Grant success involves more than winning

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Guilford County Commissioner Paul Gibson entertained attendees prior to the Aug. 14 seminar, held at the Cooperative Extension Service Building. (Photos by Jason King)

You’ve landed a grant, and now it’s time to celebrate, right? Before the fist pumping and high fives go too far, counties and organizations must be “grant ready,” and that means coming to the realization that winning a grant is only half the battle.

According to eCivis’ Leticia Jones, who conducted a grant insight training session for roughly 75 county, municipal and nonprofit grant writers in Guilford County in August, accepting grant funds is equivalent to entering into a legal contract. The receiving entity is expected to provide the service that it has been given funds for, and how that business is done fits into the puzzle that encompasses a successful grant.

Board of Commissioners Chair Carolyn Coleman talks with community nonprofit leaders.

Closing out the grant is one of seven fundamental steps in the grants process, according to Jones, who also offered tips during the seminar on what it takes to be a successful grants writer.

Guilford is one of six counties that makes its subscription to eCivis’ Grants Locator available to the community nonprofits that receive assistance from the county. Through a partnership with the NCACC, counties receive a discounted subscription rate for eCivis services. According to Jones, 26 federal agencies annually offer more than 1,000 grant programs in various categories. Competition is stiff, however.

“Your challenge is to present your project in a manner that will set it apart,” Jones said.

Among Jones’ other pointers:

• Work collaboratively: Successful grants don’t exist in a vacuum, so make sure you involve all interested parties in the community when developing your project.
• Follow the agency’s guidelines to the letter, and pay attention to timelines. You must be detail-oriented with the application and with project management.
• Be accountable. That means making sure money is spent properly and that you maintain regular communication with the granting agency – particularly when the unexpected occurs.

“Maybe 1 percent of the time does a project go 100 percent to plan,” Jones said.

eCivis added North Carolina grants on July 1 to Grants Locator 3.0, which already includes federal and foundation grants information updated on a daily basis.