the state of grantseeking spring 2014

The State of Grantseeking

Spring 2014Presented by Ellen Mowrer

Director of Business and MarketingGrantStation.com

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Why Does This Matter?• Changes happen faster than ever before

– Immediacy – Social Media – Overhead – Transparency – Volatile Government Funding

• Equally important regardless of your experience level

• Trending data helps you to manage your time and expectations for success

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Agenda• Definitions & Practical Applications• The Big Picture• Focus Points

– Annual Budget – Mission– Service Area

• Wrap Up

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Survey Definition• Eighth semi-annual survey• Over 1,200 respondents• 3 budget ranges• 9 missions• 4 service areas Fres

h!

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Practical Application of Benchmarks

• Organizations can use this information to compare their grant activity with that of “like” organizations, and as a guide to manage that activity.

• But – 95% of respondents do not use benchmarks.

• GrantStation uses this information to ensure that we continue to provide those organizations with relevant tools and resources.

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Grant Program Performance Indicator Usage

Number of Funding Opportunities Identi-fied and Researched

Number of Grants Submitted

Number of New Funders (First Time Grants)

Number of Renewal Grants

Success Rate (% of Grants Funded Vs. Applications Submitted)

Total Grant Funding Received

We Do Not Use Performance Indicators

16%

30%

24%

21%

32%

42%

47%

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Agenda• Definitions & Practical Applications• The Big Picture• Focus Points

– Annual Budget – Mission– Service Area

• Wrap Up

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The Big PictureYou Can Do It!

In the last half of 2013, 84.0% of organizations that applied for grants won awards.

Compared to last year:• 81% of respondents applied for the same number of

grants or more grants. • 70% were awarded the same number of grants or

more grants. • 69% of respondents told us that their organizations

received awards of the same size or larger.

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The Big PictureGrantseeking Activity Trend

Report-Activity Date

Spring 2014-(Jul-Dec 2013)

Fall 2013-(Jan-Jun 2013)

Spring 2013-(Jul-Dec 2012)

Fall 2012-(Jan-Jun 2012)

More Applications 44% 37% 44% 43%

More Awards 33% 30% 29% 27%

Larger $ Awards 30% 31% 27% 26%

22% increase; +6 points

15% increase; +4 points

Now is a good time to apply for more grants!

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Applications = Awards

% Awarded by Number of Applications0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

78%86% 91% 97% 98% 100% 100%

1 2 3 - 5 6 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30 31 +

90% or more of organizations that applied for three or more awards won at least one award.

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WON

APPLIED

# of GrantsNone 1 2 3-5 6-10 11-20 21-30 31+

1 18 54 4 4 0 0 1 0

2 17 50 44 7 1 1 0 0

3 - 5 28 55 103 126 5 0 0 1

6 - 10 6 9 25 122 68 2 1 0

11 - 20 2 2 8 29 63 37 1 0

21 - 30 0 1 0 5 8 35 11 1

31 + 0 0 1 1 6 20 20 14

Some awards won were applied for in prior periods.

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Grants as a % of Budget Spring 2014

Fall 2013 Spring 2013

Fall 2012 Spring 2012

Under 10% 36% 36% 39% 34% 35%

11 - 25% 23% 22% 20% 20% 22%

26 - 50% 18% 16% 15% 16% 16%

51 - 75% 13% 12% 13% 14% 12%

Over 75% 10% 14% 15% 16% 15%

Decreased number of organizations

Increased number of organizations

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Largest TOTAL Funding Source

Private Foundation

Community Foundation

Corporate Foundation

Federal Government

State Government

Local Government

Other Grant Sources0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35% 33%

9% 10%

18% 16%

8% 7%

Spring 2014 Fall 2013 Spring 2013 Fall 2012 Spring 2012Private Foundation 33% 29% 31% 27% 27%

Largest Award StatisticsLargest

Award Size Spring 2014 Fall 2013 Spring 2013 Fall 2012 Spring 2012 Fall 2011

Smallest $ $35 $400 $40 $150 $50 $200

Largest $ $80 Million $50 Million $18 Million $24 Million $30 Million $26 Million

Median $ $47,000 $46,000 $50,000 $50,000 $45,000 $39,000

Average $ $586,866 $531,322 $409,176 $441,152 $462,530 $312,000

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$47,000 is the benchmark for the largest award.

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The Government EffectThe Federal Government

Any Government Sources

Non-Government Sources

Under $5,000 2% 5% 14%

$5,000 - $9,999 2% 3% 9%

$10,000 - $24,999 6% 8% 14%

$25,000 - $49,999 6% 9% 16%

$50,000 - $99,999 11% 13% 17%

$100,000 - $499,999 28% 28% 20%

$500,000 - $999,999 14% 11% 6%

$1 million - $4,999,999 21% 15% 4%

Over $5 million 11% 8% 0%

74% 62% 30%Government funding increased the total awards size.

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The Government Effect  The Federal Government Any Government Sources Non-Government SourcesLargest Award Size Spring 2014 Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Fall 2013

Smallest $ $5,000 $3,000 $997 $400 $35 $450

Largest $ $80 Million $50 Million $80 Million $50 Million $80 Million $50 Million

Median $ $172,000 $195,000 $103,276 $75,000 $25,000 $15,000

Average $ $1,465,240 $1,914,462 $1,006,989 $659,653 $268,640 $240,602

Median Award Benchmark by Funder• All Funders: $47,000• Federal Funders: $172,000• Any Government Funder: $103,276• Non-Government Funder: $25,000

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Grantseeking Challenges

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The Grantseeking Conundrum

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Agenda• Definitions & Practical Applications• The Big Picture• Focus Points

– Annual Budget – Mission– Service Area

• Wrap Up

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Focus: Annual BudgetAnnual budget size DEFINES grantseeking activity.

Small: Under $100,000

Medium: $100,000 to $1 Million

Large: Over $1 Million

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Focus: Annual BudgetGrant Funding as a % of Annual Budget

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Focus: Annual BudgetSources of Grant Funding by Budget Size

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Focus: Annual BudgetLargest Source of TOTAL Funding by Budget Size

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Focus: Annual Budget

Federal Grants State Grants Local Grants0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

16%

28% 28%33%

43%35%

63% 64%

53%

Small Organization - Budget Under $100,000Medium Organization - Budget $100,000 to $1 MillionLarge Organization - Budget Over $1 Million

The Government Effect

Focus: Annual BudgetLargest Award

Size All Small Medium Large

Smallest $ $35 $35 $169 $1,500

Largest $ $80 Million $1.5 Million $850,000 $80 Million

Median $ $47,000 $5,000 $26,500 $122,500

Average $ $586,866 $27,666 $69,196 $1,187,306

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Benchmarks for the largest award range from $5,000 to $122,500.

Largest Award Statistics

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Budget: Small Organization• Younger organizational age• Mixed service areas• All-volunteer• Grantwriting is a non-staff responsibility• Grants are a smaller % of budget• Fewer applications – 5 or less• Fewer awards – 2 or less• “Other” sources of funding• Fewer government awards • Smaller median largest award • Challenged by LT/S and researching grants

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Budget: Medium Organization• Older organizational age• More populous service areas• Small paid staff• Grantwriting is a staff responsibility• Grants are a larger % of budget• More applications – 10 or less• More awards – 5 or less• Private foundations• Some government awards • Smaller median largest award • Challenged by LT/S and researching grants

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Budget: Large Organization• Oldest organizational age• Most populous service areas• Most paid staff• Grantwriting is staff responsibility• Grants are a smaller % of budget• The most applications• The most awards• Federal government• The most government awards • Biggest median largest award • Challenged by LT/S and reduced funding

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Focus: Annual Budget• Organizational budget size directly impacts the

number of paid employees with job functions dedicated to grant program management. More grant-focused staff results in more applications and awards.

• Organizational budgets increase in proportion to organizational age; many funders look for sustainability as defined by years of existence.

• The largest awards come from government sources; government sources tend to fund older and larger organizations

Why Does It Matter?

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Agenda• Definitions & Practical Applications• The Big Picture• Focus Points

– Annual Budget – Mission– Service Area

• Wrap Up

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Focus: Mission

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Focus: MissionGrant Funding as a % of Annual Budget

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Focus: MissionSources of Grant Funding by Mission

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Focus: MissionLargest Source of TOTAL Funding by Mission

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Focus: MissionThe Government Effect

Largest Source of Total Grant Funding

Focus: Mission

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Largest Award Statistics

Benchmarks for the largest award range from $20,000 to $200,000.

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Agenda• Definitions & Practical Applications• The Big Picture• Focus Points

– Annual Budget – Mission– Service Area

• Wrap Up

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Focus: Service Area

• Rural: Under 2,500• Urban Cluster/Suburban: 2,500 to 50,000• Urban: Over 50,000• Combination: a mix of populations

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Focus: Service AreaLargest Source of TOTAL Funding by Service Area

Focus: Service Area

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Total Amount of Grant Awards

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Focus: Service AreaLargest Award Size

Focus: Service Area

Largest Award Size All Rural Suburban Urban CombinationLowest $ $35 $169 $100 $500 $35

Highest $ $80 Million $21 Million $80 Million $14.5 Million $80 Million

Median $ $47,000 $25,000 $23,650 $64,750 $50,000

Average $ $586,866 $553,760 $697,519 $466,170 $672,643

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Benchmarks for the largest award range from $23,650 to $64,750.

Largest Award Statistics

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Custom BenchmarksAll

OrganizationsMission Median

Service Area Median

Budget Size Median

Arts, Culture, and

HumanitiesRural Area Large

Organization

Median$ $47,000 $20,000 $25,000 $122,500

% of All Organizations

Median100% 43% 53% 260%

National Award Size $100,000 $43,000 $53,000 $260,000

When looking at state or national award information, you can compare your own organization’s awards based on mission, service area, or budget size by multiplying by it’s percent to all organizations.

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Agenda• Definitions & Practical Applications• The Big Picture• Focus Points

– Annual Budget – Mission– Service Area

• Wrap Up

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Words From Our FounderBy the year 2020, philanthropy, not only in the U.S. but throughout the world, will wear a new face. I feel confident that these changes will open an expanded door of opportunity in the area of grantseeking for nonprofit organizations. A global sensibility combined with an array of innovative technologies will birth a new way, and perhaps a new wave, of giving.

Keeping up with the latest trends in philanthropy is no longer for those who have the time to delve into this sort of thinking. Keeping up with the trends is now a tool used by grantseekers throughout the world.

- Cynthia M. Adams, President & CEO, GrantStation.com, Inc.

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Free Report DownloadsThe Spring 2014

State of Grantseeking™ Reports:

www.grantstation.com/sog_main.asp

Thank you!

ellen@grantstation.com