https://bloomerang.co/resources/webinars/ Rachel Werner will review what tried and true methods still have value, what might need to be changed, and what is still left unknown. You can start off 2021 with a better sense of how to be successful during times of uncertainty.

1. How to Prepare a
Grants Strategy
during Uncertain
Times
Presented by:
Rachel Werner
DECEMBER 10, 2020
1

2. 2
Rachel Werner
Rachel Werner is the Owner and CEO of RBW Strategy, LLC. She and her team provide
customized grants, fundraising and project management support and solutions to
clients primarily in the Greater Washington, DC and Maryland region. She has over 17
years of grants experience. She and her team members have collectively garnered
over $160 million for nonprofits and have managed nearly $2 billion in grant funding.
She is an active member of the Grant Professionals Association and is a Certified
Grants Professional (since 2014) and a Project Management Professional (since 2010).

3. Agenda
1
4
2
3
2020 Events and Impacts
Resources and Takeaways
Grants Lifecycle
Other Considerations
Strategic Planning Step
by Step
2021
Grant
Seeking
5 Resources and Takeaways
3

4. Part I: 2020
events and
impacts
4

5. 5
Dealing with uncertainty and unrest
5

6. Changes in
people’s lives
 Increased need for services
 Limited access to healthcare and
support services
 Increased fear of in-person activities
 Increased anxieties about the world
 Increased unemployment and
furloughs
6

7. Nonprofit
Pivots
7
Chat Question
1: What are the
biggest changes
your clients
have
experienced?
7

8. 8
 Strategic Priorities
 Operations
 Financials/Fundraising
 Health/Wellness
Changes in the
nonprofit sector
8

9. Now – Crisis Management Mindset . . . . . . Later – Rethink Priorities
How is this changing funders’ priorities?
9

10. 10
 More COVID and racial
equity opportunities
 Less program-specific
and more basic needs
 For some, stay the
course and maintain
recipients
Changes in the
philanthropic sector
10

11. Philanthropic Sector
Chronicle of Philanthropy, July 2020
Chronicle of Philanthropy, June 2020
Los Angeles Times, April 2020
11

12. Nonprofit Sector
Forbes, April 15, 2020
12
New York Times, July 24, 2020

13. Changing
outlook
Working in these
conditions has
made people feel
scared, uncertain,
and vulnerable.
This has a
profound impact
in how you work.
13

14. Part II: Using the
grants lifecycle to
understand and
shape your
priorities
14

15. 15
Growth mindset:
Are there ways
this experience
can be an
opportunity
instead of a
threat?

16. 16
4
5
3
21
RESEARCH
AND STRATEGIC
PLANNING
APPLICATION
DEVELOPMENT
AWARD
AND PROJECT
START-UP
AWARD
MANAGEMENT
AND MONITORING
PROJECT
CLOSEOUT
Grants Lifecycle

17. 17
Grants Lifecycle: Phase 1
 Priority setting
 Prospect research
 Engagement and
cultivation
 Strategic plan to
fundraising plan
alignment
Research and
Strategic planning

18. 18
Grants Lifecycle: Phase 2
 Work with partners
 Task lists
 Core content and
updated data
 Confirm deadlines,
amounts and
approach
Application
Development

19. 19
Grants Lifecycle: Phase 3
 Stakeholder
engagement
 Internal and
external
announcement
 Data tracking
begins
 Budget alignment
Award and
Project Start-up

20. 20
Grants Lifecycle: Phase 4
Award Management
and Monitoring
 Funder check-ins
 Award tracking
 Financial
reconciliations
 Progress and
feedback

21. 21
Grants Lifecycle: Phase 5
 Renewal applications
 Setting up for next fiscal
year
 Complete expenditures
of funds
 Final project-related
activities completed
Project
Closeout

22. Lifecycle
considerations
 Time
 Resources
 Effort
 Priorities
 Knowledge
22

23. Nonprofit
Pivots
23
Chat Question
2: What are
your greatest
needs now as
an organization?
23

24. Part III: Strategic
Planning Step by
Step
24

25. Overview
Responding to solicited and
unsolicited foundation,
government and corporate
proposal efforts
Description
Prepare responses to
opportunities and maintain
records of all submissions
Considerations
How are you prioritizing
these opportunities,
building relationships and
maximizing your resources?
Do you have a tracker to
map out your fiscal year?
Grant Writing

26. Grants/fundraising
strategic planning
questions
 What are our resource gaps and
needs?
 What are our goals and priorities?
 How do we analyze and gather
data?
 How do we track this information?
 How are we going to measure our
progress?
 When do we assess progress?
26

27. Step 1: Needs Assessment
27
 Conduct needs
assessment of
organization and
target population
 How are you
gathering this info?
 How is this shared
with the right
team?
27

28. Step 2: Planning
28
 Map out greatest
priorities
 Changes to existing
plan?
 Align priorities
with organization
and client needs
 Think about a logic
model
 SWOT
28

29. Logic Model
2929
Source: https://www.wkkf.org/resource-directory/resources/2004/01/logic-model-development-guide

30. SWOT
3030

31. Nonprofit
Pivots
31
Chat Question 3:
If you were to do
a SWOT for your
organization,
what would be
your greatest
strengths? What
about
weaknesses?
31

32. Step 3: Keep,
Change, or Grow?
If there are major organizational or
programmatic changes, how are you
thinking about next steps?
 Resource capacity
 Personnel
 Funding tied to programming
 Are pivots required or part of
revised vision/focus?
32

33. Keep, Change or Grow:
Fundraising Campaigns?
33
Grants
• Data, prospects and strong track record
• Core language that can be adapted for use on proposals
• Marathon, not a sprint
Major Gifts and
Sponsorships
• Organizational ambassadors with ability to cultivate relationships
• Data dive into existing major donors and sponsors to grow these partnerships
Social Media
• Ability to build social media campaign
• Up to date on how to use platforms and create following
Individual Giving
• Personalize appeal letter – is this part of an annual campaign or new campaign?
• Segment list as appropriate to appeal to different individuals
33

34. Step 4: Update fundraising goals
34
 Conservative,
target and stretch
goals
 Organize by
fundraising
campaign
 Determine the
roles for managing
the work
34

35. Sample fundraising spreadsheet
3535

36. Step 5: Implementing and tracking
36
 Policies and procedures to guide
the work
 Tracking systems – online, manual
and who is tracking (data,
financials, fundraising activities)?
 Do you have a dashboard in place
for a snapshot of your efforts?
 Can you create reports to share
with others?
36

37. Step 6:
Measuring
Progress
 Establish
measurable goals in
the strategic plan
and fundraising plan
 Create quarterly
milestones
 Gather relevant data
throughout the year
 Review and
determine if you’re
on the right track

38. Part IV: Other
Considerations
38

39. Who supports your organization?
39
Public and
Media
Elected
Officials
and
Partners
Volunteers
and
Funders
Staff and
Board

40. 40
Source: https://www.causevox.com/blog/donor-engagement-cycle-inspire-learn-engage-ask-thank-show-
impact/

41. Donor Engagement Breakdown
41
• Identify prospects
• Develop messaging and the “why” for the askRecruit/Inspire
• Identify organizational ambassadors to connect with prospects
• Research prospect to gather profileLearn
• Determine how/when to communicate with prospect
• Use specific materials to connect with prospectEngage
• Identify appropriate timing for request
• Determine method of ask (formal/informal) and purpose of askAsk
• Develop a process and policy for acknowledging gift
• Provide updates to funder several times each yearThank
• Plan for next fiscal year and how to engage funder
• Track information in database or systemRepeat

42. Funder Engagement and Moves
Management
42
Source: https://www.slideshare.net/NonprofitWebinars/major-gifts-moves-management-made-easy

43. Nonprofit
Pivots
43
Chat Question
4: How do you
currently
engage partners
and
stakeholders?
43

44. Planning: Engagement Brainstorming
44
Engagement
Strategy
New or Lapsed?
Board or staff
point of
contact?
Pre-submission
communication
is an option (if
grant)?
Online research
available on
funder?
Specific or
general
opportunity
identified?
Call, email or in-
person
cultivation
method?

45. 45
Data Capture
 Success Stories
 Accomplishments
 Impact

46. Marketing and
Branding
 Does your logo speak to your
brand?
 Is your Web site clear and easy to
navigate both for users of your
service and potential donors?
 Do you have an organizational
brochure?
Do you have a presence on social
media?
46

47. 47
Tracking
System
 Reports
 Institutional
knowledge
 Multiple users
 Tracking and
research
 Shared spreadsheet

48. Final Takeaway:
Strategy Considerations in 2021
48
 Analyze your resources available against your
existing needs
 Map out your priorities
(organization/programmatic/financial/etc.)
 Determine if other internal or external resources
are needed to advance grant seeking goals
 Change your strategic plan and fundraising targets
accordingly
 Identify and connect with your key stakeholders
 Use a consistent system to track and measure
progress
48

49. Questions?
49

50. COVID-19
Funding
and
Educational
Resources
50
Candid: https://candid.org/explore-
issues/coronavirus/funds
Chronicle of Philanthropy:
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Responding-
to-the-Coronavirus/248231
Council on Foundations:
https://www.cof.org/news/call-action-
philanthropys-commitment-during-covid-19
Foundant Technologies:
https://resources.foundant.com/covid-19-response
The Nonprofit Times:
https://www.thenonprofittimes.com/

51. Reports on
Charitable
Giving and
Donations
51
Charitable Giving in the Wake of COVID-19:
http://www.dickersonbakker.com/2020GivingStudy/
COVID-19 and philanthropy: How donor behaviors are
shifting amid pandemic:
https://www.fidelitycharitable.org/insights/how-
covid-19-is-shifting-donor-giving.html
CAF America COVID-19 reports:
https://www.cafamerica.org/covid19report/
Give.org Report: https://www.give.org/docs/default-
source/donor-trust-library/wga-covid19-charity-
report.pdf
Fundraising Effectiveness Project:
https://afpglobal.org/nonprofits-hit-6-decline-giving-
due-covid-19

52. Thank you!
Contact RBW Strategy if you need consulting and/or general coaching support
to maintain and build your organization’s charitable investments through
fundraising and project management.
52
RACHEL WERNER
Ph: (301) 325-8552
Email: rachel@rbwstrategy.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rabwerner
Twitter: @rbwstrategy
Website: www.rbwstrategy.com
52

53. 53
The content of this presentation is
proprietary and RBW Strategy retains
ownership of the contents herein. It is not
intended to be distributed to any third
party without the written consent of RBW
Strategy.