Is it the chicken or the egg?
Is it the chicken or the egg?
The Spring 2018 State of Grantseeking Survey closed on March 31st, and we are seeing some early results. The difference between the grantseeking experiences of the 1,392 GrantStation Members (including Members through our PLP Partners) and those of all 4,970 respondents was striking.
First, and perhaps most important, GS Members reported a median annual budget of $812,500, compared to $575,000 for all respondents. This is important because larger annual budgets, with the implied increases in staff and infrastructure, including the ability to invest in grantseeking and grant management tools, have a significant impact on grantseeking activity and success.
Hence, the chicken or the egg question: Do GS Members gain larger budgets because of the importance they place on grantseeking activities, or do the larger budgets enable an organization to devote more time and staff to grantseeking activities? The answer will depend on the organization, but here are some early statistics contrasting the grantseeking experiences of GS Members vs. all respondents to the survey:
- Compared to the prior year, GS Members more frequently applied for more grants (47%) than did all respondents (42%); GS Members more frequently were awarded more grants (38%) than were all respondents (33%); and GS Members more frequently won awards of a larger size (34%) than did all respondents (32%).
- During the last half of 2017, a total of 82% of GS Members received at least one grant award, compared to 74% of all respondents.
- GS Members (65%) more frequently reported higher rates of two or more awards than did all respondents (54%).
- Lower rates of winning no awards were reported by GS Members (18%) than were reported by all respondents (26%).
- Forty-five percent of GrantStation Members reported total awards of $100,000 or more, compared to 38% of all respondents.
- The median award total for GrantStation Members was $68,900, compared to $44,100 for all respondents.
- The median largest award for GS Members was $50,000, compared to $35,000 for all respondents.
- The median largest award for GS Members from government funders (an aggregate of local, state, and federal government) was $153,975, compared to $125,000 for all respondents.
- The federal government largest award median for GS Members was $367,000, compared to $337,500 for all respondents.
The Spring 2018 State of Grantseeking Reports will begin to be published on May 10. We will provide two versions; one reflecting the grantseeking experiences of all respondents and one reflecting the experience of GS Members.
The reports speak to the importance of making the time to target the right grantmakers for your organization and stress the importance of submitting at least three grant applications every six months. The reports are meant to serve you and to help you determine where you need to focus your energy.
Finally, consider an initial or continued investment in tools to help organizational growth, such as Membership in GrantStation. At GrantStation, we help you to keep your organization financially healthy through assistance in developing a strong grantseeking strategy. Member Benefits provide the tools for you to find new grant sources, build a strong grantseeking program, and write winning grant proposals.