Credibility Gets the Grant
Your proposal is competing with hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of other well-written proposals for excellent programs that suggest the perfect solution to the same problem. What will make your proposal stand out?
You can establish your organization’s credibility in multiple ways. To get started thinking about this, ask these questions about the organization:
- What’s it’s track record and what has it learned from past activities, even from the less-than-successful efforts?
- How well does the organization play with others (target group, community, grantmakers)?
- What are the characteristics and qualifications of the staff, board, volunteers, and program personnel?
It’s not enough to LOOK good. Your organization needs to BE good at what it does. Your proposal offers a great opportunity for you to highlight the strengths of your organization. Yes, you can brag a little. It’s fine to express confidence. But, please, temper that with modesty! And only brag when you can back it up with evidence.
A Credibility Tip
If awarded a grant, carry out the program, being as faithful to your original proposal as possible. Avoid promising to do anything you know you can’t do! If you get the grant, you’re obligated. A good rule of thumb: under-promise, then over-deliver.
What if an organization asks you to write a grant, but once you’re into the process, you realize it doesn’t have the capacity to carry out the program as specified in the RFP or funding announcement? How would you handle that situation?
Discovering a discrepancy between what’s required in the grant application and what you perceive to be reality at the organization sounds like a potentially awful situation.
I guess I’d start by discussing my concerns with my contact at the organization, pointing out the terms required by the RFP and my perception of the possible shortcomings. I might not be aware of everything that’s going on and there might be a simple explanation. Perhaps there’s a plan in place to bridge the gap, should the funding come through.
If I felt confident that the organization understood that obtaining and retaining their grant meant delivering the exact program proposed, I’d be alright continuing the project. If they weren’t prepared to deliver it, I’d have to suggest the organization reconsider the funding application in question. Perhaps another source would be more appropriate.
If the organization wanted to continue applying for funding they were not qualified to receive, though, I’d have to step away from the project. It would be ill advised for the organization to knowingly make a promise they can’t fulfill. Plus, having funding revoked would be worse for their reputation than not getting the money in the first place.
The credibility of an organization is so vital in many respects. It determines how other non-profits interact with the org, how the community views it, and how grantmakers respond to proposals. When credibility is lost, whether it’s through falsifying information etc., it’s difficult to regain.
In terms of the situation posed, I would first go to the directors and try to determine how my organization *could* feasibly carry out the program and suit that to the funder’s requirements. Funders expect their non-profits to develop a specific timeline for implementing the program, and to follow-up with the results, so there must be a definite plan of action. If I find out that my org absolutely cannot carry out the program, I would cease writing the grant, as falsifying that information would almost irreparably damage my relationship with the funder.
Credibility is so crucial in any organization, especially in non-profits. I deal with public transit agencies daily in my day job and for them credibility is everything. A loss of credibility for them means years of work lost and years more of hard work to get back that credibility.
In the situation presented, I would go to the organization and explain the situation to them. If they are amenable to making changes to better fit their actual abilities good. If not, then I would be uncomfortable completing the grant process for them.
I think it would be a bit difficult as an outsider trying to confront the organization about a possible problem. But it has to be done.
I think the best and only option a person facing this problem can do is to be forcefully honest. Explain to the organization the requirements of the grant opportunity and the reasons the organization’s program will not be a perfect match. This might cause some discord but the organization needs to know that the grant won’t work.
Within this conversation the topic of credibility should come up. I think an organization would be more willing to abandon a try at a grant if they know that the credibility of the organization could be damaged. Organizations, especially non-profits, spend a lot of time building their credibility. They probably do not want to blow the credibility they have built in the community just for a chance at a grant.