I once heard a fundraiser tell me that grant writers are the \u201ckeepers of the lore.\u201d In other words, we are storytellers. We understand the communities we serve; the history of our organization; and how our programs benefit individuals, families, the environment, animals, and more. And while these stories are vital to the work we do, stories without data don\u2019t show the full impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accountability, transparency, and results are at the heart of federal grants. Data is the proof behind your program\u2019s story. Grant management requires data collection, and it cannot be an afterthought to winning the grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATION<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The idea of data collection should begin during the grant writing process. What types of data will your organization collect and why? Who specifically will collect the data? It\u2019s important to also consider the right solutions for data collection. How will you track your information \u2013 spreadsheets, databases, or cloud-based platforms? What security, backup, and access control measures will you put in place? How will your processes integrate with systems you already have in place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DATA TIED TO SMART OBJECTIVES<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When developing objectives in grant proposals, remember that funders will expect you to collect and share data associated with each objective. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to write SMART objectives \u2013 ones that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. SMART objectives show you have a fully developed project plan, clearly explain the project plans to the funder, and equip your team to implement your project plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EXAMPLES IN ACTION<\/p>\n\n\n\n
General Objective: Improve water quality in the manatee habitat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SMART Objective: Reduce nutrient runoff into the manatee habitat by implementing a watershed management program, resulting in a 20% decrease in nutrient levels within two years. Water samples will be collected by the Manatee Habitat Nonprofit\u2019s Scientific Technician at the start of the project (January 2027) and continue quarterly over a two-year period, with results posted in the Water Quality Management System.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s Specific \u2013 you know how much improvement will take place, who is handling the data collection, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s Measurable \u2013 by establishing a baseline number (with the initial collection in January 2027) and then continuing data collection over the course of two years, you will be able to show if the 20% improvement took place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s Achievable \u2013 in other sections of the grant proposal you will detail all the watershed management activities your organization will implement. While everyone would love to show a 100% improvement, it\u2019s best to pick an improvement rate that is possible based on knowledge, data, past experience, the elements of your project, and the activities that will take place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s Relevant \u2013 if the point of your grant request (and your associated project) is to improve the lives of manatees and your needs statement section highlights an undesirable habitat, then it makes sense to have an objective associated with improving their habitat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s Timely \u2013 water quality improvements do not happen overnight, but a two-year period is a good amount of time to show improvement in the watershed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LINKING OBJECTIVES TO IMPLEMENTATION<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you develop SMART objectives, they inform so much of the project and grant management aspect of your work. Knowing your planned objectives helps determine programming and resource allocation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you continue to monitor your work over the course of the grant, you will frequently check in on the status of your objectives. This is why our objective included quarterly monitoring. That way, we know whether we are on track to reach our target. If we are not, we will have time to adjust our work. Continuous improvement is always the goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Funders often ask for monthly or quarterly reports because they want to know if we are doing the work and on track to meet our stated objectives. This is the perfect place to share our progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do we translate our SMART objectives into action plans? These six steps will help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Written by: Amanda Day, GPC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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