Fundraising can be a little unpredictable. While your nonprofit likely has a good idea of how much funding you can expect from month to month, chances are that a significant percentage of your support comes from individuals who can occasionally change their minds or act in ways you might not have predicted. 

Fortunately, there are a variety of resources your nonprofit can use to increase your funding’s reliability. Specifically, you can add new revenue streams to your fundraising strategy. Adding new sources of revenue may sound like a lot of work on the surface, but in reality, there are many your nonprofit can tap into almost immediately without disrupting any of your other fundraising efforts. 

From passive fundraisers to untapped philanthropy programs, your nonprofit can get started right away with these four revenue streams:

1. Online Shopping Programs 
2. Grocery Store Fundraisers 
3. Matching Gifts
4. Google Ad Grant

Keep in mind that these revenue streams are meant to supplement your main fundraising activities. After all, you’ll still need to perform your usual donor outreach and campaigning to alert donors to new ways they can support your nonprofit. With that in mind, let’s get started. 

1. Online Shopping Programs 

Do your supporters shop online? Chances are that many of them do, as research has shown there were 256 million online shoppers in 2020, and that number is only expected to grow over the next few years. Your nonprofit can make the most of this trend by encouraging your supporters to participate in an online shopping program. 

Online shopping programs have supporters essentially shop for your cause when they shop at participating retailers. A percentage of the sales total for each of your supporters’ purchases will be sent to your nonprofit. Plus, these contributions come from the retailers, which means your supporters won’t need to spend any more than they normally would while shopping. 

To launch an online shopping fundraiser, you’ll need to get in touch with your supporters and guide them through the following steps: 

• Supporters download the app or browser extension. Send your supporters a link to download either your nonprofit’s online shopping program app or browser extension. If supporters prefer not to download anything, see if your shopping program has an online portal they can make their purchases through. 
• Supporters shop at participating retailers. Ideally, your online shopping program should already be partnered with businesses your supporters already shop at, meaning very few of your supporters will need to change their shopping habits to participate. You may even be surprised at just how many different types of retailers participate in online shopping programs, from department stores and restaurants to online course vendors. 
• Your nonprofit earns. As supporters start making purchases, your nonprofit will earn a steady stream of income through your shopping program. Shopping programs are designed to help nonprofits earn reliable revenue over time, so be patient and continue encouraging your supporters to participate in order to earn. 

Maintaining strong communication with your supporters is essential for a successful online shopping program. Unlike set-it-and-forget-it fundraisers, online shopping programs greatly benefit from regular promotion to attract new supporters to your program and remind current supporters to continue participating. 

2. Grocery Store Fundraisers

While it may be true that not all of your supporters regularly shop online, all of your supporters do need to make routine trips to the grocery store, giving them another chance to help out your nonprofit. Like online shopping fundraisers, grocery store fundraisers help nonprofits earn revenue by contributing a percentage of your supporters’ sales total to your organization. 

Many popular grocery store chains have fundraising programs that your nonprofit can apply to, allowing supporters to help your organization while they shop. Of course, many grocery stores have unique rules for their fundraising program, so be sure to research your local chains before applying. 

Once you join a grocery store fundraising program, be sure to promote it to your supporters. Let them know where and how they can participate, as well as any additional details they need to know to have their contributions count. For example, some grocery stores may need participants to join their rewards or membership program first, which often requires filling out a form in-store or signing up online. 

But don’t stop marketing your program after an initial email letting supporters know it’s gone live. Regularly promote it along with your other fundraisers to let new supporters know how they can make more ethical shopping decisions with your program, while also reminding your current supporters to continue shopping at your partner grocery store. 

3. Employer Gifts

Each time your supporters donate or volunteer, they can earn your nonprofit additional revenue through matching gift programs. Matching gift programs are contributions made by your supporters’ employers, meaning they won’t need to give any extra themselves to make their support go further. 

There are two main types of employer matching programs, and your supporters can make use of both of them to help drive additional income: 

• Donation matching. When your supporters donate, employers with a donation matching program can match their gift, effectively helping your nonprofit earn double for each eligible donation. Help your donors discover if they qualify for a matching gift and fill out any necessary forms to apply for one. 
• Volunteer grants. Volunteer grants can be an entirely new revenue stream for many nonprofits, as you’ll be able to collect contributions from your volunteers’ employers whenever they donate a few hours of their time. Companies that offer volunteer grants have a wide range of requirements and potential payouts. For example, Apple has no minimum for hours worked and will donate $25 per hour volunteered, whereas Pfizer requires employees to work at least 40 hours, but will then donate $500. 

While your nonprofit can encourage supporters to research if they are eligible for donation matching or volunteer grants, there are a variety of online fundraising tools that can make the process much easier. For example, matching gift databases allow supporters to enter the name of their employer and then be paired with the necessary matching gift forms automatically. 

4. Google Ad Grant

You can’t start using revenue from a Google Ad Grant right off the bat, but you can set your nonprofit up to qualify for one almost immediately. Google Ad Grants are specifically for online advertising, giving nonprofits $10,000 in ad credits a month. This can significantly change a nonprofit’s online outreach strategy and free up funds that might have previously been allocated to marketing. 

To get started applying for a Google Ad Grant for your nonprofit, ensure that you meet these three requirements: 

• Have 501(c)(3) status. Google only allows nonprofits with a valid 501(c)(3) status to apply for their program. This means government organizations, hospitals, and schools are not eligible for the Google Ad Grant.
• Agree to Google’s terms of services. Google has terms of service for how nonprofits will use the grant and Google Ads. Ensure you understand what is expected of your nonprofit to help maintain the grant if your nonprofit qualifies.

• Have a valuable website with an SSL certificate. Google has a few clear and a few not-so-clear requirements for nonprofit websites. Your website must have an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate, only ads that relate to your mission, and limited commercial activity. More vaguely, your nonprofit’s website must also be high-quality. In most cases, this will mean having a clear layout, easy to find descriptions of your nonprofit’s mission, content that is unique to your nonprofit, and enough content to demonstrate that your nonprofit is a reliable, long-lasting organization. 

Nonprofits who already have accomplished these three tasks can jump straight into making their Google for Nonprofits Account and applying for a Google Ad Grant. Google will then assess a nonprofit’s website to determine if they are eligible, and, if so, they can begin designing and launching their ad campaigns with their new revenue.

Adding new fundraisers to your calendar can be easy. Explore options that are easy for you and your supporters to get started with, while also considering programs that might take a little while to apply for but can then start earning reliable revenue for the foreseeable future. Good luck!

A nonprofit budget is an important financial document that allocates expenses and predicts revenue. Without a budget, nonprofits find themselves with more money going out than coming in.  It’s crucial in helping your nonprofit plan for the future, stay fiscally responsible, and reach campaign goals.

Take this opportunity to build a financial strategy and refresh your existing budget.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the value of a budget and explain how it translates to the actions outlined in your marketing plan. We’ll cover the following points:

• What is a good budget for a nonprofit organization?
• What should be included in a nonprofit budget?
• How much do nonprofits spend on marketing?
• 5 Nonprofit Budget Best Practices
• Our Final Tip: Work with a team of Google Ad Grant Experts.

Here at Getting Attention, our trusted experts will guide you through the process of incorporating Google Ad Grants into your marketing budget. We’re here to clarify your questions and serve your nonprofit’s mission by bringing new constituents to your organization.

Building a budget can bring value and structure to your nonprofit. Let’s get started with the elements of a good nonprofit budget.

What is a good budget for a nonprofit organization?

Financial planning is vital to the success and sustainability of an organization. The Better Business Bureau recommends that nonprofits spend under 35% of their funding on overhead expenses (facility costs, licensing fees, equipment costs, etc.) and spend at least 65% on programs.

To meet these guidelines, your team must devise a budget that outlines projected expenses and revenue. A budget for a nonprofit organization should be:

• Accurate: Information should be based on logic and strategy. Have your accounting team double-check each line item to ensure your records are accurate and reliable.
• Transparent: Nonprofits must disclose certain financial information to the public per request. Earn the trust of supporters and prospective donors by building a budget that reveals your financial history, goals, and programs.

Accuracy and transparency are crucial for your nonprofit’s image. After you calculate your financial statements, pull insights and share them with your staff, volunteers, and board. This will increase engagement within your organization and allow people to better understand your nonprofit’s financial health.

What should be included in a nonprofit budget?

From daily operational costs to monthly donations, there is a wide range of elements that should be included in your nonprofit’s budget. We’ll focus on the primary revenue and expense items.

Nonprofits rely on a combination of income sources from individuals, foundations, corporations, and grants. Diversify your revenue stream by accounting for the following types of income:

• Grants: Nonprofits can apply for grants from corporations like Google as well as the government. In the budget, specify which types of programming each grant will cover.
• General Donations: Monetary donations from major donors and a wider donor base are the lifeblood of nonprofits. In your budget, look at past years to estimate how much you can expect to raise from general donations.
• Monthly Giving: Recurring gifts are a reliable source of income for your nonprofit. Account for monthly, bi-montly, and yearly donations.
• In-Kind Donations: These include any volunteered services or supplies.
• Corporate Giving: Nonprofits depend on corporate gifts to increase their revenue and build relationships. Consider working with a matching gift professional to further boost your donations.

Projections are the best way to assess how your investment in each campaign or project relates to its relative importance in your plan. That’s a crucial ingredient in your decision making, so there’s no avoiding projecting what your expenses will be. Include the following costs in your budget:

• Administrative: This includes expenses for operations and management, including staff salaries, office space, utilities, insurance, and technology. 
• Programming: These are the costs needed to carry out your mission-related activities. For example, if a nonprofit is dedicated to feeding the homeless, program expenses would include food and food preparation costs.
• Fundraising: Activities related to an appeal for financial support, which can include marketing efforts like newsletters, print ads, and blog posts.

Now that you have the basic line items for your nonprofit’s budget, let’s focus on budgeting for communications and marketing in particular.

How much do nonprofits spend on marketing?

According to a recent study, nonprofits spent an average of 4 cents on digital advertising for every $1 raised online last year and almost 70% of those advertising budgets were devoted to lead generation and new donor acquisition. Budgeting for these marketing costs is vital. Your marketing budget serves as a map to ensure you reach your goals and determines whether your plans are realistic.

In the for-profit world, it’s fairly standard to determine a marketing budget by allocating 10-20% of projected gross revenues to marketing and communications.  For a general rule of thumb in the nonprofit sector, try to allocate between 5-15% of your budget to marketing.

What’s most important is that you establish a detailed marketing and communications budget prior to the start of each fiscal year. Track costs and results as you go so that you can analyze cost vs. benefit. The budget should be integrated into your annual marketing and communications plan, with a dollar cost allotted to each strategy (direct mail, email, paid advertising, media relations, etc.), each of which should be broken down further (consulting, evaluation, printing, postage, etc.).

5 Nonprofit Budget Best Practices

A strong nonprofit budget serves as a clear framework for your decision-making and a powerful tool for getting the marketing dollars you need to meet agreed-upon goals.

To make the most of your budget, direct and prioritize your focus. Knowing what you are working towards and making the best decisions on how to get there will lead to leadership buy-in and ongoing support.

Take control of your nonprofit’s finances and start building your budgeting skills with these best practices.

Determine a budgeting approach.

Misunderstanding which type of budget is best for your organization can sabotage far more than your financial plan. It can mean the downfall of your nonprofit. With the right budget approach, you can advocate for what you really need to move your mission forward.

No one-size-fits-all budget exists. Communicate financial information in a way that works for your organization. Consider the following strategies when building your nonprofit budget:

• Income-Based Approach: As the name suggests, an income-based approach prioritizes income. Determine how much income you can realistically count on and include only reliable revenue in your budget. Don’t include income projections to simply fill gaps. If your organization doesn’t meet these income targets, it will create a budget deficit.
• Incremental Approach: The incremental approach builds upon your budget from the previous fiscal year. While this is a quick and easy method to prepare a budget, it’s more difficult to find funding for new campaigns or projects since unspent funds may have been reallocated to another campaign.
• Zero-Based Approach: The current fiscal year’s budget is prepared from scratch, without consideration for income or expenses from the previous year. Although this method is accurate and efficient, it’s time-consuming. Your organization will have to test several assumptions about where money will come from and how it will be spent.
• Percentage Approach: Break down marketing, communications, and fundraising by percentages of the total budget. This approach is favored by those who believe that marketing and communications expenditures should directly reflect a nonprofit’s evolution and the size of its budget. If done correctly, you could see communications spending grow as your organization does.
• Flat Dollar Approach: Some experts in the field consider a flat dollar approach to be more relevant and safer than the percentage approach since your total budget has to cover costs like utilities, rent, taxes, health insurance. Give special campaigns, marketing, communications, and fundraising efforts a set dollar amount based on past expenditures. This method simplifies projections and gives you a clear baseline budget.

Each approach has benefits and limitations. That’s why most nonprofits implement a combination of these strategies. Whichever approach you take, you’ll find that a formal budget is a great aid in decision making. You’ll clearly see how much you have to spend to reach your goals and, by tracking results, will gain a sense of which strategies work best.

Now that you have solidified a budget approach, share your strategies and goals with leadership and staff.

Develop a budget with your entire team.

Team-based financial planning is the most effective way to ensure your budget aligns with your organization’s goals and mission. Involve staff and board members in the budgeting process to create a comprehensive strategy that relies on a variety of perspectives. This will enhance your team’s ability to communicate your organization’s financial story to other key stakeholders.

Consider these steps to running a budget meeting:

1. Determine a timeline. From preliminary drafts to approvals, the entire budgeting process can take weeks to months. Set deadlines and milestones to track progress against measurable benchmarks.
2. Agree on goals. Calculate how much revenue is needed to cover your campaign and marketing goals. How do you plan to raise these funds? Make a plan of attack with your team.
3. Review past data. Examine financial statements from previous years for areas of growth and improvement. Then, problem solve! If you notice a slump in revenue, work with your team to revise past financial strategies.
4. Draft the budget. Find a template with expense line items that work for your team’s organizational skills. Then, build out anticipated costs and expenses according to your research.
5. Present findings to your board. Before the start of the fiscal year, hand your budget over to board members for review. They will assess the effectiveness of resources, evaluate administrative systems, and measure progress towards goals.
6. Debrief. Budget planning takes a lot of time and energy. After you complete your budget, get with your team to discuss what went well and what needs to improve before the next fiscal year.

Once you develop your budget and align it with your marketing goals, you will have a clear plan for moving forward, shaped by concrete data and strategies. A budget that your entire team agreed on can increase the probability of getting more marketing dollars. As a result, it will be comforting for your leadership to have these plans readily available.

Include non-monetary contributions.

If your organization is fortunate enough to attract in-kind donations, record these contributions to express your gratitude and abide by legal standards. When documented in your budget’s revenue, non-monetary contributions show what it truly takes to drive your mission.

In-kind donations are donated goods, services, and time. Consider the following examples to determine which donations you need to budget for:

• Tangible goods: Equipment, office furniture, clothing, food, supplies, etc.
• Intangible goods: Advertisements, patents, copyrights, etc.
• Services: Accounting, printing, catering, consulting, photography, security, etc.

In-kind donations should be recorded at fair market value. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) defines fair value as “the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.” To determine the value of your in-kind donation:

• Calculate what your organization would have paid for donated goods on the open market.
• Track the hours of professional services donated to your organization.
• Contact your donors and ask them to price their own in-kind services.

Volunteer hours do not need to be reported in a budget. However, your organization can still acknowledge the impact of volunteers in your audit or in a short narrative included with your budget.

Conduct regular checks of your budget.

Set regular team meetings to monitor your budget’s progress. Whether you hold these meetings monthly, quarterly, or annually, ensure that your entire team is involved. This will improve communications and management between departments.

Consider the following topics in your meeting:

• Assess the “why” behind budgetary issues.
• Determine which campaigns need more financial attention.
• Review past finances to determine if your budget is on track or not.
• Compare your budgeted revenue and expenses to actual amounts.
• Inspect balance sheets for discrepancies.
• Account for any unusual circumstances that may arise (such as the pandemic).

Monitoring your budget throughout the year is the key to financial success, along with setting aside enough funds for marketing.

Apply for a Google Ad Grant.

The average small business using Google Ads spends between $5,000 and $12,000 per month on Google paid search campaigns. That’s $60,000 to $150,000 of marketing expenses spent solely on ad-clicks per year. Thankfully, Google created a grant to help nonprofits budget for marketing.

Google Ad Grants provide eligible nonprofits with a $10,000 monthly stipend to spend on paid search ads. While regular Google Ad accounts have to pay per ad-click, Google Grant participants can display their advertisements for free. These ads enable your nonprofit to appear on Google when it matters— when someone searches for topics related to your mission.

The ideal Google Ad Grant candidate has a website that effectively serves its audience and promotes its mission. With the Google Ad Grant program for nonprofits, organizations can:

• Increase online conversions.  
• Reach out to new donors.  
• Recruit volunteers.  
• Market multiple ad campaigns. 
• Analyze and track performance.  

As long as your organization complies with the eligibility requirements, the allotment renews monthly without a time constraint. That means, your nonprofit will be relieved of Google Ad expenses indefinitely. We recommend setting a daily budget of $329 to run as many campaigns as possible and take full advantage of your grant.

Our Final Tip: Work with a team of Google Ad Grant Experts.

It’s no secret that budgeting can fuel your nonprofit’s impact. When you manage a Google Ad Grant with a Google Ad Grant professional like Getting Attention, we’ll make sure you have a strong digital marketing strategy that works for your budget. Our team of experts offer free consultations and resources to help your organization plan a successful strategy.

Getting Attention is a fully certified agency ready to guide your organization through the Google Ad Grant process. Our services include Google Grant application, Google Grant hygiene, Google Grant reactivation, keyword research, and Google Grant Management. Maintaining your data and keeping it clean can be a pain point for many nonprofits. We’re here to champion your nonprofit digital campaigns.

Since your nonprofit’s budget is a critical component of your overall success, make sure you do your research. If you want to continue learning more about nonprofit budgets and how to optimize your strategy, check out these additional resources:

• How to Create Your New Nonprofit’s First Budget Your nonprofit’s first budget is a critical tool for both planning and managing cash flow. Learn how to set your budget up right with this guide.
• The Small Nonprofits Guide to Budgeting Too many small nonprofits operate without a budget. Learn how to fund your mission with this quick guide.
• Understanding Your Finances: A Quick Guide for Nonprofits Understanding your nonprofit’s finances will help you make smarter decisions both now and in the future. Learn how to get started with this article.
• Where can I find examples of nonprofit budgets? Review these examples of nonprofit budgets to find the one that’s right for you.

Grants provide amazing opportunities benefitting the nonprofits they serve. From capital support to marketing assistance, grants are a great way to boost the success of your nonprofit. You may be wondering, how will a grant help me? In allowing you to spread your mission, help more people, and carry out charitable initiatives, grants are an undeniably useful tool.

With the many different categories and sources of funding, it can be difficult to pinpoint which grants would be most beneficial for your nonprofit. No need to worry! 

At Getting Attention, we help nonprofits maximize their grant opportunities. We’re here to guide you through how to find grants, making it as simple as possible, through the following points:

• Grants for Nonprofits: FAQs
• How to Find Grants for Nonprofits
• 12 Places to Research Grants for Nonprofits
• How to Find Grants: 4 Best Practices

If these topics seem like they would be helpful to your organization, stay with us as we uncover all there is to know about grants for nonprofits.

Grants for Nonprofits: FAQs

When most people hear the word “grant,” they instantly think of money. However, there is much more to grant funding than the dollar sum alone. Having a good understanding of the different types of grants will serve as a helpful guide throughout the search process. 

What are the 5 types of grants?

When searching for grants, it is important to understand the various areas of assistance in which they provide. It will make the process of targeting specific grants that serve the wants and needs of your organization far easier. The five main categories of grants include: 

1. Program support: Program development grants provide funding for specified projects or programs, meaning they are usually restricted in terms of spending. Recipients of these grants must only use the funds for the exact purpose outlined in the grant proposal.
2. General operations support: General operations support grants cover almost any expense for your organization and are far less restrictive than program development grants. However, they are a rarity in the nonprofit sphere. 
3. Capital support: These are most commonly given for specific capital campaigns that involve activities such as building construction, property acquisition, or other large-scale projects of that nature.
4. Research grants: Found in academia and research-oriented nonprofits, these grants promote the scientific research demanded of certain fields and are often attached to a particular team member.
5. In-kind grants: Sometimes, your organization is in need of resources other than funding. In-kind grants provide assistance in non-monetary forms, such as equipment, supplies, or free consulting and personnel. A great resource for discovering such grants would be Google for Nonprofits. A particular in-kind grant opportunity offered through Google would be the Google Ad Grants program, which offers nonprofits a monthly allowance of $10,000 in AdWords spending. If this program seems of interest to your organization, discover how Getting Attention can help you maximize the opportunity.

Each type of grant promotes the success of your organization in a different way. Having a clear understanding of the help you need will allow you to find which grant best serves your nonprofit. You may be wondering, where are these grants coming from? Read on to find out!

Where do these grants come from?

Grants come from grantmakers, which come in a variety of forms. This includes:

• The government: Federal grants are those bestowed to any nonprofit across the country. State grants are given only to nonprofits belonging to a particular state. Local grants are limited to a specific community or district within a state. As you can see, these are various levels of the government grant funnel, but they serve as a great opportunity for funding the operative and administrative costs of your nonprofit.
• Foundations: In 2014 alone, foundation grants contributed $54 million to organization funding. Some foundation forms include family foundations, private foundations, public foundations, and community funds. 
• Corporations: Many corporations allocate portions of their profits for corporate giving initiatives. Google Ad Grants serve as another example of large corporations offering valuable resources and assistance to nonprofits in need, with Google donating valuable Ad space that most businesses pay thousands for. 
• Federated funds: These are funds raised from local businesses and company workers that are then distributed to nonprofits. This type of “community chest” model is nothing new, but it is a significant source of revenue for nonprofits that allows the organization to influence how much they raise. 

As you can see, there are various sources that provide the grant assistance you need. Having a clear understanding of which donors do what will allow you to best identify where to go in the grant application process.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of grants?

Like most things, grants come with their pros and cons. Before embarking on the search and application process, it is worth noting all that grants for nonprofits encompass. To make it easier for you, here are some important things to consider:

• Advantages:

• • • Grants can feel like “free money”. Unlike loans, grant funding does not need to be repaid. 
    • Grants can fuel big structural projects, enabling large-scale societal impact and helping to further the overall mission of your organization.
    • Once you have obtained a grant, you are more likely to obtain more in the future. Being approved by one foundation serves as a stamp of approval to others of your organization’s good standing. 
    • Grants boost visibility and credibility for your nonprofit. Showing that a prestigious organization believes in your mission and trusts your ability to deliver may be what you need to win donors’ trust.

• Disadvantages:

• • The process of searching for, applying to, and acquiring a grant can be very time-consuming. Individuals must develop grant-writing skills to win grant proposals, take time writing a winning application, and wait for grant-related funds to enter an account before use.
  • It can be very challenging to manage the various expectations associated with receiving and maintaining a grant. This includes specific rules surrounding how funds can be used and how that use must be reported on. The effective management of grants often takes specific grant-related software.
  • Many grants come with strings attached, meaning there are explicit conditions that dictate how the money can be used, such as with program development grants.

These advantages and disadvantages are necessary for nonprofits to consider when going on their journey of how to find grants. 

Should your nonprofit apply for a grant?

Now that you’ve learned the types of grants, who is funding them, and all of the advantages and disadvantages they offer, it is time to decide if applying for a grant is in the best interest of your nonprofit. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Do you have the ability to invest the resources necessary to write a winning grant application?
• Are you able to meet grant conditions?
• Are the activities outlined in terms and conditions consistent with the mission, aim, and strategy of your nonprofit?
• Can the activity in question continue after grant funding has ended?
• Why is a grant vital to the success of your nonprofit or the specific mission?
• Do you have properly qualified staff in place to implement your program?
• Do you have outcomes related to past work? How healthy are those outcomes?

It is important to keep the short-term and long-term organizational goals of your nonprofit in mind when searching for and making the decision to apply for grants. Your organization should not have the tactic of throwing everything you have at the wall and seeing what sticks. Make sure you are seeking out grants that match the unique needs of your nonprofit. 

For instance, if you’re looking to leverage grant money to bolster your marketing, you might consider applying for the Google Ad Grant, which will provide you with money to spend specifically on digital ads.

Additionally, ensure that you are associating yourself with fellow organizations whose missions and values align with yours. Although grant money and resources are great, do not forgo the identity of your organization during the process. Keep your nonprofit’s reputation at top of mind when answering the question: should I apply for this grant?

How to Find Grants for Nonprofits

The process of finding grants that are the right fit for your nonprofit can seem like a daunting process. By following these steps, you will find the grants best matched for your organization.

Step 1: Know Your Mission

Begin by taking a look into the internal values of your organization. Taking the time to clearly define your goals will serve as a helpful tool for you as you root out which grants are the right fit for you. 

This internal reflection requires a closer look into the grantors you may be working with. It is extremely important that these organizations resonate with your mission as much as you do. Not only will this save you from wasting time in applying for grants that match your nonprofit poorly, but it will ensure you are joining forces with organizations that share your passion and drive. Doing so will ensure the most enjoyable journey for all parties involved.

Step 2: Do the Necessary Research

Since there are many grants available, start by searching internally to narrow down the field. Some places to start looking include:

• Your network
• Region
• Previous grantors
• Peer organizations
• Grant databases

When sifting through all of these sources, ask yourself a few questions. Will those grants meet your needs? Do they align with your mission? A simple yes or no response to these questions will help you to quickly sift through and identify which grants are worth pursuing for your organization and which are not.

Step 3: Develop a Clear Grant Proposal

It is imperative that as a grant applicant, you develop a proposal that makes evident why your organization is most deserving. Here are some tips on how to do so: 

• Don’t be generic. Make sure you are being as specific as possible about the mission of your organization and explicitly state how the grant will help you to accomplish just that.
• Refer to data. As a method of persuasion, reference data from your organization’s past to outline the impact you have already made in your target demographic. You can also use the data to show that, with a little more funding, you can potentially multiply your existing impact.
• Be clear and concise. When reading applications with a lot of “fluff,” reviewers tend to skim the page and will often miss your information of value. Try to get right to the point.
• Reference direct impact. As you elaborate on the mission of your organization and the ways in which you will use the grant to further this mission, reference the direct impact you anticipate it making. And remember, data is king!

In following these tips and tricks for developing a clear grant proposal, you will have yourself ready to submit your grant application in no time!

Step 4: Thoroughly Review the Grant Application

Before hitting submit, take the time to read through your application from the perspective of a reviewer. It can be difficult to detect the flaws of our own work. However, when shifting your mindset from that of the applicant to that of the reviewer, you may come across some important errors originally missed.

It is also worth noting that the reviewer will seek sources outside of your grant application in order to come to a well-informed decision. Show the impact of your organization throughout the application, as well as on your website, social media channels, and any other platforms grantors may look at while reviewing. 

Another valuable tactic in keeping your organization at top of mind is engaging with grantors before submitting applications. Whether that be through social media, email, phone, or in-person meetings any form of communication that will help put a personality to the name will serve useful when competing against several other applicants. Taking part in these necessary, but often forgotten, steps will help set your organization up for success when it comes time for decision-making.

Step 5: Prioritizing proper grant management.

Congratulations! Now that you have received the grant, you must ensure that it is properly managed in order to optimize your outcomes. Some helpful ways of doing so include:

• Making sure all members of your team are in the know of the project’s goals, steps, and strategies. 
• Submitting reports in a timely manner.
• Being straightforward about successes and challenges throughout the duration of the project.
• Partnering with a grant management expert, like Getting Attention, when needed.

Your organization cannot optimize its grant opportunities without proper grant management. Therefore, be sure to prioritize this important step in the search process. 

12 Places to Research Grants for Nonprofits

Here is a list of resources to get you started with finding grants:

• Candid’s FDO Quick Start: This research platform allows you to search U.S.-based private and community foundations by name, city, state, ZIP, or EIN to get contact and basic grantmaker information, as well as links to recent 990s.
• Philanthropy News Digest: Search published grant announcements at Philanthropy News Digest, a service brought to you by Candid. Through this service, you can sign up for a free weekly email that lists newly posted RFPs. Do be warned, however, that less than 1% of foundations publish RFPs, so do not rely on these as the only source of grant opportunities
• Regional Giving Dashboards: This provides at-a-glance information for top grantmakers and their funding priorities for 20 different states.
• Foundation Landscapes: Through partnering with funders and philanthropy networks, Candid developed free custom web portals that display grants available to selected subjects. Examples of subjects include human rights, disaster philanthropy, early childhood care and education in the U.S. These portals are constantly being updated and show you, in real-time, the funders and recipients working in your specified area of concern. 
• Foundation Center: Through 400 public locations in the U.S. and international, you can access the Foundation Directory Online (FD) for free. Use the Foundation Center’s lookup form to see if there is a Funding Information Network near you. 
• Guidestar: This site includes a database of form 990s. You can also see the names of organizations that the foundation funded during the filing period, the dollar amount given, and sometimes a brief description on the purpose of the grant. This can help you determine if the organization is likely to fund a nonprofit like yours, which can help speed the application process along.
• GrantStation: This is a funder database that produces two useful (and free!) newsletters: one that lists recent U.S. grant opportunities (weekly) and another that lists international grant opportunities (monthly). You can access these for free through other subscriptions/memberships, such as Grant Professionals Association.
• FundsforNGOs: On this website, you can find information about recently released opportunities, organized by grant category. They also distribute a free newsletter of newly released calls for proposals, as well as provide access to webinars and other training material.
• Grant Gopher. This is a funding opportunity database that offers U.S. organizations free basic searches and access to the details of their first five search results. This also includes access to a newsletter which covers a selection of open grant opportunities. 
• The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: This provides a full listing of all federal programs available to state and local governments, territories of the United States; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions, specialized groups, and individuals.
• The Federal Register (FR): This announces newly authorized and/or funded programs, annual application deadlines, and award amounts for continuing programs daily.
• Grants.gov: This allows access to over 1000 grant programs offered by all federal grant-making agencies and serves as the single access point for many opportunities.

Although this list is not exhaustive, we hope it provides some useful insights to guide you along your search process! Below are some more beneficial tips to help you perfect your search process.

How to Find Grants: 4 Best Practices

1. Know the kind of funding you need.

When seeking out which grants to apply for, be sure you know which kind of funding best supports your mission. Are you in need of project support? Would a general operating support grant serve you better? Having a clear understanding of your organization’s goals will help you sift through which opportunities appear helpful and which do not.

A helpful way of clearly outlining your needs is to sit down with your leadership and development team to generate a list of goals for the upcoming year. Be sure to include highly specific content, such as supplies, materials, and start-up costs. Continue brainstorming until you run out of things you may need money or capital for and then continue on with your search. 

2. Use the 3-Way Fit Test.

The 3-way Fit Test is a helpful tool for weeding out leads that don’t need to be on your prospect list due to being poor matches. The 3-ways are as follows:

• Geographic fit: Funders typically choose to support nonprofits located in specific geographic areas. When searching, if the organization does not fund the area you serve it is highly unlikely they will award you the grant. Red flag! Therefore, you should continue on with your hunt.
• Programmatic fit: You must consider the mission, goals, and areas of interest to the funder and make sure they align with your own. If you want to run a program for the homeless shelter but are trying to appeal to an environmental organization, it may not be a good match. 
• Philanthropic fit: Be sure the grantors are giving away the type of funding you are looking for, such as programs, projects, general operating support, or capital. This is a good way to ensure you receive the form of help that you need.

By taking these three areas of “fit” into consideration, you can best determine which grant opportunities would be most beneficial to your organization.

3. Learn about your funder.

Take the time to dig into the funder’s information. Analyzing this information provides a better gauge on their likelihood to fund your nonprofit and gives you the best chance of writing a winning proposal that will appeal to them. 

You can do so by reviewing materials such as their IRS 990, grant guidelines, and eligibility criteria. For instance, Google lays out very detailed eligibility requirements for the Ad Grants program.

For organizations that don’t provide criteria as in-depth as Google does, you can generate questions to ask funders and better understand what they’re looking for. Examples include:

• What are their mission and current funding priorities? 
• How much grant money or resources do they have available?
• What are their funding patterns?
• Do they encourage grant applicants to contact them beforehand?

Although these are just a few potential questions to consider, this list will help uncover the information pertinent to your grant application process and decision-making. 

4. Form meaningful connections.

After going through the motions above, consider reaching out to the funder and, if willing to do so, ask any clarifying questions. Some baseline questions include:

• What is your selection process?
• Have your submission instructions undergone any recent changes not shown on your website?
• What is an appropriate amount to request in a proposal as someone who has never been funded by your foundation?

Reaching out to the funder will help kickstart a meaningful relationship between both parties. This could give you an advantage when it comes time for the funder to review grant proposals, as you will be kept at top of mind. 

Following these best practices will set you up for success when it comes time for you to search, apply, and (hopefully) acquire grants in the future. Remember to always stay true to the mission and values of your organization, and the rest will fall into line!

All of this information can be a bit overwhelming. Trust us, we get it. However, you are never alone throughout the process. Be sure to reach out to any Getting Attention professionals for help in managing marketing-specific grants for your nonprofit.

In the meantime, explore our additional resources below: 

• Google Grants Agency: Picking the Best Partner & 12 Firms: To take your nonprofit’s digital marketing to the next level, consider partnering with a Google Grant agency to optimize grant benefits.
• Nonprofit Digital Campaigns: 7 Strategies for Fundraisers: If you are interested in utilizing grants for fundraising purposes, consider these strategies for a successful digital fundraising campaign.
• Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits: The Complete Guide: Google Ad Grants offer nonprofits the amazing opportunity to receive $10,000 of monthly AdWords spending for no cost at all. If this seems like something your organization could use, read this article for further information!

When it comes to accomplishing your nonprofit mission and making a genuine impact in the world, you need an effective and successful marketing strategy. 

However, getting the funds to drive your nonprofit marketing plan is no easy task. Often, it’s recommended to use around 5-15% of your operating budget primarily for marketing efforts. If more money is needed, some nonprofits will also look to pull from their overhead fund.

If you find that your budget is tighter than usual, your organization’s need has increased tenfold, or if you simply want to expand your outreach efforts, consider exploring the world of marketing grants for nonprofits.

There are tons of different marketing grants available, some specific to a certain cause or sector, while others are geared towards only smaller or larger organizations. If you want to learn more about which grant you should apply for, you’re in the right place. This guide will answer the following: 

• What are marketing grants for nonprofits?
• Why do nonprofits need marketing grants?
• Where can nonprofits find marketing grants?
• What are the top marketing grants for nonprofits?

Nonprofit marketing grants can provide the right push for your organization to build a solid communication strategy with supporters. But this can’t be done without finding the right grant for your needs and following the necessary steps to apply. Ready to learn more? Let’s dive in. 

Nonprofit Marketing Grants | The Basics

A nonprofit grant is a fund awarded to an eligible organization that does not need to be repaid. Marketing grants are often rewarded based on nonprofit values, the industry it’s in, and other eligibility requirements. 

Who is awarding these grants? Well, nonprofit grants can come from various sources, typically split up between these categories:

• Government grants — These are funded by the government or with taxpayer money. Government grants can be given on the federal level, state level, and local level.
• Foundation grants — These are funded by organizations dedicated to providing money to the nonprofit sector and are often started by individuals.
• Corporate grants — These are funded by corporate companies, like Google or Walmart, that want to use some of their money to support philanthropic causes.

Nonprofit grants can be further divided by what exactly they are funding. This will depend on the grant awarding institution, as some only will give grants for specific projects and others leave nonprofits to use the funds at their own discretion. In general, grant funds are often directed to:

• Unrestricted funds — Grant will be used to cover day-to-day operating costs and support the general work of an organization. This is not limited to one purpose.
• Capital support — Grant will be used to support specific capital campaigns. This might include funding a construction project, renovation, or other large program.
• Restricted funds — Grant will fund a particular purpose, project, or program. This is the most common type of grant funding.

As you’re browsing through the different types of nonprofit grants available, it’s important that you have a comprehensive understanding of the institutions that award them and how exactly the funds should be used. Make sure you are familiar with each distinction to determine the most viable grant for your mission.

The Benefits of Nonprofit Marketing Grants

You already know that the right grant can take your nonprofit marketing effort to new heights. But what does that exactly mean? Let’s walk through the following benefits of marketing grants for nonprofits:

• Carry out charitable initiatives — Ultimately, marketing grants will be used to help carry out your various charitable initiatives. Any marketing or promotion you do for your online giving page, exciting fundraising events, and other initiatives can be taken to the next level with the right marketing grant. Sometimes grants will be awarded for a specific initiative, like to fund a particular program within your nonprofit services.
• Pay for donor outreach — One of the primary components of nonprofit marketing is your donor outreach efforts. From email newsletters, to direct mail, to sending out canvassers to meet supporters in person, your donor outreach efforts need effective funding to ensure its success.
• Help more people with your organization — When your marketing strategy is well-developed and targeting the right audience, you not only attract more supporters, but might even catch the eye of those who might need help from your organization. Sometimes people don’t realize that there are organizations out there dedicated to aiding those in their exact situation. Effective marketing ensures that people are aware of your nonprofit and its services. 
• Educate and spread awareness of your mission — In the end, a marketing grant is there to help you educate and spread awareness about your mission. The more people that are aware of the issues your organization is fighting for, the more likely that you’ll gain valuable support for your cause. Besides just your regular supporters, you might capture the attention of major donors, business sponsors, and more!

The value of grants to nonprofits is immeasurable, especially once you think about the impact that your organization can have on your mission if your marketing plan and fundraising efforts reach and exceed goals. 

Finding and Applying to Nonprofit Marketing Grants

The next step is to begin thinking about marketing grants that your nonprofit is eligible for and how to begin the application process. 

It’s important to remember that the process for finding and applying to marketing grants will look unique depending on your mission, the project you’re trying to fund, and the grant you choose. 

That’s why before you start looking for the best marketing grant for your nonprofit, make sure you:

• Know your mission — You already know what your mission is, but it’s important that you’re able to effectively communicate it to anyone, especially if you’re trying to get a grant from them. They need to resonate with your mission as much as you do, as well as entirely understand what your goals are and how a grant will help you reach them.
• Do the necessary research — Each grant has its own application process and requirements. It’s important that you do the research to check eligibility, make sure you fit the applicant profile, understand any deadlines or other important dates, and more. 

From there, we recommend you start off the search process with grant databases. There are a wide array of resources that you could check, but we recommend these:

• Grantstation.com — A database to search, review, and apply for nonprofit grants.
• Grantwatch.com — Another database to find and apply for nonprofit grants.
• Grants.gov — A website under the Office of Management and Budget to help nonprofits find federal grant-making agencies.
• Guidestar — An online database that connects nonprofits with grant opportunities (and vice versa). Create a profile for your nonprofit to start applying for grants, while also helping grant-makers discover your cause.

Along with dedicated grant databases, you can also do a simple online search. To narrow down results, look up popular keywords relating to your mission to ensure you find the perfect grant. 

For example, let’s say you run a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing clean water. If you search with keywords like “sustainability” or “environment,” you are more likely to find grants that will support your mission. These keywords can save you time in looking for the perfect grant, ensuring you can work harder on your application and grant proposal!

Nonprofit Grant Application Process

Each application process will be unique to the grant, so make sure you know exactly what you need to be eligible and apply. 

For instance, one popular option is the Google Ad Grant because it is awarded to anyone who is eligible and isn’t limited to the number of funds it has. However, there are still some lengthy steps, as the Google Ad Grant application process requires:

1. TechSoup.org registration and Validation token
2. A Google for Nonprofits account
3. Google Analytics on your website
4. Current and valid charity 501(c)(3) status
5. Compliance with Google Grant guidelines
6. An SSL certificate
7. A valuable and promotable website

While these individual steps may not seem hard to complete, you can’t forgo any of them if you want to gain the benefits of the Google Ad Grant.

Can the Google Ad Grant help your organization? Read our dedicated article to learn more. 

It’s important to note that the application process above is not a common example. More often than not, grant-awarding institutions will require applicants to send in a proposal to advocate for their cause and explain how their organization will use the grant.

A grant proposal is a formal request from a nonprofit to a funder to help them achieve specific results. The best proposals are concise, persuasive, and communicate the mission flawlessly to grant awarders.

To ensure that your application process doesn’t fall short during the grant proposal, here are some quick tips:

• Don’t be generic — Be extremely specific about what your mission is trying to accomplish and how exactly the grant will help. 
• Refer to data — To persuade grant awarders that your nonprofit is worth it, pull from past data and fundraising efforts to show that you’ve already made an impact in the past. Or, you can show that with a little more funding (like from a grant) you would have been able to multiply that impact.
• Be clear and concise — You don’t want to bore the person reading your proposal. Delete any fluff and get right to the point.
• Reference direct impact — We have already touched on this, but it’s an important point to emphasize. As you explain your mission and how you’ll use the grant money, reference the direct impact that it should make. Plus, if you have data to back this up, grant awarders will be much more likely to invest in your cause. 

During this process, it’s not unlikely that you found more than one grant that appeals to your mission and that you are eligible for. If you’ve applied to more than one grant at a time, make sure that you’re effectively keeping track of all your applications. Create a calendar to remind you of important dates and conditions that each grant may have. 

Top Marketing Grants For Nonprofits To Explore

There are tons of grants that you might be able to explore, so bunkering down to sift through databases might seem a little daunting. If so, you’re in the right place!

Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite nonprofit marketing grants— who knows, maybe you’ll find the perfect one for your nonprofit.

Google Ad Grants

The Google Ad Grant is a program hosted by Google that gives $10,000 in ad credits to eligible nonprofits each month. This grant is only to be used on Google Ads and to promote the nonprofit’s digital content. If you comply with the program’s rules and guidelines, your organization can continue to receive this $10,000 grant in ad credits each month for as long as you need! 

With the Google Ad Grant program for nonprofits, organizations can:

• Increase online conversions.
• Reach out to new donors.
• Market multiple ad campaigns.
• Analyze and track performance.

The Google Grant isn’t your traditional grant where there is only a limited amount of money to allocate. In fact, any nonprofit that meets Google’s eligibility requirements and complies with the ongoing guidelines can use this grant! 

Google for Nonprofits 

Along with the Google Ad Grant, Google has a dedicated account for nonprofits based in the US. While this isn’t exactly a marketing grant, the Google for Nonprofits account does provide access to the Google Ad Grant, as well as other services that can take your nonprofit marketing to the next level.

You’ll be able to use the Google Workspace for Nonprofits, Youtube Nonprofit Program, and Google Earth and Maps. 

Bill & Melinda Gates

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been committed to fighting inequities for the past 20 years. They work with businesses, the government, and nonprofit organizations to improve equality gaps in the world. In particular, they have tons of grants they award to nonprofits with missions they believe in. 

All you need to do is send in a grant application and then a grant proposal will be drafted to gain a complete and accurate understanding of how to execute the project effectively.

3M Foundation

3M Foundation offers grants for nonprofits to help advancements in the STEM fields, climate change, and other global humanitarian relief efforts. 

However, at this time the 3M Foundation is an invitation-only funder. Along with aligning with 3M’s focus areas and strategies, you’ll need to meet certain criteria and serve a 3M Community. To learn more about how you can become eligible for their grants, visiting their website is recommended. 

The Carnegie Corporation

The Carnegie Corporation is a grant awarding institution that aims to invest in nonprofits that want to make a meaningful change in the world. 

The majority of the organizations that grants are given to are usually contacted by the Carnegie corporation themselves, and spans from education grants to peace building grants to equality grants.

The Coca-Cola Foundation 

The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $1 billion in grants since 1984 to support community initiatives around the world.​ In fact, Coca Cola is committed to giving back 1% of its prior year’s operating income annually. In 2020 alone, $139 million was granted from The Coca-Cola Foundation to eligible organizations and missions.

Walmart Foundation

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation provide more than $1 billion in cash and in-kind to support nonprofit organizations whose missions align with their philanthropic priorities. Their grantees are usually split between the priority areas of opportunity creation, sustainability, community building, and racial equity. 

Ford Foundation 

The Ford Foundation was founded 85 years ago and awards grants to nonprofits that are dedicated to civic engagement, fighting inequality, and promoting environmental sustainability. They do have a limited number of programs and projects, so it’s recommended to explore all of their grant opportunities to see which ones are available for funding. 

Amazon Web Services 

Amazon Web Services is a grant awarder dedicated to empowering nonprofit organizations to leverage technology to advance their goals. The AWS has two grant programs that nonprofits can apply to, both aiming to help fundraisers move their research and marketing to the cloud so that they can innovate quickly and at a lower cost. 

Bank of America

The Bank of America is a longstanding grant awarder for nonprofits that aims to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities all across the country. Their grants are focused on helping missions that serve basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. 

Additional Resources

Marketing grants for nonprofits are invaluable resources and can catapult your mission and fundraising efforts farther than you’ve ever thought possible. And, this journey can all start by finding the right grant for your nonprofit needs. Hopefully, you found some viable options in the list above, or through the grant databases that we recommended.

If you want to continue your research on the best nonprofit grant and how you can expand your marketing, explore the following additional resources:

• Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits: The Complete Guide
• Google Grants Agency: Picking the Best Partner & 12 Firms
• Nonprofit Marketing Plan in 8 Steps (+ Free Templates!)

Not sure which grant is best for you? Remember, the Google Ad Grant can be awarded to anyone who is eligible!