictions, and standing beside nonprofits rather than above them. Others, I hope, will take inspiration from this kind of brave leadership and step out of their own comfort zones. Bravery isn’t about waiting until the fear is gone. It’s about acting in the face of it. Nonprofits do this every day. It’s time for more funders to do the same. Let’s celebrate the leaders like Lisa who are showing up with courage. And let’s hope their bravery spreads.